TC-Helicon updates the editors of its vocal processors: VoiceLive, VoiceWorks, VoiceWorksPlus, VoiceDoubler, VoiceOne, and finally the VoicePro. The ergonomic has been simplified and the editor runs now with full fledged VSTi capabilities. It is Universal Binary for the lucky ones with an Intel mac and it should be available for free this spring.

Behringer new U-CONTROL UMA25S will help keyboard players to be the center of stage. This small 25 keys controller has straps on but also 21 assignable controllers (8 knobs, 8 buttons -transport-mode option, 2 wheels, one slider, 2 pedal ports), a USB audio/MIDI interface (maybe not the most practical onstage… but who knows what a keyboard hero can go!)

Available third quarter 2007 for $189.99

TC Electronik expands its Konnekt range with the Konnekt Live, an audio+DSP interface aptly aimed for live use… It is a sturdy firewire tabletop box with :

- Extensive output routing
- Real time DSP processing
- Fabrik C Live on outputs for optimal control of output signal
- Fabrik R Live – 9 studio quality reverb algorithms
- Balanced/unbalanced output switch
- ResFilter plug-in – Lo-cut/hi-cut filter for ultra fat filtering effects
- Turntable cable included (RCA and grounding -> XLR)
- RIAA plug-in for selection of different RIAA filters
- Assignable light ring for MIDI control
- Ableton Live Lite 6 TC Electronic Edition included

It retains all the specs from the Konnekt 24D and will be available this spring 2007 for 640€

SPL will be offering from may on the Rackpack which is a modular rack system holding SPL own 3U modules system in the 8 available slots. For now they will be loaded with (at the buyer's request) combinations of the new preamps to be followed up this year with the Transient Designer, SPL De-Esser and DynaMaxx compressor updated versions. The new preamps are the Prefrence Mic-Pre, a transformerless IC design, the second, the Premium Mic-Pre is a solid-state, 3 stages design with a Lundhal input transformer and discrete circuit. Expect some tube modules in 2008. Price. TBA but given as being very interesting by channel (for SPL products)

(the illustration shows all scheduled modules for now)

Jazzmutant, of LEMUR fame, announced Dexter, an adapted version of LEMUR aimed a DAW control. As its forerunner, it's a multitouche control surface, but this time it's bound for use with Logic Pro, Cubase, Sonar, Nuendo and Pyramix. In Jazzmutant own words:

GREAT ERGONOMICS
Hasn't every musician or producer fantasized of controlling their favourite Digital Audio Workstation by touching the actual user interface directly on the screen ? JazzMutant has partnered with leading software companies, such as Steinberg, Cakewalk and Apple, to make this dream a reality. Dexter redefines the very interaction between Digital Audio Workstations and the users. This laptop-sized control surface has been designed with only one purpose in mind : making user experience more pleasant, playful and ...

Akai unveils the MPK49, a new USB/MIDI controller. The MPK49 combines a high-quality, 49-key, semi-weighted keyboard with aftertouch and 12 MPC-style drum pads. 48 total pads are accessible via 4 pad banks. The pads feature popular MPC Note Repeat function and Swing parameters, and the performance controller has its own arpeggiator, for creating quick, creative riffs in seconds. It delivers 72 assignable controls, with assignable inputs that include an expression pedal, footswitch, pitch bend and modulation wheel.

For more information, please visit their web site.

Solid State Logic proudly announces the XLogic Alpha VHD Pre at the Frankfurt Music Messe. Based on the VHD circuit from SSL's acclaimed Duality console, the VHD Pre adds four SSL mic preamps to any line level DAW audio interface, transforming it into a professional quality, multi-channel analogue recording system.

Key features :

- Four ultra-clean SSL preamps with 75dB of gain
- Independently switched 48V phantom power
- 20dB Pad switches that illuminate to indicate overload
- Hi Z switches to accommodate mic, line and instrument level signals
- Four independent Variable Harmonic Drive systems
- Front panel 1/4" jack instrument/line level inputs with passive DI type impedance detection and level matching
- Individual input, output and VHD controls for each section
- Rear panel XLR mic/line inputs and XLR outputs

The XLogic Alpha VHD Pre will ship worldwide in May 2007 with a MSRP of £999.00 (€1500). For more info, please visit the link below.

Stanton DJ has launched the new T.90 USB high torque turntable which is a professional quality turntable with high-torque direct drive motor and a USB output.

