Cruise Audio Announces New Guitar Amps with
Channel Mixing
 |
MQ4 Multi-Quartet Combo
(Click for a close-up of the master section) |
July 16, 1999
Cruise Audio Systems, a new company dedicated to developing innovative audio
products for professional musicians, announced that they would release the Cruise
Multi-Series Guitar Amplifiers at the NAMM Summer Session in Nashville, TN.
While the rush has been to bring DSP and other tube emulation technologies
to the guitar market, Cruise Audio Systems have taken the traditional path by
creating a line of all tube amplifiers offering features made possible only through
superb engineering and ultra modern manufacturing techniques. "We simply
feel that all the avenues for tube technology as they apply to guitar amplification
have yet to be fully explored", explains Mark Altekruse, President of Cruise
Audio Systems. While the company embraces the advancements of, and is currently
developing new technologies and applications, their belief is that vacuum tubes
remain the quintessential device for generating great guitar tones. "The
superiority of tubes is recognized by the musicians," he continued, "so
what we set out to accomplish was to apply this tone generator to modern concepts
of signal routing. Our application of signal routing offers a method of mixing
the gain and tonal character of each channel. This and many other functions will
enable guitarists to achieve classic and unique tonal expression with the preferred
method of generating tone-that being tubes."
The first product in this new series is the Cruise MQ4 Multi-Quartet. Available
as a 2 x 12 combo or head, the MQ4 offers the company's Blend technology (patent
applied for). A highly sophisticated logic circuit, the Blend function enables
the guitarists to combine the gain and EQ characteristics of the unit's four independent
channels. The company explains that "blending" channels is very similar
to studio or sound reinforcement mixing in that it offers a method of getting
the right balance, or blend, of each of the assigned channels. For instance, the
guitarist might want to combine the sound of the MQ4's first channel with the
blues character of channel two. Or maybe the higher gain settings available in
channels three or four. Easily accessed on the front panel (or via two optional
footswitches), the Blend mode has been designed to remember a 'return' channel
as selected by the user. This return channel feature enables the guitarist both
start and return positions from the Blend mode and visual indication is provided
on the front panel of the amp or on the footswitch.
The four channels of the MQ4 (Clean/Blues, Blues/Vintage, Classic/HiGain, and
UltraGain) each feature Gain, Volume, Bass, Middle, and Treble, Reverb and Blend
controls. To further enhance tone creation, each channel is equipped with dual
three-position Bright and Voicing switches. Furthermore, the all-tube channels
of the MQ4 have been manufactured on separate 'cards' that are mounted directly
to the internal front panel. This enables the company to offer a series of Preamp
Options on a special order basis. The Preamp Option allows the customer to order
any combination of stock and/or custom channels and have them placed in any location.
In addition to the extremely versatile stock preamps, Cruise Audio will be releasing
all-tube classic and modern preamps as well as DSP options later in the year.
The MQ4 is also equipped with a tube input stage featuring two 1/4 inch input
jacks-one dedicated to magnetic (standard) electric guitar pickups while the other
is for active or passive Piezo systems. When used, signals from this input are
sent directly to channel one (Clean/Blues) yet with Blend capabilities the guitarist
can freely mix the color, texture, and tone of any combination of the remaining
three channels via the use of the magnetic input. Channel one also features its
own send and return jacks for inserting signal processing devices. This dedicated
Piezo/Channel One input can also be used to accommodate the signals of many acoustic,
electric and electronic instruments.
To answer the needs of musicians requiring amplifiers of varying power for
specific applications, the MQ4 also offers a Power Selector control. This control
enables the MQ4 to operate at 8 different wattage levels: from it's maximum power
of 100 watts to a minimum of approximately 5 watts. The Power Selector feature
enables the MQ4 to be used in any live application, rehearsals, and in any recording
environment. To further enhance the MQ4's adaptability in recording environments
the MQ4 is also equipped with a dedicated balanced XLR recording output with a
new speaker emulation circuit. Other features of the MQ4 Multi-Quartet include
a parallel effects loop, parallel effects mix control, line level output, unbalanced
recording output, and tube reverb.
The applications for the Cruise MQ4 Multi-Quartet are targeted at the professional
market but the price point (TBA at NAMM) should make it appealing to other guitar
markets as well. For further information and contact Cruise Audio Systems, Sales
and Marketing Division, PO Box 886, Birmingham, MI 48012. The phone number of
the company is 248-647-8654. Information can also be requested via email by contacting
info@cruiseaudio.com. The company's website is currently under construction. The
new MQ4 Multi-Quartet can be seen and heard at booth number 2137 at NAMM's Summer
Session in Nashville.
Visit Cruise Audio on the
web at www.cruiseaudio.com. |
