PC and Music News

IZotope has just updated its audio restoration application / plug-in RX to version 1.20.

New Features :

• Support for markers in WAV and AIFF files in RX application.
• Manually edit noise profiles in Denoiser with envelope.
• Added visualization for Spectral Repair before/after regions in waveform/spectrogram display.
• Added visualization for Declipper thresholds in waveform/spectrogram display.
• Major optimizations to RX Denoiser Algorithms B and C.
• Added support for keyboard shortcuts which select a module's preset and apply that module. Useful for quickly switching between module settings (for example when using Spectral Repair repeatedly on large files).
• Declipper threshold can now extend below -8 dB by zooming the histogram window.
• Many performance improvements throughout all of RX's processing modules, especially when using RX plug-ins with small buffer sizes.

This update is free for all registered users.

Expert Sleepers has just released Little Spacey, a new delay plug-in for both Mac OS X and Windows.

Little Spacey is delay effect, inspired by classic analogue 'bucket brigade' delays but with refinements only possible in the digital arena - not to mention a maximum delay time that would cost a small fortune to realise in hardware. Great care has been taken to give Little Spacey the smooth, creamy sound which makes analogue delays still popular today.

In common with the best analogue delays Little Spacey allows you to modulate the delay time for chorus or vibrato effects. Unlike most analogue delays, Little Spacey is not restricted to mono operation, and works well in stereo or multi-channel (AU only) settings, offering variation of the effect between the channels for particularly rich and involving sounds.

Little Spacey is available now in VST and AU effect plug-in formats at a price of $29. For a limited time Expert Sleepers are running a special offer, giving customers the chance to get Little Spacey for just $5.

Ableton has updated Live 8 and Suite 8 to v8.0.3.

For more details upon the several bugfixes and improvements, please follow the link below :

Since the release of the Prophet '08 in August 2007, Dave Smith has received numerous requests for a version with more "vintage-style" controls. The standard Prophet '08 primarily uses rotary encoders for its front panel controls, but some customers prefer potentiometers (AKA "pots") like those used on the vintage Prophets, particularly for the more performance-oriented parameters like filter cutoff and resonance. The new Prophet '08 Pot Edition offers an alternative with 38 of the 52 front panel parameters controlled by pots; rotary encoders are still used for the remainder of the controls.

So, what's the difference? The features and functionality of the non-pot and pot versions are exactly the same. The difference is strictly in the controls themselves. Encoders are "endless"—they ha ...

A teaser on Flux website announces that they are about to launch a brand new plug-in called Syrah, the same name as the dark-skinned grape grown throughout the world and used primarily to produce powerful red wines.

Official details are not available for now but we've heard that it may be a new compressor plug-in with stereo enhancing functionality. Knowing the excellent quality of their other products, Syrah must be really musical and flexible.

Stay tuned for more info...

By the way, don't forget that DontCrac[k] has extended the -40% introductory price on all Flux products and bundles until May 31, 2009 !

Brainworx announces that its bx_boom! plug-in is now available separately from the bx_dynEQ plug-in bundle (which it is still included with).

bx_boom! is actually the one bx_dynEQ preset demonstrating the superior M/S features of this EQ best. Stripped down to only 2 parameters and an intuitive graphic design this tools enables you to attenuate or boost the impact of your bass drum sound - in a final mix (!) or a complete stereo drum-loop. bx_boom! is only availble as a true stereo plug-in due to the M/S nature of the beast.

Features :

• 3 different modes (lo / mid / hi).
• Hi-end Brainworx band pass-filters.
• Boost and attenuate your bass-drum in a final mix(!) or an individual drum loop.
• Fully automatable.
• Dedicated BYPASS switch (cymbal sign) in the plug-in GUI.
• "Mouse over feature": adjust the parameters by holding the mouse over the bass-drum or the pedal and simply turn your mouse wheel.
• Direct access: just type in any valid number into the text fields for direct access to the exact value.

bx_boom! is available now for Windows and Mac OS X in VST, AU, RTAS and TDM formats. Pricing starts at €89 (+VAT).