[A6] MIX Mode --- was (SoundDiver and the a6

[Chad Gould]

> TIMING is everything... Imagine if the A6 had somehow come out a few years

> earlier - remember when Techno was driving as a new force; People were
buying up 
> old drum machines, and synths. The only virtual analog was the Nord
system, 
> which was like a Juno 106, but with worse sound quality. Nothing analog
was 
> made, synthwise, except a few modular designs, very few.

Yeah, the same people would buy it: not many. A few top-quality musicians
and deep-pocketed hobbyists can afford $3000 synths. That does not include
most of the dirt-poor techno community. :P The cost is a bit of the bugger. 

I don't have figures, but the music industry is not in good economic times,
and I've heard that other high-end audio gear manufacturers suffer these
days. Along with studios with good gear and what not. This doesn't help.

In addition, Alesis also failed to make low-cost spinoffs from their
flagship. This I didn't understand. Maybe they didn't have time.

In retrospect, I wonder if releasing this under the "Alesis" name may have
not been the best idea. Peavey's top-line gear they've tried in the past
reportedly sold poorly partly because of the branding Peavey has. I'm sure
that if Mackie made a top-quality, Neve-style deck, they couldn't sell it
because the brand is associated with small-style consoles right now.
Branding means a lot.

> In a way, the A6 missed its heyday, that Techno/Euro period. And Alesis 
> backed the larger studio consoles, outboard effects and the HD24 right
about the 
> time ProTools killed off non-computer recording. Not quite forseeable, but
it 
> was a major part of their business, the studio market.

DAW has basically made ADAT obsolete. And it's not just Protools. I think
that the development of less-expensive, software-only DAW like Nuendo sealed
the final nail in the ADAT coffin. Since Alesis was always an ADAT company
first, that had to hurt them worse.

__________
CHAD GOULD