Mac and Music News

Those craving for a modern TB-303 and not wanting to pay the toll may have heard of the x0xb0x. This is a full TB clone down to the original electronic parts, with a full fledge sequencer (behaving like the original), MIDI, CV/gate, DIN sync in or out, USB… The x0xb0x is a kit, so you'll have to bring in your soldering iron (it may not be for beginners). Now, the first 100 pieces are reserved you have to go on the waiting list (another series is planned), it costs your time and $300.

Sagan Technology announces a pre-release version of Metro v6.3, which features : improved Tiger compatibility, "Freeze" (wich converts soft-synth (or audio) tracks and all of their automation into a single audio track and groups the original tracks), updated Rhythm Explorer, management of chord progressions, and a lot more..

Upgrades from version 6.2 are free and upgrades from older versions cost US$29.99.

Lynx Studio Technology has announced that its OSX drivers have been tested and approved for use with the new Apple OSX Tiger operating system. The Lynx OSX Core Audio driver is used for the LynxTWO, Lynx L22, AES16 and Aurora models.

SpinAudio announces a new update of RoomVerb M2 2.2 Build 180, in order to optimize the code for G4 and G5 processors. This update features 64-bit internal filters precision, no cpu usage spikes on filters recalculation, improved DSP engine syncronization, DSP Code optimization (processing now runs up to 25% faster) and minor bug fixes. RoomVerb M2 is a SpinAudio reverb based on Virtual Room Acoustic modeling technique that allows to simulate various acoustic spaces from small bath rooms to huge open spaces using a single set of parameters.

Apple announces an update 3.0 for "Pro Application Support". This update is not available via "prefs panel" but only on Apple web site, for both Mac OS 10.3 and 10.4. This update improves general user interface reliability for Apple's professional applications. It is recommended for all users of: DVD Studio Pro, Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, Logic Express, Motion and Sountrack.

URS plugins has released version 1.0 of the URS FullTec 5 Band Program EQ for Audio Units and VST. The URS FullTec is a five band Program Equalizer featuring one band that digitally recreates the Pulteq EQP-1's low frequency shelving with simultaneous boost and attenuation, three bands of peak equalization that digitally recreates the  midrange boost and attenuation of the Pultec MEQ-5 and the high frequency  boost of the Pultec EQP-1a. 

FullTec costs $499.99 (TDM, RTAS, Audio Units, VST) or $249.99 (Native, RTAS, Audio Units, VST).

Our friend June Bug (Editor of MM Softwares section) puts an amazing new additive synthesis software instrument in its section. Harmonical 1.0 VST is a crazy instrument which uses spherical harmonics to modulate the vertices of a sphere. These vertices are then used to generate waveforms for a simplistic additive synthesis engine. Pretty high cpu usage due to the need to re-calculate 1024 vertices 100 times a second though.

Enjoy it in the MacMusic softwares section...

Ableton would like to announce that the latest version of Live (4.1.2) is compatible with Mac OS X 10.4 alias Tiger. Based on Ableton internal tests, they found everything working ok so far. But as an audio application Live also depends on the functionality of third party hard and software like audio & midi interfaces or effect instrument plug-ins.

Therefore Ableton would ask you to give them feedback about possible problems related to Mac OS X 10.4.

Heizenbox "the Granulizor" has been updated to version 2.2, which now features: Filter, Length, Modulator and Pitch synchronization, support for FXpansion VST to AU adapter (v.1.50) and default MIDI learn maps for Oxygen M-Audio keyboard.

IK Multimedia and Digidesign are teaming up once again to equip musicians with SampleTank. Registered Digidesign SampleTank 1 SE users can now update to SampleTank 2 SE for Free. SampleTank 2 SE is a major upgrade to the version of SampleTank that was included in Digidesign systems at purchase. SampleTank 2 SE has many of the functionalities of the full version of SampleTank 2 with the following limitations: plays only the included sounds and cannot import samples.

Apple has updated iTunes to version 4.8. This new version includes new Music Store features and support for transferring contacts and calendars from your computer to your iPod (requires Mac OS X version 10.4 on your computer)

Sibelius announces that all of Sibelius Software's products have been tested on Apple's latest operating system, Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger, and have been found to work without any serious problems. The applications Sibelius tested and found to have no problems include:

- Sibelius 3.1.x
- Kontakt Player Silver
- Kontakt Player Gold
- Sibelius 2.1.1
- G7 Kontakt Edition (v3.3)
- Sibelius Instruments
- Sibelius Compass
- Sibelius Notes
- Auralia

Note that if you have Adobe Reader 7 installed on Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger, Sibelius Starclass may give an error message about QuickTime when it tries to play sounds. If you encounter this problem, we suggest you download and install Adobe Reader 6.