PC and Music News

DSK Music has released the Hispasonic Sampled Series, a collection of free high quality multi-sample instruments in collaboration with Hispasonic.com.

Hispasonic Sampled Series includes :

- HS Vintage Keys: 6 classic keyboards (Clavinet, Dyno Rhodes, DX7 Rhodes, Hohner Pianet, Fender Rhodes and Wurlitzer).
- HS Saxotopia: 3 saxophones (tenor, soprano and alto).
- HS Dynamic Guitars: 3 guitars (acoustic, nylon and steel).
- HS Classic Grand Piano: Steinway piano in three variations: standard, bright and damped.

The instruments include multiple velocity zones and are available in four formats: Kontakt, SampleTank, SoundFont and GigaStudio (every format is about 270 Mb in size, ~195 Mb download).

Visit Hispasonic for more information (spanish), audio demos and download links :

Chameleon Labs has also announced the release of the 7602 MKII Mic Pre/EQ.

The 7602 MKII is the sequel to Chameleon Labs' popular 100% discrete, Class 'A', vintage inspired 7602 Mic Pre/EQ. The 7602 MKII employs a classic circuit design, polystyrene capacitors, a gold contact gain selector and custom wound transformers. New features include: selectable mic impedance, LED input metering, and sleek anodized aluminum knobs. A factory installed Carnhill® Mic and Output transformer modification ($249 MSRP) is now offered as an upgrade. The 7602 MKII now includes an inline transformer power supply. The rackmountable CPS-1 can still be ordered separately, but it is no longer required.

The 7602 MKII Mic Pre/EQ carries an MSRP of $739.

Chameleon Labs has announced that the 7802 Opto-Tube Compressor is now shipping.

In the spirit of classic opto compressors, the 7802 is a unique hybrid design of vacuum tube and transformer circuitry combined with modern, high performance components. The 7802 offers smooth, open, full bandwidth compression, while imparting a pleasant, subtle glow to your tracks. The silky attack is achieved via electro-optical circuitry, followed by a robust tube makeup gain stage. Final perfection is presented via the transformer balanced outputs. The 7802 can operate in dual mono or stereo linked mode, features a tube overdrive control, selectable compression (2:1 or 4:1), and a control path HPF for each channel.

The 7802 Opto-Tube Compressor carries an MSRP of $799.

Smart AV today announces that it's latest Tango software now controls Protools.

The powerful large touch screen interface of Tango with its user configurable Virtual Editor, combined with the power of MonARC makes Tango the most impressive third party controller for Protools.

Says Joe Narai, Smart AV CTO, "Like all 3rd party developers we have had to battle the limitations of the HUI/Protools interface, but in the circumstances we are very pleased with what we have achieved. Certainly initial customer feedback is very positive"

Tango has the latest touch screen technology as well as the unique ARC Technology developed for the Smart Console. Tango controls Pyramix, Nuendo, Logic, and Cubase direct as well as Protools through HUI. Discover this incredible control surface through those videos !

Tango is available at a list price of $7500.

Audio Damage is about to release bigseq2, a new version of its effect and gate sequencer.

"bigseq2 takes the concept of the gate sequencer to a whole new realm, with six effect and massive sequencing and randomization options."

bigseq2 will be available for both Mac and PC in VST and AU formats. Note that an audio example is available at :

Tone2 has released the second version of its virtual synth Gladiator.

Gladiator is a synthesizer based on the concept of Advanced Harmonic Content Morphing (HCM) Synthesis. It supports an extensive list of synthesis types : Harmonic Content Morphing (HCM3), Frequency Modulation (FM), Amplitude Modulation (AM), Phase Distortion (PD), Pulse Width Modulation (PWM), Phase Modulation (PM), oscillator sync, wave shaping, supersaw, resynthesis sounds, vocoding, additive and sample playback modes.

Improvements and new features :

- Improved sound: "Ultra quality rendering".
- Many new patches.
- 6,657 additional waveforms.
- HCM3 synthesis engine.
- Phase modifier for analogue, warm, noisy and supersaw sounds.
- 9 new effects: Autopan, tremolo, ring modulator, phaser, flanger 2, super strings, pitch shifter, reverb trance, reverb real.
- 2nd filter (effect section): Lowpass, bandpass, highpass, talkbox.
- 6 new unison modes.
- Additional subosc (OSC5) with 21 new waveforms.
- 256 voices.
- Improved filters, additional Moog filter.
- Feedback-delay module.
- 2 additional envelopes.
- 4 additional envelope shapers.
- Additional LFO.
- Improved mod matrix with 12 slots and new routings.
- Improved random patch generation.
- Improved user interface.
- Pan for each OSC.

Gladiator 2 is available now for both Mac OS X and Windows in VST / AU formats and it costs €149 / $199.