Plugin Alliance announces acquisition of Wolfgang Palm’s prestigious PPG synthesizer brand by Brainworx Audio “I am very glad to have found Brainworx and Plugin Alliance, who appreciate my work from the past and want to continue my legacy.”– Wolfgang Palm, originator of wavetable synthesis and founder/owner of PPG, 2020 SANTA CRUZ, CA, USA: Plugin Alliance, supporting all major plugin formats and uniting some of the best- known international audio companies under one virtual roof, is proud to announce founding partner Brainworx Audio’s acquisition of the assets of Wolfgang Palm’s prestigious PPG synthesizer brand. The trailblazing Hamburg-based company founded by Wolfgang Palm first found fame and fortune in its initial incarnation throughout the Eighties and beyond by bringing the distinctive sound of wavetable synthesis to the musical masses and also impacting the MI industry with its innovative PPG Wave hybrid digital/ analogue synthesizer series and associated advances. These included the unique (unreleased) Realizer — quite possibly the world’s first virtual instrument (in 1986), albeit as a proprietary hardware hybrid! Software seriously came calling from 2012 onwards when Wolfgang Palm returned to prominence, producing new PPG products. What a legacy. PPG synthesizers have musically made their mark onstage and in the studio with an array of notable artists such as a-Ha, Alphaville, David Bowie, Depeche Mode, Thomas Dolby, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Jean-Michel Jarre, Mike & The Mechanics, Gary Numan, Pet Shop Boys, Rush, Talk Talk, Tangerine Dream, Tears For Fears, Ultravox, Stevie Wonder, and many more. Thanks to Brainworx Audio’s acquisition of the assets of Wolfgang Palm’s prestigious PPG synthesizer brand, that legacy is all set to thrive. Plans are already afoot by Brainworx Audio to update Wolfgang Palm’s PPG products in close collaboration with the man himself, universally recognized as the originator of wavetable synthesis! Together they will take the PPG brand and advance its digital products into the future, following Wolfgang Palm’s planned retirement at the end of March 2020 — after 50 years in the creative field of sound synthesis! Signing an agreement with Plugin Alliance and Brainworx Audio owner Dirk Ulrich ultimately lets Wolfgang Palm put his (well- deserved) retirement plan into action, happy in the knowledge that his ‘baby’ will be in good hands. Wolfgang Palm puts it this way: “I am very glad to have found Brainworx and Plugin Alliance, who appreciate my work from the past and want to continue my legacy. They have a great team of competent developers, product specialists, marketing, and all that is needed to make a company successful. I support their work to make the transition as smooth as possible, and it will be exciting to see how this evolves. Also, I think that this collaboration will result in a much wider audience than before.” Indeed, it is a great honor for Brainworx Audio to be joining forces with Wolfgang Palm — truly a legend in his own right, and continue to break boundaries in the world of virtual instruments. “We are proud that Wolfgang Palm put his brand and product into our hands,” declares Dirk Ulrich, ending on a high note: “We will make sure to carry on his legacy with the respect it deserves and we are looking forward to evolving the brand and products for years to come.” For more in-depth information about the trailblazing work of Wolfgang Palm and the prestigious PPG’s past, present, and future, feel free to check out Plugin Alliance’s interview with the man himself here: https://www.plugin-alliance.com/en/blog/blogpost/items/wolfgang-palm-interview.html
Polyend Tracker reboots retro form factor of software past with forward-looking functionality as world’s first hardware tracker OLSZTYN, POLAND: famed for bringing new technologies to creative musicians by building innovative and unique musical instruments, Polyend is proud to announce availability of Tracker — effectively extracting the best bits of yesteryear’s tricky tracker software classics and rebooting them with forward-looking functionality as the world’s first hardware tracker, deftly designed as an easy-to-use compact standalone workstation with immediacy and simplicity at its creative core, and aiding artists with forging unique avenues of sonic construction to boot — as of March 18… For the benefit of the uninitiated, a music tracker — tracker, for short — is a type of sequencing software. Speaking historically, the tracker term itself is derived from the first tracker software, Ultimate Soundtracker, starting life as a game sound development tool released for the Commodore Amiga personal computer back in 1987. The first trackers supported four pitch and volume modulated channels of 8-bit PCM (Pulse Code Modulation) samples, a limitation imposed by the