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If I were Building a System Today... Rev 6 (1/14/03)

BuildOrBuy News -

1394 Protocol Prosumer Sound / Audio Card SMDI (SCSI Musical Data Interchange Sample Management Protocol) Windows Audio: WDM Driver Model Yamaha - Audio, Yamaha's MLAN (1394 FireWire a.k.a. Sony iLink)

Midi.org - The Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI); MIDI Manufacturers Association

ProAudio Interfaces:

Define ProAudio on a PC - Our interpretation: Anyone can do it!

Just because we have the Tools does not a Recording Artist make! Talent required. What makes Audio differ from ProAudio is Content Creation to the spec in the digital domain. 2496 is the norm today, tomorrow DVD-Audio, SACD and more. Drivers, etc. Who is with us today and can we expect them to be with us for driver support tomorrow? As always, a PC is a Tool to perform a task. The Digital Domain is the place and the PC Rules affordably! No longer do we require a Studio full of gear costing in the tens of hundreds of thousands of dollars. Today anyone can record, produce and publish! DTP (Desktop Publishing) was the initial flight in Windows 3.0 now we're DTM (Desktop Musicians) in Windows 2000!

We'll take a look @ what's going on with Audio Gear and our opinion on what to expect or better still, what to buy and when. After all, "It's all about the music!" GB

Pro Audio News Updates:

Have You Heard the Latest...

1. Harmony-Central.com:  Record Now Series Begins with Free Guide on Choosing and Using Microphones. Details, see: www.mic-guide.com (11/14/2002).
2. Appears Korean Audio Interface, EgoSys may now FINALLY be shipping their NEW WaMi Rack 192L according to  their On-Line Sales web site. Can we actually get delivery? Anyone willing to risk it? EgoSys does a poor job of handling sales, I'd hate to think what would happen to an actual customer AFTER the sale! WaMi Rack 192L EgoSys.net Online Shopping (7/3/2002).
3. Seen this yet? Audio: Rolls RFX Bellari: GCi404 Audio Computer Interface - Perfect compliment to an existing Audio Card? Mounts into a 5.25" Computer Drive Bay! Features: Single balanced XLR Microphone input with phantom power + (1) 1/4" Instrument signal and a group of stereo Line Input signals and stereo Phono preamp with grounding post and built-in RIAA equalization (7/3/2002).
4. Win One Of 58 Classic SM58 Mics From SHURE - the #1 choice of rock & roll royalty the world over (4/4/2002)!
5. prosoundnews.com:  Carillon USA Launches 'Audio' PC (2/27/2002).
6. Mars Songplayer Has Arrived! Learn your favorite songs note for note while you listen to the CD. Choose from over 2,000 of the world’s hottest hits, plus get your first song absolutely FREE! (2/27/2002)
7. Sweetwater Sound @ NAMM 2002 viewed the new, as yet to be released, Presonus FireStation Firewire Audio Workstation, with mic, line and instrument inputs, S/PDIF inputs and outputs, and line outputs, plus three mLAN ports - Slick! (2/2/2002).
8. Waves NEW Restoration bundle... The Restoration Native bundle includes four new Plug-Ins; X-Noise, X-Click, X-Crackle, and X-Hum. Supports RTAS, AudioSuite, VST, MAS and DirectX plug-in formats on Windows PC platform; MSRP: $1,200 - Press Release (2/2/2002). 
9. Synchro Arts, new VocALign Project^® Automatic Audio Alignment for Windows; adjust the timing of one audio signal to match the timing of another; Works with 16- and 24-bit audio / Wave and Broadcast wave files at 44.1 KHz and 48 KHz; Windows 95/98/NT/2000/ME/XP; Windows Clipboard: Syntrillium Cool Edit Pro & Sonic Foundry Sound Forge (2/2/2002).
10. Sweetwater Setmaker  - Song Manager & Set List Creator For Musicians for Windows now available! Free: Download SetMaker (1/31/2002).
11. AlterMedia - Studio Suite: The world's leading Studio Management Software (1/31/2002).
12. ESI (formerly EGO SYS) Debuts New 96kHz Audio Interfaces (1/30/2002).
    • ESI-PRO Homepage -
13. Microsoft - HDCD - High Definition Compatible Digital^® (HDCD^®) is a patented encode/decode process for delivering the full richness and detail of the original microphone feed on Compact Discs and DVD-Audio HDCD - CD Players (1/22/2002).
14. ProAudio: Harmony-Central.com: Native Instruments Unveils Kontakt - Native Instruments Debuts Kontakt at Winter NAMM, a powerful and flexible software sampler for PC. KONTAKT will be released in March 2002 at a retail price of $399 (1/21/2002).

SeaSound Update:

New Synth Keyboards

Korg - KARMA - Causing a storm.

korg.com - Get Some Holiday Cheer! With a $100 Gift from Korg.

Roland - Fantom

ToneBank 1.1 - The Bank manager/editor for Roland JV/XP synthesizers, workstations and sound modules.

New Synth / Sampler Keyboard

Yamahasynth.com products MOTIF

Motifator.com-Welcome

Harmony Central Sweetwater Releases Freeware for Creating Set Lists (12/27/01).

Native Instruments - Generate the Future of Sound!

NATIVE INSTRUMENTS FM7 (12/21/01).

Audio Conversion Update: Translator Version 2.5 Released ...more (12/06/01).

