Ableton today announced the release of Live 5.2, which delivers immediate native Intel-based Mac computer support. Intel-based Mac Live 5.0 users can purchase a Live 5.2 serial number for 49 USD/39 EUR via the Ableton webshop. Customers who purchase the upgrade to Live 6 from the Ableton webshop will receive a full refund of this 49 USD/39 EUR. Live 6 is scheduled for release in the third quarter of 2006. Intel-based Mac users who purchased Live 5 after Steve Jobs' announcement of the new Intel-based Macs (January 10, 2006) will receive the Live 5.2 download at no additional charge.

For all other Live 5 users on non-Intel-based Mac machines, Live 5.2 will be released as a free bug-fix update.

Cakewalk releases version 1.2 update for Dimension Pro. This update adds Intel-based Mac support (for the AU version), RTAS support, performance enhancements and bug fixes. This synthesizer combines real instruments with advanced synthesis, giving you endless sound possibilities. Dimension Pro offers an abundance of vital, usable sounds that range from pristine realistic acoustic instruments, thumping basses and cutting leads, to complex, evolving atmospheres. This wide tonal range can be attributed to both advanced sample mapping and a powerful sound-sculpting engine with analog sound generation that lets you mutate and recompose any sound you might imagine.

Waves announces new expanded versions of its Gold, Platinum and Diamond bundles of plug-ins. Waves has added 4 new plug-ins to the Gold Bundle including the Tune LT pitch-transformation tool, the IR-L Convolution Reverb, a mono/stereo Doubler effect and the Rennaissance Axx compressor. in addition to these 4 plug-ins, Waves has also added the L3 Ultramaximizer multi-band auto-summing limiter as one of the 32 plug-ins comprising the Platinum Bundle. The Waves Diamond Bundle now includes 41 definitive plug-ins and now includes the complete Platinum, Transform and Restoration bundles, as well as newly added plug-ins including Tune LT, IR-L Convolution Reverb, Renaissance Axx, L3 Multimaximizer, and the Q-Clone processor.

Audio Damage releases the Universal Binary of Ratshack Rever AU/VST for bot new Intel-based Macs and Power PC. Ratshack Reverb is a detailed model of that classic of classics, the Realistic Electronic Reverb. As anyone who has owned this unit (which is just about everyone...) knows, it was actually an analog delay, and we've done our best to exactly replicate the sound and quirks of the original. This new 2.0 version is completely rewritten, using Audio Damage's analog delay simulation found in Ronin and DubStation.

Model by Polyfractus is a MacMusic exclusive. Today an update to version 1.1 is available, and adds : user defined modulation by drawing, new skin (thanks to Chad Tomlinson), new modulation types (chaosc, FM), sound capture from the host and number of random pattern steps. Model is a cool plugin developed to create classic echoes to very strange modulations and musical patterns. You can "Model" your sounds with unlimited random modulation tweeks, filterings and other ring modulation. Model features Stereo to Stereo processing, 1ms to 1000ms delay time, 5 types of modulators, Random generated patterns with smooth function, Envelope follower, Decimator, Ring modulator, Low & High shelf filter in feedback path, Lowpass filter in crossfeedback path, and Parameters randomizer.

Model 1.1 is only available in the MacMusic software section.