Amiga’s audio chipset. Classic trackers represented music as discrete notes positioned in individual channels at discrete positions on a vertical timeline with a number-based user interface. Indeed, notes, parameter changes, effects, and other commands were entered via computer keyboard into a grid of fixed time slots as codes comprising letters, numbers, and hexadecimal digits — the latter being a positional system representing numbers using 16 distinct symbols. Saying that, those in the know appreciated the immediacy and simplicity of classic tracker software, if not necessarily those hexadecimal digits! One thing’s for sure, though: tracker software has exerted its influence on modern electronic music with influential IDM (Intelligent Dance Music) artists like (Aphex Twin alias) AFX, (Polish-American) Bogdan Raczyński, Brothomstates (a.k.a. Lassi Nikk, Finnish composer), Machinedrum (a.k.a. Travis Stewart, American electronic music producer), and Venetian Snares (a.k.a. Aaron Funk, Canadian electronic musician), to namecheck but several so-called ‘demo scene’ movers and shakers skilfully orbiting around those tricky trackers. That said, some might say that trackers need not be so tricky in this day and age. And it is this thinking that led toPolyend’s trailblazing Tracker. The timely arrival of the aptly-named Tracker puts Polyend in pole position for blazing a new trail, tooled to take the tracker concept to a new level of innovative, inspirational, and immediate music-making by effectively extracting the best bits of yesteryear’s tricky tracker software classics and rebooting them with forward-looking functionality as the world’s first hardware tracker. Thankfully, Tracker waves goodbye to hexadecimal hysterics — not only did those entering the brave new world of classic trackers not necessarily know what those values actually represented, they could not see what was affected by them. Thinking inside its beautifully-engineered box, Tracker instead implements a simplified system of readable decimals that also shows the effects parameters when those decimals are entered in a frenzied fast track to creativity. Tracker takes the quintessential characteristics of a classic tracker — the vertical timeline, powerful sequencer, and mechanical keyboard — and cleverly combines them with a newly-designed input interface, divided into several sections: a (high resolution, crisp, and bright) big screen and associated screen keys — mechanical controls that always correspond to what is displayed on the screen directly above them; the grid — featuring 48 backlit multifunctional silicon pads for quick note and pattern value entry and visual feedback (while also acting as a highly-customisable keyboard controller with editable scales); function keys — for fast and responsive control over all functions and options; plus navigation keys and associated (metal-manufactured) jog-wheel (with haptic feedback for fast scrolling or precise adjustments) — for facilitating transport control alongside arrow keys for navigation control, as well as dedicated Insert, Copy/Paste, Delete/Backspace, and Shift keys. All are at hand, helping to streamline making and performing music in a new and innovative way — without having to leave the world’s first hardware tracker, deftly designed as an easy-to-use compact standalone workstation with immediacy and simplicity at its creative core, and aiding artists with forging unique avenues of sonic construction to boot. Better still, the classic tracker look of that dominating (default) screen — showing (up to) 48 instruments and 256 patterns with a maximum of 128 steps per pattern per project — belies an infinite source of inspiration. Indeed, Tracker comes complete with a wide variety of onboard sound design tools to enhance creativity still further for those wishing to take it to the limit. Let loose with Instrument — a chain of tools (Volume, Tuning, Panning, Filters, Reverb Send, and ADSRs) to make an instrument from any sample; Sampler — choose from different (1-shot, Forward, Backward, and Ping-Pong) play modes; Slicer — slice samples manually, or let Tracker take care of it ‘automagically’ at any time; Wavetable — full-blown wavetable synthesis with variable table length to make it compatible with the most popular (Ableton Wave and Serum) standards; Granular — single grain yet very powerful granular synthesis to create crazy and futuristic sounds from old and boring samples; Sample Editor — built-in precise offline rendering sample editor with multiple effects; and Sample Recorder — records up to two minutes of 16-bit/44.1kHz samples using built-in Radio, Pattern selection, Mic or Line In inputs, all of which can be saved to the included (16GB) MicroSD card for later use or loaded directly into a project. Put it this way: with Tracker, users can quickly and easily use existing