Macworld Expo's "Best of Show" Boom software is now $3.99 until Sept 15. Boom is a simple one-click, "load and forget" volume and sound booster application that greatly boosts the volume output of the entire Mac system. This give the user better audio while listening to music or playing music through a Mac system. It also features a first-of-a-kind simplified equalizer with custom presets to further tweak the audio experience at the system level.

Available in English, German, French, Spanish, Italian and Chinese.

The flexible signal flow in Reason comes with a cost: It still has no full automatic delay compensation. This is of course especially problematic with the new parallel channels feature of Reason 7. When you use plugins that induce delay to "fatten up" your tracks you get phasing.

Now there is a plugin for Reason that attempts to solve this problem in a unique way. It allows you to measure the latency of a signal flow using its test signal output and measuring input. This is only really possible in Reason where you can plug a test signal into any devices audio input. Then you can use the device to induce the same delay into your other channels or a bus, just like the other DAWs do it.

From the manual:

"The VMG-01 is a sample-accurate delay and delay measuring device. It can be used to induce delays as short as one sample and as long as 99,999 samples to any stereo signal flow while operating in true stereo. It also features a test signal output and a measuring input to test devices for their inherent latency.

Using these features you can use it to effectively compensate for latencies in your signal flow while mixing. The sample accurate delay is also very useful for precise comb filtering and haas effect type stereo imaging effects."

A 25% discount is already applied on prices, and for a "like" on facebook, you can get an additional 5% discount.

This, of course, may be combined with the quantity discount available all year.
The more you buy, the highest discount you get:
- 5% off the discounted total for 2 items
- 10% off the discounted total for 4 items
- 15% off the discounted total for 6 items
- 20% off the discounted total for 8 items
- 25% off the discounted total for 10 items or more.

It is time to get your Acousticsamples libraries!

* The discounts are available on everything but the Ircam Prepared Piano.

KV331 Audio has updated SynthMaster to version 2.6.8 on both Windows and Mac OS X.

This update brings an important feature that has been requested by SynthMaster users: The ability to mark presets as 'Favorites'.

There are also critical fixes in this update:

- NEW: SynthMaster User Manual updated.
- FIX: Renaming a preset and then reloading again crashes SynthMaster.
- FIX: Loading partial presets dont cause a refresh of the GUI until it is closed and reopened.
- FIX: Waveform cache data is different between 32/64-bit versions, causing issues when both versions are used on the same computer.
- FIX: Pressing on 'Online' button to bring up online presets list crashes SynthMaster.
- FIX: SynthMaster reverts waveforms in presets to default Sine wave when the preset is loaded more than once.
- FIX: SynthMaster might crash the host application when the GUI is open and automated parameters are being updated by the host.
- FIX: When an instance of SynthMaster is destroyed and then recreated again by the VST host, the instance might not be initialized correctly and might crash the host.
- Changing discrete parameters values might not set the parameter value correctly when running under Ableton Live.
- FIX: SynthMaster doesn't set default preset folder correctly when user saves a preset.
- SynthMaster doesn't read WAV files correctly when format chunk size is not 16.
- Renaming presets don't rename the preset file.

All users of SynthMaster (demo or registered) are strongly urged to update SynthMaster to v2.6.8. Download links for registered users are:

Demo version of SynthMaster is updated to v2.6.8 as well.

Native Instruments today released the first of a series of videos showcasing respected Japanese producers, performers, and DJs. Five artists give detailed insights into their individual creative processes with MASCHINE – Native Instruments’ groove production system seamlessly integrating tactile hardware and advanced software. After a widely successful launch of Native Instruments' Japanese office in Tokyo earlier this year, the company is beginning a series of activities with skilled local artists to further expand its footprint in the Japanese music production and DJ equipment markets.

Five-time DMC world champion DJ team KIREEK uses MASCHINE to intuitively create beats on the fly, dragging them directly into TRAKTOR PRO for an instant transition from their studio setup to playing live. International touring artist KAITO from the Cologne-based Kompakt Records lineup constantly discovers new ways of working on dance music in a way which is only possible with MASCHINE. Tokyo's star performance duo HIFANA loves the comprehensive collection of sounds and use MASCHINE in their live setup on stage. Samplesmith DJ Baku uses MASCHINE as his main production tool to sample records from various genres and to find new musical inspiration. Fukuoka's beat specialist OLIVE OIL has discovered MASCHINE as his go to tool – not only for sampling old records but even for mixing and arranging entire tracks without any additional software.