Native Instruments today announced Absynth 4, the fourth generation of its semi-modular software synthesizer. The new version offers extended sound design and performance capabilities through a new customizable signal flow; additional oscillator, waveform and envelope features; and a completely revised modulation concept. Numerous usability improvements, including a new KORE-compatible sound browser, provide a more convenient creative workflow. With its refined combination of sonic flexibility and ease of use, Absynth 4 strengthens its role as the leading sound-design synthesizer for innovative timbres and complex soundscapes.

Absynth 4 will be available in October 2006 for a suggested retail price of $ 339 / 299 Euro. An update for owners of Absynth 3 will be available for $ 119 / 99 Euro.

After a long wait , TerraTec Producer's KOMPLEXER "Synthesizer of Emotions" is available now. Offering both virtual analog synthesis and wavetable synthesis, TerraTec Producer's KOMPLEXER sets new standards for VST plug-ins. Eight macro controllers are onboard to afford utmost handling ease. Version 1.01 of the Komplexer is already available at the time of release with a number of improvements. Featuring classic synth sound powered by three oscillators, two multimode filters, four ADSDSR envelopes and three LFOs, KOMPLEXER plays in the premier league of VST instruments.

Priced at 199, TerraTec Producer's KOMPLEXER is available now.

Native Instruments unveils FM8, the long-awaited successor of the popular FM7 software synthesizer. The new FM8 features an enhanced high-resolution audio engine, intelligent sound morphing, new performance features and a new KORE-compatible preset manager. Included with FM8 are over 960 ready-to-play factory presets. From clean, dynamic, percussive sounds to pads, leads, brass and piano sounds, the presets exemplify the strengths of FM synthesis. Also included are a number of effect rack, sound morphing and arpeggio presets.

FM8 will be available in October 2006 for a suggested retail price of $ 339/ 299 Euro and an update for owners of FM7 will be available for $ 119 / 99 Euro.

Native Instruments announces BATTERY 3, a significant revision of its popular drum and percussion sampler. The addition of time-stretching and advanced loop capabilities, innovative "play parameters", a powerful master effects section and an integrated wave editor all serve to strengthen the role of BATTERY as the premier creative drum and percussion sampler, with an enormous library of more than 100 high-quality drum kits providing a wealth of studio-quality material for all styles and genres.

BATTERY 3 will be available in October 2006 for a suggested retail price of $ 219 / 199 Euro. An update for owners of will be available for $ 119 / 99 Euro.

FabFilter has released updates to FabFilter Twin and FabFilter Volcano. The new versions contain bug fixes as well as improvements and new features : Added MIDI program change handling. Any preset can now be loaded by sending bank select and program change MIDI messages, Added optional interactive help. When this feature is activated, help texts will appear when the user moves the mouse over any control in the plug-in interface, Fixed a bug that could cause Twin or Volcano to freeze on Apple G5 Quad systems when changing presets, Added a 'polarity' option to the LFO's in Twin, which can be used to produce either waveforms between -1 and 1 (original behaviour) or positive-only waveforms between 0 and 1, Reduced memory usage of Twin by 50%, Slightly reduced memory usage of FabFilter Volcano ...