Monthly Archives: January 2010

Studio Software

112dB releases Redline Preamp

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112dB announces that Redline Preamp, a vintage preamp emulation, is now available in native RTAS/AS/VST/AU format for Windows and Mac OS X at the introductory price of €88/$99.

Redline Preamp livens up any digital or “too clean” signal.  At its heart lies a fexible algorithm that is capable of emulating most kinds of harmonic distortion typical for analogue, tape, and tube equipment. While it has not been modeled after any particular piece of gear it can do a wide range of convincing analogue emulations. A showcase selection of carefully constructed presets ranging from the warm American Vintage to the full-blown Beyond Repair is included.

Studio Hardware, Studio Software

Cakewalk A-Pro Series Keyboards – Video

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Cakewalk introduces the new A-PRO Series, USB MIDI Controllers for Mac and PC. The A-300 Pro (32-key), A-500 Pro (49-key) and A-800 Pro (61-key) are brand new keyboard controllers developed in conjunction with Roland.

The A-PRO series focuses on intuitive real-time performance and ergonomic playability, making it a must-have controller for soft-synths in a live or studio setting. This new line gives musicians the best of both worlds: Cakewalks legendary ease of use and Rolands world-class engineering and keyboard expertise.

Synths and workstations

Jomox MBrane – NAMM 2010 – Video

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Juergen Michaelis demoing his new Jomox MBrane II modeling synth at the BCM NAMM booth. The MBrane II is a small analog synth optimized for percussive snare drum and cowbell-like sounds with a wide range of sound characteristics.

Juergen’s new design makes it possible to produce very authentic membrane-like sounds from 2 analog T-Bridge oscillators by means of coupling and dampening. A versatile noise generator with white noise, metal noise and envelope control allows you to created snare drums, rim shots, cow bells and bongos.

DJ GEAR, REVIEWS, Studio Hardware, Studio Software

Ableton Suite 8 – A Gearjunkies Review

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Ableton Live, from a simple sequencer to a serious Digital Audio Workstation. Ableton Live 8 Suite, also known as the XL version, is the version of Live that comes with a huge amount of instruments and library of sounds. About no less then 1600 sounds divided among ten instruments. The GUI (graphic user interface) stands out against the GUI’s of the other well known DAW’s by its simplicity. Which in fact works easier and better.

Studio Hardware

ART announces TubeOpto 8 Mic PreAmp with ADAT

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The ART TubeOpto 8™ is the ideal Eight Channel input / output expander for any ADAT lit-pipe equipped audio interface, direct-to-disc recorder or DAW. Eight high quality second generation discrete Class–A vacuum tube microphone preamps are packaged in a single rack space unit with eight channel 24-bit digital I/O.

The ART TubeOpto 8™ is the ideal Eight Channel input / output expander for any ADAT lit-pipe equipped audio interface, direct-to-disc recorder or DAW. Eight high quality second generation discrete Class–A vacuum tube microphone preamps are packaged in a single rack space unit with eight channel 24-bit digital I/O.

Studio Software

FabFilter releases Micro – a mini filter plug-in

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Determined to provide quality plug-ins for every need and budget, FabFilter has released the tiny, yet very useful FabFilter Micro, a new lightweight filter plug-in that makes the classic FabFilter sound more affordable than ever.

Featuring the classic filter first developed for the FabFilter One synthesizer with low-pass and high-pass filter shapes, it will be no surprise that FabFilter Micro has a smooth and creamy sound that will turn into raw self-oscillating madness at a flick of the Peak knob. Yet even at full resonance, the filter always maintains an analog-like balance, happily saturating and clipping the incoming sound without exhibiting the digital artifacts and impurities that most other filters suffer from.

Synths and workstations

Korg SV-1 at the NAMM – Video

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Join in as Frank McComb gives the Korg SV-1 Stage Vintage a workout. His electric piano and clav chops really shine in this performance. Live from the Korg USA Performance Stage at Winter NAMM 2010. The SV-1 contains the hippest, most in-demand and soul-satisfying keyboard sounds ever collected in a single instrument. Decades of electro-mechanical, transistorized, tape-driven, analog, and digital legends are joined by a collection of rich acoustic pianos, all reproduced with stunning realism. But the SV-1 is about much more than excellent sound; the SV-1 re-creates the look, the feel, and visceral pleasure of performing on a vintage instrument.

Studio Hardware, Studio Software

New BEHRINER XENYX USB Mixers – Video

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Behringer introduced seven new premium-grade mixers feature built-in USB interfaces, compressors and 24-bit multi-FX processors.  Sporting a wide range of options, the next-generation XENYX live/studio mixers from BEHRINGER merge built-in USB interface, easy-to-use “one-knob” compressors, world-renowned XENYX mic preamps and “British-style” channel EQ. All mixers feature a new studio-grade digital effects processor with 16 editable presets including reverb, chorus, flanger, delay, pitch shifter and multi-effects (no FX on 1204USB).

Studio Software

MOTU announces Ethno Instrument Version 2

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MOTU has announced a major upgrade to Ethno Instrument, their popular world/ethnic virtual instrument software for Mac OS X and Windows 7/Vista. The Version 2 upgrade more than doubles the size of Ethno’s included sound library of instruments, loops and phrases. Significant new features have also been added, including preset searching, microtonal scales, state-of-the-art time stretching, and much more.

Studio Hardware, Studio Software

Focusrite unveil OctoPre MkII Dynamic

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New at NAMM is the stunning Focusrite OctoPre MkII Dynamic. It features eight channels of Focusrite’s legendary mic preamplification, with new, single-dial, VCA-based compressors derived from the classic Focusrite Red 3 on every channel. On display at Winter NAMM 2010 in Anaheim, California, will be the brand new Focusrite OctoPre MkII Dynamic, as well as existing hardware and software products.