PC and Music News

The DBeat instrument was engineered for portability and power. Encased in an ultra-light aluminum chassis and weighing only 20lbs, the DBeat boasts more than 10,000 sounds with an additional 14GB of sounds that come with the included, full feature version of Ableton Live 7. Live DJ performance capability is taken to the next level with the inclusion of Open Labs' edition of GURU and the proprietary virtual instrument host Riff - making DBeat an exceptional tool for using VSTi's in a live setting.

DBeat comes loaded with a plethora of fully mappable real-time controllers, including Open Labs' exclusive Bump MP drum pads, the Mix/Edit digital audio workstation panel, and comprehensive DJ controls including a cross-fader. It includes an integrated trackball, iPod-compatible cradle and 12-inch capacitive touch screen, which will be multi-touch capable with Windows 7 update.

The ability to directly connect USB turntables and the compatibility with virtually any software, including Deckadance, Serato Scratch Live, Traktor, Pro Tools, Reason and many more, make DBeat a DJ solution of choice for studio, stage and club use.


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Steinberg is pleased to announce three new Content Sets for Sequel 2 and all Cubase versions from 4.5. Available exclusively as a download product in Steinberg's Online Store from Q2 2009, the new Chillout, Reggae and Orchestra Content Sets add hundreds of new first-class loops, and take the total number of Sequel Content Sets to ten.

"These new content sets extend even further the range of additional content available for Sequel 2," comments Nadine Roos, Steinberg's Product Marketing Manager for Sequel. "With the three new genres, Sequel customers now have a huge range of first-class loops to inspire new musical ideas. And because they're very easy to use, integrating completely in the Sequel and Cubase MediaBay and organized into very accessible construction kits, the Sequel Content Sets are an ideal way for both Sequel and Cubase customers to explore new genres and spark new musical ideas," Roos adds.

Including the three Sets announced at Musikmesse 2009, Steinberg offers the following Sequel Content Sets: Rock, Electro, Hip Hop and Hip Hop 2, 80s Pop, Industrial, Funk, Chillout, Reggae and Orchestra. Each Sequel Content Set features between 200 and 350 outstanding loops by leading content producers.

Denon unveils the DN-X1700, a new digital mixer with performance features, solid sound quality, control and 32-bit digital analogue conversion.

The DN-X1700 is a four-channel tabletop mixer with rubberised knobs, 60mm Alps K Series channel faders, 45mm FLEX cross fader, a color LCD display, extended 24-point LED channel and output metering, and LED ring metering around the control knobs.

In operation, the principal features related to the power and flexibility of the DN-X1700 are its Matrix Input Assignment with digital input and MIDI/USB audio, independent and parametric three-band EQ with Kill on each channel, and dual independent EFX processors.

The two EFX processors are located together, with the 3.5-inch TFT colour LCD positioned directly above, for ease of operation. One or ...

SPL has a "little" gift for you, Free Ranger, a free EQ plug-in which offers 4 bands and 4 preset slots.

Free Ranger is now available for Windows and Mac OS X in VST, AU and RTAS formats.

Some major performance venues have variable acoustics – a costly treatment system that allows the venue acoustics to be adjusted on demand to generate the best sound, whatever the type of performance.

In reality, most people will probably use the same room to record a range of instruments or voices. Although the room may have acoustic treatment, the treatment will largely focus on generally absorbing or diffusing specific frequencies, and it will be fixed. However, a room that has been treated to produce a dryish acoustic for vocal recording will not bring out the best in an acoustic guitar, which needs more ambience. Changing a room acoustic on demand has been a highly complex and expensive procedure – until now.

Vari Panel is Vicoustic's revolutionary system that combines their Flexi Panel A50 with a wood system that can be attached and removed in seconds – without glue or any other complicated fixing procedures. This gives you the option of adjusting your room acoustic to create a dry recording environment, a bright ambient space, or something in between. Based on the same ARCS research model as Wave Wood, Vari Panel's innovative design is currently the best, affordable solution in the variable acoustics market.

The MBase11 can do only one thing, but Jomox claims it does it right : Phat kick drums !

Like the XBASE 999/888, the MBase 11 has a compression parameter to vary the thickness of decaying sound. And it offers a variable gate time to to create very different sounding attacks. It also has a metalize parameter to have hundreds of variations on the attack noise.

For more intuitive editing, we have added an analog potentiometer that works alternatively to the parameter editing when scrolling the data wheel is too hard. The MBase 11 purposefully sounds a bit different to the XBASE 999/888, making it a great sounding expansion for other Jomox's drum products and other analog percussion.

The kick sets in very precisely and the attack sounds very snappy at all kinds of sound variations. The MBase 11 can also be used as a real bass with some limitations. If decay is cranked up it is long enough for tones and the pitch can be played on the keyboard in semitones over three octaves.

The MBase 11 will be available May 2009. Audio examples are already available at :