MATON S60 ACOUSTIC GUITAR
It is the end of one era for Maton guitars and the beginning of another with the recent release of the new S60 and it’s SRS60 and SRS70 counterparts. This series has replaced the long-favoured and popular 225 series, seen and heard on countless Australian stages for the last two decades. The new series touts improved designs and solid woods to introduce a new standard for Maton’s popular professional entry-level price points.
On the new S60 acoustic model, Maton have updated the neck design, bracings and body construction as well as improving production methods, making it possible to produce the all-solid S60 guitar more effectively. The backs and tops of the S60 therefore resonate more and have a wider dynamic range. Tonally the results are evident from the first few strums on a couple of chords. The important thing with acoustic guitars from a recording or performance perspective is a consistency between the sound impact across different playing approaches, for example simple the sonic leap between a single note or series of notes, to open chords, to bar chords. If the difference in volume between these three playing approaches is too great (or the dynamics too different) the guitar will be hard to track in both live and recording environments. The S60handles the shift between notes and chord types very well and sounds crisp and balanced right across the fretboard.
The classic Maton look has been retained with a couple of new innovations. Overall this model seems a little bit more slick and less of a workhorse than its 225 predecessors.
Featuring a spruce top and Queensland maple back, sides and neck with an Indian rosewood fingerboard complemented with a bone nut and saddle and satin nitro finish, the Maton S60 is a lot of acoustic guitar at just $1099 including hard case.
SCARLETT SOLO STUDIO PACK
Focusrite have released a complete personal recording solution with the introduction of the Scarlett Solo Studio Pack. Working on the idea that there is a little more required when wanting to record than just an interface to attached to a computer, the pack genuinely provides everything budding songwriters and producers actually need to get connected and bring their ideas to fruition.
As well as the Scarlett Solo 2i2 USB audio interface, this pack includes a large diaphragm CM25 condenser microphone (plus cable and stand clip), professional closed-back HP60 headphones, Cubase recording software and the Scarlett plug-in suite for mixing applications. XLR microphone and USB cables are also included, rounding out this compact, complete and highly portable recording workstation.
The Scarlett interface features a Focusrite preamp, from a range considered to be one of the best amongst many industry professionals. The quality of the preamp makes high-quality vocal recording possible, with the precision converters transforming performances into studio-quality 24-bit digital audio with sample rates of up to 96kHz and an exceptional dynamic range of over 105dB.
The Scarlett Solo interface is also 2-in / 2-out, meaning that for demo purposes less-experienced singer-songwriters can record playing an instrument and singing vocal parts at the same time.
All users need is a PC or Mac, the Scarlett Solo Studio Pack provides the rest in an attractive red finish. At around $299, a home recording solution is more in reach than ever before.
CHRIS GIBBS
This week’s gear was reviewed at Mega Music Wangara
