PC and Music News

SM Pro Audio has just announced that its V-Machine VST player is now shipping.

Features :

- External hardware host for Windows plugins (VST instruments and effects)
- Banks, presets (incl. chaining, layering, splitting) can be edited with the V-Machine or the host software
- Create synth layers and chain them with effects
- Connect nearly every MIDI-Controller to the V-Machine
- Multiple VSTi's can be combined
- MIDI learn functions included
- All effect and synth chains can be switched latency free
- USB-Ports for copy protection dongles
- Use software samplers and stream its content from any USB drive
- sensor to adjust the display's contrast automatically
- control configuration software compatible with Windows, Mac OS X and Linux (future support)

The V-Machine is available now for $599 / €489.

Sample Logic is proud to introduce "The Elements EXP", an entirely redesigned product that gives you not only all of the instruments from the original Elements, but with a completely new user interface, and an additional 350 patches bringing you a total of 2000+ instruments and multi.

Powered by Native Instruments Kontakt Player plugin, the Elements EXP is based on the 6 Elements of music; Ambience, Bass, Harmony, Impacts, Melody, Rhythm. This Expansion brings new functionality to the table, with performance ready arpeggiators and gators, as well as a host of new on-screen automation-ready effects such as: Chorus, Pulser, Delay, Reverb, EQ, and Portamento.

The Elements EXP is available now and is priced at $359. Current users can purchase the EXP as a $40 expansion download, which will update your current 1700 Elements instruments and multis to the newly created interface as well as unlocking an additional 350+ instruments and multis.

Applied Acoustics Systems is announcing an exceptional promotion to celebrate 10 years of physical modeling and software instrument development. Until January 5th, 2009, Applied Acoustics Systems is offering its Modeling Collection for only $349!

The Modeling Collection is a bundle of all the Professional Series instruments :

1. Tassman 4 – Sound Synthesis Studio
2. Lounge Lizard EP-3 – Electric Piano
3. Ultra Analog VA-1 – Analog Synthesizer
4. String Studio VS-1 – String Modeling Synthesizer
5. Strum Acoustic GS-1 – Acoustic Guitar Synthesizer


Modeling Collection upgrades have also been reduced by 30%. The following upgrades are available to Professional and Session Series instruments owners :

1. From one Professional Series instrument, now $259
2. From two or more Professional Series instruments, now $175
3. From one Session Series instrument, now $315


This special offer is available directly from the AAS web store, and through AAS distributors and retailers.

We already mentionned it here a year ago but it's getting more precise ! The USB promoter group has unvealed the new specifications of the USB 3.0, a.k.a. "SuperSpeed USB". It will be up to ten times faster than the actual USB 2.0 and will be retro compatible, the flow rate will go up to 625Mo per second.

However before the introduction of this standard in our machines it will passed a bit of time and the first products including these new connections should'nt come sooner as middle 2009 at best.

This leads some space for an evolution of the Firewire connections...

Markbass, an Italian bass amp manufacturer, introduces Mark Studio 1 plug-in.

Based on three Markbass amp heads and six Markbass cabinets, this plug-in incorporates six different microphone choices, plus control over compression, mic position, tweeter level, room ambience, and more. The amps featured are the all-tube Classic 300, the tube-preamp R 500, and the solid state (with tube compressor) TA 501. The cabinets modeled in the plugin are the Standard 151HR (rear-ported 1x15"), Standard 152HR (rear-ported 2x15"), Standard 104HR (rear-ported 4x10"), Standard 104HF (front-ported 4x10"), Standard 106HF (front-ported 6x10") and Classic 108 (sealed 8x10").

Pricing and Availability : TBA.

The d16 Group unveils the Classic Boxes Collection, a software bundle which contains the emulations of the famous classic boxes :

- Phoscyon, an emulation of the classic analogue sound of the legendary 303 silver box.
- Drumazon which emulates the famous 909 drum machine.
- Nepheton, a virtual 808 drum machine.

The Classic Boxes Collection is available now for Mac OS X and Windows in VST format at a retail price of €255. Note that a Group Buy is also available until 10.12.2008.