New age dawns for Yamaha and post-production tools
YAMAHA COMMERCIAL Audio launched its flagship audio post-production system, Nuage, at the Inter BEE broadcast expo in Japan in mid-November. The system combines dedicated Yamaha control and interface hardware with a new version of Steinberg’s Nuendo 6 software. Shortly before this announcement, Steinberg HQ in Germany revealed that it would be taking on ex-Sibelius staff as part of the creation of a new office in the UK. “Nuage delivers the ultimate combination of advanced DAW technology, intuitive interface design, flexibility and reliability,” said Nick Cook, European marketing director, Yamaha Commercial Audio Systems Europe. “We believe it is a new milestone in post-production technology. It throws the gauntlet down to the industry, demonstrating that Yamaha and Steinberg are determined to become bywords for excellence in audio post-production.” Nuage integrates Audinate’s Dante technology as its principal networking protocol; up to three DAWs can be connected via Dante. A low-
Nuage units specified, the I/O devices chosen, LCD screens required as well as the type of DAW computer, etc. “Therefore, depending on the combination of Nuage system elements and peripherals chosen, a Nuage system can range from under €20,000 to €60,000 plus.” Yamaha Commercial Audio
(L-R): Yamaha Commercial Audio’s Nick Cook, Steinberg marketing director Andreas Stelling and Yamaha senior director Ryo Kasai, at the UK Nuage debut
latency PCIe Dante audio interface card provides up to 128 simultaneous, bidirectional channels at 192kHz or 256 channels at up to 96kHz. Modular Nuage hardware components include a fader control surface, a master control unit for session and editing management, workspace units that can be used to integrate third-party hardware and/or
facility-specific custom options and three Nuage I/O units providing 16 analogue I/O, 16 AES/EBU I/O or eight digital and eight analogue. A price for the hardware “is not 100% fixed as yet”, Cook said at a UK press presentation in London a few days after the Inter BEE announcement. He confirmed that the price will vary based on the number of
will appoint “a very small network of specialised partners” across Europe to manage sales of the new systems, as well as integration and technical support, Cook also revealed at the press conference. Yamaha CA has yet to finalise exact numbers per territory. Ahead of its shipping date in Q2 2013, Yamaha CA is also developing training programmes for both partners and clients of the new system.
“The successful adoption in
the market of a new system such as Nuage depends on more than simply the sum of the hardware and software involved,” added Cook. “It also depends on the support which Yamaha and our Nuage partners are able to offer the end users.” Yamaha’s new post-
As subsidiary developer Steinberg updates its software offerings, Yamaha announces a new package targeting the sound-to-picture industry, writes Erica Basnicki
time Steinberg, bought by Yamaha from Pinnacle in 2005, made its own series of announcements: the company is establishing a new research and development centre in the UK to focus on developing software for the music notation and education markets. It was later revealed that Steinberg, in a particularly shrewd move, has taken on 11 former Sibelius employees, including former senior project manager, Daniel Spreadbury. He joins Steinberg as product marketing manager. “As musicians, we are very
excited to be joining Steinberg, a company whose unrivaled tradition of ground-breaking technologies we have always admired,” said Spreadbury. “As a development team, we
are looking forward to bringing our extensive experience to bear on a new generation of products, designed by musicians for musicians.” Additionally, Steinberg announced the upcoming release of version 7 of its music production software, Cubase, in addition to the release of Nuendo 6. n www.steinberg.netwww.yamahaproaudio.com