Berhinger announces a little tube preamp, using the ubiquitous 12AX7 (too many news with this one ;). The Ultragain MIC100 is due Q2 and integrates a low noise, low distortion preamp and a DI.

- preamp with discrete components
- phantom power
- 10 LED meter
- phase reverse option

Another member of the Mackie Control family announced: the C4. It's a dedicated plug-in and virtual instrument controler with 4 banks of 8 pots, 4 displays (so no bank switch to read values). Up to 32 parameters (must be the 4 X 8 pots figure) can be accessed instantly or it can be used to handle faders or pans on 32 channels. It can be used alone or as an expansion of a Mackie Control system/expanders.

Support of Digital Performer and Emagic Logic Audio, others to follow. Available in the USA in Q2, during Summer for the rest of the world. $1099

Mackie Designs announced the introduction of the new TAPCO 6306, 6-channel mixer. This is the first product in the new TAPCO by Mackie family.
The TAPCO 6306 features two low-noise mic preamps, two instrument inputs, a stereo aux return to monitor, two aux sends, 8-segment LED metering as well as separate phones and control room level controls.

Defective records VSThost is an app that allows plug-ins to be used stand alone, outside current VST hosts software like your sequencer. It allows also users of Digital Performer, Protools, Metro, to use VST/VSTi if the software you run supports OMS-IAC (OS 9) or iMIDI (OS X).

VSTHost allows one VSTi and 4 VST effects plug-ins simultaneously, AIFF file playback or real-time audio through the VSTs. Outpouts goes to Sound Manager/ASIO in OS 9, CoreAudio in OS X, or straight to an AIFF file.

Future support of DirectConnect and Rewire are planned, as long as more VSTi simultaneously.

Available for $35, upgrade for $10.

Ego Systems Inc has developped 3 new Firewire and a MIDI/SMPTE interfaces.

The QuataFire :
- 4 inputs included 2 fronted combo jack XLR (mic/line), phantom power, gain
- 4 outputs
- converters 24bit/192 khz
- phones with level
- 2 MIDI I/O
- S/PDIF I/O
- Firewire
- 1/3 rack case

The OctaFire (based on the WaMi rack) :
- 8 inputs including 4 fronted combo XLR/ jack, phantom power, gain
- 8 outputs
- converters 24bit/192 khz
- phones with level
- 4 MIDI I/O
- S/PDIF I/O
- Wordclock I/O
- 1 unit rack

The HexaFire :
- 16 inputs including 8 fronted combo jack/XLR, phantom power, gain
- 16 AES/EBU I/O by a D-25 connector
- phones with level
- converters 24bit/192 khz
- S/PDIF I/0
- Wordclock I/O
- VU Meter for each I/O
- 1 MIDI I/O
- 2 Firewire
- 2 units rack ...