Mac and Music News

Auralex just unveils its new entry-level AudioTile pack. This very affordable 24-piece kit is designed to absorb echoes and reflections and comes with a step-by-step guide. One kit suits for a 8 x10' home studio and small studio and comes with seven different acoustic designs, but you can add several kits, depending of your room size.

The AudioTile by Auralex will cost $159.

Cycling'74 has released public beta versions 4.6 for Max/MSP/Jitter with new features, new objects, new developers tools and MacIntel support. These versions are available :

- Max/MSP 4.6b11 with documentation
- Max/MSP 4.6b11 software and examples only
- Jitter 1.6b4
- Max/MSP Universal Binary Software Development Kit

Please note that Mac OS 10.3.9 or later is required.

Celemony announces the release of the update 3.1 for Melodyne studio and cre8. Melodyne 3.1 runs native on Intel Macs, is compatible with the new Melodyne Sound Library and supports as an option the iLok dongle. In addition, numerous requests from customers have been implemented and improvements in all areas carried out.

Registered 3.x users of Melodyne cre8/studio can update for free.

IK Multimedia has released a fully working demo version of its new Ampeg SVX plugin. This Bass Amp modeling plugin includes over 20 Ampeg bass amps, such as SVT Classic, the SVT 5 PRO, the BA500 or the B15R, and of course effects designed for bass : Chorus, Delay, Flanger, Phaser, Octaver, Wah, Auto Filter, Distortion, Graphic EQ and Compressor.

This demo version will work for 30 starts/10 days and requires an iKey or other Syncrosoft USB key.

BIAS today announced it has begun shipping Peak Pro 5.2, the Universal version of the Peak Pro audio editing software for Mac OS X version 10.4 "Tiger" on both Power PC and Intel-based Macs. Peak Pro 5 and Peak LE 5 customers may download the update to version 5.2 directly from the BIAS website at no charge. Peak Pro XT 5 users may also update their license of Peak Pro 5 to version 5.2 at no charge via the BIAS website.

New retail editions of Peak LE 5.2 ($129), Peak Pro 5.2 ($599), and Peak Pro XT 5 ($1199) are also shipping. Free trial versions of Peak Pro 5.2 and Peak LE 5.2 are also available.

Plogue announces that a new version (v0.92) of Bidule has been released, which features : New disk streaming code,ReWire master support on MacIntel, Added possibility to turn off fading windows, ReWire temporary files are now created in a Bidule owned folder, SDK: added support for plugins with no output and Bug Fixes. 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.

Details and download on the Plogue web site.

AirEQ is the very first product released by Eliosound and ships today. AirEQ is a new musical equalizer created to meet every single expectation of musicians, mixing engineers and producers. It's been conceived to be the high quality equalizer you need in most situations. Mixing, mastering, tracking, whatever your sampling frequency is, AirEQ always brings you the same quality of equalization in the whole audio range. And you can use it on every track, without overloading your CPU.

AirEQ 1.0 AudioUnits/VST ships for $269.

McDSP unveils its new ML4000 Mastering Limiter, designed for music, mastering, post, and live sound, in single and multi-band configurations. It contains the ML1 single-band configuration mastering limiter (brick wall design) and the ML4 Mastering Limiter with Gate, Expander and Compressor, both in mono and stereo versions.

The ML4000 will ship in July of 2006 for $495 (TDM, AudioSuite, RTAS).

Native Instruments announces that registered Akoustik Piano users can now download the 1.1 update for free. This new version now supports up to 150 voices and includes many other performance enhancements. It also features an improved user-interface as well as a new recorder, stretched tuning, re-pedalling and a bass boost.

Akoustik Piano 1.1 now also supports both Kontakt 2 and Kore.

Few days after the release of the demo version, Arturia announces that its new Analog Factory is now shipping on the Arturia web shop, and in real shops very soon. From classic phat lead lines to crystalline digital pads, Analog Factory provides the contemporary musician with a broad, versatile and instantly striking sonic palette. But Analog Factory is not only a collection of sounds. Since it is based on synthesis, all sounds are dramatically modifiable. A set of the most essential parameters provides the user with an efficient way to tweak and alter the sonic character of the sound. Presets all carefully selected from the Arturia Classic Synths (minimoog V, Moog Modular V, CS-80V, ARP 2600 V, Prophet V and Prophet VS).

Analog Factory ships now as Stand-alone, VST, Audio Units, RTAS (ProTools 6 and 7) for $249 / €199.

PSPaudioware announces an update for Neon and Neon HR to version 1.1. With this release, Neon can now report proper latency value, fixes several latency problems, adds new Peak meters, and fixes several bugs. PSP Neon is a fully featured linear phase equalizer that offers eight bands of equalization, each of which can be assigned one of seven filter types. PSP Neon uses frequency-domain fast convolution based linear phase algorithms for the best balance between CPU efficiency and phase accuracy.

Neon is available as RTAS, Audio Units and VST formats.

Digidesign announces its new Turbocharged Pro Tools LE Exchange Program. Owners of legacy Pro Tools LE systems can trade-in their hardware for a Digi 002 Factory, Digi 002 Rack Factory, or Digi 002 Rack and get special exchange pricing, along with massive savings on the Music Production Toolkit. Digidesign Turbocharged Pro Tools LE Exchange Program enables you to exchange your legacy Mbox, Digi 001, or Digi ToolBox systems up to Digi 002 Factory, Digi 002 Rack Factory or Digi 002 Rack, systems at tremendous savings. As part of the deal, you also get the Music Production Toolkit, which offers a huge set of plug-ins, up to 48 mono or stereo tracks, and extended Pro Tools functionality, with a significant discount.

Mbox, Digi 001, and Digi ToolBox owners can apply now until August 30th.

Today the 25th edition of the "Fête de la Musique", or "Music Day" will take place in Europe and in a lot of other countries. Completely different from a music festival, the Fête de la Musique is above all a free popular fête, open to any participant (amateur or professional muicians) who wants to perform in it. This Music day allows the expression of all styles of music in a cheerful atmosphere. It aims at a large audience, working to popularise musical practice for young and not so young people from all social backgrounds. It gives an opportunity to communicate and share a very special moment through music. The musicians are asked to perform for free, and all the concerts are free for the public. It's the reason why they are used to play in open air areas as streets and parks or in public buildings like museums, train stations, castles…

Happy Music Day to all MacMusicians !