Drawmer unveils a new unit : the S2 Signature Series Dual Channel Tube Compressor.

Features :

- 2 channel soft-knee tube compressor
- fully balanced internal signal path
- class A design
- isolation transformers In and Out
- 'All Tube' circuit design
- variable attack and release with optional 'Programme Dependent' auto release operation
- BIG : retains bass frequencies and minimizes undesirable 'pumping' by rolling off the detection signal at 75, 125 or 250Hz (user switchable). Afully variable level control allows for the desired amount of Big processing and an in/out switch provides the option to remove from the signal path for A/B comparison.
- BRIGHT : adynamic high frequency enhancer to keep compressed audio sounding fresh and bright with continuously variable frequency control (500Hz to 20kHz) and amount of dynamic enhancement.
- DRY : mixes user defined amount of 'uncompressed' signal with the compressed signal to create 'parallel compression effect' without the need for external mixing devices.
- dual mono or stereo link operation
- switchable 'Peak' or 'Vu' metering to display transients
- switchable +10dB or +20dB meter re-scale modes
- 8 segment gain reduction metering
- balanced XLR inputs/outputs

Avaibility and price TBA.

To celebrate the release of its new product (Tape Drum Machine Vol 1) Goldbaby has created a free sample pack called: TheTapeVeronaDRM.

Contains 142 x 24 bit samples of the Vermona DRM. Recorded on an Otari MX5050 1/4 inch tape machine... plus the original drum hits without any tape love as well.

Each drum sound has also been recorded multiple times for use in Round Robin Layering. This can help recreate the analog feel of the machine.

Today VirSyn releases a new plug-in : Bark - The Multiband Filter.

Bark takes the approach to match the reception characteristic of the final destination of all sound: the ear. The ear behaves as if it contains a bank of filters, each filter passing frequencies within the critical band. Two tones separated by more than a critical bandwidth are received by the ear independently. For this reason Bark contains a filter bank with 27 bandpass filters matching the critical bandwidth.

In fact, the human ear have also its own built in compression system which are based on the critical bands. Consequently Bark incorporates an independent compression algorithm for each of it's 27 bands.

Features :

- 27 Bark band Equalizer/Compressor
- Linear phase precision filters for maximal transparency
- +24 / -48 dB gain change rate per band
- Surround operation with channel link/unlink*
- Minimized latency ( 12 ms )
- Real time pre/post processing spectrum display
- Compression parameters overall and per band.

*only available for AU / RTAS / VST3 version.

Bark is available in VST, AU and RTAS versions for Mac OS X, VST and RTAS for Windows. From now till June 30st, 2008 you can buy Bark for €99.- instead of €169.-

Do you remember those curious things called AudioCubes ? Well, today Propellerhead has launched a new contest for Reason version 4 owner with first prize consisting in one set of Percussa's Audio Cubes + one Reason 15" Laptop Bag.

You're a Reason 4 owner ? Wanna enter this contest ? Please visit the link below :

XLN Audio has just announced the availability of a demo version of its "Complete Drum Production Studio" Addictive Drums.

The good news is that this demo version is a fully functional software which is not time limited ! You can load and save presets, get a taste of the Beats and Fills (Midi Library) and tweak away on the built in insert effects and reverbs etc. It includes some tasty presets that give you a good idea of what AD is capable off.

Limitations :

- Only 1 Kick, 1 snare, 1 Hihat and 1 Crash is provided.
- The real version ships with lots of different drums, cowbells and cymbals.
- A very limited "taste" of the rhythms in the AD Midi Library is provided.
- The real version has over 3000 Midi files.