Today's Top Stories:

  Sweetwater.com Goes Mobile!
Just because you're away from your computer doesn't mean you have to be out of touch with the best music and audio resource available online! To keep you connected no matter where you are, Sweetwater has launched Sweetwater.com Mobile, the industry's first website optimized for use on iPhones and other mobile devices! Now you can access the latest news, tech support, and information and pricing on a piece of gear right from your phone or PDA. You can even place an order for anything you need for your studio or live rig from Sweetwater, just as if you were using your computer to browse at Sweetwater.com! Everything at Sweetwater.com Mobile displays perfectly on your handheld; this brand-new site has been designed from the ground up to look as it should and to allow for transparent navigation on a handheld device's compact view screen. Sweetwater.com Mobile is the first and only handheld-optimized website in the music and pro audio industry - and it's available only from your friends at Sweetwater!

  Neumann Introduces the TLM 103D Digital Classic at NAB
Does "digital classic" seem to be an oxymoron? Well, first picture the classic Neumann TLM 103. Next give it an integrated, lightning-fast peak limiter and an onboard Neumann A/D converter. Next, imagine getting optimal recording levels at all times without adding expensive outboard gear. Finally, think about how easy it will be to stop worrying about an external A/D converter and focus all your attention on the musical performance at hand. Now you should be picturing the Neumann TLM 103D D, the next classic microphone to enter the digital realm! It will make its official debut at the 2008 NAB Show, and will ship this spring.

The primary focus in designing this mic was faithfully capturing audio without making any compromises. If it has the Neumann name and logo on it, you can bet it met the highest performance standards imaginable. It's available in satin nickel or matte black finish and ships with an SG 1 swivel mount. Special sets will also be available, consisting of the microphone, an EA 1 elastic suspension, and a connection kit for direct connection to an AES/EBU or S/PDIF input. Pricing details are forthcoming and are anticipated to represent substantial savings when compared with the cost of a large-diaphragm condenser microphone plus a high-quality preamplifier of the same calibre.

  SSL Matrix Takes Stage at GearFest '08
The Solid State Logic Matrix is a 16-channel, 40-input analog mixer/summer with integral signal router and multi-layer digital workstation control. In use, it's simply the most elegant way to be creative with your entire arsenal of analog and digital outboard gear. Designed to be at the heart of your every day creative process, Matrix is built to meticulous SSL hardware standards, to withstand even the most intensive studio use. It's also fully equipped to partner with your monitors, workstations, and outboard gear, letting you shape your studio around the way you work.

Naturally, there are a whole lot of musicians, engineers and studio owners waiting to have a look at the sleek design and hear the pristine audio quality. Among the first to experience it will be attendees at Sweetwater's GearFest '08, to be held at our brand new state-of-the-art facility in Fort Wayne, Indiana, on May 31st. This year's event promises to be the best GearFest ever, and will coincide with the Grand Opening celebration for our new headquarters. For information, talk to your Sweetwater Sales Engineer or visit the GearFest site.

  Updates and Upgrades
Applied Acoustics Systems has just released updates for its entire line of virtual instrument plug-ins, delivering official support for Mac OS X Leopard (10.5) and fixing a number of bugs. AAS customers can find all the details about these updates, what has been added, what has been fixed, plus pricing and availability by visiting the company's Technology Update page. The latest version numbers of each plug-in running on Mac OS X are as follows.

Professional Series

• Tassman 4 version 4.1.2
  
• Lounge Lizard EP-3 version 3.1.1
  
• Ultra Analog VA-1 version 1.1.1
  
• String Studio VS-1 version1.1.1
  

• Lounge Lizard Session v3.1.1
  
• Ultra Analog VA-1 v1.1.1
  

  New in Stock at Sweetwater

• Redmatica AutoSampler - This incredible new offering from Redmatica is entirely dedicated to automatically sampling your hardware and software instruments, effectively bridging the gap between top-notch hardware synths and the endless possibilities of the virtual studio world. AutoSampler quickly creates ready-to-play EXS24 instruments on your Mac, making way for sounds that were never before possible with your current rig (or any rig, for that matter!). It's fully Logic-compatible, and also available as part of the Redmatica's Compendium Bundle. Wish you could take all your outboard synths anywhere your laptop goes? Now, by adding AutoSampler to your audio arsenal, you can!
  
• Kurzweil PC3X - With a sleek new look on the outside, and an arsenal of Kurzweil's latest cutting-edge technology under its hood, the 88-note PC3X delivers 128 voices of incredible sound quality along with a host of powerful, easy-to-use features. It's loaded with the famous Kurzweil Triple Strike Piano, with dozens of variations to cover virtually any style of music imaginable. Also included is the Classic Keys ROM, which puts a whole stage worth of vintage keyboards at your fingertips. The PC3X is also Kurzweil's ultimate performance controller keyboard, with an enormous collection of stunning sounds (over 800 of them!) combined with comprehensive real-time controller functions. It's the only keyboard your rig will ever need!
  
• Radial JDX Reactor - This guitar amp direct box lets you capture your amp's true sound while allowing a direct feed to a PA system or recorder. Using Class A circuitry, multi-stage filtering, and effective cabinet emulation, the JDX Reactor produces a realistic amp sound via a direct feed. If you want a more manageable, consistent onstage sound, or want to use your amp to record without cheesing off the neighbors, this box is just what the doctor ordered (if your doctor is with it, of course). If miking your amp isn't a viable option, or you just want to combine a line signal with a miked one, this is a great choice. Note: This must be used in conjunction with your amplifier's onboard speakers or separate cabinet.
  

  Guitar of the Day
Wechter has been shipping high quality, affordable acoustic guitars for quite some time now. Many of these have been equipped with up to three separate pickup systems. In fact, Abe Wechter has been crafting handmade instruments for the likes of such notable artists as Al DiMeola, John Denver, Earl Klugh, and BB King, and now the Wechter shop in rural Paw Paw, Michigan is entering the crowded electric guitar arena. But what an entrance it is! The new Wechter Pathmaker Chambered Body Model 9600 is a gorgeous work of art. There are several different finishes available and a number of pickup options, but what's going to catch your eye immediately is the stunning, highly figured Okoume top with a cedar core. This is placed over a Michigan walnut body with paua abalone and figured maple binding. Even the neck is contructed of Michigan walnut, a material rarely seen in contemporary instruments. For lovers of abalone, Wechter also adds paua purfling to the guitar's top, while the headstock has an overlay of okoume with abalone and curly maple binding, assuring a striking presentation!

The Pathmaker comes in two distinctive finishes, Natural and Sunburst, both of which are stunning, making it difficult to pick between them. Each has a Graph Tech Ghost System onboard at the bridge with an active preamp and individual piezo saddles, thus assuring a very natural acoustic guitar sound when run through an appropriate amplification system. The chambered body helps add the upper harmonics you expect to hear with an acoustic. But then, depending upon your preference, Wechter has installed a wide range of humbucking pickups at the neck position: an HS-90, H540-42, Resonator, or Charlie Christian HCC blade. What's more, some of the Pathmakers we have in stock come with a 13-pin Hexpander system for MIDI output. All come with very playable rosewood fingerboards and each goes through a Plek Pro system that automatically dresses the guitar under actual playing conditions, identifying exactly what needs to be done to achieve perfect fretwork. Before you buy any other electric, you owe it to yourself to check out the Pathmaker, which ships in a deluxe hardshell case.