Wanna see the NAMM '06 show ? Our MacMusic collaborator is in Anaheim and can't stop flashing his camera at booths at unawares. Let's see what's up in the gear department in 2006!

Ableton today announced the imminent release of Live 5.2 and the release of Live 6 in Q3. Both releases leverage new processor technologies to provide Live users with significant gains in audio performance (such as the capacity to simultaneously run more tracks, virtual instruments, and effects). Live 5.2 brings native support for Apple's new Intel-Macs. Live 5.2 will be in beta as soon as the new Intel Core Duo equipped MacBook Pro is available and is expected to be released in February. Early MacBook Pro buyers will be able to run Live immediately and enjoy substantially higher audio performance than on today's fastest Mac notebook. Live 6, scheduled for release in Q3, will bring—among other features yet to be disclosed—support for multicore/multiprocessor architectures.

Live 5.2 for Mac-Intel will be available for 49 USD/39 EUR.

Steinberg today announced its commitment to developing its audio software products such as Cubase and Nuendo for the latest generation of Intel-based Macintosh computers. Steinberg has already engineered test versions of its Cubase and Nuendo host applications for the new platform ahead of a future commercial release for the
Mac/Intel versions.

Roland corporation announces the support for new Intel-based Macintosh computers. New Roland drivers are now on the test phase and will be available very soon. Please note that FireWire drivers for Edirol FA-66 and FA-101 are already compatible with new iMacs and Mac Book Pro.

Future Retro, of 777 analogue groovebox fame, launch a 3U rack: the XS. It's a semi-modular analogue monosynth. As all semi-modulars it's prepatched so can be used a your regular growling box, but bring the cables and patch it and you can explore further or even expand an existing system. It's a CV/gate V/Oct standard synth so it will work with MIDI2CV interfaces or analogue sequencers like a good boy (Is he one? Given Future Retro, I expect a box making some big noise ;)