sample libraries, record new ones, or use the built-in FM (Frequency Modulation) radio. Record samples, play them, slice them, mash them, or even make a synth out of them! Tracker also plays nicely with other instruments. Thanks to its bidirectional MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) implementation, it can be used to sequence and control external gear or be controlled as a sound module by any external MIDI software or hardware devices. Whatever way anyone chooses to use it, armed as it is with an impressive arsenal of sonic weaponry — including automatic filling, randomiser, probability, selection rendering, effects per step, live recording, batch parameter editing, micro-tuning, micro-timing, rolls, and much more besides — it has what it takes to be a surefire hit, harbouring endless creativity. Compatibility with MOD files — a computer file format primarily used to represent music, made up of a set of instruments (in the form of samples), a number of patterns (indicating how and when the samples are to be played), and a list of what patterns to play in what order — allows users to import and finish tracks from way back when or export and finish their Tracker creations in modern-day software trackers. The world’s first hardware tracker is slick, light, and portable. It is also energy efficient, so will work with any USB (Universal Serial Bus) power source. Sturdy and compact, the retro form factor of software past with forward-looking functionality makes for a great music creation companion — in the studio, on the run, or on stage. Simply put, Polyend’s Tracker puts everything right on track as a ‘back to the roots’ experience like no other! Tracker comes complete with a USB-A power adapter, 2m USB-C cable, 3.5mm to 2x 6.3mm adapter, Minijack to MIDI DIN adapter, 16GB MicroSD card, and MicroSD to USB-A adapter, and is available to purchase through Polyend’s growing global network of authorised dealers (https://polyend.com/where-to-buy/) at an MSRP of €499 EUR/$599 USD. Or order online directly from Polyend itself via the dedicated Tracker webpage (https://polyend.com/tracker/), which also includes more in-depth information.
Just writing this as a reminder that pre-orders end 3/15/2020 at midnight. this is the final weekend to grab the E520 on pre-order. Why does this matter? Well you will save $20, but you will also be able to take delivery 4-8 weeks before dealers! also if you grab the 4ms pod bundle you save there too.
here is the direct info. https://www.synthtech.com/shop
This is a pre-order for people that missed the Kickstarter campaign, and will end on March 15, 2020.
The E520 Hyperion is a 48HP wide Euro stereo effects processor. Using a 480MHz ARM processor and 64MB of SDRAM, the E520 offers effects in both the time-domain (delays/chorus/flangers/frequency shifters) and the spectral/frequency-domain (chromatic pitch shifting, spectral ‘freezing’, and others). Each effect has 4 assignable CVs, feedback, wet/dry mixing and a Bypass.
Please read these terms and conditions CAREFULLY before placing your order.
The module will ship when the regular KickStarter modules have all shipped. This is ESTIMATED to be late July 2020
I will refund your money upon request ONLY BEFORE April 1st, and then only 50% because parts will been ordered which cannot be returned.
There are 4 selections below: silver USA or foreign ship, and black USA or foreign ship. The price will includes all PayPal fees and shipping.
USA orders, black or silver panel: $629
Foreign orders, black or silver panel: $659
If you use someone else’s PayPal account, this is OK as I will email you to verify the shipping address before I mail it. Just CHECK THE EMAIL on the PayPal form and edit if not up to date.
Please note: you will receive a single email, from the PayPal site, that your order is accepted. You will NOT receive anything from this site. You can always email if you are unsure.BUY: USA BLACK PANEL OPTION $629BUY: USA SILVER PANEL OPTION $629BUY: FOREIGN BLACK PANEL OPTION $659BUY: FOREIGN SILVER PANEL OPTION $659
This is a pre-order for people that missed the Kickstarter campaign, and will end on March 15, 2020.
This is a bunble of the E520 Hyperion and a 4ms PODx powered, 48HP desktop skiff.
Please read these terms and conditions CAREFULLY before placing your order.
The module will ship when the regular KickStarter modules have all shipped. This is ESTIMATED to be late July 2020
I will refund your money upon request ONLY BEFORE April 1st, and then only 50% because parts will been ordered which cannot be returned.
There are 2 selections below: silver or black front panel. The PODX is black only. The price will includes all PayPal fees and shipping.
All orders, black or silver panel: $749, ships worldwide
The AC power cord is NOT INCLUDED for orders outside the USA. It is a standard 3-prong IEC Type C5.
