Mark of the Unicorn has raised the stakes with their new 896, a 96k FireWire audio interface for Mac and PC. The 896 features 8 channels of 24-bit analog I/O, 8 channels of ADAT optical digital I/O, 8 built-in mic pre-amps, AES/EBU digital I/O, word clock sync, and sample-accurate ADAT SYNC. Four 896’s can be chained to a single computer for 72 channels of I/O. You can put together a truly world class recording system with a computer and a few of these, and what’s most amazing is how inexpensive it is and how easy it is to do. It’s just plug and play.
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Access Music, the company who set the world on its ear with the VIRUS synthesizer range of products, has announced the Virus|Indigo TDM. The award-winning Virus OS4 engine turns a Digidesign ProTools system into a cutting-edge soft synth with up to 160 voices and 96 kHz (Protools|HD) sampling rates. They claim their highly optimized DSP algorithms ensure no audible latency and that every parameter adjustment can be immediately heard without clicks or glitches.
Some of the new features (in comparison to the Virus TDM) are:
* 3rd main oscillator
* Additional effects such as: Reverb, Groove Delay, Phaser, Envelope Follower, Patch Distortion, LoFi Modules
* Additional FM modes
* Easy Page for intuitive patch manipulation
* Support for 96khz sessions
* 20 Voices per DSP (on a Protools|HD System)
* 16 Voices per DSP (on a ProTools Mix System)
There will be an upgrade path for existing Virus TDM users. Price and availability are T.B.A.
Word also has it they are going to develop these plug-ins to run on the t.c. Electronic Power Core card, but no release schedule has been announced.
