Mac and Music News

Daevlmakr Media has released the Daevl.Plugs Audio Transmogrification Suite v1.0.1 for Mac OS X in VST and Audio Units plug-in formats. This suite contains 9 major plug-ins and 9 CPU-light mini-plugs. Many employ random or chaotic processes triggered by peaks in the source material. Each has its own strengths, but every Daevl.Plug will transmogrify anything: voice, bass, guitar, synthesizers, drums, choirs of heavenly angels...

The 9 major plug-ins are :

- daevl.cerberus: three delays in a feedback network with time shifting, distortion via self frequency modulation.
- daevl.cubedriver: a bitcrusher and pitchshifter inside a stereo delay loop. When feedback is engaged on the delay lines, audio is re-pitched and re-crushed on each new trip through the loop. A variable strength enve ...

Sonoma Wire Works has released version 2.1 of RiffWorks. This is a maintenance release for all versions of RiffWorks with updates and changes that improve device support, registration, graphics, plug-in support and RiffLink collaboration.

Novation has released version 1.5 of V-Station for Mac OS X, which is now a Universal Binary / Intel-compatible. A new demo version is also available.

EastWest is actually offering customers the opportunity to purchase any PRO XP upgrade to the Quantum Leap Symphonic Orchestra virtual instruments (Silver, Gold and Platinum) line at a discounted price of up to 50% when they participate in a group buy hosted by the company.

Starting February 19 and ending March 19, buyers from around the world purchasing the upgrade from the EASTWEST website can group together in order to receive a bulk rate. The amount of participants in the group buy will determine the level of the discount, with the maximum discount being 50%.

In addition to the discount in price, participants in the group buy will also receive a FREE* (*see conditions online) upgrade to EASTWEST's PLAY software, a 64-bit advanced sample engine. With PLAY, users are able to load ...

Platinum Samples has announced the release of its first BFD expansion pack featuring multi-platinum award producing recording engineers. The first engineer featured in the series is Andy Johns (The Rolling Stones' Exile on Main Street, Goat's Head Soup, Led Zeppelin's II, III, IV, Physical Graffiti, etc...).
Available on 6 DVD's with unmatched detail, the Platinum Samples expansion pack has 4 installation options to best suit your needs with the 70GB SuperSize installation having as many 250 velocity levels, while the 30GB Small install option has a maximum of 20 velocity levels. The Classic Drums expansion pack includes over 250 MIDI Grooves and Fills and a QuickTime video featuring recording tips by Andy Johns. Note that over 190 additional MIDI Grooves and Fills, and more drum samples ...

Surround SFX has announced the availability of NE01: Twilight, the first in a series of specialized Model-/Sound-Sets for the Hartmann Neuron synthesizer.
NE01:Twilight focuses on dark sound-scapes and otherworldly textures for post-, soundtrack- and music-production, carefully sculpted using state-of-the-art tools. Wether you are looking for finished backdrops or raw material to create your own: Twilight delivers.

Features :

• 100 Sounds
• 50 stereo Models, 100 in total
• seamlessly looped where applicable
• multi-sampled where beneficial
• fully assigned realtime controls
• detailed documentation

NE01: Twilight is available for purchase as a DVD from the Surround SFX website at a retail price of 95.20 €.

Sonic Studio has announced the release of a new option for soundBlade, Sonic EQ native. Sonic EQ native is a proprietary implementation of equalizer that includes 12 different topologies, including multi-order parametrics, multi-order shelves, multi-order high/low pass, multi-order bandpass/bandstop, infinite notch, DC removal and de-emphasis for both AES/EBU emphasis and RIAA pre-emphasis.

Sonic EQ native is available now for $495.

Rupert Neve Designs announces the launch of the Portico 5014 Stereo Field Editor, an all new approach to stereo that redefines the boundaries and limitations of traditional 2 channel recording and playback. For mix, mastering and live sound engineers, the Portico 5014 allows users to control stereo ambience with its width adjustment, position images forward or backward in the stereo field with its depth control and provides the ability to further manipulate source material with its difference channel eq and insert.

For more information, please visit their web site.

Spectrasonics has released a free support update for Stylus RMX - Realtime Groove Module on the Intel-Mac platform. The new version 1.6.0 supports all Mac OS X Universal Binary VST, Audio Unit and RTAS hosts, including Logic Pro 7.2, Digital Performer 5.1, Cubase 4, Garageband 3, Ableton Live 6 and Pro Tools 7.1.1 or higher.

Note that Universal Binary versions of Spectrasonics' other two virtual instruments, Atmosphere and Trilogy, are scheduled to be released later this year (Fall).

Apple has updated Final Cut Pro to v5.1.3, a maintenance release that resolves performance and other issues.

Changes:

- Render File Compatibility: Render files created on both PowerPC-based and Intel-based Macintosh computers now work properly on either type of computer.
- Keyboard Layout Issues Resolved: Final Cut Pro 5.1.3 adds several commands to the default keyboard layout that were missing in the previous version.
- Issues with Cross Dissolves in Nested Sequences Resolved: Final Cut Pro 5.1.3 resolves cases in which cross dissolves did not work as expected in nested sequences containing still images with adjusted motion parameters.

PreSonus has announced Digital Performer support for the FaderPort USB automation and transport controller.

The FaderPort ($229 MSRP) has been shipping since November 2006 and is currently compatible with Pro Tools, Cubase, Nuendo, Logic Pro,Sonar and now Digital Performer.

Rupert Neve Designs has launched the Portico 5016, a two-channel device combining the RND 5012 microphone preamplifier with a D.I., which may be used together or independently. A Variable Phase control allows the manual phase-alignment of the direct input source in relation to the microphone input signal.

The Portico 5016 is available at a retail price of $1195.