Digi has announced ProTools HD ACCEL at the IBC Show in Amsterdam today. The ACCEL card appears to be a super dsp card replacement for the HD Process card. The new card is twice as powerful - but has a list price only $500 higher. HD2 and HD3 ACCEL systems will include the new card instead of the Process cards previously shipped with these systems. The other news is that ACCEL is shipping immediately.

After the warm reception for its first mixer, the TAPCO 6306, the new Mackie branch is releasing the S-5 Studio Monitor. The high quality S-5 has impressive sound and is solidly built, all for just US$560 (for the two monitors).

The S-5 is a bi-amplified compact monitor. It features two high-precision amplifiers with 120w overall (60W for the Boomer and 60w for the tweeter). The 5.25-inch boomer delivers punchy bass and a detailed middle. The 1-inch dome tweeter is coupled to wave guidance intended to deliver precise and less aggressive treble.

On the back side of the S-5 are a bass boost and treble (+/-) switch for further adjustment. The S-5 also features TRS jack, XLR asymmetric and asymmetric RCA inputs.

Emagic has announced it is renaming its USB audio interfaces, formerly the 2|6 and 6|2m, as the A26 and A62m. No other changes are being made to its hardware line other than the rebranding. Same box with a new name, in other words.

John Keane, a prolific TV composer for such shows as the US CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, is interviewed today on the Native Instruments website as a frequent user of the German developer's products. Dig down and you'll see Mr. Keane is a full-time Mac user. He has also been interviewed by Emagic as a Logic user. You can check out Mr. Keane's record, as well, on his website. (Warning: incompatible with Apple Safari.) Hopefully Mr. Keane will join us on this site, too!

It's not the iTunes Music Store, but it's an event in the little world of electroacoustic and contemporary music : the Canadian Electroacoustic Community set up the SONUS project.

SONUS is an online listening library (jukebox) of electroacoustic works, electronic or contemporary music works. For the very first time, about 1000 contemporary music works in full time version, are available for free listening.