Features :

• High-torque direct drive motor and unique design
• USB and S/PDIF output
• S-Shaped tone arm for superior tracking when scratching
• Key Lock (Master Tempo) to adjust the tempo of a record without affecting pitch
• 2 Start/Stop switches for mix or battle setup
• 3 playback speeds (33, 45, 78 RPM), plus Quartz Lock and target light
• Pitch control slider with selectable range (+ / - 8%, 12%)
• Includes Stanton 500B cartridge, slip mat and cloth dust cover
• Includes software to convert records into digital recordings or CDs, edit MP3, and WAV audio files

Here is our photo gallery from Frankfurt MusikMesse.

Steinberg Media Technologies has announced updates for its current VSTi range that will offer compatibility to Intel-based Macintosh computers. The updates will be available from April 2007 through Steinberg's website.

TC Electronic has announced a new plug-in for PowerCore, the Tube-Tech CL 1B plug-in, which is based upon the legendary analogue sound of the CL 1B compressor/limiter.

Features :

- up to 30 dBs of gain
- continuously variable ratio ranging from 2:1 to 10:1
- advanced metering
- innovative attack/release controls, with three different settings, enabling the CL 1B to be used as an insert- or bus compressor
- Sidechain/Link button in the stereo instance that emulates the dynamic master/slave relationship between the left and right channels
- up to 2 instances in stereo @ 44.1 kHz or 1 instance in stereo @ 96 kHz per DSP chip on 2nd generation PowerCore hardware (Compact, FireWire, Express, PCI mkII & Unplugged)

The CL 1B plug-in runs on all hardware versions of PowerCore, on Pro Tools HD and HD Accel. It will be available in spring 2007 at a retail price of €560 excl. VAT and €740 excl. VAT for PowerCore and Pro Tools respectively.

Scarbee announced today Black Bass, a new sample library for Native Instruments' Kontakt 2.2.

Features :

- A powerful user interface : a fretboard display giving you an overview of playing position and for each string what fret and articulation (displayed as a unique symbol) is used - dynamically updated as you play.
- All four strings sampled.
- Each string is monophonic so new notes abort earlier notes, giving a perfectly realistic bass.
- Automatic string selection
- Automatic alternation of right hand index and middle finger samples (can also be controlled using keyswitches).
- Automatic hammer-on/pull-off when you play legato.
- Convenient keyswitch mode - a keyswitch affects the following note or remains active as long as it's pressed.
- Slide m ...

TC Electronic has just announced the C400XL which is a dual gate/compressor designed for audio professionals on the road, as well as in the studio.

Main features :

- Balanced analog XLR
- Balanced digital (AES/EBU)
- Precision gating – ultra fast and click free
- De-essing
- Dual engine compressor or gate
- High resolution input and gain reduction metering
- Threshold LED indication
- True dual mono, stereo or serial operation
- Brickwall limiting for peak stop and hot levels
- Dual band expansion for non-percussive sources

For more information, please visit their web site.

Chandler Limited unveils two new units in celebration of the 75th birthday of Abbey Road Studios.

Based on the vintage EMI TG12345 desk used to record The Beatles and Pink Floyd, the TG12345 Curve Bender was conceived by Chandler Limited designer Wade Goeke and Abbey Road senior engineer Peter Cobbin. Wade turned the 9 selections on the vintage version into 51 eq points plus a multiply switch that increases the boost/cut to 15db (as well as sharpening the Q), filters, and bell/shelf selections on the high and low bands.

The TG12413 Zener Limiter was conceived by Chandler Limited designer Wade Goeke too, and is based on the vintage RS168 Zener Limiter and TG12345 console strip. This new version features new controls including switch able input impedance for hard of soft driving of the unit, 11 position attack, 21 position release, side chain filtering, and Comp1, Comp2, and Limit settings.

These beautiful units are available at a retail price of $5000 each.

Shown as a prototype still, the forthcoming red synth from the sweden masters will be a Nord lead pushed even further. You take the structure of the nord lead, and add not only wavetables, but user defined waveforms… And user sample waveforms thru Wav files.

As it's still under development, don't expect it before some months at least.

The Moog MF/FM is an effect based on tuning in radio signals. Mix in the tuned FM radio signal and/or tweak the VCO frequency and waveforms et voilà!

