Over the last decade, the Aaton Cantar X2 audio field recorder has become established on the most demanding movie sets, from Skyfall and 12 Years a Slave, to The Legend of Michael Koolhas, which recently won the French César award for Best Sound. Now it is being superseded by the Cantar X3, which combines the ergonomics of the X2 and its superior microphone preamplifiers, redesigned to improve filtering and reduce the noise level.
There are also new functions, such as optional Audinate Dante IP networking, and additional features are accessed through an improved user interface with new display-based menu control designed by Transvideo.
Its machined aluminium housing is water and dust proof, with a durable coating. Add in an exceptionally long run time, and it should be a perfect portable tool for outside location work, while its extended linear faders, smooth rotary knobs and silent switches should be ideal for the concert hall.
External devices can be simultaneously linked to the Cantar X3 through standard audio and computer connectors, which should allow further new capabilities to be added, which Aaton Digital hopes will allow it to be scalable for the next 20 years.