Arturia announces that the Prophet V, the reproduction of the Prophet 5 and the Prophet VS has been updated to version 2.0.

The main improvements are:

• A revolutionary preset navigation system called SoundMap
• New Syncrosoft copy protection
• MIDI RPN "pitch bend range" message is now recognized
• Ability to use NRPN midi messages for automation
• Fresh batch of presets made by a selection of top sound designers
• Presets now respond to modulation wheel
• Double click on joystick resets to center position
• Lower CPU utilization on Mac OSX
• Better Audio Unit compatibility (Digital Performer most notably)
• Better handling of control surfaces while changing preset
• Better mouse response of Audio Unit version
• Windows 7/Snow Leopard officially supported
• Vista/Windows 7 compatibility no longer requires UAC deactivation
• and numerous bug fixes

The upgrade is free for all registered users.

Platinum Samples is proud to announce the release of Joe Barresi's Evil Drums SDX Expansion Pack for Toontrack Music's Superior Drummer 2.0 software - after all, it only seems fitting to release Evil Drums for the flagship product from the company that gave us Drumkit From Hell.

Joe Barresi is one of the busiest producer/engineers working today with an impressive list of credits including albums by Tool, Wolfmother, Queens Of The Stone Age, Weezer, Clutch, Pennywise, Turbonegro, Bad Religion, and many more.

Featuring 6 full drum kits, 6 kick drums and 6 snares the Evil Drums Expansion Pack is unlike any other expansion pack available. Recorded to analog tape at two legendary rock studios using compression and EQ, Joe Barresi has captured a diverse ensemble of drum sounds with unprecedented detail and full bleed to create a unique and exquisitely evil expansion pack. Evil Drums also includes MIDI grooves performed by Pat Wilson (Weezer, The Special Goodness).

Platinum Samples is the first third party company to release Expansion Packs for Toontrack Music's best selling Superior Drummer 2.0 software. The expansion pack requires that Superior Drummer 2.0 be installed and is both Mac OS X and Windows compatible. Superior Drummer 2.0 supports Digidesign's RTAS format, as well as VSTi and Audio Units technologies.

Joe Barresi's Evil Drums SDX costs $199.

Audio Damage has announced the release of its first virtual instrument : Tattoo. This is a drum synthesizer where everything old is new again. Featuring 12 independent "voice-tuned" synthesizer topologies loosely based on the X0X series, and an incredibly sophisticated step/mod sequencer, Tattoo is at home in all forms of electronic music production.

Features :

• 12 Drum Synths: Tattoo comes equipped with twelve different voices, instead of the one general catch-all voice you find in most drum synth plug-ins.

• Sophisticated Step Sequencer: Tattoo's internal sequencer comes correct, taking grid programming to the next level.

• Randomization For Days: There are multiple routes to randomizing your beats, from subtle ghost notes to full on haywire.

• Par ...

The brand new URS Phat C is a multi purpose analog sounding compressor plug-in for individual tracks and buses. It replicates characteristics of not one but many hardware compressors. It's Input Stage adds saturation to color and effect the compressor's response to different program material. The six saturation models recreate vintage harmonics and soft clipping that effect transients before compression.

Features :

• Six Input Stage Saturation Models (VCA, Opto, Fet, Tranny, Tape and Tube)
• Input Saturation Mix control
• High Pass filter
• Threshold Control
• Ratio 1.2:1, 1:5.1, 2:1, 3:1, 4:1, 6:1, 8:1, 10:1
• Soft Knee for Ratio 1.2 and 1.5
• Attack selectable Fast 20ms or Normal
• Release adjustable from 50ms to 3 seconds
• Gain Make Up from 0db to 40db
• Compressor Wet/Dry Mix slider
• Phase reverse switch
• Gain clipping indicator
• In/Out Bypass switch
• Plasma Style Input and Output VU Meters

Available now for Mac (VST, AU, RTAS) and PC (VST, RTAS) at the introductory price of $99.99 until the end of the month (regular price : $249.99).

Toontrack Music is proud to announce the release of this colossus of a Metal MIDI package, featuring one of the most prominent players in today's metal scene, Dirk Verbeuren, drummer in Soilwork, Scarve and Aborted.

So, ever felt like having insane, extreme world class Metal drumming, executed with such a razor-blade perfection and ingenious brutality that it will hit you like a 20 ton wrecking ball of sheer metal.

Enter Library of the Extreme - Blasts & Fills, the ultimate and one of its kind collection of more than 1000 individually played MIDI files.

• All material categorized by Style, BPM and Leading Instrument
• Both Straight and Triplet variations available
• Works with EZdrummer®, Superior Drummer® (optimized for 1 or 2 kicks, 1 snare, 2 toms, 1 floor-tom, 2 crash-cymbals, 1 china and 1 ride-cymbal)
• Includes Dirk Verbeuren custom Kit Selections for The Metal Foundry SDX and Superior Drummer 2.0® core library N.Y - Avatar

Available now at a price of €15. Please check Library of the Extreme Audio demos, video and more at :