Impressive Aaton Digital Cantaress is not an improved Cantarem 2 but an enhanced Cantarem 2. Indeed, while this last one is satisfied with sliders that could be assigned to mix faders as well as to trim rotary knobs and with 4 configurable push buttons, the Cantaress can be considered as a real control surface.
First of all, main important difference is that the Cantaress is not self-powered! It requires an external power supply on its rear XLR4M socket (minimum 12 V, maximum 18 V not specified) and moreover the connection is no longer made via USB but via the Ethernet socket of the Cantar X3 or the Cantar Mini. Finally, unlike the Cantarem auto detected by the Cantar, the Cantaress must be activated in the Technical Menu. Its overall dimensions (41 cm wide, 28 cm deep, more than 15 cm high with the display raised) and its weight (more than 4 kg) make it more accurate on a large and heavy sound cart. Forget about the mini light & amazing English sound cart!
The Cantaress inherits Aaton's aesthetic with a hint of Sound Devices, we can't help but think of the CL-12 with the two wooden side panels that surround the display support. But there are neither Amish nor Alaia in the French Grenoble sub region!
The Cantaress therefore makes it possible to control both some sound inputs and outputs values and some functions of the Cantar X3 or Mini. Roughly speaking, it can be said that it almost entirely reproduces the sliders, rotaries and knobs of the Cantar X3.
Speaking of sound, it therefore integrates 12 input and mixing channels with respectively per channel:
• 1 slider similar to those of the Cantarem 2 but with a slightly larger spacing for a better mixing comfort;
• 1 large square push button, backlit in red when the channel is enabled, corresponding to the solo button of the channel;
• 1 large square push button, backlit in red when enabled, to access the settings of the parametric equalizer assigned to the relative input;
• 1 rotary encoder to adjust the gain of the input assigned to the channel, accompanied by a solo LED push button (does not allow the configuration of the input parameters).
Six of the twelve upper line rotary encoders are common to all inputs; they allow the different settings of the parametric equalizer of the channel whose corresponding square push button is activated. They are each accompanied by a LED push button, for the moment non-active.
Each slider can be assigned to the track of its choice. The corresponding rotary encoder is then automatically assigned to the input routed to the channel.
The whole twelve sliders can also be assigned to the inputs; therefore the corresponding rotary encoders are respectively assigned to the relative mix bus.
On the right side of the Cantaress are the controls for the Cantar X3 or Mini functions, from bottom to top:
• 1 rotary encoder for the headphone level with a LED activation push button for level adjustment. This encoder is also used to move the cursor in Playback mode and acts as a browse jog;
• 2 LED push buttons for up/down browsing in the menus;
• the well known Blue Shift button;
• 3 LED push buttons, of which only the two extremes are active, corresponding to the OK and ESC functions;
• 1 wide non-backlit OLED display showing the function of the opposite push button;
• 3 LED push buttons, of which only the two on the left are active, corresponding to the TALK1 and TALK2 functions;
• 3 LED push buttons corresponding to the F4, F5 and F6 functions;
• 1 wide non-backlit OLED display showing the function of the opposite push button;
• 3 LED push buttons corresponding to the F1, F2 and F3 functions;
• 1 rotary encoder with notches and backlit green or red crown acting as the Cantar's main crown in conjunction with the Blue button.
On a very large backlit LCD display, foldable like the Cantar Mini's, we find the same information as the Cantar one's, except the technical information frame, without the media and battery information, is on the right and not on the left. There is also a new additional vumeter corresponding to the Xl-Xr mixing bus (designed 1-2). The vumeters are double, wide is the track exit level, narrow the entry level. As on the Cantar, you can translate the mix track vumeters, typically 1 and 2, to the right. To each track vumeter are the input name assigned to the channel, its level setting in graphic and numerical form, the explicit details of the input parameters (Ph. On, Lim. On, Phase, Mic Lvl, 120 Hz -12 dB, Eq). The vumeter settings are those of the Cantar (blue bar value, green, yellow, red level value, response and hold time).
On the front side, an USB socket is intended in the future to connect a keyboard (or its RF dongle) or a media (typically a thumbdrive, not for sure according Aaton engineer).
On the right side are a 6.35 stereo jack socket and a 3.25 stereo mini-jack socket for the headphone(s) and a red push button for switching the Cantaress on or off.
On the rear side, there is a 6.35 stereo jack socket and a 3.25 stereo mini-jack socket for the headphone(s), two USB ports for keyboard or media, an RJ45 socket for connection to the Cantar and an XLR4M socket for power supply.
To get the headphone monitoring working on the Cantaress you have to connect one of the Cantar headphone outputs to one of the Cantaress jack sockets with the appropriate cable.
The new great feature of the Cantaress is the control of the recording and playback functions thanks to the rotary encoder with notches in conjunction with the Blue button and quick access to the general menus. But some sound mixers could get confuses to see the Cantar in recording (or any other function such as playback) while its main crown has remained in the TEST position! On the other hand, the lower rotary encoder advantageously replaces the jogs of the Cantar's crowns.
As very often for Aaton Digital, the first received Cantaress are "work in progress". Many Cantar's functions are not yet implemented on the Cantaress buttons despite the same labels, for example access to metadata with the F6 key, configuration of input and output routings with F1 and F2, configuration of inputs settings with the solo button of the relative rotary knob. Is the Ethernet connection a possible explanation for the mixing latency superior to the Cantarem one?
Aaton Digital could be blamed for taking the sound mixers for beta testers but, on the other hand, it is also what makes it strong, with products in constant evolution as close as possible to the final user expectations.
