Apogee Electronics Corporation has released Stand-Alone Mode firmware for Ensemble, Apogee's digitally controlled, multi-channel audio interface. Stand-Alone Mode allows Ensemble to function without being connected by FireWire to a Macintosh computer.

Ensemble's Stand-Alone Mode at a Glance :

- Maestro mixer and routing settings, now located in Ensemble's non-volatile memory, enable storage of settings in Ensemble.
- Allows the use of Ensemble as a converter from analog to optical, coax and optical, or coax to analog, as well as other possible configurations.
- Changes to routing or settings in Maestro still require connectivity to a Macintosh computer.

MacMusic in collaboration with the AES (Audio Engineering Society) is pleased to offer the following voucher coupon that enables all of our visitors to freely register to the 122nd AES convention that will take place in Vienna from May 5 to may 8, 2007.

The free voucher coupon gives access to the AES Show and all relative events (Exhibitors & Application Seminars). It doesn't give access to the AES conference program. This offer is only available for those who register online from the link bellow :

Voucher Code : JIC12210W

ReFX has updated Nexus to v1.2.0.

New features :

- Two LFOs have been added to the modulation-page.
- Four new modulation destinations have been added to the mod-matrix.

Fixes :

- Nexus was creating small "spikes" in CPU usage, especially on PowerPC Macs, but technically all platforms where affected.


IMPORTANT : In order to implement the LFOs, the file-format of the presets has been changed. Nexus is still able to load the "old" presets, but will only save in the new file-format.

With the next point update the ability to load the "old" presets will be removed to keep the source-code maintainable. Please make sure to load and re-save all your self made presets. This also applies to songs/projects saved when Nexus was used. Simply install this updat ...

Yesterday morning without much fanfare, Apple updated its homepage to announce the new 8-core Xeon Mac Pro ! We're talking about two 3.0GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon processors with up to 3TB of internal storage and up to 16GB of fully buffered ECC RAM... a dream... with a price, starting at about USD$2,499 and topping out at over USD$12,000.

If you can afford it, it's here.

IK Multimedia has announced SampleTank 2.5, a powerful upgrade for the sample workstation plug-in, SampleTank 2. It includes many new features such as an enhanced built-in effects system with auxiliary and master effects, the addition of a high-quality studio reverb, the ability to read all 'Powered by SampleTank' instruments and more.

New features:

- 5 AUX insert effects.
-5 Master insert effects.
-33 selectable effects, including a high-quality reverb derived from CSR.

SampleTank 2.5 is a free downloadable upgrade for all registered users of SampleTank L and XL and is expected to be available in May 2007.