Defective Records has just released Major Malfunction version 1.5, a new version of the Mac OS X realtime audio plugin specifically created for use in Ableton Live. It allows you to easily mangle, glitch, slice and dice, and otherwise FSU in your audio stream, in either subtle or extreme ways. You use it as either a VST or an AU plugin in Live.

New Features in version 1.5:

- new effects: distortion, vocoder, slow down, & silence
- new enhancements to gate effect
- new master multipass filter
- new click reduction
- new "effect gapping"
- new clock multiplier
- new randomize and evolve functions for effects
- grid state & all parameters now saved with Live session
- improved preset management
- improved automation support
- new ability to turn hints on/off
- new undo featur ...

PSP Audioware has just released version 1.5.4 of its high fidelity stereo dynamics processor PSP MasterComp. This update includes Universal Binary compatibility for Mac OS X and is a free for all registered users.

Changes includes :

- Intel Mac compatibility added (OSX UB).
- Sidechain processing with external control signal allowed.
- Classic mode with alternate release phase response for more focused sound.
- Preset bar supporting preset list editing, bank and preset save/load and A/B memory cells.
- DirectX version has been discontinued.
- Session compatibility between PPC and Intel based Macs in AU version.
- RTAS version latency reporting fixed for delay compensation purposes.
- Other minor problems resolved.

We, at 440Network are proud to announce the launch of the long awaited community site PcMusic. Following our members requests and particularly those coming from our flagship site, MacMusic.org (70,000 registered members and over 30,000 daily visits), we have some time ago decided to follow up and make similar content available to the pro audio community that needs targeted information when facing PCs for their work.

Musicians, DJs, composers, sound engineers, producers, distributors and most of all, PC addicts throughout the world will enjoy finding on a surf friendly web site, recent news items, articles, unbiased reviews, user comments, software updates and drivers, freeware downloads, useful documentation, links, and of course, dynamic forums sent by mail to subscribers via a clean daily mailing list.

ReFX has updated Nexus to v1.3.5 and released two new expansions, Stratosphere and Bass, in its sound shop.

New features :
- Filter- and Amp-Modifier can now also be locked and switched off globally, just like the master-filter, the master-delay and the reverb can.

Bug fixes :
- The voice-stealing was too conservative which resulted in clicking. The new approach is absolutely click-free, but could increase performance usage slightly.
- The trance-gate was prone to clicking in certain cases.
- Internal optimization and minor bug fixes.

[CodeOperator] has released IIR-Reverb which is the first plug-in in its new URSonic series. IIR-Reverb is a colorful reverb effect with a high density. It comes with a 5-Band full Parametric Graphical based Equaliser that you can edit the reverb tail in every frequency you like. You can form every space you need, especially Drum Rooms.

IIR-Reverb is available now for Windows and Mac OS X (UB) in VST, AU and RTAS formats via the Pluggo Runtime and costs $199. Note that audio examples and demo versions are also available.