Bash Posted February 8, 2014 Report Share Posted February 8, 2014 So did anyone on this group attend the Aaton X3 launch/reveal in Paris yesterday? What can you tell us that they might have told yous? Many thanks, Simon B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bananaman Posted February 8, 2014 Report Share Posted February 8, 2014 Their site has been updated. Cantar X3 is mentioned, but there is not any bit of extra info. Clicking it only leads to the Cantar X1 and X2 info. Been checking it every hour... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
efksound Posted February 8, 2014 Report Share Posted February 8, 2014 Pictures source : Facebook Freelance Sound Mixers & Recordists for TV/Film group Prototype still in development has 4 xlr3 & 4 xlr5 inputs , aes inputs ,ssd drive. People at Aaton weren't willing to give out all the specs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RadoStefanov Posted February 8, 2014 Report Share Posted February 8, 2014 Unless this is modular I think the design is dumb. Touch screen under the faders. Pas bon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
afewmoreyears Posted February 8, 2014 Report Share Posted February 8, 2014 +1.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek H Posted February 8, 2014 Report Share Posted February 8, 2014 Cool! Very nice looking touch interface. But it's huge, I can't see it going in a bag... easily anyway! Faders on top of the meters does seem a little problematic but hard to say without getting hands on the recorder. Any preliminary specs? chanel count, mic pres.. weight? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bralleput Posted February 8, 2014 Report Share Posted February 8, 2014 Does not look 'smaller' than X1 and X2... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pvanstry Posted February 8, 2014 Report Share Posted February 8, 2014 Looks sexy like always. Indeed big for a bag. Touchscreen is great looking but under fader is weird. But I think that faders are for when in bag mode which makes screen more usable. For cart, it's most likely Caterem. Maybe the screen is detachable or there is an Iphone/Ipad app for remote control/metering. Price? That's where I will start to cry.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Rillie Posted February 8, 2014 Report Share Posted February 8, 2014 Looks sexy like always. Indeed big for a bag. Touchscreen is great looking but under fader is weird. But I think that faders are for when in bag mode which makes screen more usable. For cart, it's most likely Caterem. Maybe the screen is detachable or there is an Iphone/Ipad app for remote control/metering. Price? That's where I will start to cry.... Patrick, you're right on the money here. As aCantar user now, that is exactly the way I use it. On board faders for over the shoulder, or super portable setups like car insert work, on boats, etc and Cantarem for cart work. The meters on the Cantar X1, X2 are in approximately the same position and have never been a hindrance where they are for me anyways... Wondering on number of ISOs, etc. Regards, Jim Rillie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philip Perkins Posted February 8, 2014 Report Share Posted February 8, 2014 Interesting way of protecting the XLRs--it looks like they plug into that structure on top that the curvey ribs lead to, with cable clips at the edge. Don't see any of those fancy Aaton batteries in evidence. It looks big in the pic, but look at it vs. the person's hand in the pic--it looks like the whole screen/fader part is about "1 hand" deep, and the weird thing behind it with the ribs (and the xlr connectors) might be another "hand", so the whole deal might not be a lot bigger than a 664, even though thicker (or a Nagra VI). philp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RPSharman Posted February 8, 2014 Report Share Posted February 8, 2014 That's really sexy!! I don't think it's as big as it looks, but we shall see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJW Posted February 8, 2014 Report Share Posted February 8, 2014 The dimensions are the same as the X1 / X2 but it is lighter. I have one Cantar on the cart with the Sonosax and one in a bag. I love the linear fader setup - really good for cross fades and for me the best bag set-up for the work that I do. You can see that the linear faders are now 10 and they are longer throw. They are also very, very smooth. The knobs and sliders you see are from the 3D printer - not the finished item - as is the screen panel. The rotary selectors are from other equipment and not the production items. Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RadoStefanov Posted February 8, 2014 Report Share Posted February 8, 2014 Take that whole xlr section and put them on the bottom with low profile right angle. Waist of space IMHO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olle Sjostrom Posted February 8, 2014 Report Share Posted February 8, 2014 Hmm. Totally new look! At first I though "Ewww" but having another look changed my mind. It looks like you could slide the whole thing on top of the connectors. Looks like Zoom H6 might have sneak peeked on the X3 seeing as how the connectors are oriented.. ... ... Because you don't suppose Aaton would... I mean.. No. Too horrid a thought, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RPSharman Posted February 8, 2014 Report Share Posted February 8, 2014 10 faders - 8 XLR inputs? If there are 8 analog ins and a couple of digital ins for a total of 10 inputs with a 10 fader control surface, then I might be a customer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boomboom Posted February 8, 2014 Report Share Posted February 8, 2014 Looks like there's some connectors (angled in the case) on the lower side... Might be additionnal inputs ? Indeed: weird putting the screen at the bottom of faders. Might be able to swivel-angle it straight on top when in bag ? That'd make sense then... We'll see... As for the XLRs, they already had that idea; it's just been re-modeled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BudRaymond Posted February 8, 2014 Report Share Posted February 8, 2014 Very interesting! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old school Posted February 8, 2014 Report Share Posted February 8, 2014 Wow! Hard to say what it is. Odd form factor in these pix. No offense to Cantar users, but I'll stay with Zax & SD for now. At $15,000 USD I'm not sure this is what our small market wants. Just my .02 cents. CrewC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted February 9, 2014 Report Share Posted February 9, 2014 Not what i expected at all. I own an X-1 and I love it but it has some drawbacks. I would love to see this in person. That makes all the difference. Listening to it would certainly be interesting to match it up to my X1. i love the cantar for the total package: meaning that you have pre's and faders right at your fingertips. we'll see. That big screen looks hungry for power... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Arnold Posted February 9, 2014 Report Share Posted February 9, 2014 This looks fascinating. The high retail price and weight of the original Cantar was very offputting for bag use though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Visser Posted February 9, 2014 Report Share Posted February 9, 2014 Unless there are any major production surprises or software issues - I'm in... finally a recorder that uses nice big control features and a mechanical action for transport control. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
axel Posted February 9, 2014 Report Share Posted February 9, 2014 Oh wow! Eric, you are the hero!! I hope it is NO touchscreen. But I am pretty sure its not. Against the philosophy of working with gloves. I still love the rotary modulometers of my X1 Cantar (1 db increments, pretty cool in + out routing info at one glance), but the big screen might be really informative. Add a keyboard and you are fit for Metadata. Maybe power hungry, right. I also hope it is 10 analog ins (2 x XLR5 would be perfectly OK, also 4 ins could be line level, but the gain setting should be easily accessible); but why then only 8 input fader knobs? 10 analog ins and 12 tracks was what was announced, somehow... 10 analogue inputs with individual fader pots is what I was hoping for. Form: I think it is the same footprint as the X1/X2. which is going well in the bag. Just a little different concept. I still like to shoot documentaries with that setup. Same class as a 664, footprint and weightwise. best Axel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
callou Posted February 9, 2014 Report Share Posted February 9, 2014 it's not a touchscreen.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ao Posted February 9, 2014 Report Share Posted February 9, 2014 Unless this is modular I think the design is dumb. Touch screen under the faders. Pas bon the metering panel on the existing cantar has a range of motion of 90degrees. this allows access to the dvd burner or cf card slot. it also gives the option of standing to mix, (adjusting the meters for optimum visibility) when in tight quarters. showing the x3 on a table, at a show, the metering screen would have been adjusted so that the standing public could see the display. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soundtrane Posted February 9, 2014 Report Share Posted February 9, 2014 <Touch screen under the faders. Pas bon> Even though this may not be the case - as in no touch screen - I want to know what is wrong with this design. When you are in a take working with the faders, whatever is your need to operate the touch screen underneath?? What is it that you may want to CHANGE in terms of setup of the recorder during a take? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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