PC and Music News

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.

Big Fish Audio brings you the latest addition to their World/Ethnic section with Earth Tone, a warm, enthusiastic library full of diverse and classic ethnic percussion instruments, including the bata drum, frame drum, hydraulic triangle, steel slip drum, talking drum, timbau, hadjini, large ocean drum and many, many more. Add a splash of the Middle East to your hip hop tracks, or a hint of South America to your jazz tunes. Earth Tone is a gateway to all things ethnic percussion.

Contents :

- 6.1 GB on Disc (2.47 GB of 24-bit WAV files)
- 922 WAV loops on Disc
- There are 12 loop performance folders in tempos ranging from 72BPM to 200BPM.
- Format : Apple Loops/REX/WAV/RMX/Acid

Earth Tone is available now at a price of $99.95. Note that an audio example is also available here :

Wallander Instruments has released WIVI Saxophones 1 & 2.

Saxophones 1 (€299) includes the standard saxophone quartet, ranging from the soprano to the baritone :

• Soprano Saxophones 1-3
• Alto Saxophones 1-3
• Tenor Saxophones 1-3
• Baritone Saxophones 1-3

Saxophones 2 (€219) includes a variety of more exotic saxophones, extending the range to the sopranino and bass, and includes rare gems such as the C Melody :

• Sopranino Saxophones 1-3
• C Soprano Saxophones 1-3
• Mezzo-soprano Saxophones 1-3
• C Melody Saxophones 1-3
• Bass Saxophones 1-3

Dramastic Audio unveils the Obsidian, a stereo buss compressor for the 500 format. We don't know much about the specs for now, only that it will have transformers on both inputs and outputs and stepped controls.

Check out this kick overview :


The Obsidian will carry an MSRP of $2495.

Multiple connectivity options are available on the new AES16e-50 PCI Express Card from Lynx Studio Technology. In addition to offering 16 channels of 192 kHz AES/EBU digital I/O via its two d-sub ports, the AES16e-50 has 32 digital I/O channels using AES50 technology.

AES50 provides a bi-directional, point-to-point connection for multi-channel audio and system control over a single CAT5e or CAT6 cable. The benefits include reliable high-bandwidth data transfers, low latency, and low clock jitter. Complete networks can be built using routers with multiple AES50 ports.

The AES50 port on the AES16e-50 provides up to 32 channels at 48 kHz, 24 channels at 96 kHz and 12 channels at 192 kHz. The single network cable also transmits sample clock and control data, making the AES16e-50 ideal for permanent installations, broadcast and live sound applications. Sixteen channels of sample rate conversion is also included on the AES16e-50.

The Lynx AES16e-50 will have a US suggested retail price of $995 and will be available in the first quarter of 2009.

Future Retro has just announced the release of the Orb sequencer.

The Orb is an easy to use, single track, step-based digital sequencer, ideal for controlling Future Retro's XS semi-modular synthesizer as well as other analog CV/Gate or MIDI synthesizers. The Orb is also a perfect solution for controlling 303 clones which often lack the essential sequencer.

Housed in a rugged aluminum chassis, the Orb continues Future Retro's tradition of hand-building quality products renowned for their unique sound, innovative design, and modern style. Unlike linear-style step sequencers, the Orb's circular interface makes it easy to divide a measure of music into equal parts, as well as intuitively display patterns as cyclic loops playing forward, in reverse, or remixed.

There are 256 recordable patterns available, each recording note duration, pitch, accent , glide, loop point, time signature, and swing amount. Pattern editing features include copy/paste, pattern shifting, pattern transposing, multiple pattern cueing for chaining patterns together live, and LED chase. In addition, all pattern editing and recording can be done while the sequencer is running, and it will automatically save all your edits so you don't have to stop creating !

The Orb is available now for $550 USD.