TC Electronic’s PowerCore, a hardware DSP platform for audio processing is officially discontinued. You could easily continue working with PowerCore for some time, however. A recently-released 4.0 update provides full support for current OSes and hosts, even 64-bit ones, says the manufacturer. Nor is TC going anywhere: the company says it will continue to pursue audio interfaces and software (non-hardware-DSP) plug-ins. In fact, it’s a safe bet TC simply wasn’t getting enough business out of PowerCore to justify it, and will devote its resources elsewhere.

One manufacturer that is making it in hardware DSP that’s not Avid Pro Tools is Universal Audio. Their UAD-2 system remains a popular choice, and may become more so now that it offers FireWire support on Macs (something previously offered only by the PowerCore). Updated: James Grahame reminds me that it’s worth mentioning Sonic Core, who have their own Scope platform. As with UA, they’re basically a specialty shop, whereas TC has a number of other businesses. With S|C covering new-fangled digital ground like graintable and physical modeling, and UA focusing on first-party development of analog modeling and vintage emulation, you’ve got a good range of choice for DSP.

The crossgrade doesn’t give you a break on new UAD hardware, but it does give you significant bundles of free plug-ins for the platform. The breakdown goes something like this:

Solo line: Fairchild + Cambridge + Puletc-Pro ($377 value)
Duo: add LA-3A, DreamVerb ($675 value)
Quad: add Precision Limiter, EQ, multiband ($1322 value)

That’s on top of coupons for plug-ins of your choice included with each of those packages. And it includes the new FireWire Satellite systems.

None of this will entirely comfort existing users, though, I’m guessing. Our friend Oliver at Wire to the Ear writes a nice obituary – and I agree that I hope we see native ports of some of these plugs. (That or else maybe we’ll see TC introduce them on the iPad, the way the industry is going.)
TC Electronic Discontinues the PowerCore

The ongoing success of the UAD-2, even if for a specific niche, demonstrates that hardware DSP platforms aren’t necessarily going away. At the same time, it’s easy to understand that TC might focus instead on native software and specialized hardware (like stompboxes).

The plug-in is free through Wednesday, and then costs US$79 after that.

What you get from the M30:

• VST, AU compatibility on Windows and Mac
• Hall algorithm (no Room or Plate, though – for that, you need the M40 which ships with TC’s audio interfaces)
• Editable parameters for pre-delay, decay, “hi color,” and the requisite wet/dry mix

It’s nothing revolutionary, but I’m always game for a nice Hall algorithm. Interestingly, TC has worked out a way to port their native DSP code from hardware to computer-native code using something they call AlgoFlex. (Out of context, that sounds like some modern-looking lamp at Design Within Reach, or maybe that’s just me.)

M30 Studio Reverb

Free Reverb Deal

The number one reason, for me at least: tons of bend-able toys and devices can be found very cheaply at secondhand and thrift stores.

Which brings us to this:

The premise is simple:

1. Wait until October 28th with growing anticipation.

5. Document the process and end result, then upload it to the internet in some fashion- Youtube, Flickr, etc, all with the tag “circuitchallenge.” (and createdigitalmusic, of course)

6. The Circuit Master and myself will gather the results and feature them here and at www.getlofi.com.

The winner will receive, um, a token prize of low value, to be decided later. Something though. And we’ll publish your picture on the internet for the universe to see.

Of course, it’s not about winning, oh no. It’s about getting off your keister and bending some circuits!

Never bent a circuit before but always wanted to? Now’s your chance!

So mark your calendars now, and hit up the forums here at createdigitalmusic.com with any questions.

*EDIT: Rodney from Tiger Claw Records has agreed to donate a few Circuit Bending Compilation CDs as a prize, and I’ve got a stack of CDs from FutureKomp to give away as well. If that isn’t enough incentive to get out there and bend on the 28th, you’re in it for the wrong reasons!

