M-Audio, announces the release of the Sputnik large-diaphragm studio tube condenser microphone. The Sputnik's frequency response is 20Hz – 20kHz ±1.5dB; the sensitivity is 30mV/Pa (-30.5dBV) and the max. SPL at 0.5% THD is 132dB (or 142dB with the 10dB pad). It also features a low-frequency roll-off and multiple pick-up patterns (cardioid, omni, figure-8). Sputnik includes a professional shockmount, dedicated power supply, 7-pin mic cable, grounded IEC power supply and a custom flight case.

Sputnik is now shipping and carries an MSRP of $699.95.

Digidesign announces that D-Show 2.0 software for VENUE is now available. it adds several key features plus support for upcoming hardware options, significantly increasing the efficiency, depth of control, and flexibility of the VENUE live sound environment. New features include support for Digital Stage Input (DSI) Card and Digital Stage Output (DSO) Card, because Digidesign currently anticipates that the VENUE DSI and DSO hardware options will be available in the second quarter of 2006.

Customers who purchased a console on or after January 1, 2006, are entitled to a free D-Show 2.0 update. For other customers, D-Show 2.0 software is a paid upgrade.

Didn't have the opportunity to take advantage of the ExchangePack plug-in promotion before it ended in March? Now you've got one last chance. Digidesign is extending the ExchangePack plug-in offer, but only until May 22. Exchange your Digidesign Pro Tools|24 MIX system or another legacy Pro Tools system up to a Pro Tools|HD 2 Accel or Pro Tools|HD 3 Accel system before May 22, and along with the lowest exchange prices, you'll still be able to select additional ExchangePack plug-ins valued at up to $14,600—for free.

For more information or to participate in the exchange, visit the Digidesign web site.

Tascam announces the immediate availability of Universal Binary drivers for the US-122, US-224, US-428, FW-1884, FW-1082 and FW-1804, making these interfaces compatible with the latest Apple computers with Intel processors. Among the new Intel-compatible drivers is one for the FW-1082, which has new documentation for integrating with Apple's Final Cut Studio.

The new Universal Binary drivers are available for free download.

Steinberg announces updates to version 3.2.1 for both HALion and HALion Player. This version features : improved speed of loading lots of Samples, Programs and Banks with better memory management (less memory move/less reallocation, change double volume to float volume) and several bugfixes. HALion is avirtual sampler that loads up to 128 instruments at once, 16 of which are simultaneously playable. That lets you assign sounds to 4 stereo, 4 mono and 5.1 surround outputs, giving you a total of 18 outputs. That offers easiest handling thanks to drag & drop, pristine sound quality with 32 Bit/96 kHz.