PC and Music News

MusikMesse sees Thermionic Culture announcing the Fat Bustard Valve Mixer.

Previewed at the last AES NYC show, the Fat Bustard has a total of 12 inputs arranged as 4x stereo pairs and 4x mono with pan controls, all with toggle mute switches. The simple but amazing Bass and Treble EQ has 0.5dB stepped Lift controls while there are 6 way stepped Bass & Treble Cut controls. This unit also includes a really sweet and effective stereo width control, a little reminiscent of some vinyl lathe cutting EQ's. Four valves are used on the master buss, a pair of 5965 double triodes, the first half of which is pre-amp/eq, the second half is gain makeup in conjunction with the dedicated 'Attitude' feedback control which determines the amount of THD. The Attitude control can yield a clean signal or add gain and some "valvy" 2nd harmonic distortion. The other pair of valves is the larger 6SN7 double triode connected in parallel to give massive headroom cleanly (approaching +30 dBm).

Additional pair of AUX inputs is also provided for future channel expansion by adding the optional Little Bustard 16 channel expander, which will be due later this year.

Retail will be approximately £2800.00 ex VAT.

TC Electronic announces Tap Factory, a hybrid delay/reverb plug-in for PowerCore that combines multi-tap delay effects with early reflection reverb effects.

Tap Factory is designed primarily for the user who is looking for delay effects beyond the usual vintage style which will help him create a unique sound that is all his own. The combination of delay effects and reverb effects generates an unusual set of parameters such as the 3-band parametric EQ with a diffuser capable of simulating the change in sound that occurs when a tap hits a metal or wooden wall.
Tap Factory's extremely intuitive and clean user interface allows you to make individual parameter settings for each of its 24 taps within seconds.
Note that Tap Factory includes a bonus LE version that enables the user to run multiple instances per DSP on current PowerCore systems, and supports discontinued PowerCore hardware.

Main Features :

- Multi-tap delay with 24 taps
- Early reflection reverb
- Tap tempo/rhythm tap
- 3-band filter with diffusion
- Intuitive user interface for single tap/group tap editing
- more than 150 adjustable parameters
- Includes Tap Factory LE, supporting first generation hardware

Tap Factory will ship end of March 2008 at a suggested retail price of €299.

RME presents the new MADIface, the world's first portable MADI solution for Laptops, providing 128 channels of audio with up to 192 kHz.

Consisting of the HDSPe ExpressCard MADI and a small breakout box, the MADIface offers full MADI power: 64 channels input and 64 channels output, up to 192 kHz sample rate, in MADI embedded MIDI transmission, complete TotalMix that is even remote controllable and has all features of the 'bigger' HDSPe MADI, as well as lowest latency and CPU-load. To make the usage as comfortable as possible, the power for the breakout box is provided directly by the ExpressCard, so no external power supply is required.

The MADIface is fully compatible to all devices with MADI interface. While many MADI-based devices require an additional word clock or AES line, the MADIface uses SteadyClock to extract the reference clock at lowest jitter directly from the MADI signal, making long-distance connections even more convenient. Although not available at the MADIface itself, word clock input and output are thus available when using another RME MADI device.

Included software: DIGICheck for Windows: Spectral Analyser, professional level meter for 2, 8, or 64 channels, Vector Audio Scope, Global record, various other audio analysis tools.

Drivers: Windows 2000/XP/Vista/64 (full ASIO multi-client operation of WDM, GSIF 2.0 and ASIO 2.0), Mac OS X Intel (Core Audio and Core MIDI).

Developed together by Steinberg and Yamaha and manufactured by Yamaha, here comes the CC121 Advanced Integration Controller.

Offering dedicated maximum-quality hardware controllers and an innovative and flexible new controller concept, CC121 provides full Cubase 4 integration and control.

Features :

- Ultra-precision Advanced Integration controller knob with 'point and control' support: controls any visual Cubase 4 parameter, internal FX setting or VSTi parameter using mouse pointer selection
- Instant plug and play with 'Cubase Ready' LED – no additional setup or parameter assigning required
- One motorized 100mm touch-sensitive fader
- Dedicated control of Cubase channel settings including solo/mute, record arm, 'e' settings button, automation read/write, pan and VSTi editor
- Full Cubase EQ section in hardware with 12 dedicated rotary encoders, with mode selection and bypass switches
- User-assignable section with Cubase-integrated presets for Control Room studio sends and monitoring setup.

CC121 will support Windows XP Windows Vista and Mac OS X, and will be available in Q3 2008 with price TBA.

Musik Messe 2008 sees the launch of the Focusrite's fourth Liquid solution, Liquid Mix 16. Combining the same pool of classic EQ and Compressor emulations with a control surface, Liquid Mix 16 brings the sound of the priceless and the historically significant, within reach of even the most modest studio owner.

Each of the sixteen mono channels (or eight stereo channels) provides Compressor and EQ emulations selectable from forty Compressors and twenty EQs. As with Liquid Mix, a hybrid seven-band 'super EQ' is available in every instance, built out of separate classic EQ sections. Each channel appears as a separate VST/AU/RTAS effect within the sequencer and will work within all major sequencers, including Pro Tools. Liquid Mix 16 launches with Liquid Mix v2.2 software, ensuring compatib ...

M-Audio unveils the Fast Track Ultra 8R, an 8x8 USB 2.0 audio/MIDI interface with 8 preamps and MX Core DSP.

Features :

- high-speed USB 2.0 interface - simultaneous 16 x 8* 24-bit/96kHz audio
- MX Core DSP technology - flexible channel routing, monitor sub-mixing, and effects processing
- 8 preamps with M-Audio Octane technology
- two completely independent headphone outputs
- compatible with Mac and PC > works with most audio production software

*when playing back 8 software return streams

M-Audio Fast Track Ultra 8R will be available at an MSRP of $629.95.