PC and Music News

ESI unveils the UGM96, a new portable audio interface. The UGM96 offers an ultra mobile guitar and microphone to USB interface that allows you to connect two guitars (via the Hi-Z instrument inputs) or one guitar and one microphone simultaneously to your PC or Mac.

Features :

- 2 x analog input and 2 analog output channels
- 2 independent mono Hi-Z inputs
- one Hi-Z input switchable to microphone input with preamp
- 2 headphone output
- one headphone output can work as line output
- fully USB bus powered
- drivers for Windows Vista/XP with ASIO support with low latency
- Core Audio support under Mac OS X 10.4 and higher
- dimensions: around 7 cm x 6 cm

The UGM96 is available now at an estimated price of $75/€59 (excl. VAT).

As McDSP's 10 Year Anniversary and the year of 2008 come to an end, McDSP offers a one-time only special on the HD and Native Emerald Pack Bundles, including upgrades. Emerald Pack HD will be offered for $2495 and the Native bundle will be offered for $1345.

Emerald Pack bundle includes Analog Channel, Channel G, Chrome Tone, CompressorBank, DE555, FilterBank, FutzBox, NF575, MC2000, ML4000, Revolver and Synthesizer One.

The McDSP HD line supports TDM, RTAS and AudioSuite formats and the Native line supports RTAS and Audiosuite formats. The HD and Native bundle operate on Pro Tools HD, LE and M-Powered. Special available only via electronic delivery.

This offer ends December 31, 2008.

Note that McDSP's Winter Special Bundle offer is still available until the end of the month.

To celebrate the birth of their own inhouse TDM-team, Brainworx is releasing a free control listening tool bx_solo. The new 1.0.2 installer includes TDM - RTAS - VST - & AU and is available for MAC and PC.

Note that Brainworx has also announced that all bx-tools will soon be available in TDM format (bx_control TDM is scheduled for Dec 8). Fair upgrades from Native to TDM will be available for all customers and all plugins.

Voxengo releases LF Max Punch, an audio effect plug-in for music and sounds where low-frequency thump and punch are most welcome, and where distortion is applied specifically to bring the bass sound to life.

LF Max Punch plug-in dynamically emphasizes selected bass frequency band, applies a smooth saturation over it, and produces additional sub-harmonic content, with the ability to blend it with the original bass band sound. Optional compression can then be applied to the resulting low-frequency sound. LF Max Punch first splits the broad-band signal into low- and high-frequency bands and then applies the aforementioned effects to the lower band only.

Features :

- Puncher module
- Saturator module (2 modes)
- Sub-harmonic synthesizer
- Built-in compressor
- Effect monitoring switch
- Multi-channel processing
- Internal channel routing
- Channel grouping
- Mid/side processing
- Up to 8x oversampling
- 64-bit floating point processing
- Preset manager
- Undo/redo history
- A/B comparisons
- Contextual hint messages

LF Max Punch is available now for Mac (VST / AU) and PC (VST) at an introductory price of $55.95. Upgrading from both previously available LF-Max and LF-Punch plug-ins costs $34.95 if they were purchased earlier than 90 days from now: otherwise upgrade is free during this grace period.

The new microKORG XL is coming, that's for sure now... but when ? Honestly we can tell and we don't know anything about the spec either...

We only have a picture and a couple of crappy videos...

We will probably have more news at the upcoming NAMM 2009. Stay tuned til then !

Steinberg has just announced that it has acquired the eLicenser technology of crypto and security solutions provider Syncrosoft Hard- und Software GmbH for an undisclosed sum.

The assets acquired from Syncrosoft include the development team and know-how behind the successful USB and Soft-eLicenser products used by Steinberg and several other companies. Steinberg will offer the eLicenser solutions to third parties, which will continue to utilize the MCFACT technology.

"We're very pleased to open up a new area of business for Steinberg, namely to offer an outstanding eLicensing solution to the audio industry and beyond," says Andreas Stelling, Steinberg's General Manager. "We want to add further services to the existing solution, and in doing so to offer more benefits for end customers. We're looking forward to working with all current Syncrosoft eLicenser customers, and to expanding this platform over the long term.

Steinberg software customers will also benefit from this acquisition, as it will improve the integration of the eLicenser solution within our software products," Stelling continues.