Please note: you will receive a single email, from the PayPal site, that your order is accepted. You will NOT receive anything from this site. You can always email if you are unsure.BUY: BLACK PANEL + PODX BUNDLE $749BUY: SILVER PANEL + PODX BUNDLE $749
FluxWithit takes a serious look at the Rokit brand monitors.
KRK Rokit 8 Gen4 White Noise Edition
KRK Rokits evoke emotion in home studio enthusiasts no doubt about it. I wanna start this article off by saying, I know. I know the history, I know the past. I was there. I was in those home studios where Krk Rokits really became as prolific in homes studios, as those white coned monitors did in the studios of the 80’s… But the yellow coned booming sound gained its massive home studio adoption for arguably opposite reasons. KRK Rokits of old just made things sound good where as those white coned units were known for being so bad that if your mix sounded good on them, it would translate all over. they were affordable, had a great low end extension for the money and they were noticeable with that bright yellow cone. sounding good however is not always what you want from a studio monitor. What you might be after is truth. Sometimes those little lies that make us happy, can hurt us down the road in a mix. There in lies the controversy with KRK Rokits. known for being entry level monitor that delivered great sound, but at the cost of covering up some of our mistakes.
So here we are today, many generations of updates later with KRK Rokits now on their 4th generation. Are these Rokits the same as the old Rokits? Well thats my goal to find out. I went into this review with an open mind and a curiosity. The first thing I noticed about these new generation of monitors is that in built DSP is standard on the Gen4 Rokits. There is a nice graphic display panel round back that has a very easy to use control knob which doubles as the volume control (ok volume in this case is actually monitor input sensitivity but I digress.). This screen indicates a pretty significant shift. Krk is giving you 25 eq setting to better suit the acoustic environment that your monitors are placed into.
The volume knob to the right can be pushed in to confirm selections and is very easy to use.
I was a bit skeptical about this at first, however there is a really cool feature of these monitors when setting them up… KRK includes an app (that is actually use for any brand monitors not just these KRK monitors!). The app KRK Audio Tools available for ios and android assists you in everything from aligning your monitors at the correct angle to your listening position, room equalization (for use with the onboard DSP eq.), Delay time alignment, phase alignment, a signal generator as well as a FFT spectrum analyzer all with simple to understand instructions. Once you have used the app to set up and test your monitors it will give you recommendations on EQ settings for the onboard DSP which you can then double check against your FFT in app.
KRK Audio Tool APP has a host of easy to use tools to set up your monitors.
This onboard DSP and APP functionality is a bigger deal than you might think. It points to acknowledgment from KRK that there is flexibility to these monitors. Yes we want flat mixing monitors but the truth is, when producing sometimes you want your mix to be enjoyable BEFORE you get to that mixing stage. With these Gen4 monitors you get the best of both worlds. you can have that loud punchy sound associated with Rokits that makes producing banging beats so fun… and then when you want that flat mix, you can enable the onboard DSP and flatten the mix out. It’s not even a hassle to switch between the settings. Thats pretty cool in my book.
Back to the point of clarity and a true mix. I have noticed that these monitors are far more defined than their predecessors. I used to get annoyed with Gen2 because I felt the mids just were not as clear as I would like. With the Gen 4 I am not having any of those feelings at all. mid range clarity seems to be on point. I don’t know if this is due to the upgraded materials on the cone and tweeter. Now a very visible Kevlar® weave. This trickles down from KRK’s high end monitors the V series. the new wave guide and single piece design is touted to be a low resonance enclosure. To that point I made sure to test a wide range of frequencies to try and get some rattle or resonant peaking out of these monitors yet they stayed remarkably accurate. While working on sound design for a new synthesizer I found my self often moving between monitoring solutions to double check clarity. I was cautious with trusting a new monitor set especially considering I am also in a newly built studio that I have yet to become fully accustomed to yet. the Gen4’s consistently were providing me with a translatable sound. The Bass is certainly not feeling over hyped. Quite the contrary I found myself actually increasing the low end eq to boost the bass a bit. The high end is extremely crisp again I do suspect this has to do with the Kevlar cone and new drivers. Side to side movement is less a strong point on these monitors from the JBL monitors as I do notice the sweet spot is a little more direct but not nearly as pronounced as previous generations, certainly acceptable. vertically I feel the range of sweet spot is very good giving a rather wide range (I tend to sit and stand often when working so this is pretty important to me.)
