Latest News & Articles
Steinberg releases ASIO 2.1
Steinberg today announced the release of a new version of its world standard ASIO protocol: ASIO 2.1. The latest version of the Audio Stream Input Output now offers support for the DSD format. The SDK for the new version is now available for download from www.steinberg.net.
Following from an intense technological cooperation with Sony, Steinberg has updated its ASIO protocol to support the Direct Stream Digital standard. ASIO 2.1 allows the transport of DSD format audio between audio applications and hardware that support the standard. “At Steinberg we are firmly committed to developing open and inclusive audio technologies,” states Claus Menke, Steinberg’s Head of Product Management. “DSD support within ASIO opens up new possibilities for audio application and hardware manufacturers to include DSD in their products.”
DSD forms the technological backbone of SACD, or Super Audio Compact Disc, a high-resolution, surround-capable audio medium. About ASIO, Steinberg’s Low Latency, High Performance Audio Standard.
The Audio Stream Input/Output (ASIO) architecture forms the backbone of Steinberg’s Virtual Studio Technology. ASIO supports variable bit depths and sample rates, multi-channel operation and synchronization. The user gets low latency, high performance, easy set up and stable audio recording within VST. The entire system becomes controllable and offers complete and immediate access to the audio system’s capabilities. Since its introduction, ASIO has become a supported standard by many leading audio hardware manufacturers – for good reason.
MusikMesse has started today!
This morning the Franfurter Messe opened its doors for the 2005 MusikMesse Show. Gearjunkies has send two reporters to Frankfurt to keep you up to date with the latest (new) products and trends in the music \’gear\’ industry! We will be reporting from the Messe on a daily basis. So best is to check out our site as often as possible. Click on the RED MusikMesse banner at the top of this website and you will get all the news instantly.
Virsyn announces the new CUBE 2
With the upcoming MusikMesse in Frankfurt we expect Virsyn to present their new CUBE 2 Spectral morphing resynthesizer. With the upcoming release of CUBE 2 the award winning additive synthesizer CUBE opens an exciting new world of sound design: take your samples as base material and shape them into an entire new instrument by modifying the spectral evolution of it’s sound characteristic with simple painting operations. The exceptional resynthesis quality of CUBE 2 let you manipulate your samples in ways no sampler can ever dream of.
Legendary Audio releases The Masterpiece!
Legendary Audio announces the worldwide launch of its aptly-named Masterpiece analog mastering system. Conceived by veteran mastering engineer Billy Stull, with all circuitry designed by audio legend Rupert Neve, the Masterpiece is simply the most comprehensive and unique analog mastering processor available today.
Nearly three years in the making, the product is a 6U frame equipped with eight vertically-oriented filter modules that are reminiscent of vintage Neve designs. In the Masterpiece’s standard configuration, these modules are comprised of four stereo pairs collectively offering a wide palette of sonic amenities, including precision peak and shelving equalizers, a full-featured dynamics section, highly authentic tape texture (thanks to a real tape drive circuit), incremental phase rotation and various classic audio functions.
Although many of the modules’ topologies are based upon older designs, every circuit was meticulously updated to attain the highest modern specifications. “By reworking the ICs, transformers and such we’ve really coaxed a lovely sound out of this box,” says Neve. “In many respects, the Masterpiece reminds me of the famous consoles I made for George Martin in the late ’70s and I’m very pleased with the pristine audio quality we’ve managed to achieve with it.”
Technosaurus announces the Effexon
Technosaurus is pleased to present the latest unit of our Small Monster Series: The Effexon.
Stanton announces 4 new CD players
Whether you want a tabletop CD player with vinyl control or the sleek form of a dual rackmount player, Stanton has the bases covered with the new C-Series.
Genoqs designed a new style MIDI Sequencer
Instrumental MIDI Sequencer designed to transpose prototypical features
of traditional musical instruments to the realm of electronic music.
Jomox announced new drum machine: the XBASE 999
For those who know, analog sound has always been known to be “punchy, organic, powerful, living, warm and brilliant”, often all at the same time. Moreover, the best analog instruments have offered tactile interfaces (often good old knobs!) for immediate and intuitive access.
Creamware introduces Classic synths in a BOX
CreamWare Introduces Family of Classic Synthesizers in a Box – CreamWare now offers ASB (“Authentic Sound Box”) — a line of faithful digital emulations of classic synthesizers housed in an ergonomically shaped desktop enclosure. The first two models — the Minimax ASB and the Profit-5 ASB — will make their debuts at this year’s Musikmesse.
Alesis is racking up ION – Update!
Update
Thank god it is only once a year April Fools Day. As some of you might have understood, … there is no real ION Rack version from Alesis. Like many ‘websites’ we wanted to join into the FUN. So our art director tried his best to fabricate this Rack version of the Alesis Ion. Many of you thought it was a great idea that Alesis was looking into this Rack/Module market, but then again they don’t (yet). Maybe we gave them an idea for the future!
To give you an idea of how this image of the Rack Ion came along we posted the picture below. Starting point was the official ION image. From here we created all the knobs, red lines, red text, grey text, aluminium front, and all shadows from scratch. The rack ears we borrowed from the Roland V-Synth!
Compliments go out to some members of the Harmony Central forums who in the end saw that the dimensions weren’t totally on par. But as it was a rush job, image was created in 12 hours over two days, this was the only real fault in the image that could give us away as being a April Fools Hoax.
Wizoo announces Wizooverb W2
Wizoo announced Wizooverb W2, a brand new reverb plug-in, and they will be showing it for the first time at Musikmesse in Frankfurt next week. Also planned for release later this year is Wizooverb W5 which features 5.1 Surround, an FX section and 25 HDIR models. Both will be available for Windows and MacOS X in VST, AU, RTAS and Standalone versions.
The Wizooverb W2 “High-End True Stereo Room Emulator” includes 15 HDIR (High Definition Impulse Response) models providing acoustic fingerprints of excellent sounding rooms with a precision and clarity apparently only possible with this “ground breaking” technology. Wizoo claims that HDIR is the difference between ‘adding an effect’ and ‘putting your track into a real room’.
Tascam Forum song contest – win Tascam gear!
Sponsored by the TASCAM Forums (not affiliated with TASCAM or TEAC America), the Song Contest is a call to all amateur songwriters to submit their best material for a chance to win one of several prizes:
– A 2488 Digital Portastudio plus a VL-S21 Studio Monitor System or
– A DP-01FX Digital Portastudio
All prizes contributed by TASCAM.
Hercules DJ Console now powered by NI’s TRAKTOR
The Hercules DJ Console combined with the specially optimized version of the TRAKTOR mixing software will transform any music lover into an aspiring DJ. Your computer and CDs or MP3s are all that is needed. The handy hardware console affords complete control of the tracks: spinning, scratching, cueing, looping or mixing – all the software’s functions are controlled directly from the mixer. And it even has an integrated USB audio interface.
Native Instruments has developed an optimized version of TRAKTOR DJ Studio especially for the Hercules console. This combination of hard and software, with dozens of professional features, offers a complete solution that is bound to rock the house.
Gemini announces the TT-03 direct drive turntable
Once again, Gemini listens to the demands of countless performance DJs with the release of the TT-03 super high torque direct drive turntable.
Cycling ’74 ships MODE for windows plus PLUGGO update
As announced in january Cycling ’74 has released the MODE plugin set for Windows and has started shipping the set at an reduced price of $99 (euro 77). At the Cycling ’74 website a demo version is available for download.