Mac and Music News

The brand new iMac is ready ! a new look all aluminium with a great slim keyboard. As for the screens, they are like the MacBook and with only two versions 20 and 24". FoUr different models are available, each one having 1 Go RAM (up to 4 Go), Superdrive 8X, Wifi "n" (802.11.n) and Bluetooth 2.0.

- 20", intel core 2 duo 2 GHz, 250 Go disc, ATI Radeon HD 2400 XT 128 Mo $1,199.00

- 20", intel core 2 duo 2,4 GHz, 320 Go disc, ATI Radeon HD 2600 Pro 256 Mo $1,499.00

- 24", intel core 2 duo 2,4 GHz, 320 Go disc, ATI Radeon HD 2600 Pro 256 Mo $1,799.00

- 24", intel core 2 duo 2,8 GHz, 2 Go RAM, 500 Go disc, ATI Radeon HD 2600 Pro 256 Mo $2,299.00

The Vienna Symphonic Library team has announced the release of the new Vienna Instruments collection Special Keyboards. This 8 GB collection offers a "state-of-the-art" approach to capturing these rare instruments: a harpsichord, a harmonium, and a prepared piano.

Like all Vienna Instruments collections, the Special Keyboards collection ships in VST, AU and stand-alone versions for Mac OS X (UB) and Windows. It retails for $385 / €295. For more information, please visit their website.

Nomad Factory has released updates for Limiting Amplifier LM-662 (v1.3), Program Equalizer EQP-4 (v1.3), Studio Channel SC-226 (v1.3), Essential Studio Suite (Bundle) (v1.4), Liquid Bundle II - Classic (v2.4), BlueVerb DRV-2080 (v1.4), Rock Amp Legends (v1.5) and Blue Tubes Bundle (v3.2).

Changes :

- Added iLok support (Mac/PC).
- Added Windows Vista32 support.
- Compatible Mac OS 10.5 Leopard.
- Fixed minor issues (Mac/PC).
- Essential Studio Suite (Bundle): Added RTAS Windows format (was RTAS Mac only).
- Rock Amp Legends: Added Intel Mac support for AU, RTAS and VST.

For more information, please visit their website.

Steinberg Media Technologies has just announced that its new virtual drummer Groove Agent 3 is now shipping. It provides new virtual drummer modules, drum kits and a range of other features to provide "a complete and unique" virtual drumming solution within one VST instrument.

Features :

- Special Agent and Percussion Agent: Adding to the Classic Groove Agent of previous versions, the two new modules offer ultra-realistic modelling of a real studio drummer as well as a range of new percussive instruments in a vast range of styles
- Dual Mode: Any two of the three modules can be combined in a virtual jam session for more dynamics and variability
- New acoustic kits with an additional assortment of digital drum machines and percussion
- 42 all-new drum styles: over 120 styles total ...

Our partners at Line 6 have a pretty cool promotion going in august : If you plan to purchase a TonePort UX1, UX2, or KB37 between August 1 and August 31, 2007 you are eligible to receive one of the three Line 6 Model Packs for FREE. Line 6 Model Packs are add-on collections of pro-grade amp, cab and effect models that expand your collection of sounds.

Choose from one of the following Model Packs:

- Metal Shop Model Pack - 18 high-gain, shred-worthy monsters
- Collector Classics - models of 18 famous pawnshop prizes
- FX Junkie - a huge library of 30 effects ranging from distortion to mod to delay

That's a $49.99 value for FREE!

See rebate instructions for complete terms and conditions (US Site)

Roland has just released SonicCell, another avatar of the Phantom Line in tabletop form. It is both a sound module, expandable with SRX expansion boards and a USB audio interface.

Main features :

- 128-voice sound module
- USB audio interface
- SMF and audio data (WAV, AIFF, MP3) playback
- Plays MIDI files
- USB port can host USB memory sticks
- 2 SRX slots
- PC/Mac Editor

SonicCell is available now at a retail price of $899. For more information, please visit the link below :

Sugar Bytes has just released the little brother of its big polysynthesizer Unique. Unique LE delivers the same fat and analogue sounds including the super warm and versatile 5-Mode oscillators, 5-mode Filter with Vowel and Classic mode and 5 integrated modulators.

Features :

- 2 Multimode Oscillators with individual Envelopes
- 5-Mode Filter with Classic and Vowel Mode and 5 Modulators
- Multi Effect with 6 Effect Algorithms
- Internal Controller Section (LFO, Envelope, Stepsequencer)
- VST and AU Support
- Consequent integration of MIDI and Host Automation
- 300 Presets

UniqueLE is available now at retail price of €69 in VST and AU formats for Mac OSX and Windows.

Platinum Samples is proud to announce the release of Joe Barresi's Evil Drums, the second BFD Expansion Pack in their Master Engineer series of drum samples featuring multi-platinum award producing recording engineers. Featuring an ominous 6 full drum kits, 6 kick drums and 6 snares recorded to analog tape at two legendary rock studios using compression and EQ, Joe Barresi (Tool, Queens Of The Stone Age, Bad Religion , The Melvins, Weezer, etc...) has captured a diverse ensemble of drum sounds with as many as 250 velocity levels to create a unique and exquisitely evil expansion pack. Evil Drums also includes MIDI grooves performed by Pat Wilson (Weezer, The Special Goodness).

Delivered on 6 DVD's, the Evil Drums expansion pack has 4 installation options to best suit your needs, with the 74 GB SuperSize installation having as many 250 velocity levels for ultimate realism. Evil Drums is available now for $249.95

Time + Space has released Bollywood Grooves, a sample library on DVD-ROM, inspired by the sound of Bollywood, using the same instruments and styles typically featured in films of the genre. Produced by Bollywood composer duo Salim-Sulaiman it features instruments such as Dhol, Tabla, Dholak, Duff, Ghunghroo, etc...

Features :

- Over 700 Loops in each format (WAV / REX2 / APPLE LOOPS) with tempos ranging from 74bpm to 135bpm
- 4/4, 6/8 and 7/8 patterns
- Carefully recorded, edited and mastered - using state-of-the-art equipment, by experienced sound engineers and musicians
- Loops are in Bollywood song style format, including intros, fills and ends
- Around 2 Gb of data with recordings @ 24 Bit / 48 KHz quality

Bollywood Grooves is available now at a price of £69.95 / €105. For more information, please visit their website.

The Sound Guy, Inc. has announced the release of ReSpatializer, an advanced panning, surround sound and spatialization plug-in. ReSpatializer supports up to eight input channels, each of which can be individually positioned. The panning is presented in an easy-to-use heads-up display with access to positioning, channel gain, mute/solo selection, and spreading. Other special processing includes variable-rate source rotation that can synchronize to the host tempo, low-frequency effect (LFE) tools for monitoring or bouncing to disk, and a large variety of output speaker formats (up to eight channels, DTS, Dolby, ITU, Film and others). It also offers simulated surround sound through headphones. After mixing your tracks for various surround formats, you can create a binaural headphone mix. This ...