New Products October 2008 Part 2
Oct 27, 2008 7:20 PM
IZOTOPE IDRUM FOR IPHONE AND IPOD TOUCH
PORTABLE DRUM MACHINE AND PATTERN SEQUENCER
Since we here at Remix are gaga for multitouch, nothing makes us happier than new music-related apps for Apple's iPhone and iPod Touch devices. iZotope swam a bit ahead of the pack with the adapted version of its popular iDrum software. The new iDrum for iPhone/iPod Touch ($4.99 each edition) offers all sorts of integration of the included technology of the device. For example, simply shake the phone back and forth (like an Etch-A-Sketch) to clear the current pattern. Clearly you'll be using your fingers to just quickly tap in the patterns you want, but how about view options like a color-coded lighted MPC-style 16-pad drum machine interface or the Kaoss-like x-y volume/panning screen for each drum. Visual glitz is high here, and the graphic element really helps make the experience fun. A cool 16-up Visual Pattern chooser lets you “play” your patterns to create songs, and with a special companion app, your beats can even be made into ringtones for your iPhone.
KRK SYSTEMS KRK10
ACTIVE SUBWOOFER
With newly updated casings to match the musical curvature of its updated RockitG2 and VXT series of studio monitor, KRK's new KRK10s Active Sub ($599) brings all KRK’s design, fabrication and voicing advances to bear on a 10-inch glass-aramid subwoofer. The curvature in the case design has shown to reduce internal diffraction, and the new front port design reduces interference from nearby walls and vibrations on the speaker itself. Other new ideas appear as well, like a handy ground lift switch and the cool Bypass footswitch that allows the sub and it's built-in crossovers to be enabled or disabled without having to climb under the desk. Also, new heat sinking helps disperse heat quicker to provide lower distortion at high volumes--very helpful for urban producers who use big sub basses and 808 kicks.
KOBLO CENTAURUS
SOFT SYNTH PLUG-IN
Koblo's classic Vibra9000 synth was an early plug-in staple for many ‘90s computer composers, and the company has returned with (among other things) Centaurus ($14.99), a VST/Audio Unit/stand-alone soft-synth for Windows XP or Mac OS X. Simple, straightforward and affordable, Centaurus still aims for that same big sound. Two oscillators, a detailed LFO section, Mod Envelope and Amplitude Envelope sections, plus the same Filter section from the classic Vibra9000, add all the necessary synthesis options and then some. New features include tempo-syncable LFOs and a ton of new presets for great starting points and quick access to sounds. Easy to use and easy on the CPU, Centaurus is an affordable way to get a great new soft-synth option into your production world.
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