PC and Music News

The brand new VENUE SC48 by Digidesign is a fully integrated live sound system that combines all I/O, digital signal processing, and tactile control into a single console, making it the most affordable and portable VENUE system yet. The console not only features the characteristics of VENUE, including plug-in support, seamless integration with Pro Tools LE® systems, and complete show file portability, it offers several innovative new workflows that streamline the mixing process, allowing you to concentrate on mixing the show instead of operating the board.

Features :

• Fully integrated console offers built-in I/O for stage and ancillary sources, DSP, and tactile control for ultimate portability
• Compact footprint fits small- to mid-size clubs, houses of worship, theaters, corporate events, and more
• First-rate VENUE sound quality provides amazing audio clarity in any room
• Supports professional audio plug-ins for creating studio-quality mixes live
• Pro Tools LE FireWire interface and software included for audio recording and playback system connection
• VENUE D-Show® software, the industry's easiest, most comprehensive control software
• 48 analog mic/line XLR inputs, 16 analog line outputs (expandable to 32)
• Single expansion slot for maximizing output count or adding A-Net® connectivity
• 16 Aux Sends, 8 Groups, plus 8 mono matrixes (linkable as up to 4 stereo matrixes)
• Choice of Left-Right plus Mono or Left-Center-Right Mains bus configuration
• 26 touch-sensitive, motorized faders: 16 input, 8 output master, 1 Flex Channel, and 1 Mains
• 16 assignable, push-switch rotary encoders with multi-segment LED rings enable immediate access to key parameters
• Additional I/O, including talkback, analog and digital 2-track, GPI, MIDI, and Word Clock

VENUE SC48 is available now. For pricing information, please contact your local Avid salesperson or reseller.

Tone2 are pleased to announce the 1.1 update of Warmverb, a modular multi effect plug-in with routable modules and 38 types of effects.

New features :

• Additional serial routing scheme.
• Bypass knobs for the effect modules.
• Three reflection effects: early reflection, reverse reflection and gated reflection.
• Aliaser effect.
• Trancegate effect.
• 43 new presets.

Changes and fixes :

• The vocoder is now MIDI controllable.
• Improved sound for 'Reverb large' and 'Reverb Ultra' effects.
• Improved performance.
• Stereo enhancer's left and right channels were swapped.

Warmverb Multi-FX is available for Mac OS X in VST and AU formats at a price of $79. The update is free for all registered users.

Sweetwater Sound Inc., the third-largest music instrument and pro audio retailer in the world, has launched a donation campaign designed to provide music gear and instruments to people of limited means who have a genuine interest in music. Sweetwater regularly receives requests for donations of gear from soldiers overseas, disaster victims, foster parents, and nonprofit organizations. Named GearGift, the donation program encourages musicians from across the country to donate old instruments and recording and performance equipment. Sweetwater plans to refurbish the donated gear and ensure that it finds a new home with a deserving individual.

Those making donations to the program will be encouraged to designate the kind of recipient - a soldier, a child, a nonprofit, etc. Recipients, in turn, will be asked to respond with a thank you note and a photo or two. These responses will be forwarded to the donor.

For more information, please visit :

Waves has just released a collection of free presets for the SSL E-Channel plug-in. All these presets were made by Chris Lord-Alge, the well-known mixing engineer who has worked with famous artists such as Green Day, U2, Ray LaMontagne, Tina Turner, Rod Stewart, or James Brown to name a few.

The Chris Lord-Alge presets are available for free at :

Beilfuss unveils the worlds first step synthesizer.

Unlike any analog or digital synthesizer's controls, the patented tone control consists of sixteen steps simply outlining the waveform as set by the Signal Controls you see at the left of the control panel. Similarly, the envelope and filter contour transients and their time intervals are also set by the Signal Controls for rhythms or extended notes. You may easily add prompted, parallel voicings, combining settings of both sides for complex notes.There are 32 controls and 142 pushbuttons for direct programming. Dedicated LED pushbuttons always read out their side of the full eight octave, split keyboard. Five octaves of transposition are possible.

Price and availability TBA.

QuikQuak has announced the release of version 2.0 of its freebie UpStereo plug-in.

Changes :

• Completely 3D user-interface
• Retains usability of traditional 2D design
• Movable camera and light - alter the mood of the plug-in
• New metallic GUI.
• Overdrive option for saturated distortion effects.

UpStereo v2.0 is available for Windows and Mac OS X in VST and AU plug-in formats.