Today's Top Stories:

  A Big Cat Draws Near
We're slowly moving toward the official release of Apple's latest and greatest Mac OS X (dubbed "Leopard") on Friday, October 26. Meanwhile, Apple released its fiscal 2007 fourth-quarter results, posting a revenue of $6.22 billion and net quarterly profit of $904 million, or $1.01 per diluted share. These results compare to revenue of $4.84 billion and net quarterly profit of $542 million one year ago. During this quarter, Apple shipped 2,164,000 Macs, representing 34% growth over one year ago and exceeding the previous quarterly record for Mac shipments by an impressive 400,000. Apple also sold 10,200,000 iPods (which represents a 17% gain over the same quarter last year) and a stunning 1,119,000 iPhones, bringing cumulative fiscal 2007 iPhone sales to 1,389,000. Naturally we'll have full Leopard compatibility information for you as it becomes available.

  Take A Solo
Toontrack Solo is now available as a free download for all registered users of EZdrummer and Superior samplers. Toontrack Solo is Toontracks' very own host application, which provides standalone, multi-instance operation of Toontrack samplers, along with support for specialist MIDI controllers. Users can go directly to the Toontrack Solo product page and start using their favorite Toontrack drum sampler virtually latency-free (an appropriate sound card is required; a PDF guide offers additional information). The company has also released a small utility called SoundMover for EZdrummer users on the Mac who have been wanting to move their ever-growing EZ-Library to an external or secondary hard drive. Registered EZdrummer owners will find this application in the download section of their user account.

  New in Stock at Sweetwater

• TC-Helicon VoiceSolo VSM-300 XT - The TC-Helicon VoiceSolo personal vocal monitors all employ a custom-designed ICT true point-source driver to reproduce the human voice in the most intelligible and natural way. Enclosed in a rugged cast aluminum enclosure, the VSM-300 XT offers multiple mounting options using intelligently designed adapters that make setup with standard microphone stands a simple and quick task. By employing an ICT point-source driver, an efficiently designed cast aluminum case and a BASH 150-watt amplifier, your vocals will always sound crisp and clear. The front panel allows dedicated control of the mic input, the unique Voice Shape filter, line level, EQ controls, and master volume, allowing you to create your perfect monitor mix.
• Submersible Music Sk8PuNKbeAtz - This slammin' DrumCore expansion pack gives you a crackling combination of urban punk, funk, and hip-hop beats. There aren't any glossy, "polished" grooves here; Sk8PuNKbeAtz is chock full of gritty, soulful beats that convey an authentic Philly vibe, courtesy of Chuck Treece (kmown for his work with Bad Brains, G. Love, Scott Storch, McRad, and more). His stellar drumming skills, along with his renowned remixing and production work, has made Treece much sought-after by those who appreciate his signature approach to keeping the beat.
• Steinberg WaveLab Essential 6 - This is Steinberg's suite of audio editing tools specifically tailored to the needs of musicians, smaller recording environments, and podcast authors. WaveLab Essential 6 provides a full complement of streamlined editing and CD/DVD burning capabilities. The integrated podcast tools combine professional editing, restoration, and mastering capabilities with a full complement of internet audio publishing features, creating a one-stop application for recording, editing, and CD burning, right through to online publication via podcast. You also get stereo non-destructive editing with versatile clip grouping over multiple lanes, a powerful real-time engine with full integration of clip-based and global effect plug-ins, plus a sample-accurate audio editor with crystal clear audio processing at up to 96kHz and 32-bit floating point resolution
• Planet Waves NS Dual-Action Capo - Every guitar player needs a capo, but not all capos were created equal. The Planet Waves NS Dual-Action Capo makes using a capo easier and reduces the force needed to fret the strings, allowing you to adjust the NS-Dual Action Capo to provide just enough tension to fret and nothing more. This effectively eliminates side pull, which can yank strings out of tune and create the need for pesky and time-consuming re-tuning. A tension control knob, lightweight aluminum construction and ergonomic design all make the NS Dual-Action Capo a perfect gigging companion.

  Guitar of the Day
Those who regularly read this inSync feature probably know we've made this particular PRS CE22 our Guitar of the Day before. But we're dumbfounded as to why it's not in the hands of a guitarist right now, being played on stage or in the studio as it should be. There are an awful lot of good things to say about the instruments crafted by the folks at PRS, and one of those is that they don't reserve their beautiful figured maple tops for their top-of-the-line guitars. For example, check out the top on this simply stunning Model CE 22 in Emerald Green in our Guitar Gallery and at first glance you'll think you're looking at the company's more expensive Custom 22 (which isn't surprising, since this is a CU22 but with a bolt-on neck rather than a set neck Ð that's the only difference!). What's more, the carved maple top on this CE22 comes awfully close to being a "10-top," which you'd expect to see on more expensive models. Also check out the photo of the headstock, which includes part of the neck and fingerboard. We've never seen rosewood with this much variation in color - specifically the reddish hue - except for Brazilian rosewood, which is no longer being imported into the U.S. because of its scarcity. We're not saying it is Brazilian rosewood, but it certainly looks like it! Beyond the rosewood fingerboard, this guitar has a nicely figured maple neck. This is another upscale feature you'd expect on a costlier instrument. The CE 22 comes with the same high-end Dragon II pickups with nickel-plated covers, which deliver the classic humbucker sound. But since this guitar has the 5-way rotary pickup selector, you'll have access to the glossy "in-between" pickup sounds of a famous single-coil-equipped solidbody (you know which one we mean). The switch splits the pickups into single-coil mode in both series and parallel, for beautifully clean, glossy rhythm sounds or slinky solos. The vibrato is exactly the same as the ones used in PRS's top models. Naturally, it ships absolutely free via FedEx to your door in a plush-lined hardshell case. Somebody is going to get themselves one incredible instrument!