XILS-lab announces that a dongle free demo version of their polyKB virtual synth is now available.

The polyKB is a recreation of a very rare, very powerful polyphonic synthesizer released in the 80's by a french company. It is a polyphonic substractive synthesizer based on two waveform morphing, aliasing free oscillators and a self oscilating 4 poles low pass filter.

One of its features, never heard on other analog synthesizers, was the continuously modulated waveform, sort of a modulated waveform morphing. Recreating this feature in the digital domain, without aliasing was a very big challenge.

Features :

• two aliasing-free morphing oscillators: from triangle to pulse, through saw.
• one 4 poles low pass self oscillating filter
• two envelope generators ...

Toontrack announces the Music City USA SDX for Superior Drummer 2.0. Here's what they say about it :

"Like it, love it or leave it, Nashville Tennessee is Music City USA. With more labels, publishers, writers, producers, musicians and artists per capita than any other city in North America, Nashville knows a thing or two about great music, and more importantly - great sounding music.

With the city's history & culture so steeped in the art of making and recording music, the team could think of no better place on earth to record a library of drums that would be at home in music ranging from rock to reggae, metal to gospel or punk to polka. Oh yeah... they're good for country & rock too!

Introducing the Music City USA SDX , the newest library of drum samples and MIDI grooves for our award winning, industry standard drum production platform, Superior Drummer® 2.0.

Much like its sibling, the Nashville EZX®, the Music City USA SDX found us working with Harry Stinson and Chuck Ainlay, two of the best, most experienced players and producers in the business."

The Music City USA SDX will be available May 2010 at a price of £119.00 / €139.00.

FabFilter has released a new Electro sound set by Ouroboros for FabFilter Twin 2, its powerful software synthesizer. Here's what they say about it :

"The Electro sound set includes over 140 new and exciting presets that will add an edge to your music, with immediate application to electro house, electro clash, and experimental electronica. Featuring simple, nasty leads, basses that grind your teeth and pads soft enough to fall into, sound designer Ouroboros (Erin Hamilton) offers a bank with futuristic electronic sounds that will inspire you with new ideas.

When he discovered traveling with a laptop was easier than checking his piano as carry-on, Erin Hamilton was hooked on making music with computers. Designing sounds for software synthesizers has opened up vast new frontiers of sound to explore, and his boorish nickname hints at the playful fun he has doing it. You can expect twisted, unique and engaging sounds with moments of softness and wonder all wrapped in Fabfilter Twin 2's beautiful filters and eminently playable modulations."

The Electro sound set for FabFilter Twin 2 is now available in FabFilter's online shop for €19, $28 or £17. It can be used on both Windows and Mac OS X in any of the available plug-in formats.

Goldbaby's latest product has been unleashed. Here's what he says about it :

"What is this product?
Think of it as a drum and FX tool box for electronic music.

Who is it for?
People who make: Hip Hop, Drum & Bass, Dub Step, Techno, House, Dub, Break Beat... etc...

What formats are supported?
Battery 3 and up, Guru, EXS-24 and Wav Pack. Refill to follow...

What was used to make it?
Everything in Goldbaby's studio and more! Using a studio full of vintage and new drum machines, samplers, synths, rack effects, vinyl, tape, real drums and perc, field recordings... this product will give you a huge palette of super solid drums and sweet FX.

Included in this product is also an 808 and 909 given the UBK Fatso treatment!

If that wasn't enough how about some groove elements in Rex format!

The monitor pre-amp is one of the most important pieces of equipment for both audio professionals and Hi-Fi enthusiasts alike. It enables critical evaluation of the audio signals and is the final stage before the speakers, so it requires zero coloration, precise balance, low noise, wide bandwidth and a variety of input sources.

Top of the range designs use relay attenuators with high accuracy resistors to achieve the best balance between channels. The downside of this approach is the distraction of noisy 'chattering' relays which can be irritating but also reduces relay life. The Drawmer HQ incorporates an innovative solution to this problem, providing the feel and smoothness of a potentiometer but with the accuracy of relay attenuation.

The Drawmer HQ sets a new standard in monito ...