VoxBox by Puremagnetik has been developed as a one-stop solution for instrument building and sound design applications that require vocal timbres. Whether you wish to construct standalone voice programs or to layer vocals into existing sounds, VoxBox provides the raw material for patch thickening and harmonic variant creation.

The included VoxBox menus and looped phrases are equally suited as ready-to-play without further processing. Simply load up one of the tempo synced clips or play the one-shot phrases as you would any other instrument.

Voxengo has updated its mastering limiter plug-in Elephant to version 3.4.

Changes :

• Latency change reporting fixed in AudioUnits.
• Lock-up problem on single-core CPUs fixed.
• Plug-in initial loading time reduced.
• K-metering is now following specification fully.
• Calibration K-metering modes added.

Expert Sleepers presents Silent Way, a suite of plug-ins designed for use as part of a modular analogue synthesiser system. The plug-ins produce no sound themselves, nor do they process sound - rather, they generate signals to be used as control voltages (CVs), which can be patched into the control inputs of oscillators, filters, VCAs, etc. of an analogue system.

There are currently two plug-ins in the Silent Way suite - Silent Way DC and Silent Way Voice Controller. These are described in more detail below. It is anticipated that more plug-ins will be added to the suite in the future - watch the website for product announcements.

All plug-ins also feature :

• Full MIDI and OSC control.
• MIDI/OSC scriptability.
• Sample-accurate handling of MIDI note messages.

Silent Way DC
Silent Way DC is a simple plug-in that generates constant output signals. It is intended to be used in conjunction with parameter automation (via MIDI or directly by the host application) to generate varying signals. For example, you could use it as an LFO where you draw out the LFO waveform in your host's parameter automation GUI.

Silent Way Voice Controller
Silent Way Voice Controller is a virtual instrument plug-in designed to directly control an analogue synthesiser by generating the appropriate CV and gate signals via an appropriate audio interface. By listening to the synthesiser's output signal, the plug-in is able to calibrate itself to generate the appropriate pitch CV for the incoming MIDI notes. As well as the basic pitch and gate signals, the plug-in can generate three multi-stage envelope CVs which you can feed to VCAs, VCFs, etc. in your synth.


Silent Way is available for both Mac OS X and Windows in VST and AU formats at a price of $49.

Roland is pleased to announce the release of version 1.30 update for the Fantom-G workstations. This free download adds new content and enhancements to the Fantom-G, including new rhythm patterns, and a newly added Arpeggio Import Function.

New Features :

• Arpeggio Import Function for creating user arpeggio styles
• Enhanced functionality, including independent tempo for Live and Studio modes
• New keyboard modes for RPS and Rhythm Patterns
• New real-time control of multiple sounds at once
• Hundreds of new rhythm patterns and RPS phrases
• New piano patches, Live Sets, and Studio Sets

To download version 1.30 for the Fantom-G Series, please visit the link below :

Cascade Microphones is now shipping the new FAT HEAD II Live/Studio microphone.

The FHII L/S is fitted with a robust 5-micron symmetrical ribbon. The heavier ribbon is perfect for the hostile environment outside the studio, yet the frequency response is virtually the same as it is with the studio version FAT HEAD II.

The FAT HEAD II Live/Studio is available now at the introductory price of $175.

KRK Systems announces they are now shipping the R6 passive studio monitor. The R6 incorporates design cues from KRK's Rokit line, including radically radiused edges along the front of the cabinet.

The R6, like its Rokit brethren, provides a sleeker, more modern look that KRK claims to be as functional as it is beautiful. A key component to the new look is the molded front baffle. This design feature virtually eliminates diffraction distortion caused by standard flat baffles.

The R6 leverages KRK's research and development into baffle design and fabrication. The curved front baffle was engineered to minimize diffraction of high-frequencies, resulting in a sweet spot that is significantly larger than products with square or lightly rounded baffles. The baffle also houses a molded fro ...

Genuine Soundware unveils ShakePad, a virtual multi-effect unit intended for real time sound manipulation via an X/Y pad. It includes 50 different high quality effect algorithms with full stereo operation. Summary of main features :

• 50 high quality stereo effects
• X/Y Pad for multiple functions
• Adjustable release time from 0 to 10 seconds with variable rest point
• HOLD button
• Dry/Wet slider
• Real time parameter display
• Host Automation
• Easy MIDI Learn

ShakePad is available now for Windows and Mac OS X in VST and AU formats at the introductory price of €21 until August 31st, 2009. The full price will then be €29.

