NEW PRODUCTS
Aug 1, 2002 12:00 PM, By Markkus Rovito
QUIK-LOK ZJ-555
DJ PERFORMANCE STRUCTURE
Maker of popular coffin stands, Quik-Lok introduces its first dedicated DJ stand, the ZJ-555 ($549.95). With a computer-welded, 14-gauge steel construction, the ZJ-555 holds two turntables, a 19- or 10-inch mixer, and a single or double CD player steadily in place. Quik-Lok assures a strong, stable and safe foundation that will not shake or vibrate. The stand sets up or folds down in seconds. Its height is adjustable with a dual-pin, spring-loaded system. Also, the turntable holders rotate 360 degrees and can accommodate tables of various widths. The overall width and depth of the stand are 64.5 and 22 inches, respectively. Weighing in at 57.3 pounds, the ZJ-555 can support as much as 250 pounds of equipment.
Quik-Lok (dist. by Music Industries); tel. (800) 431-6699; e-mail mic@musicindustries.com; Web www.quiklok.com
RED SOUND XS-FX
BPM EFFECTS PROCESSOR
Compact and diverse, the Red Sound XS-FX ($449) delivers controllable effects that are auto-synched to the bpm of incoming audio. Five effect types are on hand: filter, flanger, delay, panner and cutter (a gating effect). In Single mode, the user selects and sets the five effects individually and controls two selectable parameters with a joystick and a third parameter with a fader. The user can also set the timing of the bpm effects from 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, 1/1 and 2/1 settings. In Multi mode, 50 factory-preset effect combinations are available, and the controls alter predetermined parameters. The bpm engine detects incoming tempos from 60 to 230 bpm in just a few seconds. The XS-FX has stereo pairs of inputs (line-level ¼-inch and RCA) and outputs (¼-inch balanced and line-level RCA), as well as a mic input and a headphone output on the front panel, each with a level knob.
Red Sound (dist. by Armadillo); tel. (727) 519-9669; e-mail info@armadilloent.com; Web www.armadilloent.com
UNIVERSAL SOUND BANK PLUGSOUND VOL. 5
PLUG-INS (MAC/WIN)
Virtual instruments join professional sample libraries in this Universal Sound Bank plug-in series. Now available for PC (VST2) and Mac (VST2, MAS and RTAS), Plugsound Vol. 5: World of Synthesizers ($99) compiles more than 1,000 samples based on a variety of analog, digital and plug-in synths and twists them into 512 presets. Synth categories include: Flutes, Voices, Tines and Bells, Basses, Pads, Filter Sweeps, Analog Brass, Leads, Organs, Piano-like, Textures/FX and more. The synth plug-in is powered by the UVI engine and offers sound-shaping capabilities such as dual multimode filters, amplitude and filter envelopes, LFO with four destinations and selectable velocity curves. The engine also allows users to edit each key zone independently. Its interface was designed for ease of use, allowing access to sample libraries without the need for a sampler, different parameter values for each independent sample zone and the ability to save all edited parameters within the host sequencer.
Universal Sound Bank (dist. by Big Fish Audio); tel. (800) 717-3474; e-mail info@plugsound.com; Web www.bigfishaudio.com or www.plugsound.comwww.remixmag.com
VIRSYN TERA
MODULAR SOFTWARE SYNTHESIZER (MAC/WIN)
Hardware modular synthesizers require webs of patch cords and a Himalayan learning curve. VirSyn's Tera ($279) plies a simple method of patching virtual cables in the modulation matrix to create a modular soft synth with classic customization power and the ease of a modern, fixed structure. Tera also uses five types of synthesis: virtual analog, FM, waveshaping, physical modeling and spectrum synthesis. The latter is a new synthesis method that “allows the creation and manipulation of resonant bodies with up to 128 formant frequencies.” Total polyphony is 64 notes, with a maximum of 16 modular synth parts. Built-in reverb, echo/delay, distortion and chorus/flanger/phaser compose the internal effects. Inside the integrated step sequencer, songs are created by stringing patterns together in 16 tracks, one for each synth part. There is also a piano roll and a programmable arpeggiator. The sequencer can even be used in a VST-host environment. The Mix window shows a full software mixer with 16 channels and Reverb, Chorus and Pan knobs; a level meter; and Solo and Mute buttons per channel. Tera is compatible with VST2 and ASIO.
VirSyn; e-mail info@virsyn.com; Web www.virsyn.com
CYCLING '74 PLUGGO 3.0
PLUG-IN SUITE (MAC/WIN)
Less than two bucks per plug-in is all you need for the update to Cycling '74's popular native audio-processing package. Pluggo 3.0 ($199) now includes more than 20 virtual instruments and more than 100 VST-, MAS- and RTAS-compatible plug-ins. In addition, Pluggo 3.0 users can now enjoy full compatibility with Cycling '74's audio-programming authoring software, Max4/MSP2. The program lets Pluggo 3.0 build plug-ins entirely from scratch and distribute them noncommercially. Pluggo 3.0 is the only means to develop a single plug-in that works with RTAS, VST and MAS. Pluggo now packages the Essential Instruments collection, initially developed by Eowave (developer of iSynth). The collection includes samplers and synths incorporating additive synthesis, analog drum and percussion modeling, granular synthesis, FM synthesis, wavetable synthesis and the intriguingly named Pretty Good Synth. Users can seamlessly combine those instruments with Pluggo effects, audio routers and modulators. Some of the effects include filters, delays, distortion, reverb and sound localization. Pluggo 3.0 is available to registered users of Max/MSP and Pluggo 2.1 and earlier for $59.
Cycling '74; tel. (415) 621-5743; e-mail info@cycling74.com; Web www.cycling74.com
ACCESS VIRUS C
SYNTHESIZERS
The venerable Access Virus synths have mutated again. Each of the four Virus models has been rereleased for the new Virus C series. At the heart of the updated C series is a faster Motorola processor for greater DSP power. That allows for new 32-note polyphony, 16 multitimbral parts, 1,024 synth patches (256 user), dedicated Undo/Redo and Random buttons and more. Each part has its own 3-band EQ. The Virus' total number of simultaneous effects is now 98. Nearly every time-based parameter can sync to MIDI Clock. Other standout traits are 16 independent arpeggiators with real-time controls, 16-voice Unison mode, four oscillators per voice, two independent multimode filters and surround-sound capabilities.
The new Access Virus C Desktop ($1,995) includes a completely rebuilt user interface with 69 informative LEDs, six 24-bit outputs and two 18-bit inputs. The scaled-down Virus Rack XL ($1,795) is a single-space rack unit with a front-panel mono input for guitar and line-level signals, and stereo rear-panel inputs. Keyed-up Viruses are the semiweighted, 61-key Virus KC and the silver 37-key Virus Indigo 2 ($2,595 each).
Access (dist. by GSF Agency); tel. (310) 452-6216; e-mail gf@access-music.de; Web www.access-music.de
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