PC and Music News

ESI has announced the new U46 XL USB audio interface with 4 input and 6 output channels for all current Windows versions and Mac OS X including Leopard.

Features :

- compact device in stylish white / aluminum case
- supports 48kHz input recording and output playback with 100dB(a) dynamic range ADC / DAC
- 6 channel analog output plus separate mix output
- microphone input with balanced XLR input and switchable +48V support
- Hi-Z input signal support (i.e. for electric guitars)
- 4 channel analog line input (4 simultaneous input channels in total)
- bus powered (no extra power supply needed)

The U46 XL will most likely be shipping in Q2 2008.

Christian Knufinke Software has released version 2.2 of its convolution reverb plug-in SIR2 and also released a public beta version for Intel-Macs (VST and AU).

Improvements in v2.2 :

- More routing capabilities (mono->mono, mono->stereo etc.).
- Better support for mono-channels.
- Auto true stereo file creation for special impulse response libraries.
- Improved host compatibility.

Sugar Bytes has announced Effectrix, a new multi-effect sequencer featuring 13 effects and a 32-step sequencer with 12 sub-patterns. If you are looking for "grooving sound mutations and exciting breakbeat effects" this one is for you !

Effects included : Looper, Timestretch, Scratch, Reverse, Tape Stop, Tonal Delay, Stutter, Crush, Filter (10 filter types), Phaser, Chorus, Delay, Reverb.

Effectrix will be released in February 2008 for Windows and Mac OS X in VST and AU formats. It will cost €99 / $129.

Minimal House is a newcomer in the Ueberschall's huge sample collection. This library comes with 900 loops and samples, gathered in 24 construction kits and contains over 1.6GB of sample content. Main tasks of this product are live use, DJ sets and "behind the scenes sound commandos".

Minimal House offers a huge variety of sequences from basslines, atmospheres, synthetix and fx. Hundreds of finely detailed drums, percussion samples and loops are ready to utilize and personalize in most trusted VST/AU/RTAS hosts or Standalone operations. As usual this sound library comes along with the loop player "Elastik".

Minimal House is available now for Mac OS X and Windows at a retail price of $119. (€ 99.) For more information, please visit their web site.

Audio-Technica introduces the AT2020 USB Cardioid Condenser Microphone. Designed for computer-based recording, the AT2020 comes with a USB digital output, low self-noise, extended frequency response and a fixed cardioid polar pattern to allow isolation of the desired sound source.

The AT2020 USB is powered from a USB Bus and includes a tripod desk stand, stand mount, USB cable and soft protective carrying pouch. It will be available in March 2008 with an MSRP of $249.

MOTU unveils the third version of its 828 audio interface which was one of the first FireWire audio interface ever made. The 828mk3 comes with a lot of new features : a 32-bit floating point DSP for digital mixing and effects processing, a total of 28 inputs and 30 outputs, 192 kHz operation, true hi-Z guitar inputs, signal overload protection, digitally controlled analog input trims on all inputs, two banks of ADAT/TOSLink optical, MIDI I/O and much more in a single rack-space form factor.

All I/O is routed to a new on-board 16-bus digital mixer driven by hardware-based DSP with 32-bit floating point precision. The mixer allows users to apply no-latency effects processing to inputs, outputs or busses directly in the 828mk3 hardware, independent of the computer. Effects can even be app ...