Beginning July 1st 2009 the fully featured vielklang by zplane is now available at a special price of only €199 / $219 (regular price €249 / $299).

vielklang is a plugin instrument for instant audio harmonization, it generates up to four voices from a single-voiced audio input. The progression of each individual voice is controlled by sophisticated harmony progression and voice leading models, resulting in musically meaningful harmonization without any configuration efforts.

With vielklang, you can thus easily generate and prototype natural sounding background vocals and brass sections, modify melodies and single-voice loops in terms of pitch and scale, and experiment with different harmonizations or chords triggered by different MIDI-inputs. It allows you to generate four voices, edit their harmonies and single pitches, and convert the audio to MIDI.

vielklang is available for both Mac OS X and Windows in VST, AU and RTAS formats.

VirSyn has released version 2.0 of its reverb plug-in, Reflect.

Version 2.0 of Reflect comes with a new RealIR Engine using direct convolution of the critical early reflections without compromising the flexibility of the algorithmic reverb tail generation. The resulting density and smoothness rivals those of the most expensive hardware reverbs.

New Features :

• RealIR combines convolution of early reflections with algorithmic tail generation.
• Backward compatible with v1.x
• New presets.
• New User interface.

New customers can purchase Reflect for €169 (without the dongle). It is available for Windows and Mac OS X in VST, VST3, AU and RTAS plug-in formats. The upgrade is free of charge for Reflect owners. A fully functional/time limited demo version is available (a Syncrosoft USB-eLicenser / Dongle is required).

URS unveils the URS N4 series EQ, a new plug-in that digitally recreates the sound of a vintage British Six Band Equalizer (4 bands plus HP/LP Filters). It is very broad-banded and musical.

Features :

• Number of bands: Six.
• Low and High bands are selectable peak or shelving.
• Mid are peaking type.
• Low: 33 Hz, 56 Hz, 100 Hz, 180 Hz, and 330 Hz.
• Low Mid: 220 Hz, 270 Hz, 330 Hz, 390 Hz, 470 Hz, 560 Hz, 680 Hz, 820 Hz, 1k and 1.2k.
• High Mid: 1.5k, 1.8k, 2.2k, 2.7k, 3.3k, 3.9k, 4.7k, 5.6k. 6.8k and 8.2k.
• High: 10k, 3.3k, 4.7k, 6.8k,10k, and 15k.
• "Hi-Q" button on the mid bands for narrower bandwidth.
• Filter Boost/Cut: +/- 12dB variable to .1db.
• Filter Slope: 12dB per Octave.
• Hi-pass filter: 27 Hz, 47 Hz, 8 ...

Steinberg is pleased to announce that the new maintenance update for the Nuendo 4 advanced audio and post production system will be available for all registered Nuendo 4 users from July 31 as a free download from the Steinberg website. Version 4.3 mainly focuses on improving the overall stability of the program by addressing important issues like file import, surround and general session handling.

"This new update is also future proof by offering support for the eagerly awaited Nuendo SyncStation synchronizer by Steinberg," comments product marketing manager Timo Wildenhain. Furthermore, Nuendo 4.3 follows the cross-product policy of Steinberg by being able to open projects of the Cubase 5 advanced music production system.

Rob Papen announces the upcoming release of RP-Verb, a new algorithmic reverb plug-in.

Reverb is a very critical effect when mixing. A bad sounding reverb can break the mix, and your music. Today, in the age of powerful computers, it is possible to run far more complex reverb algorithms than in the past, but it is still down to the algorithms if a reverb sounds great, or not.

In 1981 Rob Papen was recording in the Wisseloord studios. At that time legendary engineer Ronald Prent sent the "electronic" drums, using speakers, into a big recording room, and picked up the sound with microphones to add "room" to the electronic drum sound.

As a young synth player, Rob became fully obsessed with rooms and reverbs.
Together with Jon Ayres, Rob Papen has dived into codes and searched for ne ...