New - Sonic Foundry Loops for ACID Bill Laswell Collection (12/04/01).

Audio Updates: Native Instruments - FM7 now available for PC (11/24/01).

GigaStudio Beta Available (11/21/01).

Cakewalk® Announces Pyro 1.5 (11/14/01).

Harmony Central® New Version of Sample Wrench Audio Editor and Price Cuts (11/14/01).  MIDI/SMDI Sample Transfer - Additional Info >>>.

Kyma Developers Go On a 10-City Demo Tour (11/13/01).

Vintaudio Debuts with Giga Clean Electric Guitars (11/12/01).

• Vintaudio Home - VINTAUDIO Press Release 1 (11/07/01).

192kHz Audio Interfaces Coming from EGO SYS (11/07/01).

EgoSys.net: World-first E-WDM (Enhanced Windows Driver Model) driver for Windows 2000/ME/98. Now they also use: www.esi-pro.com

• View to the future (EWDM powerUP)
• about GIGA-WIRE
• EWDM Technology - WDM for Audio / E-WDM (Enhanced Audio Driver) Comparative Table.

ProAudio, Translator Update - Professional audio sampler format conversions ...more (1-/26/01).

CDxtract - Sampler Library and Conversion Tool

Audio-EDL Translating Tool for Windows

TASCAM.COM - The World of PC Recording: A Tutorial Guide on Creating, Optimizing and Maintaining Computers for Audio Recording ...more.

Harmony Central® Free Access to The DAW Buyer's Guide Available On-Line

Sound Card Selections: Cakewalk.com - Open Audio Hardware Guide -

• Creative Soundblaster.com - Audigy Sound Cards - Audigy chipset -
  
• Harmony-Central.com: Creative Announces Sound Blaster Audigy Sound Cards - (August 22, 2001)
  
• ProAudio: MOTU Releases Windows 2000 Audio/MIDI Drivers - (08-10-01)
  • Windows 2000 WDM "XP-ready" Drivers for all MOTU MIDI and Audio Interfaces 
• Windows Driver Model Information
  
• MMA: Midi.org - See: 1394b Spec

The HALion Review Streaming 101

• HALion VST sampler from Steinberg sample Library HALion tutorial
  

Copy Protection - EQMag.com (June, 2001)

Having trouble locating just what you want? Instead, try looking for what your application requires, then choose!

Sound Card Selections - From The Applications' Point Of View! 

1. Sound Cards
2. Cakewalk.com - SONAR WDM for Optimal Performance - Sound Cards

   www.cakewalk.com/Products/SR/WDM.html

3. NEMESYS - Recommended Hardware - Sound Cards: GSIF drivers & Multi-Client capable.

   www.nemesysmusic.com/support/hardware.html

4. Steinberg Knowledgebase Audio cards with ASIO drivers

   Audio cards with ASIO - Steinberg's Audio Stream Input Output Technology (Cubase (VST), Cubasis VST / AV, Nuendo) - No Longer Available! Instead, See >>> Steinberg Testbase - List of tested PC Audio Cards (1/22/2002). Link Gone!

5. Harmony-Central.com:   Steinberg ASIO 2.0: The Next Level of Steinberg's Audio Stream Input Output Technology (January 28, 1999).

SeaSound ProAudio Interface - As of 6/29/01 SeaSound.com is Out Of Business!

...SeaSound was launched on December 7, 1998 by Tom Oberheim, legendary inventor of electronic musical instruments and audio products, and a core team of seasoned professionals...

None of the info below is functional! The Support FAQ, updated 6/12/01, does function!

SeaSound, LLC 
2955 Kerner Blvd. 
San Rafael, CA 94901, USA 

Ryan Kallus - ryan@seasound.com | sales@seasound.com / 415.485.5124 
Phone:  (415) 485 - 5119 & Fax:  (415) 485 - 39001 

Excerpt from SeaSound.com Support FAQ: 

1.) When will Windows ME, 2000 WDM, XP, NT or GigaSampler drivers be released?

The Solo/Soloist /Expander are currently supporting Win 95, 98 and 98SE. Windows ME, 2000, XP, XP, NT and GigaSampler driver development has been suspended, so no firm date of completion can be given yet. Some users report success with using current driver with ME, but it is not officially supported.

2.) Why can't I get a response to my email or tech support call? 

As SeaSound is now out of business, callback support is now discontinued.  Firmware upgrades are available however by emailing teo@seasound.com. 

Our Comments: Drivers ARE available for D/L.

Theirs: Since SeaSound is no longer in business these will be the final versions of the driver releases.

New SeaSound WDM Drivers in the works! (1/22/2002)

Yamaha's MLAN

• WAV to Midi & Midi to Wav Apps, DAT2WAV & WMA Conversions -
  

• Windows Driver Model Information
  

• Video Tools - Rough Research Page. Codecs, Connectivity etc.
  
• PC Computer Audio / Sound Cards - Consumer, Prosumer and Musician / Content Creation Sound Cards.
  
• Digital Audio Workstation
  
• Digital Audio WorkStation Gear - What to look for.
  
• GigaStudio Sound Libraries
• Ensoniq EPS 16 Plus Reference Page.

• Digital 101 - I/O Connectivity Specs (5-2-99)
  

• Midisoft.com Metamorphosis Into recordLab.com (6-9-01)

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