Anaheim, CA (January 25, 2008)-At the recently concluded 2008 Winter NAMM Show, the METAlliance announced the first group of Pro Partner manufacturers in a new program of professional audio and video companies working with the Alliance to recognize the call for quality in the recording arts.
Caption: Pictured at Winter NAMM are METAlliance founders (L-R rear) Elliot Scheiner, Ed Cherney, Al Schmitt, Frank Filipetti, Phil Ramone, George Massenburg and Chuck Ainlay; (L-R front) Pro Partners Bill Putnam, Jr., Joel Silverman, Jeff Phillips, Peter Chaikin, Mike Edwards, EveAnna Manley, John Jennings and Carl Jacobson. Photo by Leah Lee.Anaheim, CA (January 25, 2008)-At the recently concluded 2008 Winter NAMM Show, the METAlliance announced the first group of Pro Partner manufacturers in a new program of professional audio and video companies working with the Alliance to recognize the call for quality in the recording arts.
Massenburg addressed the press conference. "We hold thorough, comprehensive testing and evaluation in the highest regard," he said. "The METAlliance is all about recognizing the benefit of quality workmanship, not to mention quality listening. We qualify tools knowing that in our everyday work we&apos;re using what we&apos;re testing."
Pro Partners who joined the METAlliance at the press conference include Audio-Technica, Cakewalk, GML, JBL Pro, Lexicon, Manley Labs, Millennia Media, Royer Labs, Sanken Microphones and Universal Audio. Once named a METAlliance partner, the organization supports evaluated products of the partner companies.
"The METAlliance founding members are legendary in their contribution to recorded music and pursuit of excellence," remarked Peter Chaikin, JBL Director, Recording and Broadcast Marketing. "We&apos;re honored JBL studio monitors have received the METAlliance certification and we&apos;re thrilled to become a METAlliance Pro Partner."
Recognizing the industry&apos;s success in bringing products offering convenience and low cost, the Alliance is committed to securing the art of music through recording technologies that best deliver the music in all its many modern forms. To do this, quality needs to be recognized and supported.
Scheiner explained, "Somebody needs to step up to the plate to show the people that make recordings that you can still have quality. We&apos;re a group they can trust to speak the truth."
Jim Pace, METAlliance director of Business Affairs, added, "Some may argue that there is no need for higher quality because the average consumer doesn&apos;t care. It&apos;s not a question of bandwidth or delivery anymore. So who is the METAlliance speaking to? One group would be the people who buy these products here at NAMM--people who try to create and craft their art in any way they can. Because they work to get it right, these are the &apos;consumers&apos; that realize it&apos;s worth it to get the full sonic experience at home or wherever they play music. It doesn&apos;t have to be &apos;almost good enough,&apos; it can be a truly fulfilling experience."