The USB Audio ASIO driver supports a number of new external soundcards now including: Audiotrak May 7.1 USB, Creative Extigy, Digidesign Mbox, Edirol UA-3D and Onkyo SE-U55S(X)

TC Works is shipping Waldorf D-Coder, a Synthesizer Vocoding Plug-In for PowerCore.

D-Coder goes beyond classic Vocoder concepts by providing an integrated synthesizer as tone generator. No external carrier signal is required to make the vocoding effect audible. D-Coder is based on the synthesis and DSP technology used in the popular Waldorf synthesizers, now made accessible to PowerCore users from inside any VST or MAS compatible sequencer.

The D-Coder features a hi-resolution analysis and Vocoder section, allowing the generation of very high quality vocoding effects. The simple, yet efficient control surface even includes a 3 band equalizer with sweepable mid frequencies and a Chorus for utmost flexibility. D-Coder's synthesizer section provides a classic 2 Oscillator model with ...

Elemental Audio Systems released 3 VST plug-ins compatible with OS9 and OSX. Firium is a Linear Phase EQ where you draw your entire filter response freehand. Equium is a multi parametric EQ and Inspector is a real time spectrum analyser.

Line 6 strikes again, take a real guitar, threw in models of classic guitars, you got it.

"The models in the Variax are based on analysis of the following fine instruments:
Fender Stratocaster, Fender Telecaster, Fender Telecaster Custom, Gibson ES-175, Epiphone Casino, Gibson ES-335, Gibson Firebird VII, Gibson J-200, Gibson L5, Gibson Les Paul Custom, Gibson Les Paul Special, Gibson Les Paul Standard, Gibson Mastertone Banjo, Gretsch 6120, Gretsch Duo-Jet, Guild F212, Martin 0-18, Martin D-12-28, Martin D-28, National Tricone, Rickenbacker 360, Rickenbacker 360-12, Coral/Dano Electric Sitar, Danelectro 3021, Dobro Number 32."

The small interesting details: out is jack for the amp or xlr balanced (hint hint) and you can choose the finish…

Logic 5.2 is now available online. Among other new features, it allows an almost "latency free" monitoring when using real time plugs (inserts).
Other new features: VST instruments now support multiple outs, the ESX 24 reads Giga Sampler files, etc...