PC and Music News

The Miniak is the first synthesizer from Akai Professional developed in partnership with the Alesis synthesis team. The Miniak brings together Akai Professional's control feel with powerful DSP sound-generation technology.

The Miniak enables users to create programs with up to eight multi-timbral voices, each with three oscillators. The user can create interesting and unique sounds and take advantage of the synthesizer's more-than-600 preset sounds. Users can create complex and refined sounds using the Miniak's two multimode filters, three envelope generators, two LFOs, stereo effects and 40-band vocoder with gooseneck microphone. The Miniak also has a comprehensive sequencer with step and dynamic real time phrase sequencing, a drum machine/rhythm sequencer and an arpeggiator.

Users will appreciate the high-resolution, 24-bit balanced quarter-inch inputs and outputs for excellent sound quality. The Miniak has a 37-key semi-weighted keyboard with velocity sensitivity for all-in-one performance. It can also be used as a sound source for MPCs, computer software and keyboards via MIDI.

Miniak will be available from musical instrument and professional audio retailers Q3, 2009.

Novation unveils the successor to its ReMOTE SL.

The SL Mk II combines a semi-weighted Fatar 'fast touch' keyboard with a full DAW and plug-in control surface that visually feeds back all control information to the user. All knobs and faders are touch sensitive. By simply touching a control, all mapping information automatically appears on the 144 character LCD display. Back lit LED buttons and LED ringed encoders instantly show the status of controls. SL Mk II also includes full transport control, an XY "Xpression Pad", 8 drum pads, sprung pitch/mod joystick and a unique "Speed Dial" encoder, which enables the user to grab any parameter the cursor is positioned over. In addition to 25, 49 and 61 key versions, a keyboardless "Zero" will be available with longer-throw faders and a central crossfader.

Ultra-quick mapping of all 56 knobs, faders and buttons is managed by Novation's Automap 3 PRO software, which provides instant and intelligent control of all your music software. As well as extensive DAW control, parameters on VST and AU plug-ins can be assigned by simply touching the controller and clicking the parameter. Perhaps Automap 3 PRO's biggest asset is "Keystroke Assignment", this enables almost any QWERTY or ASCII keyboard shortcut (and combination shortcuts) to be instantly assigned to the SL Mk II controls.

SL Mk II will be available almost immediately. The 25-key and 61-key models are shipping worldwide, April 2009. Zero SL MkII and the 49-key model will follow shortly after. For further details and pricing, contact your local Novation distributor.

Sontronics presents a new active ribbon microphone called Delta.

The Delta has been designed to deliver the classic tonality of a traditional ribbon microphone, but with the added reliability and consistency that active electronics offer and rugged build to allow it to be used in live sound applications as well as the studio. This new microphone excels in miking electric guitar cabinets and is designed for applications ranging from subtle electro-acoustic finesse to shred-metal mayhem.

It features optimized sensitivity and 48V pre-amplified electronics to deliver solid audio consistency combined with a significant improvement in signal-to-noise compared with traditional transformer-based ribbon mics. The Delta has a 20Hz to 15kHz frequency response and can accept maximum SPLs of 135dB.

Before it reached production, the Delta was beta-tested by various studio producers and engineers, all of whom pushed the microphone to the max. Justin Smith, engineer for Queens of the Stone Age and Eagles of Death Metal, states: "The Delta is amazing. It really handles anything you throw at it, from quiet, non-distorted guitar to balls-to-the-wall, amp-on-11 stuff. As soon as you have more, we want them."

The Delta comes in a rugged aluminium flightcase with its shockmount and is available immediately at a list price of $799.

AnaMod will demonstrate the new AM670 Stereo Limiter at this year MusikMesse (Hall 5.1, Booth D-94A).

The AM670, list price $3295.00, is a stereo 3U rackmount based on the technology of Anamod's successful AM660 500-series compressor introduced last year. Both the AM660 and AM670 were created by the AnaMod Process. Precise mathematical models were created from the classic 1950s variable-mu 670 limiter. These models were used to synthesize the analog hardware of the AM670. Like the classic1950s variable-mu 670 limiter, the AM670 duplicates the Lateral / Vertical (mid / side) modes of compression while adding a stereo link function which was not present on original 1950s vacuum tube unit.

AnaMod's co-founder Greg Gualtieri says, "Having mid / side compression available in a buss limiter will be eye-opening for many engineers. You're able to independently control the amount of compression of the center of a mix while not affecting the extreme ends of a stereo mix… and vice-versa."

This Musikmesse is set to be Sonnox's biggest show ever, with no fewer than 10 shows a day from four different presenters. As well as mainstage shows from Fab Dupont, Robbie Bronnimann, Nils Hahmann, and Josep Maria Sola, there will be iMac stations for general public use, and plenty of Sonnox staff to ask questions and get one on one Oxford Plugins demos.

Visitors who come to the demos will have a chance to win a Sonnox Elite Collection worth around €1000, which will be presented at 17:30h each day. Also, with Sonnox's special Musikmesse promotion, purchase and register any Oxford Plugins Bundle (2 or more plug-ins) between April 1st and April 17th 2009 and receive a free Oxford Limiter with your order !

Come and see Sonnox at Booth B66, Hall 5.1 from April 1st – 4th, to find out more details.

Euphonix has announced MC Transport, the latest addition to its line of Artist Series media controllers.

Features :

- Jog Wheel : the weighted, optically encoded jog wheel provides you with professional, ultra-high resolution navigation of your timeline, and can be instantly assigned to control a host of other parameters like zooming horizontally/vertically, trimming clip head and tail, setting clip gain, cross fading, etc. by simply pressing the appropriate soft key.
- Shuttle Ring : the optically encoded shuttle ring features a revolutionary, spring-loaded design with rubberized surface for effortless one-handed operation. Shuttle ring response can be customized for each