Today's Top Stories:

  Universal Audio Clones Neve 33609 Bus Compressor
Universal Audio has announced that their much-anticipated digital recreation of the classic Neve 33609 Bus Compressor will soon be shipping with version 4.4 of the UAD drivers and software. The 33609 will occupy a unique spot in the company's line of vintage compressors, as it is the very first model of a diode bridge-type compressor, as well as their first dedicated bus compressor model ever! The Neve 33609 started life in 1968 as a mono bus compressor installed in various Neve consoles in the late '60s and early '70s, and was revered by musicians and engineers alike for over 30 years. Many of the controls on bus compressors like this one were stepped, so that each channel could be set up identically, and that's largely been carried over today. When creating the DSP-based emulation of the 33609, Universal Audio got tremendous support from Neve, which provided access to engineering documents, as well as hardware units that could be disassembled for testing. Because the subcircuits could be tested independently, UA engineers were able to produce highly detailed and accurate models of all the 33609 circuitry. The net result is a DSP model that accurately reflects the behavior of the original hardware in any situation.

  Sony Debuts Vegas+DVD Production Suite
Sony Media Software has announced they will begin shipping the Vegas+DVD Production Suite, a significant upgrade to the award-winning professional video, audio, and DVD production solution. The suite includes Vegas 7 and DVD Architect 4, as well as a Dolby Digital AC-3 multi-channel encoder for 5.1 surround output. The all-new Vegas 7 nonlinear editing software combines both HDV and XDCAM support with a number of innovative workflow enhancement tools. Responding to industry demand for new HDV-enabled technology, Vegas 7 offers full frame rate playback of native HDV in the Vegas timeline and includes improved memory resources for handling HDV 1080i ÒlongformÓ projects. Vegas 7 also provides all the tools required to edit proxy and full resolution HD and SD XDCAM MXF files natively without requiring further transcoding, supports the latest formats, and future-proofs user workflows, no matter how they're currently taking advantage of the platform.

  New In Stock At Sweetwater

• Edirol CS-15 Stereo Mic - The CS-15 cardioid stereo microphone is a great match for the affordable Edirol R-09 field recorder. For portability and convenience, the R-09 supplies power to the mic, eliminating the need for extra batteries (though battery operation is possible when using the CS-15 with another manufacturer's recorder). The mic comes bundled with a desktop stand, a hand-held mount, and a windscreen. The mic has a 1/8-inch stereo mini-jack, making it compatible with most consumer-level video camcorders (which typically have poor onboard mics).

  Guitar Of The Day
When Line 6 first unveiled the Variax, it was an immediate sensation. Well, who wouldn't want a guitar that could, with the simple twist of a knob, deliver the sounds of 25 of the world's finest electric and acoustic guitars? The original Variax Model 500 sold out as fast as we could get them in stock. Now Line 6 has introduced the Variax Model 700, which combines the company's exclusive modeling technology with a custom-crafted solidbody guitar. All of the sounds are still accessible with just one knob and a 5-way pickup selector, and the guitar features a vibrato tailpiece. The Variax 700 starts with a beautifully figured, carved ash top over a solid mahogany body, then adds a one-piece maple neck with rosewood fingerboard, bone nut, pearl inlays, and Gotoh Tuners. This particular example is in the Translucent Amber finish, which is a favorite, though it's also available in Trans Blue, Trans Red, Cherry Sunburst, and Black. Naturally, the first thing you notice is the fact that this instrument has no pickups. String vibrations are detected by an onboard hexaphonic bridge pickup, then converted into a digital signal that's passed through proprietary software algorithms that do the magic, turning one guitar into 25 of the world's most sought-after guitars. Unlike MIDI instruments or guitar synths, the Variax 700 dynamically alters the signal of its own natural string vibrations to match the modeled instrument's unique tonal characteristics. The signal is then converted back to analog, so the Variax can be plugged into any electric guitar amplifier.