Carrying the Nova name, UltraNova is the next generation of Novation's iconic synth family, which brought you the legendary SuperNova and SuperNova II.

Key Features :

• Brand new, single-part synth engine with up to 18 voices, 14 filter types, 36 wavetables and five effect slots.
• Eight assignable touch-sensitive rotary controllers, with one large knob to instantly give you fine control of any parameter.
• Touch and Tweak controls enable totally new sound-shaping and performance options: Trigger envelopes, LFOs, filters and effects just by touching the encoders.
• A tried and tested, stage-ready 37-note keybed with aftertouch, bus power from USB, a 12-band vocoder (with included dynamic gooseneck mic), and loads of controls makes UltraNova the perfect stage or studio synth.
• Free software plug-in editor gives you full visual editing control. The included Patch Librarian lets you organise, store and share unlimited patches.
• Built-in two-in, four-out USB audio interface. Stream high-quality audio to and from a host computer and control your monitor mix, all from UltraNova.
• Full connectivity for stage and studio. Balanced line-level and stereo S/PDIF outputs, plus MIDI In, Out and Thru ports.

UltraNova will be available towards the end of Q4 2010. Prices will be as follows: UK: RRP £587.49. Estimated street price £499.99, Europe: UPE €679.99. EST €599.99.

Audiocation has released Compressor AC1, a free compressor effect plug-in.

The Audiocation Compressor is a dynamic processor VST plugin for Windows optimized for low CPU usage maintaining the highest precision in signal processing. With a free adjustable knee it is unique in this class.

Features :

• Time Constants: Attack and Release parameters.
• Characteristic: Threshold, Ratio, Soft Knee, and Output Gain parameters.
• Extremely fast control times (Attack time 10 ms – 500 ms, Release 50μs – 2 s).
• Coded by Christian-W. Budde.

Audiocation Compressor AC1 is available as a freeware VST effect plug-in for Windows PC. Mac OSX and Windows 64-bit versions are in development.

Avid has announced that new versions of its M-Audio Axiom USB MIDI keyboard controller series are now shipping. Designed for live performance and software-based music production, the Axiom 25, Axiom 49, and Axiom 61 have some interesting new features :

• DirectLink technology: Provides dedicated control surface functionality that automatically maps keyboard controls to common mixer and virtual instrument parameters, giving users hands-on control over their mix and their music, without any complicated set up or user configuration required. DirectLink works with popular DAWs, including Pro Tools®, Ableton Live, Apple Logic Pro and Steinberg Cubase.

• Enhanced keybed: An updated semi-weighted piano-style keyboard delivers a musically satisfying playing experience—ideal for pla ...

Toybox 2 is a collection of multi-sampled toys, speaking devices, handmade wooden instruments, classic noisemakers & battery-powered plastic gizmos.

Toybox 2 includes some familiar sounds that may inspire you to drink apple juice with your animal crackers. This Micropak starts off with a Ukelele, Wooden Xylophone, Maracas, Jingle Bells, and classic Casio MT-30 tones, which should all evoke some childhood nostalgia.

Delving into some rare finds, ToyBox 2 explores oddities such as the Otamatone from Japan, a handmade wooden electronic Sonica and a fold-up keyboard with surprisingly unique lo-fi tones.

In addition, ToyBox 2 comes packed with 2 menus of sound fx and speech fragments from some talking toys. These patches include NumberFarm and Alphabeta, the latter having the spoken al ...

AudioSpillage has updated its DrumSpillage percussion synth plug-in to version 1.1.

New Features :

• Improved support for automation recording and editing.
• Choke groups (12 groups available).
• Solo buttons for each pad.
• Pad selector in model editor now displays pad triggers in realtime.
• Added copy/paste pad menu items in pad editor.
• Added user preference to view MIDI note ranges as absolute MIDI values (0..127).
• Pads can now transmit 'velocity'.
• Global velocity sensitivity on/off switch.
• Velocity sensitivity can also be toggled on/off on a per pad basis.
• Improved meter sensitivity and accuracy.
• Master meter colour coding.