Mac and Music News

NATIVE INSTRUMENTS announce the Battery 1.3 update for Mac OS X and Pro Tools users on OS X. Battery 1.3 fully supports OS X, including AudioUnits, RTAS, VST, and standalone operation with CoreMIDI and CoreAudio.

The Battery 1.3 update is immediately available to all registered users as a $29 direct download. For users who would prefer to receive the 1.3 update on CD, NATIVE INSTRUMENTS offers a 1.3 update CD for $49.
For more info please go to :

Roxio announce that an upgrade of Toast will be soon available on a special download page of their web site. This 6.0.3 update is for Toast 6.0 Titanium or later users. It is compatible with Mac OS 10.2 and higher (OS X v10.3 ) and also includes CD Spin Doctor 2.0.2 and Motion Pictures 1.0.3. with supports in English, French, German, Italian and Japanese.

Digidesign announce that Impact 1.0.2 update for Mac OS X and Windows XP is available. This update fixes audio errors in Impact 1.0 when sharing the same DSP with other MultiShell plug-ins.

Impact 1.0.2 is dedicated to Pro Tools|HD Accel users who have Impact installed, or are adding Impact for the first time. Impact 1.0.2 uses the same iLok authorization that previous versions of Impact use.

Chicken Systems announce a minor update of "translator", a soft wich converts sampler formats.

This news version fixes bugs in foreign language versions (german version for example) and offers support for more formats.

Access Music released OS6.5 for the Virus C, KC, Indigo2 and rack XL. OS6.5 features a brand new low pass filter algorithm which has been carefully modelled after the Mini Moog. The self-resonating "Analog Filter" which comes in 4 variations (1 pole 6dB/oct, 2 poles 12dB/oct, 3 poles 18dB/oct and 4 poles 24dB/oct) even exceeds it's role model in terms of flexibility. On top of that, the saturation of the virtual Ladder filter is controllable using Access' new DCE (Discreet Circuit Emulation) technology.

The update comes with 60 new sounds by Howard Scarr, Ben Crosland and Matt Skaggs which have been especially programmed for the new filter.

OS6.5 is free of charge and available now from the Access website. There is also a new section which outlines the filters capabilities with loads of audio examples.

Bitcarel Softwares annonouce RAW. This software enables you to surf and record internet's audio to MP4-AAC. You can record multiple radio streams, Hollywood movie trailer soundtracks and news webcasts at the same time. Recorded files are iPod compatible. RAW offers AppleScript support for third party developers.
RAW needs Mac OS X 10.2 or later (Panther compatible) and costs $20.00

A fortnight after Mac OS 10.3 Panther has been officially released and the first users feedbacks being done, it is time for a rumour to start spreading again. It says (quite unprecisely though) that a Panther 10.3.1 update could be available via software update or via a download on Apple's website from the end of this week or maybe from next week on.

This update would solve bad handling of FireWire HD, screen problems on certain types of iMacs and first generation iBooks, as well as Airport card and trackpad problems on some machines.

So watch your "software update" carefully.

Digi-users should note that they shouldn't rush on this possible update in case the "Panther Pro Tools to come" is not compatible with 10.3.1...you would (again) be three weeks ahead.

Apogee Electronics Corporation announced that its portable, 2-channel analog mic-pre, Mini-MP is now available worldwide through authorized dealers, and distributors.

Mini-MP is the third addition to the Apogee Mini-Series line. Mini-MP at a glance: two-channel microphone preamplifier with phantom power, Low distortion pre-amps with 75dB of gain and Ultra-linear gain control.

The CS-80V by Arturia is the reproduction of the polyphonic synthesizer Yamaha CS-80. It was popularised in the late 70's and early 80's by artists and groups like Toto, Jean-Michel Jarre, Keith Emerson or Stevie Wonder.

The CS-80V offers all the features of the original synth, plus a new generation of features : a modulation matrix, a multitimbral mode and an arpeggiator.

CS-80V needs a minimum requirement of Mac G3 500 MHz, 128 MB of RAM, MacOS 9.1 or higher, Mac OS X 10.2 or higher and works on any sound card compatible with DirectX, ASIO, SoundManager or CoreAudio.

the CS-80V is available on Arturia web shop and Erturia dealers with a public retail price of $249/249 euros.