The newest of these is the ION, a new 8-voice 4-part multitimbral analog modeling 49-key synth. The processor inside runs at an impressive 500mips (million instructions per second), with 3 oscillators and 2 multi-mode filters per voice.

Plugsound is a virtual instrument based on a sample library, available as a VST2 plug-in (Mac-PC), and a MAS and RTAS plug-in. This Volume 3 is a sound module that offers hundreds of presets using more than 6,000 samples (540MB). Under the hood is the UVI-Engine which features dual multimode filters, separate amplitude and filter envelopes, keyzone editing, and much more.

A beta version of Clockworks for Mac OS X is now available on the MOTU website.

Steinberg is now shipping Nuendo version 1.6. The latest version of its recording and editing system for Mac and PC features up to 200 tracks of digital audio, surround mixing capabilities, video integration et synchronisation, MIDI editing, native VST and VSTi support, and more.

Nuendo 1.6 adds a selection of interesting new features like AES 31 import and export, VST System Link and 192 kHz support.

A better and better tool...

It may seem that the company ArtisFinance went bankrupt last friday. All alone this group was representing 70% of imports of companies in France (SCV Audio, Guillard-Musique, Codim, MSK, TIP, Dynamic Audio, Audiopole, DM2J, PHL audio… 1st importer in France). It was also shops like Backstage (Paris, Lyon, Bordeaux) and Star Music (Paris, Lyon). The legal settlements is under way and we should know soon more on the future of the profitable companies that may survive… Bad trip!