"Le Synthé V4" by Pierre Couprie is the fourth version of an AKS Synthi emulator, and is based upon a modular matrix to construct your sounds. This new version is available in VST, RTAS and AU formats and of course it's still free !!

Lately Didier and Olivier Guillon (well Known for Harmony assistant software) have decided to produce a new software for converting Pdf scores into music files playable with a simple sound library. And then to make possible a conversion and an export to audio file as MusicXML, MIDI files, Myr (Harmony Assistant files) and even in .WAV or .AIFF.

They have worked and programmed for 9 months and produced PDFtoMusic (a free lite version and a pro version). Have a look at the result.

Music Unfolding has released the Collective 8 AudioUnit bundle which consists of three Audio Units: F8-V2, Mod8 and Res8. All three share a similar amplitude modulation sequence configuration. The audio stream is copied into 8 identical streams and an amplitude modulation pattern can be applied to each stream. The amplitude modulation patterns can be drawn to any shape, with an-easy-to use editing environment that automatically appears when hovering over the patterns with a mouse. Each stream also has filters or effects applied to it individually. The streams are then mixed back together. Amplitude modulation patterns can be copied and pasted within each AU or between them.
F8-V2 has LFO's, which are applied to highpass, bandpass or lowpass filters. Res 8 has a choice of a driven, nonline ...

Zoom has announced the H2 USB recorder which comes with an integrated mic and some unusual flexibility thanks to 3 integrated capsules.

Features :

- 3 mic capsules and mid and side patterns allow front 120-degree cardioid, front-90 super cardioid, rear 120-degree cardioid, rear 90-degree super cardioid, and 360-degree polar
- USB interface, works as an audio interface - meaning this doubles as a USB mic
- WAV 96/48/44.1 KHz, 320kbps VBR MP3
- External mic for plug-in power stereo mic
- Time stamp function

... no mention of a flash card slot, but I'm guessing the slot would at least be there.

The Zoom H2 USB should be available in may at a retail price of $199.

M-Audio has announced the Studiophile AV 40 and AV 20 portable desktop speaker systems designed for travel or tight desktop spaces. The Studiophile AV 40 speakers feature 4" polypropylene-coated drivers, 3/4" silk dome tweeters, 20-watt-per-channel internal amplifier and OptImage III wave guides for punchy lows, crisp highs and an even response. For more mobility, the AV 20 speakers include 2" composite woofers, 1" ferrofluid-cooled Mylar dome tweeters, internal amplification and them same OptImage III technology as the AV 40s.

The Studiophile AV 40 detail at $199.95. The AV 20 are available at a retail price of $129.95.