**DOUBLE EDIT: The Squarewave Parade has agreed to donate a parasite for the contest! Totally awesome.

***TRIPLE EDIT: HighlyLiquid has donated one of their MIDI kits for the contest! So cool!

Stompboxes are back! Yes, software is great, but the gigging musician still loves something you can plug in and step on. The Messe show saw some traditionally rack-mounted gear reborn in stomp form.

Sure to be a huge hit, Roland’s BOSS RE-20 takes the beloved RE-201 Roland Space Echo and recreates it as a stompbox. It emulates all the major features of the RE-201, down to placement presets and tape flutter and magnetic head sound saturation, and adds a longer delay time — plus the ability to tap in delays with your foot. No pricing or availability yet that I’ve seen.

BOSS RE-20 Space Echo Product Page
Music thing weighs in with some thoughts.

At the other end of the spectrum, vocal processor maker TC-Helicon is best known for making big, do-everything racks. They’ve now taken the most popular features there, and repackaged as stomp boxes called VOICE|TONE. The idea is to perform all of the sweetening you’d normally apply in the studio onstage.

VoiceTone Create is a multi-effects processor in stomp form, with reverb, delay, thickening/microtuning, distortion and telephone/megaphone effects.

VoiceTone Correct performs pitch correction with tone (EQ, mainly) and dynamic shaping, and de-essing. On top of that, it has some sort of “dynamic sensing” algorithm that adjusts this for you. I’m not entirely sure what that means or how it works, but it sounds interesting.

TC’s vocal effects sound really terrific. You could easily abuse them, of course, but for some subtle processing, they could also make you sound a lot better — if you can just use a little restraint. I’m not entirely sure that splitting multi-effects from dynamics/EQ/de-essing makes sense, but on the other hand, even if you get both of these, they’re quite compact. And TC is one of the only companies I’ve seen that does high-quality vocal processing with some thought into how you’d actually use it onstage, in terms of easy controls, A/B switching, and so on.

Also from TC at Messe: control via guitar, harmony for Pro Tools, a new flagship vocal processor, and new editors with enhanced features and Vista/Universal Mac readiness. The editors will be out in May, and since I have a VoiceLive, Intel Mac, and Vista PC, you’ll be sure to hear more about them.

Interface with Benefits

There are plenty of fine boxes to get audio in and out of your computer, so now it’s a matter of finding that key element that sells you one device instead of another. The major selling point of TC Electronic’s new Konnekt D audio interface is integrated effects that run on the interface itself, via built-in DSP hardware. That in itself is nothing new, but TC hasn’t just tossed in a reverb and called it done: instead, they’ve added their top-class reverb and channel strip (for dynamics processing). You can access the Fabrik R reverb and Fabrik C channel strip from your computer software, or even use the effects when the interface is in standalone mode.

I looked at the new Fabrik software user interface last month. It’s a fascinating idea for making it easier to change multiple parameters at once while focusing on sound results, and should appeal to sound newcomers and pros alike, even if I still think it looks like a screen from a Klingon Bird of Pray. (Not necessarily a bad thing, though it makes me hungry for a nice plate of Gagh.)

There are plenty of other features on the Konnekt to like. It’s FireWire bus-powered with the ability to combine more interfaces for more I/O, now or in the future, with a twist: hook up two Konnekts, and you can direct-monitor signal from either one. There’s also plenty of I/O included balanced ins and outs and MIDI, Hi-Z inputs for connecting guitars and other instruments with pickups without the need for a separate direct box, S/PDIF and ADAT, 24-bit / 192 kHz operation, and pretty much everything you could want. If it performs up to the standards set by other TC stuff, I think it’s fair to set expectations high. No pricing available, but stay tuned, as this is right at the top of my list.

More Hardware Treats

GC also introduced other hardware at Messe a few weeks ago:

The Vintage Tube Primer simulates a tube amp with optional overdrive. It could be just the thing if you don’t like the idea of performing onstage with a laptop, or don’t need quite that many options. It also continues TC’s preference for vague labels for its sound voodoo, like the “body” switch.

