Metric Halo is pleased to announce that major updates for ChannelStrip|TDM and ChannelStrip|RTAS are now shipping. ChannelStrip 2.2 is a Universal Binary, and supports Pro Tools 6.4 - 7.3 on both PPC and Intel Macs. It also provides complete support for HD|Accel DSPs and PCIe cards on all Mac platforms.

New features include :

• Support for plug-in clip-light and system wide clip indicator reset
• Support for Accel chips and 192k on TDM Accel systems
• Complete page table support for all supported control surfaces
• Universal Binary support for TDM and RTAS
• 16/8/4 mono instances per Accel chip at 1x/2x/4x rates

Notable bug fixes include :

• Fixed Gate bug at 96k on Mix and HD systems
• Fixed lack of support of PCIe systems
• Fixed DSP chip allocation bug
• Fixed window resize bug

The 2.2 update is freely available to all registered OS X users of ChannelStrip.

Native Instruments has announced the TRAKTOR Tutorial DVD, a new multimedia workshop that enables DJs to get the most out of TRAKTOR 3 DJ software. With a comprehensive video tutorial (more than three hours of high-resolution video), artist interviews and special workshop content on the disc, the DVD allows TRAKTOR users of all experience levels to get to the heart of the software and utilize its advanced creative capabilities to the fullest extent.

English language version will be available in stores and from the NI Online Shop in May. For more information, please visit their web site.

FabFilter has just announced RTAS versions of FabFilter Timeless, Twin, Volcano, Simplon, and One. With this release, all plug-ins will also receive small bug fixes and updates for the AU and VST versions. In addition, FabFilter One will be extended with MIDI program change handling, improved knob behavior and interactive help hints.

The final release is currently planned for the end of April and it will be free for existing users. Note that FabFilter will demonstrate the new RTAS versions at Musikmesse (hall 5.1, D48).

After posting a demo of their software compression "Solera" and EQ "Epure", Flux offer us a freeware called "Bitter Sweeter" which is a dynamic processor who can deal with the transients.

Bitter Sweeter is available in VST, RTAS and UB formats, the Au support is still under development !

VirSyn has just released a new virtual synth called Poseidon. At first sight it looks like a simple structured analog "Oscillator-Filter" synthesizer with all controls visible at once... but the real power is working under the hood : the oscillator is the same as the spectral modelling sound generator of their CUBE and the variable slope Filter is a completely new design based on the unique F-domain synthesis.

Main features :

- Spectral modelling oscillator
- Time machine
- Timbre control
- F-Domain Filter
- Spatializer
- Resynthesis
- Effects
- Arpeggiator
- Standalone and plugin

Poseidon is available now for Mac OS X (UB) in VST, RTAS and AU formats for €199.