A while back it came out that McDSP and Massey, two of the last companies that makes Pro Tools only plug-ins, would make AU versions as well. Yesterday rumors started floating that both of these companies had ditched those plans (which of course started a whole new set of rumors about Digidesign being an evil empire and that the latest ICON would actually be more powerful than the Deathstar).

Massey indeed confirmed in an email and on his website that the AUs had been thrown in the bin. Mr McDowell at McDSP on the other hand simply said it wasn’t true. Or in his own words “Boy that would be news to me. And that guy we hired from Apple might be bummed too”.

Avid Technology announced today that its Board of Directors approved a $100 million increase in authorized funds for the stock repurchase program that it announced on April 26, 2007. Prior to this increase, Avid completed stock repurchases under the program totaling approximately $100 million, the original authorized fund amount. Under the program, the company may repurchase shares through transactions on the open market, in block trades or otherwise. The stock repurchase program is funded using the company’s working capital.

Avid

The new version 1.3 is a true surround reverb modelling multichannel early reflections and decorrelated reverb tails for a realistic spatial emulation.

Features

- True Surround reverb
VST3: all configurations up to 12 channels including 5.1 / 7.1
AudioUnit: mono/stereo/5.1 => mono/stereo/5.1
RTAS: mono/stereo/5.1/7.1 => mono/stereo/5.1/7.1
- Import of surround impulse responses.
- Surround reverb programs.
- VST3 compatibility.

Bugfixes

- Wavelab 6 working now.
- Mac/Digital Performer: Settings no longer reset on bounce to disk.

VirSyn

Fixed in version 1.1.3:

• Audio Unit memory releases on de-instantiation
• Auto loading of projects in some hosts fixed
• Erratic graphics with some MAC hardware
• Host closing plugin editor while authorization page was up no longer lead to crash
• Deletion of presets with a name longer than 18 characters now possible

Toontrack

This review is a little late for more than one reason. One reason however, is entirely intentional, and it’s because of my previous experience with the Eiosis products.
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I like to think that I stay up to date and know what’s on the market regarding plug-ins, but I must say, Soundhack had really escaped my notice. In other words, this doesn’t really qualify as “news”, but perhaps someone else had missed them so I thought I’d post about it anyway.

They have a couple of products on their website, some which seem to be standalone applications, but also a free software bundle that might be interesting to check out.

Soundhack

Farview Recording, creator of the original rock drum samples for Drumagog, has carried on with the 3rd installment of the Rock Drums series.
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From February 21st to April 30th, 2008, you can get an effect plug-in free with your IK Multimedia plug-in or bundle purchase.

Register any of the qualifying IK plug-in or bundle (full version or crossgrade) or hardware-based products listed below between February 21st and April 30th, 2008. After this, you will be able to select your FREE effect plug-in in a special area of the IK Multimedia website.

For details and fine print, go to the promotion at IK Multimedias website

Thanks to Andreas Rauscher

Movie Dialogue is a set of 586 seperate Wav samples taken from original early Film Dialogue, all licenced for use under the new Creative Commons licence agreement.

The vocal samples have been taken from old movies and public information films and are categorised in folders with names such as “Alien Visitors”, “Beatniks”, “Booby Traps”, “Moutain People” “News Reports” and “The Gang Boys”. These samples are all 100% Authentic which means that whilst they have all been remastered, de-noised and de-clicked, they still retain artefacts from the original recordings.

The Pack includes 568 Movie Dialogue Samples in 10 categories, with 10 patches in Halion, Kontakt, EXS24, NNXT and SFZ formats for easy auditioning.

Loopmasters

M-Audio is pleased to announce the beta release of audio drivers for M-Audio FireWire products. The new drivers bring support for Mac OS X 10.5.1 and Mac OS X 10.4.11 to the M-Audio FireWire Audiophile, FireWire 410, FireWire 1814, FireWire Ozonic, FireWire Solo, NRV10, ProFire Lightbridge, and Project Mix I/O

Beta drivers at M-Audio