Mac and Music News

Db audioware has released version 1.1.0 upgrades of Sidechain Compressor and Sidechain Gate, its latest two dynamics processing plug-ins. All the enhancements in the release have been suggested by users since the plug-ins were launched in July 2007.

Sidechain Compressor gets a new manual Gain control, which can either be used independently for manual gain make-up, or to fine tune output levels when used with Auto Gain. This rounds out the Compressor's feature set and greatly improves its operation as a standard insert effect.

Both Sidechain Compressor and Sidechain Gate get enhanced external side-chain capability. It is now possible to side-chain multiple "receive" plug-ins from a single "send" plug-in, opening the way to one-to-many-tracks as well as one-to-one-track side-chain applications.

Finally, the noise bursts in the demo versions of both plug-ins have been reduced in repetition and volume so as to be less intrusive to potential users trying them out.

PreSonus has just announced the Monitor Station mixing console, a desktop monitoring and communications system for your recording studio. This new device allows you to listen to your mixes on different speakers; with and without the subwoofer, compare your mixes to your favorite CDs and vinyl, listen in mono to check phase cancellation, use talkback to communicate to the artists during recording, and send Cue Mix to the four headphone amps and the Main Mix to your speakers.

Features :

- Main Speaker Volume control
- 3 stereo inputs (two balanced TRS, one RCA Aux/Phono)
- 3 sets of balanced TRS speaker outputs, each with level adjustment
- Talkback microphone with volume control to feed headphone and Cue output
- XLR input for external dynamic talkback microphone
- Accurate fast- ...

SONiVOX announced the release of their Sonic Implants Symphonic Harp sample library for the Kontakt platform. Recorded in the same space as SONiVOX's Symphonic Collection, this sample library is a collection of sampled harp tones and glissandi that aims to capture this instrument's full depth of nuance, finesse, and lyrical expressiveness while providing serious performance flexibility and control. With gigabytes of sample data and a variety of programming features, Symphonic Harp affords users an expansive palette of color and texture while Kontakt2 scripting features make glissandi creation as simple as selecting a scale type and loading it for fast, easy, and effective sequencing.

The Sonic Implants Symphonic Harp sample library is available now and costs $259.

Intel has announced at the l'IDF the consititution of a working group to work on the new USB 3.0. The bandwith should be around 5 Gbps instead of the actual 480 Mbps... so it would give a transfert rate of 625 Mo per second, not less than that ! Planned to allow energy savings, USB 3.0 will be compatible with USB 2.0 ports and should support an optical version .

First draft due to first semester 2008... FireWire is already shaking ;-)

Korg Germany has announced the new pocketsize Kaoss called the Kaossilator (dynamic phrase synthesizer). It comes packed with 100 sound programs that combine Korg's modelling synthesizer engine with effects from the KAOSS Pad series. Its horizontal axis is assigned to note/pitch, while the vertical axis is assigned to parameters such as: cut-off, feedback, or modulation depth, giving you a wide range of performance possibilities. In addition to classic synthesizer sounds, there are faithfully simulated piano, guitar and trumpet sounds as well as looped and one-shot drum sounds.

The KAOSSILATOR offers you a choice of 31 different scales, including chromatic and diminished, as well as major and minor blues and pentatonic scales – by using the key setting function, you can play them in any ...

Audio Damage has announced the release of Liquid, an analog-style through-zero flanger. Unlike traditional flangers, which are just short delays with a bit of feedback, Liquid models the original flanging method, where two tape machines were used to create artificial double-tracking effects. Perfect for "stereo-izing" monophonic signals like voice and vintage analog synths, Liquid also provides more mind-bending flanging at higher feedback settings.

Features :

- True through-zero flanging.
- Perfect for "stereo-izing" analog synths, electric pianos, and other mono sources.
- Capable of extreme vintage-style flanging effects.
- Full MIDI learn on every parameter for hardware control (VST version only).

Liquid is now available for purchase in the Audio Damage store priced at $29.00 for Mac OS X Audio Units and VST, and Windows VST.

AudioMIDI announces its September 17th, 2007 issue of DP Corner. A useful column for tips, tricks, and other fun stuff related to Digital Performer.

Togu Audio Line has released TAL-Phaser, a carefully modelled stereo phaser effect. The user can choose between two, four and six stages and it is possible to adjust the lowest and highest frequency of the filter.

Features :

- Two, four and six stage mode.
- Lowest- and highest-frequency adjustable.
- Stereo phase offset from 0 to 180 degree.
- Feedback (a very small amount of second order distortion in the feedback path).
- Syncable LFO.
- Adjustable Dry/Wet.
- Some default presets.

TAL-Phaser is free and is available as a VST effect plug-in for Windows and Mac OS X (UB).

Channel D Software has released AudioLeak 2.0, a Universal Binary utility for analyzing the perceived loudness level of audio files and real-time input (both can be done simultaneously). This software quickly (over 200x realtime on newer Macs) previews perceived playback levels of audio files without having to listen to the audio. It provides average RMS unweighted, A-Weighted and Peak levels, and more. AudioLeak supports many audio file formats, including lossy and lossless, of any duration and sample rate.

AudioLeak 2.0 is a comprehensive update of this useful audio utility, with dozens of new features, including automatic audio file normalization based on Leq level, and the innovative Firefly input level metering. A Professional version with additional features (Batch, Variable RMS R ...

Puremagnetik has just released Punchpak, a collection of sounds created from the 8 bit synthesizer chip on the classic Nintendo® (NES) gaming console. All sounds have been mapped out and programmed into the Ableton Live 6, EXS24 and Kontakt 2 environments. Puremagnetik has taken the sounds a step further with added effects that include ambience and arpeggiation. Punchpak also includes a selection of multisampled menus with lo-fi glitch, noise and static sounds. With patch names like "Zelda", "Castlevania", and "Mega Man" Puremagnetik has recaptured these vintage 1980's video game sounds for the modern DAW.

The Ableton Live version of Punchpak includes instrument racks for both Sampler and Simpler while the Kontakt 2 version comes with a customized KSP panel for easy editing.

For more information, please visit their web site.