Loudness of KRK’s has long been a feature for many a beat maker. These new Gen4 are no slouch in that category. These deliver a max spl rating of 111db (3 db higher than the previous generation) So I don’t think you will need to worry about filling your room with sound. At higher sound pressures I did not notice any case vibrations or looseness that would cause any sort of rattle. This was something I was initially concerned about considering the front panel is actually magnetically held in place (more on that later.) I was quite relieved to hear no odd rattles.
The LCD is easy to read and navigate
The big front port on these monitors means that you can optimize space in your studio. Unlike rear ported monitors these are less susceptible to rear walls intruding on your sound clarity. This can help maximize your monitor placement in smaller rooms. I highly recommend you give the manual a read (WHAT WHO EVER RTFM?!?!) It is actually filled with a bunch of very useful info and explains in detail things like how the amp works, how the grills work and tips on monitor placement as well as a better understanding of how the monitor design functions as a whole.
The Front baffle is actually held on magnetically. you can pull it off to install the filter grille covers to prevent damage to the cones. the grilles do not effect frequency response.
Ok so What is my overall feeling on the Rokit 8 Gen4 white noise? Well I think there are some pretty obvious improvements over the previous generations. The not so obvious improvements really are the stand outs for me though. KRK is taking the affordable lower cost monitor market and adding a ton of value. Monitors that are now able to retain midrange clarity while also extending down to an earth shaking 36hz is no small feat. The ability to easily tailor your monitors to your environment by way of the APP as well as the on board EQ is something that previously would have cost a few hundred dollars more at the minimum. Couple that with the fact that it is laid out in a way that those not accustomed to making these sorts of adjustments can understand… thats a big deal. You don’t need to be an acoustician to understand that you should have a properly treated room. However even with a treated room you still need to align your monitors correctly and compensate for room modes etc. KRK holds your hand rather nicely through this process. IMHO that adds a lot of value. I have to say, those big yellow cones used to be a sign of producing rather than mixing. Now I can confidently say that these are at home in both the mixing environment as well as the production environment. I plan on using these monitors for another good 6 months or so and revisiting this review. My opinion is that the only real way to review a monitor is with a long term review. lets see how these Kevlar® cones stand up over time (I suspect they should quite well.) I am feeling quite optimistic about the future of this series.
Erica Synths Opens Pre-Ordering for SYNTRX analog synthesizerCollaboration between Erica Synths and engineers from Riga Technical University results in a new kind of user interface that inspires users to explore the sonic universeRiga, Latvia, February 20, 2020 — Erica Synths announces that it has opened pre-ordering for its new SYNTRX all analog synthesizer. SYNTRX, which features three highly accurate VCOs and a inspiring new digitally controlled analog patch/mixer matrix, will begin shipping to customers in April on a first-come, first served basis. Since the very beginning of the company, Erica Synths has promoted experimental electronic music, developing instruments that enable musicians to unleash their creativity. When it comes to standalone instruments, one of most encouraging instruments in experimental music was the Synthi AKS. In the spirit of innovative collaboration, Erica Synths teamed up with engineers from Riga Technical University to develop a synthesizer with a user interface that challenges conventional wisdom in a sound design. The result is an instrument that will inspire users to explore the sonic universe and travel to previously undiscovered audible realms. SYNTRX is an all analog synthesizer developed from scratch. Following are features and specifications: 3 highly accurate VCOs that track great over 8 octavesOctave switch for the VCO1Sync option for the VCO2Noise generator with “color” filterResonant VCFRing modulatorSpring reverbASR/AD looping envelope generatorJoystick controllerInput amplifier with adjustable gain3 VCAsSample & Hold circuit with an individual clockOutput signal filterMechanical CV/audio signal level indicatorMIDI In and MIDI ThruBuilt in speakersDimensions: 309mm x 457mm x 115mm (with the joystick in centre position)Weight: 4.05 kg Erica Synths will make a user manual available on April 25th. To learn more about pre-orders on SYNTRX, which is priced at € 2,500.00, please visit the Erica Synths product page. ABOUT ERICA SYNTHS Erica Synths team of visionaries, engineers and musicians have been working hard to bring you modules and instruments that will set your modular system apart from mass in terms of how it sounds, looks and functions
