Mac and Music News

Native Instruments announces that a demo version of Reaktor 5 is now available. Reaktor 5 introduces the new "Reaktor Core Technology". The Reaktor Core layer offers up to 64 bit internal resolution, and now instruments in Reaktor 5 now also come with their own custom user interface, thanks to extensive new panel customizing options. All panel elements in the new version of Reaktor are completely "skinnable", which includes faders, knobs, buttons, and even meters. Reaktor 5 now offers powerful multi-stage envelopes similar to those in Absynth and FM7, and complete with tempo grid, slope control and looping functions; a large number of new modules for extended data storage, voice routing and MIDI functionality.

URS releases of URS MIX EQ as Audio Units and VST plugins for Mac OS X. URS MIX EQ is a seven band equalizer featuring five bands of fully parametric EQ plus High and Low Pass filters with variable slope. Each band offers overlapping frequencies spanning 4 to 5 octaves.

URS MIX EQ costs $249.99 for RTAS/VST/AU versions and is also bundled with the URS Everything EQ Bundle v4.0 and the URS S series MIX EQ bundle.

ReflexAudio announces Sonia, a compact size MIDI control surface. Sonia features 12 soft-touch assignable knobs and 5 buttons that can be set up to send transport controls or other MIDI controller message. This very small unit also includes 22 programmable memory banks and 25 preset memory banks.

Sonia is now available and costs $109.

Plogue announces an update to version 0.86 for its Bidule. This new release adds OSC Client implementation, new modules (HDSR Envelope, Basic AHDSR Envelope, Graphical Envelope, Graphical Envelope (Synced), MIDI File Recorder, MIDI Map and others) and fixes several bugs. Bidule is a realtime modular creation studio aimed mainly at artists seeking a new creative environment to experiment with. With Bidule, you create your own live music creation environment, inserting audio and midi devices, ReWire Devices, Au and VST instruments and plugins.

Wwaym announces that NWRCFil lowpass filter VST effect is now available for OS X. NWRCFil is an easy to use classic lowpass filter VST effect from WWAYM. NWRCFil is based on classic hardware filters where simplicity and the warm sound is most important. The effect uses selectable 2-pole and 4-pole filter algorithms developed by WWAYM. The characteristics of the filter can be adjusted by 10 RC parameters.

MacMusic is proud to publish in its articles section a review of Melodyne Uno. The brand new small version of the audio software Melodyne works in a similar fashion to a sample editor — except that it offers the characteristic Melodyne functions, making it the ideal tool for pitch correction, vocal production and the editing of melodies. Melodyne Uno is now worldwide shipping and costs 169 euros.

Metric Halo has officially released Version 2.1 of the Mobile I/O operating system with updates to the firmware, driver, and MIO Console. This new version has been in general release for just over a month, and we are pleased to report that there are no general incompatibilities, and Version 2 is qualified for use with Mac OS X 10.2.6 onward, including support for Mac OSX 10.4 Tiger

French newspaper "Le Figaro" announces without doubt that Apple and Motorola will announce Tuesday iPhone, a mobile phone and mp3 player based on E398 mobile phone by Motorola. The iPhone will have the same white color of first iPod, and will come with a special version of iTunes software. iPhone will contain 100 songs on a 512 Mb Transflash memory card. A future iPhone model will come with a 1 Gb hard disc. iPhone will be available on July 4th, according to "Le Figaro".

More, Apple has asked media to be present for major announcements at a special press event on July 7th.

Version 1.3 of Receptor is now available. This update contains numerous new features, fixes, and improvements, including support for multiple outputs, new key command, MIDI CC display for plugins, and additional plugin support (Minimonsta, Oddity, Stylus RMX,...).

Wormhole has moved from ApulSoft Plasq, and has been updated to version 2.0, simpler and optimized. Wormhole2 allows for routing of audio between computers on a network allowing you to make use of all the processing power in your studio. This new version features : reduced latency and CPU use, new intuitive and informative user interface, auto latency compensation for round-trip connections, multiple channels can be "sample-locked", no more config application - it auto configures, and auto-negotiates connections.

Wormhole2 (VST, AU) costs US$49.95 and demo versions are available.

The Jack OS X team announces the release of a new version 0.7 of Jack OS X, a Mac OS X implementation of the Jack Audio Connection Kit (Jack). Jack is a low-latency audio server, that connects any number of different applications to a single hardware audio device; it also allows applications to send and receive audio to and from each other. Jack also includes both AU and VST plugins, as well as the ability to send and receive low-latency audio over a network.

Jack OS X continues to be free and open source!

IDrum is an easy to use drum machine software, it can be used as a standalone program or as an AudioUnit plug-in. Our fellows Doug Edge and Clay Chaplin from AudioMidi reviews this amazing drum machine.

Digidesign announces an update for Digidesign LE systems users (mBox, Digi 002, Digi 002 Rack). The new version 6.9.2 of Pro Tools LE software is now compatible with Mac OS X "Tiger" 10.4.1 only. Pro Tools LE 6.7 or 6.9 must be installed first in order to use the Pro Tools LE 6.9.2 Updater, and you will need your Pro Tools LE 6.7 or 6.9 authorization information.