PC and Music News

Kensington unveils its new Dual Monitor Adapter which allows you to add a second computer screen with just a USB connection.

Features :

- Double your visual workspace for multi-tasking ease
- Add up to six monitors to your computer, one for each Kensington Dual Monitor Adapter unit.
- Simple set-up. Connect monitor cable to the Kensington Dual Monitor Adapter, then plug into USB port of your computer
- DVI digital video output for sharpness and clarity
- Works with any monitor - regular or widescreen, with DVI or VGA input. (VGA / DVI cable sold separately)
- Video modes: Mirrored desktop, extended desktop, primary display (Vista only)
- Supports widescreen monitors up to 1440 x 1050 pixels; and standard monitors up to 1280 x 1024 pixels in 32 bit color
- Video output: DVI-I (female connector), VGA (female connector)
- VGA adapter & USB cable included
- Windows XP and Vista compatible; works with Intel based Mac OSX 10.4.11 or later computers via Mac Beta driver

The Kensington Dual Monitor is available now at a retail price of $120.

The Guitar Rig family is growing, Native Instruments has just released Guitar Rig Session and Guitar Rig 3 XE.

Guitar Rig 3 XE :

Guitar Rig 3 XE is a new declination of the Guitar Rig software which offers a selection of five "true-to-life" tube amplifier models and 12 cabinet types, as well as 21 stomp boxes and effect units. All components can be freely combined in the virtual Guitar Rig rack. A library with over 150 instantly playable tones from different musical eras and genres is included, together with several helpful tools including dual tape-decks, metronome, tuner, and a dedicated Live View.

Guitar Rig Session :

Guitar Rig Session is a new recording solution for guitarists, bass players and songwriters which combines the new Guitar Rig 3 XE software with a specially designed audio interface and additional recording software.

The crucial link between the instrument

Following their ongoing Edition Beurmann, German sample manufacturer realsamples brings another piano of the renowned collection of Professor Andreas E. Beurmann, offering 32 velocity layers.

The Early Pianoforte library offers the unique sound of a historical pianoforte by Johann Andreas Stein built in Augsburg in 1793. Clearly showing influences of harpsichords of that time, the instrument sports an uncommon piano sound: Svelte, present and with courtly elegance.

For great dynamics and feel, realsamples captured 32 velocity layers of each note. Furthermore, 8 varitions of each key release sound were recorded to complete the experience of this instrument. The sample library contains more than 2500 single samples. For the challenging task of recording the historical pianoforte, vintage Neumann TLM-170®microphones were used in conjunction with Crane Song Flamingo® preamps and Universal Audio 2192® digital converters.

The virtual Stein Pianoforte is available in 44.1/48 khz, 96 khz and 192 khz resolution, starting at $159.95, and can be used with samplers like HAlion®, Kontakt®, EXS24®, Independence®, MachFive®, VSampler3® and GigaStudio®, amongst others. Note that audio examples are available on the following web page :

Native Instruments has launched "Komplete Your DAW", a time-limited special offer that allows owners of selected professional music sequencers to purchase the Komplete 5 bundle with a discount of 30% from June 2nd to July 31st, 2008.

Komplete 5 includes the following softwares : KONTAKT 3, GUITAR RIG 3 Software Edition, MASSIVE, REAKTOR 5, ABSYNTH 4, BATTERY 3, AKOUSTIK PIANO, ELEKTRIK PIANO, B4 II, FM8, PRO-53.

Products that qualify for the "Komplete Your DAW" special offer include Ableton Live, Apple Logic Pro, Cakewalk Sonar Producer, Digidesign Pro Tools LE/HD, Magix Samplitude Pro, MOTU Digital Performer as well as Steinberg Cubase and Nuendo.

The "Komplete Your DAW" offer will be available from authorized dealers and in the NI Online Shop for a suggested retail price of $779/€699 from June 2nd to July 31st.

In commemoration of its 20th anniversary, M-Audio releases the Midiman MIDISPORT 4x4 Anniversary Edition and the Midiman MIDISPORT 2x2 Anniversary Edition.

The Midiman MIDISPORT 4x4 Anniversary Edition gives the popular multi-port USB MIDI interface an updated new look. MIDISPORT 4x4 Anniversary Edition addresses a total of 64x64 discrete channels of MIDI I/O via USB, allowing you to simultaneously connect a variety of MIDI devices. Bus-powered architecture provides the option of totally mobile operation.

The Midiman MIDISPORT 2x2 Anniversary Edition multi-port USB MIDI interface delivers a new look and enhanced functionality. The compact interface addresses 32 x 32 discrete channels of MIDI I/O via USB, making it ideal for simultaneously connecting multiple MIDI devices to your computer, as well as eliminating delays associated with long MIDI THRU chains. Standalone functionality also gives you MIDI throughput and merge capabilities. Bus-powered architecture provides the option of totally mobile operation.

Pricing :

- Midiman MIDISPORT 4x4 Anniversary Edition : $199.95
- Midiman MIDISPORT 2x2 Anniversary Edition : $89.95

Jeroen Breebaart has announced Barricade Pro - a multi-factor limiter operating in four domains simultaneously. It allows waveform limiting, envelope limiting, loudness limiting, and cross-correlation limiting. Barricade Pro builds upon the free Barricade limiter plugin. It extends the freeware version with new functionality, and full control of all its parameters.

Features :

- each section for waveform, envelope, loudness and correlation limiting is fully customizable in terms of time constants, amount of processing, and alike.
- professional signal level meters according to the Katz metering system. Metering includes digital peak, peak hold, RMS and correlation levels. Meters can be switched between K12, K14 and K20 scales.
- supports processing of 64 bits audio data.
- output bit-depth can be reduced using dithering and perceptual noise shaping.
- sample rates are supported of up to 196 kHz

A pre-release demo version of Barricade Pro is available now as a VST effect plug-in for Windows. The final release is planned for this summer.