New Yamaha flagship console launches at InterBEE 2014
Published: ASIA
JAPAN: Yamaha has chosen InterBEE 2014 to unveil its new flagship console, the Rivage PM10, for the first time. Two prototype models are on display, revealing a new direction for the company. The manufacturer has joined forces with several pro audio brands, adding more sound characteristics and increased versatility to the familiarity of its digital range.
A newly-developed hybrid microphone preamplifer has an analogue section to produce what Yamaha calls its ‘Natural Sound’ concept, captured as accurately as possible with no colouration. In the digital stage, Yamaha VCM digital modelling technology recreates the characteristics of Rupert Neve Designs transformer circuitry and SILK processing. In addition, internal plugins focusing on collaborations with other manufacturers have been developed, These include EQ and compressor units from the 1970s and 1980s, again jointly developed with Rupert Neve Designs, and two reverb processors created with TC Electronic. An Eventide Harmoniser is also in development, while an extensive selection of plugins from previous Yamaha digital consoles increase versatility.
‘It’s a desk with multiple characteristics; everything you need at the highest quality possible is in there,’ said Andy Cooper, Yamaha’s manager, pro audio application engineering. ‘We’ve kept the transparent natural sound philosophy but then we have mic preamp, EQ and compressor emulation on every channel to give a lovely warm, characterful sound.’
The Rivage PM10 offers 144 input channels, 72 mix busses and 36 matrix outputs, and has the ability to process more than 300 plugins. It offers two-track recording to a USB flash drive and also supports multitrack recording via an optional Dante audio network.
An invited delegation of European end-users attended InterBEE to learn more about the Rivage PM10, which will ship in 2015. Among them was Alex Penn from UK rental company SSE Audio. ‘The console looks fantastic and it's great to see a new top end product from Yamaha,’ he said in reaction to the desk. ‘We are looking forward to the Rivage Series offering a competitive alternative at the higher end of the market.’