Available from April first… for $349 if you get the joke. ;)

SonicCore after buying the rights to the Scope technology (remember creamware?) announced today it will manufacture the synth baby of John Bowen, the Solaris. John is not unknown in the synth world as he was of the masterminds behind all the Sequential products, and one of the Wavestation and OASYS team (Z1 anyone?). The Solaris is a 5 octaves DSP keyboard, with plenty of knobs to chew on (40), 5 value displays plus a graphic one. The internals are based on SHARC CPU and a 96 kHz audio engine where new algorithms can be feed, as available thru software updates and expansion packs. l be a VA r anything else and is thought as "a modular system but easier to use". You can expect to see there part of the Scope DSP algorithms too and the thing to be very very deep…

Price and availability TBA

Celemony Software has announced the imminent release of version 1.8 updates for Melodyne uno and Melodyne essential. Version 1.8 offers new playback algorithms as well as a number of bug-fixes and improvements of detail. But the most important improvement is the new "Percussive2" algorithm for the editing of percussive material.

The version 1.8 updates will be free of charge to all registered users of uno and essential and will be available for download from the end of April from their web site.

Steinberg Media Technologies has announced the launch of Sequel, a new entry-level music studio designed for newcomers to music production.

Sequel's accessible GUI gives intuitive access to recording, mixing and editing features engineered for the first-time producer. Over 5000 loops that cover just about any modern musical style are supplied, and combined with over 600 instantly playable instruments on board. On top of that Sequel features discreet yet powerful audio warping functions that keep first-time users in key and in time. It also includes an accessible live performance mode, that allow Sequel songs to be rearranged, remixed and remolded live for performance on stage. Integrated FX including EQ and dynamics on every channel provide all the tools needed to produce outstanding mixes.

Sequel is available now in music stores worldwide, and costs €99.00.

MusikMesse 2007 sees the launch of nio 2|4, Novations latest foray into the interface market, offering a flexible 2 In/4 Out mobile interface solution designed with the modern music maker in mind.

Features :

- 2 inputs both on instrument jack and microphone XLR with phantom power
- 4 phono (RCA) outputs
- a pair of phono (RCA) inputs can be used to record a stereo signal
- USB connection and bus powering
- Direct FX technology with ultra-low latency allowing all of nio 2 | 4s effects to be used in real time (guitar amp simulations, filters, delay, chorus, phaser, flanger, distortion, EQ, Reverb, Tremelo, etc...)
- two headphone outputs
- flexible monitoring solution, with two dials close to hand and independent switching between three different monitor mixes
- MIDI i/o
- lexible metering
- class compliant with Mac OS X CoreAudio

The nio 2|4 is expected to ship Spring 2007 with price to be announced.

Native Instruments today announced KORE 2, the second generation of its advanced multi-functional host system. While remaining an open platform for all software instruments and effects, this new version significantly extends and refines the concepts introduced and established with KORE.

Thus KORE 2 now includes its own powerful sound capabilities, realized in a library of 500 specially designed studio-quality KoreSounds, each with multiple sound variations, covering all relevant musical styles and genres. Based on the integrated engines of Absynth, FM8, Guitar Rig, Kontakt, Massive, and Reaktor, this ready-to-use sound arsenal offers highly focused, musical sound shaping functions. KORE 2 also takes the acclaimed "Find sounds fast" paradigm of the system to the next level with a signif ...

Bias announces Peak Pro 6, a major new upgrade to their editing, processing, mastering and delivery software for Mac OS X with Universal compatibility for PPC and Intel-based Macs.

Features :

Advanced Playlist Editing & Mastering

* Mastering & "Classical Editing" Cross-Fade Modes: Overlap/Gap & Centered cross-fades optimize workflows.
* Volume envelopes: easily & precisely edit volumes across entire regions, fades & cross-fades.
* Custom Default Fades: create, save & load your favorite cross-fade shapes & apply them automatically.
* Controls: pre/post roll audition, insert new event at play-head, edit sync between source document and region & more.
* Playlist waveform zooming tools: zoom to sample level, auto-zoom to cross-fade, zoom out ...

Arturia announces the Origin Keyboard which combines their upcomming hardware synth Origin and a smart keyboard.

Features :

* • Create your own patch by combining innovative modules and modules extracted from the Minimoog, the CS-80, the ARP 2600, the Moog Modular and the Prophet VS.
* Use template patches: an Origin audio structure made by connecting independent modules, or the minimoog, the ARP 2600, the CS-80, the Moog Modular.
* • Up to 32 voices of polyphony for a typical patch
* More than 500 presets created by talented musicians and synthesizer specialists
* Superb audio quality with TAE® engine. 24 bits/96 kHz supported.
* Origin lets you open dedicated software on your Mac and PC and use it as an AU or VST plug-in. All the sounds are calculated on the ma ...

Cakewalk today releases Session Drummer 2 Hip Hop Pack Vol. 1, an expansion pack for Session Drummer 2 . This Pack was designed from the ground up to provide SONAR users with the fastest way to create realistic Hip Hop drum tracks.

