Synthetic Drums 2 is a huge new collection of drum and percussion sounds, created in cooperation with more than twenty of the world's most innovative electronic music producers and sound designers. The latest addition to the NI soundline range is loaded with 36 drum kits that offer material for all contemporary and upcoming styles of electronic music - including various flavours of techno and house,hiphop, R&B, ambient, two-step, drum&bass, tech funk, IDM, breakbeat, electro, industrial,electronica, big beat, downbeat, experimental and avantgarde.

All drum kits in Synthetic Drums 2 exist in Battery 2 and Kontakt formats, and will be soon available.

Native Instruments has announced that Electronic Instruments 2 XT is now available. Electronic Instruments 2 XT is the extended version of NI second Reaktor instrument collection. Each of the eight instruments in Electronic Instruments 2 XT can be run both standalone as well as in all major plugin formats. The eight instruments included in Electronic Instruments 2 XT are:

- Photone - hybrid master synthesizer
- Limelite - advanced beat composer
- Metaphysical Function - soundscape synthesizer
- Krypt - granular drum machine
- Akkord - sequenced chord generator
- Fast FX - advanced performance effects
- Resochord - programmable polyphonic resonator
- Cyan - extended vintage chorus

Electronic Instruments 2 XT is available now for $169 or €149.

Steinberg today announced the release of a new version of its standard ASIO protocol: ASIO 2.1. The latest version of the Audio Stream Input Output now offers support for the DSD format. Following from an intense technological cooperation with Sony, Steinberg has updated its ASIO protocol to support the Direct Stream Digital standard. ASIO 2.1 allows the transport of DSD format audio between audio applications and hardware that support the standard.

Camel audio announced PhatSpace bundle, made of two multi effects : CamelSpace and CamelPhat. CamelSpace is a dynamic and rhythmic multi-effect with pan, volume, flanger, filter, stereo delay and more. CamelPhat 3 is a colouring dynamic multi effect more four distortion modules with warm and soft to crunchy and fat, added EQ, compressor, three filters, two LFOs and one envelope follower.

This bundle cost 115€ or 65€ each plugin and wiill be avalaible from camel audio web at the end of April.

Native Instruments has announced Reaktor 5. This major new version introduces the new "Reaktor Core Technology". The Reaktor Core layer offers up to 64 bit internal resolution, and now instruments in Reaktor 5 now also come with their own custom user interface, thanks to extensive new panel customizing options. All panel elements in the new version of Reaktor are completely "skinnable", which includes faders, knobs, buttons, and even meters. Reaktor 5 now offers powerful multi-stage envelopes similar to those in Absynth and FM7, and complete with tempo grid, slope control and looping functions; a large number of new modules for extended data storage, voice routing and MIDI functionality.

Reaktor 5 will be available in May 2005 for 499 euros and upgrade for owners of Reaktor 4 will be available for 149 euros.