DUESSELDORF, GERMANY: DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) plugin and audio DSP (Digital Signal Processing) developer Fuse Audio Labs is proud to announce availability of VPRE-2C — its latest plugin par excellence, based on a rare all-tube, transformer-based booster amp whose basic circuit design has been used in countless tube consoles for broadcast and recording during the late-Fifties and early-Sixties — as of February 7…
VPRE-2C enriches any recording with an authentic-sounding tube vibe in the most intuitive way. While lower GAIN settings produce a well-defined, balanced sound with an accentuated midrange, turning up this level-compensated control also significantly increases the perception of warmth, weight, and smoothness. Saying that, the plugin also emulates its inspirational hardware forerunner’s two triode-strapped 6J7 pentodes for a rich THD (Total Harmonic Distortion) spectrum as well as the original transformer configuration to bring back its signature low-end mojo, while also adding a selectable pre-/deemphasis filter and a MIX control for a greater variety of tones. Another exclusive feature is its BOOST mode — for kicking in more solid drive and coloration. “Creating VPRE-2C was a fun project,” proclaims Fuse Audio Labs CEO Reimund Dratwa. “Rebuilding and modeling the original circuit was a rather straightforward affair, but tweaking this classic amplifier into a versatile and easy-to-use tone box in the digital domain required some thought for sure! The result really is a ticket back in time to deliver that wonderful vintage sound whenever anyone hears it calling out to them.” VPRE-2C is available at an introductory promo price of €24.50 EUR until March 7, 2020 — rising thereafter to its regular price of €49.00 EUR — directly from Fuse Audio Labs’ website here: https://fuseaudiolabs.com(All prices include VAT, where applicable.) Note that a 14-day trial version of VPRE-2C without any limitations is also available. For more in-depth information, please visit the dedicated VPRE-2C webpage here: https://fuseaudiolabs.com/vpre2c.html
AKAI PROFESSIONAL® INTRODUCES MPC ONE, A POWERFUL, COMPACT
ADDITION TO THE LEGENDARY MPC LINEUP
New MPC One features Akai Professional’s premier multi-core processor and delivers the
ultimate in standalone performance to a new generation of beatmakers.
Fort Lauderdale, FL USA (January 15, 2020) — Akai Professional, a leading manufacturer of
music equipment for performers and producers, today announced the newest addition to its
industry-leading family of music production centers, the powerful standalone MPC One.
MPC One offers a world-class creative producer experience, powered by the most powerful
processor found in any standalone production device. Controlled by a 7-inch multi-touch
interface and an intuitive touch-key layout, it creates the best MPC experience for all producers
and music makers, in a compact form factor. Because of its remarkably comprehensive feature
set and small footprint, this is the perfect companion for everyone’s studio. With its
unprecedented combination of sheer production power, compact size and incredible price point,
the MPC One establishes an unmatched standard for capability and value.
Included as standard are network connectivity, Splice integration and CV/Gate connectors, so
producers can effortlessly access the sounds they need. MPC One comes loaded with 2GB of
new drum sample & loop collections, curated specifically for this new hardware, delivering a
library full of hard-hitting, dynamic drum sounds, sure to impress the most demanding creators.
The MPC One features the signature synth engines Electric, Tubesynth and Bassline as well as
the world-class AIR FX for mixing & mastering. With MPC One, artists have everything they
need to deliver impressive, professional productions and streaming-ready records.
MPC One Hardware Features:
Brilliant 7-inch multi-touch display
16 velocity-sensitive RGB pads
2GB RAM, 4GB onboard storage
MIDI In/Out
4 TRS CV/Gate Jacks, 8 Outputs Total
USB Flash & SD Card storage
Additionally, MPC One incorporates control surface workflow for PC & Mac and includes a full
version of MPC2 Desktop Software.
Dan Gill, Senior Product Manager for Akai Professional said, “We broke new ground with the
MPC X and MPC Live, the most powerful standalone music production devices ever. We’re
proud to say we’ve been able to deliver that exact same power in an efficient form factor that will
be at home in any music production studio suite. This is a truly remarkable day for music
creatives everywhere.”
MPC One will be available in February 2020 and will ship with a retail price of $699. For more information on MPC One, visit akaipro.com.
