NAMM: CME announced two new audio peripheral products for 2006, the Matrix X five channel mixer and Matrix Y headphone amp.

The Matrix Y is a simple solution to a common problem – the inability to communicate while wearing headphones. This four channel expandable headphone amp includes the unique addition of a built-in talkback microphone. The talkback mic is fed into all headphone outputs, making it easy to communicate when recording, during playback, in a presentation or a demonstration – anywhere where multiple people are wearing headphones. In addition to balanced stereo inputs and separate volume controls on each headphone output, the Matrix Y includes balanced stereo outputs, allowing multiple units to be stacked for larger applications.

The Matrix X is a mic and guitar preamp with a built-in flexible 5 channel mixer designed to add a variety of inputs, outputs and level controls to a music production system. A combo jack with a +48V phantom powered microphone preamp or Hi-Z input effectively adds a microphone or guitar to a synthesizer, digital piano, or recording set up. An auxiliary set of balanced Stereo inputs and outputs can be used to integrate the Matrix X into any system with its own stereo ins and outs including sound cards, USB Stereo I/O, sampling synthesizers, digital pianos and other mixers. An extra set of balanced stereo inputs make this a versatile 5 channel mixer for personal recording set ups. Dual headphone outputs with separate volume controls and a dedicated volume control on the balanced stereo outputs make the Matrix X a perfect control center for all your different monitoring needs. The fact that the outputs are balanced even allows the Matrix X to be used as a Direct Box for both live and recording situations where longer cable runs are necessary. The Matrix X was designed to be flexible enough to solve a wide variety of different needs of the home recording environment in a single cost effective package. “It’s a $99 solution to a 1000 problems” added Billias.

The Matrix X and Matrix Y will be available in February, 2006 for $109.99 MSRP (each).

More information is available at the CME Pro site.