Universal Audio announces its two new UAD-1e Express PAK and UAD-1e Expert PAK, PCI Express DSP Cards & Powered Plug-Ins.

- The UAD-1e Express PAK will cost $499 (with a plugin voucher of $100)

- Expert PAK will cost $999 (with a plugin voucher of $750)

These two cards will ship Quarter 3 of 2006, with a 15 free plug-in suite, including vintage equalizers & compressors, mastering tools, lush reverbs, guitar FX, and officially licensed classic hardware emulations from Roland and Neve.

IK Multimedia announces that its Ampeg SVX plugin is now shipping worldwide. This Bass Amp modeling plugin includes over 20 Ampeg bass amps, such as SVT Classic, the SVT 5 PRO, the BA500 or the B15R, and of course effects designed for bass : Chorus, Delay, Flanger, Phaser, Octaver, Wah, Auto Filter, Distortion, Graphic EQ and Compressor.

Ampeg SVX plugin costs $399/€329.

A demo version of Renoise 1.5.2 Universal Binary version for Both Intel and PowerPC Macs is now available. Renoise is the next generation of music tracker software, combining studio quality sound and virtually infinite expandability with a clear and concise interface putting every parameter and option literally at your fingertips!

This demo version needs OS X 10.3.9 or higher.

Vienna Symphonic Library has updated its Vienna Instruments to version 1.0.6. This release adds core and graphic improvements, and is available as VST version for Mac OS X. Vienna Instruments include solo strings, chamber strings, orchestral strings I, orchestral strings II, harps, woodwinds I, woodwinds II, brass I , brass II and percussion.

Details on the Vienna Symphonic Library web site.

Arturia announces the upcoming release of Analog Factory. This powerful yet extremely easy to use virtual instrument comes loaded with 2000 legendary synthesizer sounds that have shaped modern music production. From classic phat lead lines to crystalline digital pads, Analog Factory provides the contemporary musician with a broad, versatile and instantly striking sonic palette. The intuitive interface includes a smart Preset Manager that allows in just a few clicks to find desired sounds from within the huge preset collection. But Analog Factory is not only a collection of sounds. Since it is based on synthesis, all sounds are dramatically modifiable. A set of the most essential parameters provides the user with an efficient way to tweak and alter the sonic character of the sound. Presets all carefully selected from the Arturia Classic Synths (minimoog V, Moog Modular V, CS-80V, ARP 2600 V, Prophet V and Prophet VS).

Analog Factory will be available in July 2006 as Stand-alone, VST, Audio Units, RTAS (ProTools 6 and 7) for $249 / €199.