Mac and Music News

DSP-Quattro is a powerful sound editor, a highly innovative product that uses the new millennium latest technology. This new update (v2.0.2) now features : the audio file Info dialog allows the editing of the sample rate to force this value without applying any resampling algorithm, the MIDI parameters are editable into the audio file Info dialog, DSP-Quattro keeps memory of the last mouse click position on the waveform when pausing the audio file player, and several bugfixes.

This new DSP Quattro update is available in the softwares section.

Before the keynote, the Mac sites firmly mentionned that an audio interface "made in Apple" may be released and this rumour apprently resurfaces. Indeed according to various sites (macgénération, appleinsider), it seems that this famous interface audio (Asteroid ou "Q97") does exist. Our colleagues base their judgement on the resources of the GarageBand 2 application, in which you can find an image file "asteroid.tiff" whose creation date goes back to November 13th 2004. We don't have any information about the progress in this interface project, which could though be a real one since it infuriates Apple when a site mentions it.

To Be Continued...

U-he has just released the VST version of the Filterscape plug-in for MacOS X. Filterscape is a flexible sound bending plug-in. It's a parametric equalizer. It's a virtual analog filter. It's a delay effect. It's a modulation device. It's all at once - and more. In addition to the effects plugin, there are 2 sister plugins included. One of which is Filterscape VA, a virtual synthesizer, the other one is Filterscape Q6, an advanced, dynamic 6-banded equalizer.

The user manual has also been finished.

X-SpatFX is a program for MacOSX to be used with the X-Spat card (made by A & G Soluzioni Digitali) and generates 3D spatial effects for one (assignable) channel of the card. It can be used in conjunction with A&Gs X-Spat controller to add the excitement of 3D special effects to live performances conducted in the 3-D soundspace that the X-Spat card provides. 'Snapshots' in X-SpatFX are recalled via MIDI program change messages, and the interface provides a 3-D graphical interpretation of the position of the sound source in the 3-D soundspace.

A demo version is available as download.

M-Audio has updated the driver for its Audiophile USB interface, which now fixes a problem with SPDIF not passing audio at 44.1 KHz, fixes a system hang on Powerbook sleep and improves AC-3 and DTS support.

This new driver is available in the MM software section.

Following the reorganization of the MacMusic Software section, we just added a direct access for software developers. From now on, it will be easy for each developer to modify directly his product's informations and add his new software versions.

If you are a developer, you just have to be registered. Then mail your username and your company to JuneBug (our Software section editor). He will thus grant you an access to edit your informations yourself. Don't miss this fast and easy way to get a free massive promotion for your products. Our most popular download has reached 87,000 downloads in only 2 years...

Also, If you had developed any music software for Mac, we may offer you to freely host it and promote it through our "exclusive" section.

AudioFinder is a sample library manager which provides a user interface like the Mac OS X Finder that is optimized for browsing and auditioning audio sample files; it enables you to find any sound based on the file name. AudioFinder can guess the BPM or the user can utilize the BPM Tap Pad to tap out the tempo. Once the BPM is found AudioFinder can rename the audio file to include the BPMAudioFinder supports the AIFF, AIFC, SD2, REX and WAV formats.

All info and donwload of this new version (v3.5.3) available in the MacMusic softwares section.

M-Audio announces three new drivers updates for Audiophile, FireWire 410 and FireWire 1814 audio interfaces. They both now feature control panel improvements, AMS support improved, optimization for G3 systems, improved support for Logic 7, improved overall latency performance and improved latency with Garage Band.

VSTi Host is an application that allows plug-ins to be used stand alone, outside current VST hosts software like your sequencer. This new version fixes incompatibility with Pluggo v3.5 and other Cycling 74-based applications, and fixes incompatibility problem with Edirol FA-101 Firewire audio interface.

Info and download in the MM softwares section.

Steinberg has announced that its virtual drummer plug-in Groove Agent 2 is now shipping. Groove Agent 2 comes with 50% more musical styles and drum kits. The 27 new styles offer an array of the latest grooves in diverse flavors currently in demand. Other feature refinements include added output busses, with up to 8 stereo outputs now available within the virtual mixer of the host application. The GUI has also been overhauled, with added scales and easier access to vital controls.

Groove Agent 2 (standalone, AU, VST) is now available worldwide for US$249.99. Registered users of Groove Agent can update to the new Groove Agent 2 version for US$79.99.

MindPrint announces that its Trio audio interface is now shipping. This desktop interface features 1 Mic XLR In Class A with phantom power, 1 instrument in and 2 Line In on jacks, 2 aux In and 2 DAW analog In in RCA, 1 Insert send and one Insert return in jack. Out: 2 direct Out and 2 DAW analog Out in RCA, 2 Headphones out in stereo jack, 3 pairs of speakers out (3 pairs: 2 Jack, 4 RCA), S/PDIF optical In/Out (2 TOSlink) at 44, 48, 88 and 96 kHz in 24 bit linear.

MindPrint audio interface costs $499.

Eventide announces shipment of its Anthology plug-ins bundle for Pro Tools TDM systems. Anthology is Eventide's complete catalog of nine TDM plug-ins. Now included in the Anthology bundle are H3000 Band Delays and just released H3000 Factory plug-ins. Anthology also includes five plug-ins from Clockworks Legacy (H910, H949, Omnipressor, Instant Phaser, Instant Flanger) and two plug-ins from Eventide's Orville processor (Eventide Reverb and Ortovox)

The new Anthology bundle costs $1,195. Owners of two or more Eventide software plug-in products will be able to purchase the Anthology upgrade for $599 through June 30, 2005.