Two quad-core Intel Xeon "Harpertown" processors are on board, which run at speeds of up to 3.2GHz.
There's also a new system architecture that delivers up to twice the performance of its predecessor thanks to Intel's new 45-nanometer microachitecture.
For example, Apple's tests claims that the new MacPro is able to run 2.6x more PlatinumVerb or 1.9x Sculpture synth than on 2.5GHz Power Mac G5 Quad in Logic 8.0.1.
Apple announced powerful new graphics capabilities and up to 4TB of internal storage, a large amount of L2 cache - 12MB per processor, so frequently used data and instructions are kept close to the processor cores.
And guess what : the standard 8-core configuration starts at just $2,799!

Each of the following iZotope Mac and PC plugs have been updated : Trash and Spectron to v.1.13, and Ozone to v.1.14.
Performance and stability have been improved (especially in Pro Tools) and Mac OS X Leopard is supported.

The E²Deesser version 1.1 brings a variable lookahead delay, which allows getting very smooth responses and unprecedented processing transparency for a de-esser.


Lookahead delay
You can choose between zero delay latency, a short latency or a long latency. The lookahead value is adjusted according to the detection and latency parameters, while keeping fixed plugin latency for the host automatic delay compensation.


For live or tracking situations, the zero delay latency remains a very efficient and transparent option, when extreme sibilant reduction is not necessary.

While the release of Independence Pro delays for a few weeks to January 2008, Independence Basic, Freedom v2.0 and Origami v2.0 are shipping.

Independence Basic comes with the same audio engine as Independence 2 and is fully compatible with Independence Free and Independence 2. Apart from the ability to load 3rd party VST effects and VST instruments - which is not enabled in Independence Basic - the user has access to the same software features as Independence 2.

Freedom 2.0

All insert filters and effects of Freedom 2.0 are fully surround compatible up to 8.1. The format of surround files is recognized automatically and Freedom 2 assigns the respective channels accordingly. Freedom 2 offers a new FX Bank Browser, and automation features include minimum and maximum values (use the ...

Best Service releases Chris Hein-Bass, a bass guitar sample library powered by Kontakt 2 Player (12.7 GB, up to 4,089 samples per patch). Chris Hein has produced this collection including a Musicman Stingray picked & slapped, a LeFay fretless bass and an upright bass with three sets of strings: steel-strings (classic jazz sound), nylon-strings (high-fidelity sound) and gut-strings (40s swing sound).

All nuances of bass playing techniques are implemented, thanks to Kontakt scripting abilities. It offers 112 MIDI controllable features including things like repetition-hotkeys, keys-vibrato, fall-control, bridge/center playing, pickup micro-blending, expression-samples, pinch-harmonics, automatic-mode, slide-mode, chord-mode and much more.

The included IK Multimedia Ampeg SVX Uno (virtual bass-amp) adds more sound variations to the natural, basic, bass instruments.