Pump Up the Volume ? Apple says no ! Apple today announced a software update for the iPod nano and fifth generation iPod, allowing customers to easily set their own personal maximum volume limit. The software update also gives parents the ability to set a maximum volume limit on their child's iPod and lock it with a combination code. The new software update 1.1.1 is available immediately as a free download for the iPod nano and the fifth generation iPod from the Apple web site.

All is so quiet in Cupertino...

TC announced 2 new effect and treatment, the C300 and M350 racks. The C300 is a dual engine dynamics processor (compressor/limiter/gate/expander) in 1U metal rack. Both engine are independent but can be linked either in series or parallel, a stereo link mode enables you to treat a composite stereo signal thru both engines simultaneously. The unit has analogue (jacks 1/4" balanced/unbalanced) and digital I/O (S/PDIF), uses 24 bit A/D-D/A converters, MIDI I/O, and is centered around its 32 presets interface (16 compression/limiter and 16 expander/gate). Universal power supply included in the rack! C 300 available in May, EUR 210.

TC Electronic announced the famous TC Powercore card will be available this summer in PCIe (PCI express) format. The latest G5 owners will be pleased to know it and use it. it'll retail at Euro 1140.

Presonus released the Faderport control interface previewed at last NAMM show. It's both a single fader, transport and MIDI box, hooked up via USB:
- One loooong quality motorized fader
- single channel or group operation
- all the transport controls you want
- all operation in 3 windows: Edit, Mix and Transport
- Pan control, mute, solo, record enable
- Footswitch in for quick punch in/out hands free

The Faderport is supported in Digital Performer, Pro Tools, Cubase and Nuendo, more to come. Price tag should be round $179.

Tc Electronic announced the Konnekt family of Audio interfaces. The Konnekt 24D and Konnekt 8 are firewire interfaces, working with Core Audio drivers even on macintels, aren't' that great? They are bus powered. Feature wise, the 24D is DSP driven so:

- 2 IMPACT Pre
- True Hi-Z guitar in
- 14/14 I/O: 2 mic/inst/line, 2 line inputs and 4 line outputs (all available as balanced too), 8 ADAT and 2 S/PDIF (optical and coaxial) inputs and outputs
- 2 headphones out, one with auto speaker muting function
- Full feature direct monitoring, effected and also between networked units
- up to 24-bit/192kHz, based on the Finalizer and the System 6000 research
- Use DICE anti-jitter, latest TC technology
- DSP Effects: Fabrik C channel strip and Fabrik R reverb,
- MIDI i/o
- Stand alone mode
- stackable, up to 4 Konnekt interfaces
The Konnekt 8 is a less featured DSP-less (no DSP effects, less I/O) declination of the 24D. Specifications still to be known in full.

Price EUR 470 ex. VAT for Konnekt 24D and EUR 320 ex. VAT for Konnekt 8, Avaible summer '06 !