• 33 Session Drummer 2 programs and 600+ unique samples
• Includes complete kits, kick combinations, snare combinations, cymbals, toms, percussion, special FX, and more
• 242 MIDI patterns allowing for thousands of unique beat combinations
• 16 standard drum kits and 400+ SFZ multi-sample maps for thousands of kit combinations
• Ideal for Hip-Hop, Rap, R&B, and other modern music styles

Pricing and Availability :

The Session Drummer 2 Hip Hop Pack Vol.1, expansion pack is available to registered SONAR 6 and SONAR Home Studio 6 XL customers direct from the Cakewalk online store for $59.00 U.S. For more information call 888-CAKEWALK, +1 (617) 423-9004 outside U.S. or visit Cakewalk on the web at :

Dangerous Music has announced to the European market D-Box, a new multi purpose hardware product for DAW users. This 1U rack-mount box combines 8-channels of the Dangerous Music analog summing technology and an integrated programmable monitor control section with analog and digital inputs, on board 24 bit/96KHz D-to-A converter, talkback, dual headphone amps, speaker switcher and more.

The D-Box will be available soon with price to be announced.

Alesis introduces the iMultiMix 8 USB Mixer with professional mixing and direct-to-iPod recording.

Features :

- Integrated iPod recording
- Four high-gain mic/line preamps (XLR and 1é4" balanced)
- 48V phantom power
- Built-in limiter to avoid distorted recordings
- 16-Bit / 44.1kHz and 48kHz recording to computer
- Two guitar mic/line inputs
- Aux sends and returns
- 100 on-board, 28-bit digital effects - Reverb, Chorus, Flange, Delay
- Three band per channel EQ with high/low shelving and mid band pass/reject
- Steinberg Cubase LE recording software included

For more info, please visit their web site.

Welcome to the MusikMesse vintage 2007 ! Once again a "tiny bitsy german town" well-known for its sausages is going to host the most gigantic music show in this good old Europe. Of course the whole MacMusic team is busy to get you informed about this major trade show in this "MusikMesse 2007 Special Report" and in the MacMusic Daily News Section.

GForce Software has announced that the Universal Binary update for impOSCar will be released tomorrow (March 28th). This update is free to users who purchased and registered their instrument after the 1st October 2006... If you purchased impOSCar before 1st October 2006, you will need to update to the Universal ImpOSCar via the shop for £13.99 (plus VAT), €19.99 (plus VAT) or $26.00.

NuGen Audio has announced the release of new SEQ Series (SEQ1 and SEQ2) Linear Phase mixing and mastering equalizers.

The SEQ series EQ's are designed to deliver transparent, scaleable, connective EQ without the phase warping and phase smearing artefacts common in traditional digital EQ, giving a clearer sound and sharper transients.

Metric Halo is pleased to announce that major updates for ChannelStrip|TDM and ChannelStrip|RTAS are now shipping. ChannelStrip 2.2 is a Universal Binary, and supports Pro Tools 6.4 - 7.3 on both PPC and Intel Macs. It also provides complete support for HD|Accel DSPs and PCIe cards on all Mac platforms.

New features include :

• Support for plug-in clip-light and system wide clip indicator reset
• Support for Accel chips and 192k on TDM Accel systems
• Complete page table support for all supported control surfaces
• Universal Binary support for TDM and RTAS
• 16/8/4 mono instances per Accel chip at 1x/2x/4x rates

Notable bug fixes include :

• Fixed Gate bug at 96k on Mix and HD systems
• Fixed lack of support of PCIe systems
• Fixed DSP chip allocation bug
• Fixed window resize bug

The 2.2 update is freely available to all registered OS X users of ChannelStrip.

Native Instruments has announced the TRAKTOR Tutorial DVD, a new multimedia workshop that enables DJs to get the most out of TRAKTOR 3 DJ software. With a comprehensive video tutorial (more than three hours of high-resolution video), artist interviews and special workshop content on the disc, the DVD allows TRAKTOR users of all experience levels to get to the heart of the software and utilize its advanced creative capabilities to the fullest extent.

English language version will be available in stores and from the NI Online Shop in May. For more information, please visit their web site.

FabFilter has just announced RTAS versions of FabFilter Timeless, Twin, Volcano, Simplon, and One. With this release, all plug-ins will also receive small bug fixes and updates for the AU and VST versions. In addition, FabFilter One will be extended with MIDI program change handling, improved knob behavior and interactive help hints.

The final release is currently planned for the end of April and it will be free for existing users. Note that FabFilter will demonstrate the new RTAS versions at Musikmesse (hall 5.1, D48).