PC and Music News

McDSP is proud to announce that the all new Retro Pack Bundle is now shipping. The Retro Pack bundle includes the 4020 Retro EQ, the 4030 Retro Compressor and the 4040 Retro Limiter.

The 4020 Retro EQ is a four-band EQ and complimentary filter set. The HF and LF bands are shelving EQ, with two additional parametric EQs at the HMF and LMF bands.

The 4030 Retro Compressor is a new dynamic range control topology coupled with a wet/dry mix control to balance compressed and uncompressed signals. An active attack and release design allows aggressive compression settings with minimal artifact generation.

The 4040 Retro Limiter combines a look-ahead brick wall limiter function with several subjective treatments to make the limiting action subtle, and yet vintage.

The Retro Pack HD Bundle is available for $995 while the Native Bundle costs $495. The McDSP HD line supports TDM, RTAS and Audiosuite formats and the Native line supports RTAS and Audiosuite formats.

Minnetonka Audio Software, Inc. is now shipping the recently announced SurCode for Dolby E Encoder as either a single encoder plug-in or as a bundle with the already available SurCode for Dolby E Decoder. SurCode for Dolby E brings the Dolby E standard to your workstation as the first complete Dolby E file-based toolkit. SurCode for Dolby E is a complete Dolby E Encoder and Decoder application suite for quick processing and management of file-based Dolby E assets and metadata in your digital audio workstation or computer.

SurCode for Dolby E Encoder provides encoding of up to eight channels of audio, with a variety of user selectable program types. These range from 5.1 and stereo to four independent stereo or eight mono channels - all including Dolby E and program metadata via a simple user interface. SurCode for Dolby E seamlessly integrates with your workstation such as Pro Tools, AudioTools AWE and VST qualified surround hosts. A future release will include a stand-alone version for both Mac and PC operating systems. All flavors of SurCode for Dolby E Encoder are included with a single license.

SurCode for Dolby E Encoder retails for $3,495, but is also part of a bundle that includes both SurCode for Dolby E Encoder and Decoder for $5995, and is available through an international network of pro audio resellers, and online.

NuGen Audio has updated its SEQ1 and SEQ2 Linear Phase mixing and mastering equalizers to version 1.2.3.

Changes :

- Fixed an EQ envelope error generated when switching sample rates in existing projects when using SEQ1 Master edition in WYSIWYG mode.
- Fixed an Audio Unit validation error which occurred with SEQ2 in Logic Pro.

As of 2009, Apogee Electronics will no longer develop products for the Microsoft Windows platform. Apogee has made this decision in order to focus all research, development, and support resources on the Apple platform with its unparalleled power and stability. Apple offers a wide range of affordable, powerful desktop and laptop solutions ideally suited for music creation and audio production.

Apogee will continue to develop and manufacture premium converters, microphone preamplifiers, clocking solutions, and supporting technologies that provide world-class solutions for Mac-based production environments.

Windows users can obtain the Apogee sound by connecting Apogee converters to their Windows-compatible audio interface via AES, optical, or S/PDIF. Apogee technical support will continue to support legacy Windows configurations installed on Windows XP Service Pack 2.

Any questions regarding Windows support can be directed to Apogee technical support.

MHC Synthesizers and Effects reduce the prices on VST/AU plugins and sound libraries.

All their synthesizers and effect plugins now cost $129 (previously $199), Soundpacks cost $39 (previously $59), and Sample loop libraries cost $39 (previously $59).

They also offer a 25% discount on top of that, until the 28th of February, for those who sign up (it's free) to receive their newsletter.

DDMF has announced the release of StereooeretS, a two-band stereo manipulation plug-in. It features: L/R or M/S input, phase flips on each channel, channel flip, independent gain and pan for left and right channel and, the central part, a two-band widener where the signal is split into high- and low frequency content by a 12dB/octave flat crossover filter. Independent width, gain and pan are provided for the two bands. A stereo image meter is provided to prevent phase issues. Internal calculations are done in 64 bit.

StereooeretS is available in VST for Windows and VST and AU Universal Binary for Mac and as usual with DDMF the price is "whatever-you-feel-appropriate".