TC has other effects hardware out, too: the M350 multi-effects and C300 dynamics units. So who said hardware effects were dead? These units are rack-mountable, and the M350 is editable via software plug-in, so it’s not hard to imagine someone integrating them into a computer setup, even those performing with laptops. (You could process your voice or guitar with these, for isntance, and leave your computer to deal with soft synths and accompaniment.)

PowerCore for PCIe

Lastly, our PCI Express watch continues: those of you with new Macs and PCs who want to add hardware-accelerated audio processing will be glad to know that PowerCore is now available for the new PCI format. We’ve heard the odd complaint about PCIe and whether it offers any real benefits, but at least the good news is you don’t have to give up on the idea of adding cards for more sound-processing power.

Discuss

Maybe people are cleaning out their studios in the spring, but for whatever reason, we’ve been talking about picking audio interfaces and effects on the CDM forums. Latest discussion: which reverbs everyone likes (and this new Konnekt + Fabrik R could be a strong candidate). Drop by and let us know what’s on your mind.

Once you get past all the silly product names, what you find is actually a reverb and a compressor with a very efficient and clever interface. Now, whether this actually makes compressors and reverbs any more “meta-intuitive” than the current design, I don’t know — I won’t knock it ’till I’ve tried it. My strong feeling is that you need to know a little about how compressors and reverbs work to use them effectively, and a new interface won’t necessarily eliminate that need.

That said, I think this has great potential. Notice that it combines a lot of separate parameters into one control, meaning if you do know how compressors and reverbs work, you might find this very powerful. “Intuitive” doesn’t have to mean “just for newbies.” This kind of thinking could be fantastic as touchscreens and X-Y controllers. (CDM2 site designer Jaymis is on IM as I write this, and he agrees, so there you go.) I can’t wait to give this a go and see how it works in practice, to find out if it delivers or not. Could just be reinventing the wheel, or it could be smart thinking; it’ll be fun to try, either way.

In other news: I’ll never work in marketing. I use the letter “C” for the letter “C” rather than replacing it compulsively with the letter “K.” I also use whole words instead of single letters. So, in place of Fabrik C and Fabrik R, I’d say, like, reverb and compressor. Then again, BMW auto names didn’t make sense to me either.

Mmmm, MINT-y [TC Electronic Fabrik Product Page]

TC Electronic has loads of new hardware at Musikmesse (see their roundup of announcements), but the biggest news is for guitarists:

The G-System
is a new high-end floor based guitar system. Think TC Electronic's
high-quality effects, but for guitarists, plus analog loops, amp
switching, floor control, and 9VDC power for your pedals. Effects don't
skimp, either: filter, compression, noise gate, modulation, pitch,
delay, reverb, tuner, tap tempo / MIDI clock. And it's simply gorgeous.
This is the Rolls Royce of guitar processors, EUR 1395 retail, shipping
in June.

More in the range of mere mortals: the EUR 275 Analog Vintage Pre Drive Pedal
also ships in June, an all-analog drive pedal. Not analog emulation:
this is the real deal. (Appearing soon on our sister site,
createanalogmusic — oh, wait, April Fool's is over.)

But wait, there's more (not just for guitar):

• PowerCore News: PowerCore PCI mkII updates their PCI audio DSP host, and there's the new NonLin2 Stereo Effects Reverb for PowerCore
• Saucy Speakers: Dynaudio's new passive nearfields are compact, high-end monitors
• Voice powerhouse: Vocalists get the intense new VoicePro from TC-Helicon, with rack-mounted pitch shifting, voice modeling, harmony, mic emulation, effects, EQ/dynamic processors.

All great, of course . . . but just look at those gorgeous controls
on the G System. A guitar box that's drool-worthy? Whodathunkit.