Aaton Digital Unveils New Cantar Mini Digital Portable Sound

Aaton Digital has unveiled its new Cantar Mini 16 track digital portable mixer-sound recorder at BSC Expo 2017 in London.

The Cantar Mini is based on the renowned CantarX3, winner of many awards and now widely recognised by the sound community as the ultimate digital 24 track location sound recorder, with many delivered and in daily use worldwide. 

The Cantar Mini is in no way a reduced performance or reduced quality product but retains the full sound quality, uses the same preamps and components and manufacturing quality, and the same design quality as the CantarX3 but with 16 tracks instead of 24, a reduced number of inputs and outputs, resulting in a considerably smaller size and a more lightweight unit - just 2.8Kg with 2 batteries on board - almost half the weight of the X3. Of course, most of the software comes across also from the well developed CantarX3 software. 

Like the X3, the Mini also has the indispensable tilting display, it uses the same batteries, and is compatible with the add-on mixer panel Cantarem2. 

The Cantar Mini will be a more affordable option to the world's sound recordists at 7600 Euros.

Jacques Delacoux, CEO of Aaton Digital and Transvideo said: "Research tells us that the Cantar Mini will be a desirable product for those professionals who already have one or two CantarX3s and want to have an additional, more lightweight recorder for particular tasks, perhaps with a boom, or to work with the recorder shoulder mounted.

"We address also the young recordists who have learnt of the CantarX3 but imagine they will perhaps never be able to afford a Cantar. We address the rental houses, who want to stock a recorder of the same quality and durability as the X3, but at lower cost. We address other markets such as the USA and India where there are large numbers who have the desirability for a Cantar, and the Mini, with it's very practical specifications presents a more affordable route." 

Tim White, UK production sound mixer, also said: "It's a great little recorder and it's a great little mixer. All the qualities of my X3, but smaller, and lighter. To have boutique preamps in such a small package puts it in a class of its own.

"No other recorder that small has the X3 Mini's smooth linear faders and no other recorder that small has such a clear and comprehensive display. I want one - now!"

Aaton Digital will take orders at the show and will deliver 8 weeks after that.

Cantar Mini specifications include:
• Analogue and Digital Inputs: 4 low noise mic inputs, preamps with very high quality transformer. 48V Phantom, limiters, filters and EQ -2 balanced line inputs.
• AES digital inputs include 2 AES42 (mode 2) / AES3 pairs (4 mono channels) -Built-In slate mic with ext slate mic input. 
• Outputs: 8 analogue line level outputs; 4 AES3 digital outputs on SubD HD 15
• 4 Recording Media: -Simultaneous recording to internal mSATA 256 GB SSD drive, two SD cards and USB external drive
• Metering and Controls: Ultra bright large swiveling display panel, visibility optimized for shoulder work or cart, auto adjust brightness. One large rotary selector for easy operations in any situation. On board ten channel sliders plate with magnetic linear assignable sliders. Direct access to monitoring and set-up functions through dedicated buttons. 
• Power: Two identical on board quick release Lithium smart batteries ensure seamless switchover during recording Up to 11 hours autonomy when using "stand by" mode -One XLR4 DC 13-17 Volts input for extra power when working on cart.
• Main features: All inputs can be routed to any of the 16 tracks, linear control sliders addressable to any inputs and output. All tracks and inputs can be routed to 8 analogue auxiliary outputs and /or 4 digital outputs. Self-Generated PDF,CSV and ALE Sound Reports embedded with deliverable media.  Variable Delays on all analogue Inputs -30 Second Pre-Record Buffer.
• General Specifications: Open mechanical structure with independent Analogue, Digital and Display modules for easy maintenance and ‘anti-obsolescence' upgrades.
Housing made of machined avionic aluminium. Water and dust resistant. 

aaton.com