Ableton is offering up to all Sampler owners, old and new, the free Samplification audio package, which offers Construction Kits, Live Sets with drum clips, new Instrument Racks, new lessons, and sounds from Puremagnetik, Cycling '74 and Sonarte's Sound Objects Lite collection. Samplification will kick-start any Live user's sampling skills and demonstrate what Sampler is really capable of.

Samplification is a Live Pack—450 MB download, 950 MB installed. Samplification requires Sampler and Live 8.0.4 or higher.

Samplification is available here :

NuGen Audio has updated the SEQ1 and SEQ2 Linear Phase mixing and mastering equalizers to version 1.2.5.

Changes :

• Several minor GUI fixes to both SEQ1 and SEQ2.
• A Plug-in Delay Compensation (PDC) issue that some users were experiencing with certain host/machine combinations has been fixed.

On top of that, the demo period has been reset for those wishing to re-trial the software.

Ableton is launching a special deal for the summer of 2009. Every customer who buys Ableton Live 8 before August 31st will get Sampler, Ableton's advanced sampling instrument, absolutely free.

Sampler, worth €99/$129, combines traditional sampling features with advanced sound design functions. Although perfectly well suited to handling multi-gigabyte instrument libraries, it's Sampler's sound design capabilities that make the instrument really unique.

For more details, please visit the link below :

EastWest/Quantum Leap announces the debut of its latest release, Hollywood Strings virtual instrument — a collection of string instruments with unprecedented control over sound and performance.

"Hollywood Strings has many groundbreaking features not found in any other virtual strings collection. Finger position is, for the first time, controllable by the user, so they can play as far up the strings as they want, and get a fuller, more romantic, Hollywood sound. Vibrato intensity and extensive dynamics are controllable by the user. Extensive multi-dynamic true legato has been sampled for all sections in three different categories: slurred, portamento, and bow change. This results in unsurpassed legato performance that has never been available in the sample world, says EastWest. Hollywood Strings has five user-controllable microphone positions including main pickup (Decca tree), mid pickup, close pickup, surround pickup, and an alternate vintage circa 1945 RCA ribbon room pickup."

Pricing and Availability TBA.

The 'Electronic expansion' is a big preset and feature expansion pack for Gladiator 2, the hybrid virtual synthesizer by Tone2. Designed by the professional sound designers Markus Feil, Bryan 'Xenos' Lee and Bastiaan van Noord, 'Electronic' is a collection of more then 300 sounds and new add-on features.

Expansion highlights :

• 300+ inspiring, unique presets aimed at miscellaneous genres of electronic music. The additional sounds can be accessed directly from the interface.
• Stereo Trancegate: Featuring no less then 22 patterns for rhythmic gate effects
• Reverb Ultra: Reverb Ultra uses a new high-quality reverb algorithm, its soft and diffuse sound make it especially
suitable for larger rooms and sculpting the proper ambience.
• Three new early reflection effects: Early reflection, reverse reflection and gated reflection
• Aliaser: A LoFi retro-effect that works by mirroring the signal's spectrum at the cutoff frequency
• Stereo Enhance: A stereo width effect, equipped with a High-Shelf filter to expand the stereo field while keeping the lower frequencies intact.
• Three additional skins as free bonus content: Black, gold and red skin

Electronic Expansion costs €49 / $69.

Audio Ease today announces the release of Cabinet, a plug-in which contains the three features guitarists like best in Speakerphone :

• five guitar amp speaker cabinets
• a top class recording studio live room
• a classic spring reverb

The effects in Cabinet are convolution based and rely upon actual samples made of the speaker cabinets shown, a spring reverb and a top class recording studio live room. Cabinet and the 33 cabinets in its mother plug-in Speakerphone provide the ultimate real-world sounding final stage of your guitar tone: the speaker cabinet within a good studio live space.

Plug-in your favourite pre-amped signal from a real hardware amp, or your favourite pre-amp modeling plug-in and use Cabinet to put the real world into your tracks.

Cabinet is available for Windows and Mac OS X in VST, AU, RTAS and MAS plug-in formats at a price of $59 / €49. Demo versions are available.

Blue Cat Audio has launched education offers for all their audio plugins : it is now possible for students to purchase the plug-ins developed by the company with 25% reduction. A student card is necessary to access the offer.

For more information, please visit the link below :