Winners in 23 technical and eight creative excellence categories were announced at the 34th annual NAMM TEC Awards that took place during the NAMM Show in Anaheim, Calif. on Jan. 26. Presented by the NAMM Foundation, the event recognizes achievements and innovations behind the sound of recordings, live performances, films, television, video games and multi-media. Comedian Demetri Martin returned as host.
Several companies scored dual wins for Outstanding Technical Achievement. Universal Audio picked up two awards for its OX Amp Top Box under the category of Musical Instrument Amplification & Effects, while the company’s Arrow audio interface won for Computer Audio Hardware. JBL also celebrated dual wins for its 3 Series MkII under the Studio Monitors category, and in Sound Reinforcement Loudspeakers for the company’s VTX A12W Line Array Loudspeaker.
Additional Outstanding Technical Achievement awards were given for DJ Production Technology, Hardware/Software, Wireless Technology, Microphones Recording and more. Here is the complete list of Technical Achievement categories and winners:
- Amplification Hardware/Studio & Sound Reinforcement: Grace Design’s m908 Surround Monitor Controller
- Audio Apps & Hardware/Peripherals for Smartphones & Tablets: Yamaha’s CL/QL StageMix v.7
- Audio Education Technology: Produce Like A Pro’s Produce Like A Pro
- Computer Audio Hardware: Universal Audio’s Arrow
- DJ Production Technology (Hardware/Software): Pioneer DJ’s DDJ-1000 Controller
- Headphone/Earpiece Technology: Audio-Technica’s ATH-M60x
- Large Format Console Technology: Solid State Logic’s SSL Live L100
- Microphone Preamplifiers: Rupert Neve Designs’ RMP-D8
- Microphones – Recording: Neumann’s U 67
- Microphones – Sound Reinforcement: Sennheiser’s HSP Essential Omni
- Musical Instrument Amplification & Effects: Universal Audio’s OX Amp Top Box
- Musical Instrument Hardware: Dave Smith Instruments’ Sequential Prophet X
- Musical Instrument Software: EastWest Sounds’ Hollywood Choirs
- Production Essentials: PreSonus’ FaderPort 16
- Signal Processing Hardware: Eventide’s H9000
- Signal Processing Hardware (500 Series Modules): API’s 529 Stereo Compressor
- Signal Processing Software (Dynamics/EQ /Utilities): iZotope’s Ozone 8 Mastering Suite
- Signal Processing Software (Effects): Soundtoys’ Little Plate Plug-In
- Small Format Console Technology: Allen & Heath’s SQ Series Mixers
- Sound Reinforcement Loudspeakers: JBL’s VTX A12W
- Studio Monitors: JBL’s 3 Series MkII
- Wireless Technology: Sennheiser’s evolution wireless G4
- Workstation Technology/Recording Devices: Avid’s Pro Tools Ultimate
Highlights from the 34th Annual NAMM TEC Awards
Steve Lukather also introduced guitarist and singer-songwriter Peter Frampton as the recipient of the Les Paul Innovation Award. Frampton performed several classic hits, including “Do You Feel Like We Do” and covers of Muddy Waters’ “Mad Love” and Soundgarden’s “Black Hole Sun,” the latter of which he dedicated to the departed Chris Cornell.
Watch footage of Frampton’s performance here:
Did you want to see more of Peter Frampton killing it at the #TECawards? Well, here you go.#NAMM #NAMMShow #NAMM2019
Posted by The Music & Sound Retailer on Sunday, January 27, 2019
Do you feel like we do? That is, pumped as hell to see Peter Frampton slaughtering it at the #TECawards #NAMM #namm2019 #nammshow
Posted by The Music & Sound Retailer on Sunday, January 27, 2019
Skywalker Sound engineer, producer, and director of music and scoring, Leslie Ann Jones, was also inducted into the NAMM TEC Hall of Fame, and, earlier in the evening, accepted a TEC Award for the 60th Annual Grammy Awards. Jones was inducted into the TEC Awards Hall of Fame by fellow Hall of Fame member Herbie Hancock.
A complete list of TEC award winners, including the winners in the Creative Achievement categories, can be found here.