Spark XL, TC Works' flagship audio processing application, has been updated to version 2.8. The update is Mac OS X only; support for Mac OS 9 has been dropped.

The ProTools 6.0.1cs1 update is available for download on the Digidesign website. This update is intended for Digi001 users. It fixes some MIDI problems (MIDI quantization bugs, bad "All notes off" behaviour and so on...) and comes with a newer installer software.

This ongoing series at The Mac Night Owl LIVE on "Music and the Mac" continues today with singer Jodi Light and musician/producer Mario Mendivil. The discussions will range from using Digital Performer to make music on a Mac to the ongoing issue of music downloading.

Swissonic, well known for its high quality preamps and converters, provides a very compact audio recording solution for portable computers or laptops. The AD-8 converter will be sold very soon with mLAN format (format created by Yamaha and supported by Mac OS X) and will allow connection via FireWire to Apple computers without the need for a third party PCI card.
After Yamaha, Motu, Tascam, Presonus, here is a new audio interface via FireWire for our computers!

Emagic has released a 6.1 Update for Logic Platinum (Mac OS X only). It's about 25MB big and available for download on the emagic site. It's free for users of version 6 and can be tried for 28 days by owners of v5.

The update allows the use of Digidesign TDM systems with Logic Platinum 6 under Mac OS X. It also provides the full functionality of Emagic's optional ESB TDM and PTHD Extensions in Mac OS X. This now provides TDM users with the opportunity to use the Emagic software instruments - ES1, ES2, EVOC20, EVP88, EVD6, EVB3 and EXS24 - in combination with the reliable, powerful TDM DSP hardware together with Logic Platinum 6 on the Mac OS X platform.

There's many detailed improvements for both Mac OS 9 and OS X versions, including the import of Akai S1000/3000 samples for the EXS24 mkII under Mac OS X.