PC and Music News

Voxengo has updated VariSaturator to v1.2.

Changes :

- The "Dry mix" parameter implemented.
- Output routing arrangement changed - it is now possible to route the same internal channel to several outputs.
- "Loud noise" issue happening in Reaper fixed.
- A possible cause of a rare occasional crash resolved.
- Cubase/Nuendo freeze after their track level meter dragging fixed.
- Parameter automation freezing in Logic/Mac OS X fixed.
- "Mouse wheel sensitivity" global setting renamed to "mouse wheel precision".

DigiTech is now shipping its new RP500 Integrated Effect Switching System.

The RP500 two special modes : Pedalboard and Amp/Cabinet Bypass. In Pedalboard mode, the unit is designed to turn on and off 5 separate effects with separate footswitches. When in Amp/Cabinet Bypass mode the internal amplifiers and cabinets can also be defeated with just the touch of a single button allowing the RP500 to keep the tonal characteristics of your external amplifiers and rig. When in both Pedalboard mode and Amp/Cabinet Bypass mode, the RP500 is a set of stompboxes and effects which can be altered from program to program, like an Effect Switching System.

The RP500 also includes Cubase LE4. Via the RP500's USB connection, guitars can be recorded directly to PC or Mac, then captured and edited using Cubase LE4's 48-track DAW.

The RP500 is now available with an MSRP of $429.95.

Odo Synths has released 38911 Bytes, a new synthesizer based on Commodore 64 software.

Features :

- 1 oscillator synth with 4 waveforms (saw, triangle, pulse and pitch noise). Also PulseWidth "noise cutoff" and "noise level" and Octaves from -3 to 4.
- 3 BPM sequencers with 7 rates, 2 to 8 steps and end/loop modes.

o Sequencer 1 is for notes and octaves. Notes from C to B and octaves -3 to 4.
o Sequencer 2 is for waveforms Saw, Triangle, Pitched Noise, RM saw, RM triangle, RM pulse.
o Sequencer 3 is for octaves from -3 to 4.

- The filter, pitch and PW modulation envelopes have stages from 1 to 8, also 13 curves, a Sustain point from 1 to 7 or even off. The envelopes can also be turned off to save some CPU when not required.
- 3 different filters - low-pass, band-pass and hi-pass. You can activate more than one filter type like on a real c64 and also turn the filters off.
- 2 LFOs with 19 different waveforms with free speed or 14 BPM speeds. The LFOs have only 3 destinations - cutoff, pitch and for PWM.
- A Ring modulation with a bitcrusher notes from c to b and octaves from -4 to 3.
- A volume envelope and a full bank of 128 presets.

38911 Bytes is available as a VST instrument plug-in for Windows and it is (almost) free, although if you want to move any of the knobs you'll have to make a donation.

After RX from iZotope, our reviewer sleepless has just published a new article upon the Wave Arts Master Restoration Suite which is a bundle of plug-ins dedicated to the audio restoration and cleaning.

"The editor has made a name for himself with its precedent plug-ins, like MasterVerb or TrackPlug, kind of swiss army knives in their respective fields, whose sonic quality is only equalled by their very low CPU consumption [...] Let's see if the qualities you can find in other Wave Arts plug-ins are included in this new bundle."

De la Mancha has released machin, a random, probability-based, step-sequenced multi-fx device created in partnership with sink.

The step sequencer defines the probability that any single random effect will be triggered on that step while weighting defines the probability for each effect that it will be the one that is triggered.

Features :

- 6 effects (gate, crusher, filter, flanger, delay, reverb).
- 2-32 step probability sequencer over a cycle of 2-32 beats.
- Seeded randomisation with loop repeat over cycle of 2-100 beats.
- Swing control for step sequencer.
- Any effects can be turned off to save CPU.
- Each effect has an attack/decay on triggering and pulse length to determine duration effect is on.
- Master wet/dry mix control.
- All controls have MIDI learn.

machin is available for Windows in VST format for free.

In April, McDSP offers a great special on the Project Studio Bundle to any and all users for $295, which means $200 off ! The Project Studio Bundle includes LE versions of FilterBank, CompressorBank, Synthesizer One, Chrome Tone, Analog Channel and Revolver. This bundle is RTAS and AudioSuite compatible.

Note that this offer ends April 30, 2008.