PC and Music News

Today M-Audio unveils a new FireWire audio interface : the ProFire 610.

Features :

- 6 x 10 simultaneous analog/digital I/O
- 2 preamps with Octane technology (phantom power, 20dB pad on each preamp, signal/peak LED indicator lights)
- 2 ¼" TRS balanced line inputs
- 8 ¼" TRS balanced line outs
- stereo S/PDIF I/O
- 2 ¼" TRS headphone outputs
- flexible onboard DSP mixer
- up to 24-bit/192kHz
- built-in 1 x 1 MIDI interface
- user-assignable master volume knob
- standalone operation as 2 mic pre/2-channel A/D-D/A converter
- JetPLL jitter elimination technology
- powered via FireWire bus or external power supply

The ProFire 610 is expected in Q3, 2008 with an MSRP of $499.95 / €389.

Audio Damage unveils their next release, Automaton, which is described as a unique look at buffer effects, allowing you to experiment with artificial life within your DAW.

With four separate effects (Stutter, Modulate, Bitcrush, and Replicate) driven by a cellular automata sequencer, Automaton is capable of adding subtle seemingly random fills and "humanizing" effects, but if you like, you can crank the sequencer up to eleven, and watch as your DAW becomes a petri dish while Automaton makes complete hay of the track you've inserted it to.

Features :

- Cellular automata sequencer with host tempo-sync, five different musically useful rulesets (including a step sequencer), extensive randomization features, and a life of its own.
- Four sequencer-driven effects, including Stutter (a buffer delay for extremely short loop slices), Modulate (a self-modulating ring modulator), Bitcrush (sample rate and bit depth reduction, and our own "Error" effect), and Replicate (a special version of our Replicant effect, tuned for use with the cellular automata sequencer).
- Master section allows extensive mixing capabilities, enabling Automaton to excel at either adding subtlety (like an occasional extra hi-hat) or complete self-generating IDM madness.
- MIDI Learn for hardware control of most parameters (VST only)

Automaton will be available soon for Mac OS X and Windows in VST and AU formats.

Steinberg has just released Cubase 4.5 and Cubase Studio 4.5 Update

The 4.5 update offers many new integrative technologies, with full support for the upcoming Steinberg MR816 CSX/X Advanced Integration DSP Studios and the CC121 Advanced Integration Controller. It also introduces VST Sound(TM), a new and improved universal media management format that is a fundamental part of VST3 standard. Last but not least, Cubase 4.5 includes the VST Sound Collection Vol. 1, offering 1.6 GB of new sounds and instruments for Cubase.

The 4.5 versions are available now as a download for all registered Cubase 4 and Cubase Studio 4 customers at :

Softube has announced the release of its new Spring Reverb plug-in.

Spring Reverb is an authentic spring reverb recreation that will add vintage character and grit to any audio track. It also includes novel features such as a fully automatable Shake control that will shake the virtual strings around for those thunderous spring effects, and a Tension control that tightens or loosens the springs to cover a wide range of spring reverb sounds.

Features :

- Shake control that shakes the springs around.
- Tension control to shape the spring character and reverb length.
- Number of spring pairs continuously adjustable from 1 to 3.
- Tube driver simulation with Bass and Treble in the reverb section.

Spring Reverb is available now for a fee of $99 (excl. VAT) in VST, AU and RTAS formats for Windows and Mac OS X. Note that a fully functional 10 day demo is available (iLok required).

Softube is also announcing the immediate availability of the Effect Bundle plug-in pack, featuring Spring Reverb, Tube Delay, and Acoustic Feedback in VST, AU and RTAS formats for Windows and Mac OS X ($229 excl. VAT full product, $149 to upgrade from one of the plug-ins, $49 from two).

Ableton will be running an interesting sales campaign in the fall of 2008. Effectively, customers who buy Ableton Live during the course of the campaign get Operator, Ableton's FM synthesizer, for free.

The offer applies to sales of Ableton Live 7, Live 7 LE and upgrades from Live Lite to the full version between September 1st and October 31st, 2008.

Wallander Instruments has just released WIVI v2. While the original WIVI version was well-known for its high flexibility and Breath/Wind Controller action, WIVI v2 introduces a number of concepts designed for the keyboard composer.

The most powerful new feature of WIVI v2 is the Sequence Editor. The Sequence Editor works much like an arpeggiator, but has the flexibility of a MIDI sequencer and more. By drawing notes and CC curves in an instrument's Sequence Editor, you make the instrument play that sequence each time you trigger a note. This way you can build advanced articulations, effects or even complex melodies triggered by the press of a key.
Even more importantly, the notes in the Sequence Editor can all be assigned a unique Voice for Polyphonic Mode. This way you can make sequences that adapt to the chords you play, creating "intelligent" arpeggios or articulations.

WIVI v2 is available now as a plugin in VST/RTAS formats on Windows and in AU/VST/RTAS formats on Mac. The currently available WIVI instrument collections are :

- Brass 1 ($599)
- Woodwinds 1 ($399)
- Woodwinds 2 ($299)
- Woodwinds 3 ($299)