PC and Music News

Akai has just announced that the LPD8 laptop pad controller and LPK25 laptop performance keyboard controller are now shipping to retailers.

The LPD8 and LPK25 are USB-MIDI controllers for musicians, producers, DJs and other music creators. Each model is less than 13 inches across and weighs less than a pound to easily fit into a laptop case, backpack or messenger bag for extreme portability.

The LPD8 is based on Akai's MPC line of iconic music product stations. While the smallest model, the MPC500 is quite portable, many producers prefer to work with software on their computer and the LPD8 gives their laptop the controls they prefer over a mouse and keyboard. The LPD8 has eight blue light-up pads that are velocity sensitive for programming rhythmic or melodic parts. The pads can also ...

SPL celebrates one year of "Analog Code" by giving away one Analog Code MicroPlug Attacker per computer.

Attacker is based upon the famous Transient Designer and provides its attack function. It's available for Windows and Mac OS X in VST, AU and RTAS effect plug-in formats.

The Attacker give away promotion is running from October 15 to November 15, 2009. This plug-in normally retails for €59 excl. VAT.

ILIO Entertainments, Applied Acoustic Systems and audioMIDI.com have teamed up to offer AAS Ultra Analog at just $15.00 (reg. MSRP $199- a staggering 92% off MSRP)

Ultra Analog is a unique and powerful 32-voice virtual analog synthesizer driven by two super rich, alias-free oscillators featuring standard waveforms, sub oscillators, hard sync, and integrated pitch envelopes. Two audacious multimode filters with distortion are then applied to shape its sonic character. Finally, carefully chosen modulation options are provided by two syncable comprehensive LFO's, four loopable velocity-sensitive ADSR envelope generators and vibrato.

audioMIDI.com's Russ Jones says, "We're pleased to keep delivering affordable "no-brainer" deals, bringing great value and introducing users to killer software as well as the audioMIDI.com brand."

Ultra Analog is available for purchase via electronic serial number at this special price until 11/30/09, exclusively from www.audioMIDI.com.

Activate the parallel atmospheric energy in your productions with Ueberschall's new school tool „Art of Sounds". This versatile ensemble of FX mechanism based grooves and loops was made for progressive and experimental sound chemistry. From this original standout concept, you can construct edgy, texturally emphasized grooves for Tracks, Film Score, GameAudio and New Media. With „Art of Sounds" you will be able to shape material beyond conformity.

„Art Of Sounds" provides 69 construction kits between 60 and 136 BPM, seperated into :
• Single lines,
• Artificial ambiences,
• IDM illustrations,
• Unperfected loops ,
• Additional drum kits shots to generate your own loops with.

The 1.06 GB variety of content includes warm pads which conflict within thems ...

The AudioFire Pre8 offers the same high quality hardware and software found in our AudioFire line, but with the added convenience of 8 auto-sensing universal inputs featuring Echo's Brilliant preamp technology. With the AudioFire Pre8 you can record 24-bit 96 kHz audio with low latency monitoring on any Windows XP/Vista/7 or Mac OS X computer (desktop or notebook) with a FireWire port.

The AudioFire Pre8 is the perfect center for any professional studio, whether at home or on the road. In addition to the 8 universal inputs with Brilliant mic preamps, the AudioFire Pre8 features 8 balanced ¼ inch analog outputs, 2 channel inserts, phantom power, 2 stereo headphone outputs with volume knob, main output volume knob, ADAT (with S/MUX for 96 kHz support), S/PDIF and MIDI I/O. Inputs 1 and 2 feature premium preamps with options for phase reversal, low impedance, direct input, 80 Hz rolloff and pad. It is a single height, rack mountable unit. The AudioFire Pre8 supports 24/96 kHz playback and recording and ships with low-latency drivers supporting all major pro audio software. The AudioFire Pre8 is fully ASIO, WDM, WaveRT compatible with support for Windows XP/Vista/7 (both 32 bit and 64 bit versions) and Mac OS X (10.3.9 or later).

Elysia unveils the plug-in version of its fantastic hardware compressor, the mPressor. It is the first result of a cooperation with Brainworx. According to Elysia, the guys did a tremendous job on translating Ruben's discrete analog circuits into software. This plug-in gives you all the functions and all the character of the famous hardware.

The RTAS/VST/AU trial versions should be available at the mid/end of October. Retail is planned for the beginning of November. The TDM version requires additional programming and will follow a bit later.

Info on pricing :
Native versions (RTAS/VST/AU)
• 293,28 Euro excl. VAT (for customers outside the European Union and EU customers outside Germany with VAT number)
• 349,00 Euro incl. VAT (for German customers and EU end customers without VAT number)

TDM version (including RTAS/VST/AU versions)
• 419,33 Euro excl. VAT (for customers outside the European Union and EU customers outside Germany with VAT number)
• 499,00 Euro incl. VAT (for German customers and EU end customers without VAT number)