CME has announced latest version 2.0 firmware for their UF series MIDI keyboards. The major changes of the firmware are :

- Adds Pro Tools modes in U-CTRL function,
- Adjusts the MIDI Route.
- Optimises the keyboard's velocity sensitivity.
- Optimises the keyboard's operating and display manner
- Rectifies the bank number errorwhen sending the tone data
- Stabilises the pitch bend transferring data.
- Fixes known bugs and errors

The full update is free. Users can download it from CME website and select the relevant model to upgrade.

Here's what audioMIDI.com sent us today :

"Just a quick note to let you know about a great deal on the new ProTools 8 upgrade (expected early to mid December). We're offering the MBox 2 Micro audio interface (regular price $249), a downloadable ProTools 8 upgrade, and a FREE Secrets Of The Pros/Pro Tools Vol I tutorial DVD (a $35 value) at a great price- so low they won't let us advertise it. The ProTools 8 upgrade is $149, but for just a little more bread, you can get the MBox 2 Micro audio interface- great for working on tracks on-the-go with a laptop.

And you'll be the first to get the ProTools 8 upgrade!

Give me a call at (866) 283-4601, ext 112 for all the details
(if you purchased Pro Tools after 10/3/08, the Pro Tools 8 upgrade is free)."

So if you wanna learn more you know what to do now, just give them a call !

British hardware manufacturers DAV Electronics have just released the Broadhurst Gardens No. 7 (or BG7 for short), a 1U rackmountable channel strip that features a mic and instrument preamplifier, plus a compressor/limiter section.

Derived from the designs of the Decca Record Company, the BG7 compressor/limiter section is a replication of the Decca 1977 circuit, "brought up to date" by DAV. The features of the microphone amplifier consist of low noise and low distortion. It offers switched gain controls for high accuracy level setting (4 dB steps), D.I. Input (high impedance), level indication, high pass filter (switchable), 26dB pads (switchable), phase reversal and 48v phantom supply (switchable).

The BG7 is available now at a suggested retail price of £599 ($880/€700).

Audjoo has released Helix, a Wave-Table-Shaping, Phase modulation, Virtual Analog, Physical Modelling Hybrid Synthesizer with high sound quality, massive modulation, creative audio-routing and many built-in effects.

Features :

- CPU-friendly.
- 800+ Presets from BigTone and others.
- up to 64x Unison per voice.
- Wave-table-shaping oscillators.
- 17 filter types.
- 10 distortion types.
- All stereo signal path.
- Deep Modulation.
- Arpeggiator.
- Built in effects.

Priced at $149, Helix is now available as a VST instrument for Windows and Mac OS X Universal Binary.

Applied Acoustics Systems has released Strum Acoustic Session.

Based on the physical modeling synthesis engine of the Strum Acoustic GS-1, Strum Acoustic Session is a simple and straightforward instrument reproducing nylon and steel acoustic guitars. It includes an elaborate voicing module which automatically voices chords played on the keyboard as a guitar player would on the fretboard. Strumming and picking actions are reproduced by an auto-strum function, special strumming keys or MIDI loops. An EQ and a reverb module complete the package.

Strum Acoustic Session is available now in VST, AU and RTAS formats for Mac OS X and Windows for a fee of $99.

Also, in celebration of their 10th anniversary, AAS is offering some very special offers :

- Strum Acoustic Session FREE : All of registered users of AAS products will receive Strum Acoustic Session free of charge. If you are a registered user, you should have received a message containing download links for the Strum Acoustic Session installers as well as a serial number. Didn't receive the email? Check your junk mail folder first, else contact AAS support.

- The Modeling Collection at $349 : For the price of Tassman 4 alone, you get five instruments. The Modeling Collection comprising Tassman 4, Lounge Lizard EP-3, Ultra Analog VA-1, String Studio VS-1, and Strum Acoustic GS-1 is $349 until January 5th, 2009.

- 30% Off the Modeling Collection upgrades : Owners of Professional and Session Series instruments can now upgrade and own the whole Professional Series for a low price.