PC and Music News

MXL Microphones is pleased to announce the introduction of the MXL USB Mic Mate, a compact low-noise analog preamp that converts 48 volt phantom powered studio mics and analog line level signals to USB for hi quality recording on any PC or Mac. Its input features a fully balanced low noise, low distortion preamp, gain plus a 3–position analog gain control; a special circuit that converts the 5 volts from the USB port to a regulated 48 volts required by professional condenser microphones. The digital section features a 16 bit Delta Sigma A/D converter with a sampling of 44.1 and 48.1. The input side has a 3 pin XLR female and on the output a USB connector.

The MXL USB Mic Mate is available now at a retail price of $79.99. For more information, please visit their web site.

VirSyn has just updated Poseidon to version 1.4. This update introduces the PoleZero filter technology for modelling very complex resonant characteristics with up to 8 bandpass/notch filters.

Features :

- PoleZero Filter with up to 8 bandpass and 8 notch filter with morph function between two filter parameter sets. As a result the PoleZero filter can model very complex resonant characteristics, for example acoustic instrument bodies, the human vocal tract or something that does not exist in nature. Even more you can use two parameter sets named "Filter A" and "Filter B" to interpolate between two resonant structures in realtime with the "Morph" parameter. There is also a "Cutoff" parameter which let you move the complete filter structure up and down in the frequency range in realtime ...

Focusrite has announced that version 2.0 software for the multi-channel DSP-based EQ and Compression tool, Liquid Mix, is now available as a free download from its website. First of all, this version includes an EQ side-chain on the compressor, providing an additional one-band EQ to be fed into the side-chain of any classic compressor emulation, this side-chain band can be monitored separately. The software also provides some extremely useful improvements and several solutions to popular requests from Liquid Mix users, including enhanced interaction between software and hardware, as well as expanded latency options.

For more information, please visit their web site.

Switchcraft is proud to introduce the latest additions to the StudioPatch Series family... five Audio Pass-Through Panels designed to meet all of your input/output needs. Everything from the anodized extruded aluminum panels, to the hard-wired 110 Ohm AES/EBU digital audio cable, to their world-class XLR connectors and TRS Jacks have been precision engineered for long-lasting quality, durability, and dependability. All versions terminate to two DB25 connectors wired to the TASCAM DTRS standard pinout. They are perfect for anyone requiring easy access to their I/O's in any permanent or mobile studio/broadcast environment.

Available now in five configurations :

- PT16FX2DB25 (16 Female XLR's)
- PT16MX2DB25 (16 Male XLR's)
- PT8FX8MX2DB25 (8 Female and 8 Male XLR's)
- PTAESEBU2DB25 (8 Female and 8 Male XLR's in groups of four)
- PT16TRS2DB25 (16 Quarter-Inch TRS Jacks)

For more information, please visit their website.

DSK Music has released DSK Strings v1.0, a free sample-based VST instrument plug-in for Windows. This classic string VSTi includes instruments such as cello, contraBass, viola, violin, etc...

Features :

- ROM-sampler (2 layers).
- 22 waveform for each layer.
- Octave selector.
- Micro-detuners.
- Effects (Delay, flanger & Reverb).
- MIDI implementation.

For more information, please visit the link below :

De la Mancha has released black box slight disorder, a free VST effect plug-in for Windows that does... well it's a little bit hard to explain... it takes an audio input and spit out a modified signal, the rhythmic, choppy, buffered and tempo sync output is especially pleasing on drums, but works for most instruments and vocals too. It has no controls, only a red LED display that runs from 000 to 099, each number would appear to change the algorithmic undertones that affect the things and stuff inside differently.

In a word, just try it ;-)