C-Lab Falcon MkX

The C‑Lab Falcon MkX has flown through its CE tests and finally landed in the UK. Ofir Gal checks the spec and assesses the new machine's chances of taking off.

Yes, it's late, but it's here at last. After months of delays, the repackaged, enhanced and revamped C‑Lab Falcon MkX is finally sitting before me — disguised in a dark 440 x 290 x 60mm metal case. It was actually ready for release before Christmas, but was delayed by Eurocrats and the requirement for CE approval.

C‑Lab took over the manufacture of the Falcon from Atari in 1995, with the intention of marketing the machine as a music tool, something Atari failed to do properly. With built‑in MIDI ports, a DSP chip, and the lean and mean TOS, Cubase Audio and a range of hardware add‑ons, it was always a mystery why Atari could not capitalise on this niche market. C‑Lab have managed to do just that with the Falcon MkII.

The Falcon Mkx

Building on the success of the MkII, the MkX is aimed squarely at musicians, housed in a slick and robust metal case you could take on the road. As it's designed around the original Atari motherboard, the case has to allow for the various ports, especially the cartridge port, which cannot be relocated easily. This prevents the case from being a true rackmount unit, but in all other respects, the MkX is built like a musician's tool rather than an office machine. All the ports are labelled clearly on the top of the case, which can also house several optional add‑ons. The floppy drive is located at the front, and to its left are two bays for additional drives.

The basic spec is more or less the same as the original Falcon ,which is somewhat disappointing considering that almost four years have gone by since Atari launched the machine. Based around the Motorola 68030 CPU, clocked at 16MHz, the Falcon's true power, from a musician's point of view, comes from its sound system and DSP. The original Atari sound system featured an integrated A/D and D/A converter capable of eight 16‑bit audio channels with sampling rates up to 50kHz. The C‑Lab models have improved audio circuitry with similar capabilities. The DSP allows the machine to perform real‑time audio mixing, and effects such as EQ and reverb, and has remained unchanged in the C‑Lab machine. The original Falcon performance was hampered by quirky SCSI implementation, which meant that hard disk access was not 100% reliable when put under strain. Applications like Cubase Audio suffered from various crashes and hangs due to disk access problems, and C‑Lab addressed these by modifying the SCSI board. Users of the previous C‑Lab models have enjoyed better reliability when working with large amounts of digital audio.

The Same, But Different

Essentially, the new model is the same machine as the MkII, in an improved case that allows for easier expansion and upgrades. Among the possibilities are RAM upgrades and high‑capacity removable drives. Even more interesting is the ability to install a SoundPool S/PDIF (FDI‑compatible) or ADAT interface inside the machine. The various additional I/O ports are accessible from the back of the case, neatly aligned with the audio connectors. All other ports appear as they did on the original Atari Falcon, with the exception of an RGB/TV output.

Purchasers of the MkX can choose between two basic models: one uses a Mega ST or Mega STe keyboard; the other is called the MkXAT and can be used with a PC keyboard. Whichever you buy, it comes with the standard SCSI port, so you can connect any external SCSI drive to it. The basic unit ships with 4Mb of memory and no hard drive. An optional 1Gb SCSI hard disk, including the required additional internal hardware, costs £399. C‑Lab are so confident about their modified SCSI board that they promise smooth operation with Cubase Audio, and will replace your Falcon if it doesn't work properly with that program. In case you're wondering, the IDE interface is still there, so there's nothing to stop you from adding an IDE‑based internal drive as well.

Like its predecessor, the MkX has modified and improved sound hardware, but it now sports two pairs of proper quarter‑inch jacks, replacing the old mini‑jacks. Unfortunately, this also means that C‑Lab had to remove the headphone socket. There is one more omission from the original Falcon spec: C‑Lab have removed the composite video output, so you cannot connect an RGB monitor or TV any longer.

The C‑Lab 'complete musician's solution' concept can be enhanced with a Yamaha CD recorder. The bundled software allows you to compile Cubase AIF files into a track list and then write it directly onto a CD. Better still, with the aid of programs like Audio Master from SoundPool, you can do the post‑production work and burn a final CD that can be used to produce a glass master — without the files ever leaving your Falcon. See the box for full pricing details of the new machine and peripherals.

As part of their commitment to supporting Falcon owners, C‑Lab have signed a deal with System Solutions (0181 693 3355) who will provide warranty repairs and upgrades.

Gribnif Software And Titan Designs

The closure of Compo UK, distributor of Gribnif Software, has left popular programs like NeoDesk and Geneva without a UK home. Titan Designs, a company known for products such as Apex and Expose, has taken over distribution of all Gribnif products, as well as some old favourites and a couple of new entries. Although the products are not music‑ or MIDI‑specific they can help make your Atari more productive.

Nemesis is a new Falcon accelerator set for release in June. The final spec has not been confirmed yet, but it is likely that the CPU will be clocked at 30MHz and the DSP and FPU at 60MHz. Titan Designs are currently testing the product's reliability with time‑critical applications, including Cubase Audio. The accelerator will also be available for C‑Lab Falcon models. The following Gribnif products will be offered by Titan; prices include VAT and carriage:

• Geneva v1.04 (£59.95): fast, full‑featured multitasking OS for any Atari ST/TT/Falcon.
• Geneva Utilities Disk (£12.95).
• NeoDesk 4 (£59.95): the latest incarnation of the popular replacement Atari Desktop.
• Neodesk 4 Icons (£7.95).
• Neodesk CLI v2.1 (£24.95): Command Line Interface for use with Neodesk.
• Geneva/Neodesk 4 bundle (£99).
• Steno v2.12 (£24.95): text editor that operates as a desk accessory.
• Stalker v3.05 (£39.95): communications program with background Z‑modem.
• Convector Pro v1.00J (£79): fast and easy to use auto‑tracing program.
• Arabesque Pro v2.15 (£119): vector and bitmap editing/creation program for the Atari range.

For more information, contact Titan Designs on 0121 693 6669, or email them at 100345.2350@compuserve.com.