PC and Music News

Focusrite unveils its first independent collection of VST/AU plug-ins; the aptly named 'Focusrite Plug-in Suite'.

The Focusrite Plug-in Suite provides a collection of EQ, Compression, Reverb and Gating VST/AU plug-ins for tracking and mixing. Each plug-in has a host of factory presets, delivering a suitable starting point for a number of popular sound sources.

The Compressor and Gate have been modeled on Focusrite's hardware devices, using the measurement of Focusrite's custom optos to achieve a vintage optical sound. (All Focusrite optos are tuned by ear, just like in the old days of analogue design, ensuring a faithful recreation of those classic vintage 1960s optical compressors.) The Gate also features multiple modes. It operates as a stereo gate and, in dual mono modes, one signal can be used to trigger the gate of another; ideal for a number of creative gating techniques, such as tightening up a bass line.

The EQ module delivers a similar signature to the original Focusrite ISA EQ curves. Focusrite's R&D team worked tirelessly to create an authentic response across the entire audible frequency spectrum. The control layout also mirrors that of the original ISA EQ section; a classic six band EQ, with shelving high and low bands, parametric low mid and high mid bands, and low and high pass filters.

The Reverb is based on classic algorithmic studio reverb designs and delivers a remarkable level of sonic quality for the price. Simple controls over room size, Pre-filter and 'Air' lead you to the ideal reverb sound in seconds.

The new Focusrite Plug-in Suite will be available worldwide in January 2009 from a selection of pro audio retailers worldwide. Contact your local distributor for further details.

Solid State Logic is proud to announce that the quality, precision and DSP driven power of SSL plug-ins is now available in new affordable Duende Expanded & Duende Studio Pack options.

There are three new options available :

- Duende Mini Expanded: Duende Mini (includes Channel Strip) + Bus Compressor + 16 to 32 Channel Upgrade.
- Duende Mini Studio Pack: Duende Mini (includes Channel Strip) + Bus Compressor + 16 to 32 Channel Upgrade + Drumstrip + Vocalstrip + X-EQ + X-Comp.
- Duende PCIe Studio Pack: Duende PCIe (includes Channel Strip & Stereo Buss compressor) + Drumstrip + Vocalstrip + X-EQ + X-Comp.

Duende Mini Expanded & Duende Studio Packs are available as of February 2009 via SSL Resellers.

Duende Mini Expanded - $1049
Duende Mini Studio Pack - $1749
Duende PCIe Studio Pack - $1399

At this year's Winter NAMM Show, the Vienna Symphonic Library team have announced that they will be presenting a wealth of innovations at its largest booth in the history of the company. The revelation of the long-awaited Vienna MIR reverb software, the Vienna Suite audio plug-ins, as well as the current update of Vienna Ensemble 3 are giving the company enough reasons to travel with its massive sound proof Presentation Cube, which will appear at their booth, #7101 in Lobby A.

Furthermore, the largest virtual piano ever seen, the Vienna Imperial, will be presented along with other Vienna Instruments by the biggest NAMM team the company has ever brought to the United States.

Vienna MIR
After years of theoretical and applied research, technological changes, hardcore software develop ...

Muse Reseach unveils a low-cost portable virtual instrument player called The MuseBOX in booth 6729 at the Winter NAMM show. The MuseBOX is based on the same MuseMachine software technology that powers the company's RECEPTOR 2 line of virtual instrument players and features a solid state drive for storing both the OS and many plug-ins, a CF card slot for removable storage of additional plug-ins or smaller "ROMPLER" libraries, and an option for installing an internal hard drive for storing large sample libraries.

The hardware I/O features 1/4-inch stereo line outputs, a 1/4 inch input, stereo S/PDIF output, front panel headphone outputs, a VGA monitor output, MIDI input, and a 2-line LCD display and rotary encoder similar to its bigger brother, the RECEPTOR 2. Like the RECEPTOR 2 line of music instruments, The MuseBOX is both a highly efficient and ultra-stable way to run virtual instruments and effects.

The MuseBOX will retail well below $1000 US, and is expected to ship in late Q2 or early Q3 of this year.

IZotope announces that it is shipping the latest update to its software mastering suite, Ozone 4, on January 30th. iZotope is demonstrating Ozone 4 at the NAMM show at booth 6700.

Ozone 4 builds on the program's reputation for high sound quality and industry-standard mastering tools with new innovations and refinements. iZotope has updated and expanded Ozone's processing algorithms, optimizing them for today's low-latency DAW environments. Ozone 4 features a new Intelligent Loudness Maximizer mode, mid/side processing for superior control over the sound stage, hybrid crossovers, a re-designed interface and a completely updated preset manager featuring innovative MacroPresets. In addition, numerous interface improvements and ease-of-use additions make Ozone even more accessible to music ...

Steinberg has also announced a remote controller application for the Apple iPhone and iPod Touch products.

Utilizing the iPhone and iPod Touch onboard WiFi capability to directly control Cubase 5, Cubase RC supports a large range of functions, including comprehensive transport control, Marker location, toggling of essential functions such as Metronome, Cycle Mode and many more. Cubase RC also controls the unique Cubase Arranger functionality, allowing iPhone and iPod Touch owners to play segments of a production live, display the song position and chain status and use the Jump control to skip to a predefined song section.

Cubase RC is based on the powerful Steinberg Kernel interface (SKI) technology for seamless integration into the Cubase software core. Cubase RC controls Cubase 5 running on both Mac OS X and Windows platforms.

Cubase RC will be available free of charge exclusively through the Apple iTunes Store from Q2 2009.