CES 2007: Belkin TuneStage turns 5G iPod into mixer
Further proof that the iPod can be used for absolutely anything music related as long as someone will make the right accessory for it. Belkin’s latest iPod gadget is the TuneStudio (and well done for not calling it the iStudio). It’s a four-channel audio mixer that lets you create digital recordings directly onto your iPod for instant playback.
The TuneStudio is compact, portable, and “tough enough to withstand life in a rehearsal room or in a garage” – presumably that means having beer poured over it or being crushed by some spontaneous guitar smashing. Podcasters can also use this device to record
their shows.
It also acts as an external USB sound card, allowing the input of audio from a PC source as well as output to a PC from any of the the inputs. Unfortunately, it is only compatible with 5G iPods.
It records directly to iPod in 16-bit, 44kHz quality and streams audio through built-in USB interface. Each channel is equipped with 3-band EQ, pan and level controls. Phantom-power-enabled XLR inputs provide up to 60 dB of microphone gain and the stereo compressor with makeup gain enhances audio dynamic, keeping audio levels within recording limits of the iPod.
