PC and Music News

John Bowen has announced that the first production of its long-awaited Solaris is now planned for late September 2008, with delivery shortly thereafter.

The Solaris is a 5 octaves DSP keyboard, with plenty of knobs to chew on (40), 5 value displays plus a graphic one. The internals are based on SHARC CPU and a 96 kHz audio engine where new algorithms can be feed, as available thru software updates and expansion packs.

Features :

- 4 Oscillators, each with several types available: MultiMode, WaveTable, CEM, WAV (sample playback), VS (single cycle waves), SuperSaw
- 4 Filters, each with a dedicated Mixer. Filter types are: Ladder Lowpass, 24, 12, 6, dB, Highpass 24, 12, 6 dB, Bandpass 24 dB, Comb (2 types), State Variable 12 dB LP, HP, BP, and Notch
- 2 Vector Mixers, 2 Rotors (special 4-step waveshape sequences), 2 AM sections (includes Ring Mod)
- 6 DADSRs, 2 8-stage loopable envelopes
- 4 free LFOs, 1 Vibrato LFO. Each has delayed start, fade in, and fade out times, key sync and Phase control
- Phaser, Chorus, Flanger, Delay, Overdrive, 3-band EQ effects

Pre-orders for the second series of production are available now. For more information, please visit the link below.

Musicrow has released Golden Ensembles 2, a massive collection of 38 cutting-edge ensembles for NI Reaktor 5. Synthesizers, effects and creative sound processors, everything is packed, with hundreds of presets ready to be used.

Golden Ensembles pack includes the following ensembles :

- Synthesizers : Cobra, Orpheus, Oberline, Bass Lab, Trancoid, CX, and Blue Crow
- Other Instruments : Piano Magic, Theremin, Brass Machine, Future Bass, Accordion, and Vinyl
- Sound Generators : Chaos
- Classics Processors : Plate Reverb, Tape Echo, Osmosis Filter, Green Tape, Tube Compressor, Vintage Chorus, Mood Filter, Ultraverb, Ultra Chorus, Tape Flanger, Preamp Emulator, Ultra Phaser, DX3, Graphic Equalizer, and Tremolo
- Sound Design Tools : Executer, Magician, White FX, GrainD lay, Electroverb, Drive, Space Boy, Golden Delay and Vocal Modeler

Golden Ensembles 2 is available for €119 / $159. Registered users of version 1 can upgrade for €20 / $25.

HV Synth Design has just announced the release of the Acoustic Modeled LowBrassCollection which contains a Bass Trombone, Tenor Trombone, F-Horn and WagnerTuba. The instruments are created with SynthMaker and based on a unique modeling method, called Eclectic Acoustic Synthesis.

Features :

- Very realistic low brass sounds.
- All Instruments can play 1-4 voices.
- Like real Brass Instruments, you can 'blow' the models from very soft to very loud with an increment of brightness (the high frequencies become more and more prominent). This is done via modulation wheel or breath controller.
- Low CPU load.

Controls :

- Breath Pressure: ModWheel or Breath Controller.
- Lip tention.
- Breath noise + Instability.
- Vibrato (amplitude and/or pitch).
- Slide (Trombones only).
- EQ.
- Fine tuning.

The Acoustic Modeled LowBrassCollection is available now for Windows in VST and Standalone versions at a price of $179. Note that audio examples are available.

MixMeister Technology announces that MixMeister Scratch, the first DJ program for iPhone and iPod Touch, is available as a free download from the iTunes Store. MixMeister Scratch enables users to scratch anywhere, anytime, regardless of DJ experience or technique. The program is easy-to-use and fun for DJs of all levels.

Users can scratch on top of any song in their iPhone, iPhone 3G or iPod Touch mobile digital devices. A collection of vinyl scratch sounds is included so users can select the ideal scratch to stylistically suit their imagination and creativity. DJs can adjust the volume level of the music in real time using the touch interface.

The application has been fully approved by Apple for use with iPhone, iPhone 3G and iPod Touch.

RojectSAM has announced the full details, pricing and availability of its new Kontakt Player 2-based orchestral sample library, Symphobia.

Key features :

- Live recordings of orchestral full-ensemble multi-samples captured in a beautiful concert hall environment.
- Vast library of orchestral clusters, rips and other instantly inspiring cinematic effects.
- Lots of additional cinematic content including Dystopia II and ethnic flute phrases.
- Two mic sets available: Concert Stage and Close mic.
- Orchestral sections recorded as full-range ensembles, pre-seated on the stage.
- Custom Kontakt scripting and interface offering repetition, simulated legato, octaver and more.
- Approx. 18 GB library pool in 44.1 kHz 24-bit.
- NI Kontakt Player 2 included.
- Mapping/programming unlocked, audio/scripting locked

Symphobia is expected to begin shipping in August 2008. It will have an MSRP of €999 / $1499 but it is currently available for the introductory pre-order price of €899 / $1349. For more information and a new set of music demos, please visit their web site.

MOTU unveils the UltraLite-mk3, the third version of MOTU's most compact and portable FireWire audio interface, featuring convenient bus powered operation and on-board mixing and effects.

Housed in a rugged, compact enclosure you can take anywhere, the UltraLite-mk3 is equally well-suited for studio and stage, with or without a computer. It provides flexible and mobile bus-powered operation, professional audio quality at samples rates up to 192 kHz and plenty of I/O, including two mic/instrument inputs, six line-level analog inputs, ten channels of analog output, stereo S/PDIF and a discrete stereo headphone output.

Features :

- 10 inputs / 14 outputs FireWire audio interface
- Two combo jacks provide hi-Z 1/4" guitar input or low-Z XLR mic input with phantom power, pad and gain
- Eight 24-bit 192kHz analog inputs and outputs on balanced/unbalanced 1/4" TRS jacks
- Precision Digital Trim - Digitally controlled analog trim on all analog inputs
- Stereo 24-bit 96kHz S/PDIF in/out
- CueMix FX - flexible 10 input/14 bus mixer with on-board DSP effects, including reverb with sends/returns, plus EQ and compression on every input and output
- Front panel headphone jack with volume control
- Bus-powered
- Stand-alone operation
- Includes drivers for Mac & PC, including ASIO, WDM, Wave, GSIF, Core Audio, and Core MIDI. Supports all popular Mac and Windows audio software

Pricing and availability to be announced.