No doubt that Aaton Digital is well aware of this William Arther Ward quote: The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails.
First of all, main important difference is that the Cantaress is not self-powered! It requires an external power supply on its rear XLR4M socket (minimum 12 V, maximum 18 V not specified) and moreover the connection is no longer made via USB but via the Ethernet socket of the Cantar X3 or the Cantar Mini. Finally, unlike the Cantarem auto detected by the Cantar, the Cantaress must be activated in the Technical Menu. Its overall dimensions (41 cm wide, 28 cm deep, more than 15 cm high with the display raised) and its weight (more than 4 kg) make it more accurate on a large and heavy sound cart. Forget about the mini light & amazing English sound cart!
The Cantaress inherits Aaton's aesthetic with a hint of Sound Devices, we can't help but think of the CL-12 with the two wooden side panels that surround the display support. But there are neither Amish nor Alaia in the French Grenoble sub region!
The Cantaress therefore makes it possible to control both some sound inputs and outputs values and some functions of the Cantar X3 or Mini. Roughly speaking, it can be said that it almost entirely reproduces the sliders, rotaries and knobs of the Cantar X3.
Speaking of sound, it therefore integrates 12 input and mixing channels with respectively per channel:
• 1 slider similar to those of the Cantarem 2 but with a slightly larger spacing for a better mixing comfort;
• 1 large square push button, backlit in red when the channel is enabled, corresponding to the solo button of the channel;
• 1 large square push button, backlit in red when enabled, to access the settings of the parametric equalizer assigned to the relative input;
• 1 rotary encoder to adjust the gain of the input assigned to the channel, accompanied by a solo LED push button (does not allow the configuration of the input parameters).
Six of the twelve upper line rotary encoders are common to all inputs; they allow the different settings of the parametric equalizer of the channel whose corresponding square push button is activated. They are each accompanied by a LED push button, for the moment non-active.
Each slider can be assigned to the track of its choice. The corresponding rotary encoder is then automatically assigned to the input routed to the channel.
The whole twelve sliders can also be assigned to the inputs; therefore the corresponding rotary encoders are respectively assigned to the relative mix bus.
On the right side of the Cantaress are the controls for the Cantar X3 or Mini functions, from bottom to top:
• 1 rotary encoder for the headphone level with a LED activation push button for level adjustment. This encoder is also used to move the cursor in Playback mode and acts as a browse jog;
• 2 LED push buttons for up/down browsing in the menus;
• the well known Blue Shift button;
• 3 LED push buttons, of which only the two extremes are active, corresponding to the OK and ESC functions;
• 1 wide non-backlit OLED display showing the function of the opposite push button;
• 3 LED push buttons, of which only the two on the left are active, corresponding to the TALK1 and TALK2 functions;
• 3 LED push buttons corresponding to the F4, F5 and F6 functions;
• 1 wide non-backlit OLED display showing the function of the opposite push button;
• 3 LED push buttons corresponding to the F1, F2 and F3 functions;
• 1 rotary encoder with notches and backlit green or red crown acting as the Cantar's main crown in conjunction with the Blue button.
On a very large backlit LCD display, foldable like the Cantar Mini's, we find the same information as the Cantar one's, except the technical information frame, without the media and battery information, is on the right and not on the left. There is also a new additional vumeter corresponding to the Xl-Xr mixing bus (designed 1-2). The vumeters are double, wide is the track exit level, narrow the entry level. As on the Cantar, you can translate the mix track vumeters, typically 1 and 2, to the right. To each track vumeter are the input name assigned to the channel, its level setting in graphic and numerical form, the explicit details of the input parameters (Ph. On, Lim. On, Phase, Mic Lvl, 120 Hz -12 dB, Eq). The vumeter settings are those of the Cantar (blue bar value, green, yellow, red level value, response and hold time).
On the front side, an USB socket is intended in the future to connect a keyboard (or its RF dongle) or a media (typically a thumbdrive, not for sure according Aaton engineer).
On the right side are a 6.35 stereo jack socket and a 3.25 stereo mini-jack socket for the headphone(s) and a red push button for switching the Cantaress on or off.
On the rear side, there is a 6.35 stereo jack socket and a 3.25 stereo mini-jack socket for the headphone(s), two USB ports for keyboard or media, an RJ45 socket for connection to the Cantar and an XLR4M socket for power supply.
To get the headphone monitoring working on the Cantaress you have to connect one of the Cantar headphone outputs to one of the Cantaress jack sockets with the appropriate cable.
The new great feature of the Cantaress is the control of the recording and playback functions thanks to the rotary encoder with notches in conjunction with the Blue button and quick access to the general menus. But some sound mixers could get confuses to see the Cantar in recording (or any other function such as playback) while its main crown has remained in the TEST position! On the other hand, the lower rotary encoder advantageously replaces the jogs of the Cantar's crowns.
As very often for Aaton Digital, the first received Cantaress are "work in progress". Many Cantar's functions are not yet implemented on the Cantaress buttons despite the same labels, for example access to metadata with the F6 key, configuration of input and output routings with F1 and F2, configuration of inputs settings with the solo button of the relative rotary knob. Is the Ethernet connection a possible explanation for the mixing latency superior to the Cantarem one?
Aaton Digital could be blamed for taking the sound mixers for beta testers but, on the other hand, it is also what makes it strong, with products in constant evolution as close as possible to the final user expectations.
No doubt that Aaton Digital is well aware of this William Arther Ward quote: The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails.
