Native Instruments has released Battery v3.0.2. This version offers not only numerous improvements, but also new sample-content: the update comes with three exclusive artist drum kits from Gorillaz Producer Curtis Lynch, Alexander Hacke (Einstürzende Neubauten), and Turntablerocker.

This update is free for all registered users. For more information, please visit their web site.

NUSofting has announced Broken Drum Machine (BDM), a plugin instrument designed for the musicians who love chaos... ! BDM basically offers 4 drum pads like an old, small, beat box with: Bass Drum, Snare, Hi-Hat and Stick, each of those has controls like Decay, Pitch and Filter. But the creative power of the BDM is all in the four "Broken" sliders, one for each pad. With those sliders you can set the amount of wild, weird, chaotic and unpredictable variations to the sound, just like the circuits inside go crazy producing bleeps and glitches you never thought you'd hear from this machine. Sound source is double: a "Osc.Mix.PCM" slider, per pad, allows to choose between the internal VA oscillator or an external Wav sample, or a mix of the two. On top of that the output is configured as 1 stereo + 4 mono outs.

BDM will be available at the end of this year for Mac OS X in VST and AudioUnits formats with price to be announced.

TC Electronic announces Digital Konnekt x32, an all-in-one digital patchbay, format converter and FireWire audio interface, for integrating digital outboard effects units and keyboards with modern digital audio workstation based studios.

As a stand-alone format converter and patchbay, Digital Konnekt x32 includes 8 channels of AES/EBU, 8 channels of S/PDIF and TOS, 8 channels of ADAT (up to 96 kHz SMUX) and Word Clock I/O. Any input format can be converted into either of the other formats and aligned to any sample rate ranging from 44.1 to 192 kHz. Digital Konnekt x32 allows sample rate conversion on up to four separate stereo inputs at once.
Konnekt Digital x32 functions as a computer interface with two FireWire connections streaming 16 channels of audio to and from the computer. The ...

East West has just released Quantum Leap Ministry of Rock, a huge 18 gigabyte collection of rock drums, basses and guitars.

Features :

- Legato bass and guitar samples
- Legato and staccato repetitions
- Truly playable rhythm guitars and leads, clean and distorted release samples
- Guitars and basses recorded in dual amp configurations
- Software allows the user to choose amplifier, or mix the sound from both amps
- Dynamic bass that can play everything from ballads to the most hardcore music imaginable
- Round robin bass drums, snares, toms and hats
- Performance drum hits extracted from live playing
- Approximately 18 gigabytes of rock drums, basses and guitars recorded in the EASTWEST Studio 2
- Superior reverb impulses recorded by Prof. Keith O. Johnson and Nick Phoenix

Ministry of Rock is available now for Mac OS X Universal Binary in VST, AU and stand-alone formats and has an MSRP of $495 (€370.00), plus tax. For more information, please visit the link below.

Ohm Force has released Mac OS X updates for their entire plug-in range (excluding Ohmicide). The new versions bring the following improvements:

- Corrected a memory leak in standalones.
- Some crash possibilities in case of host misconduct removed.
- UB plug-ins now supports PowerPC and Intel based platforms running Mac OS X 10.3.9 and later.
- Corrected 10.4.9 AU bug.
- Corrected GUI problems on VST & RTAS.
- VST support improved.