Musician’s Friend is currently having an April Guitar Extravaganza promotion where you can save up to 50% on guitars through April 29th, 2008. Fender, Gibson, Epiphone, Martin, Ibanez and several other major manufacturers are included. Nows the time to get a great deal on a guitar. Check it out through the link below.

Up to 50% off at the April Guitar Extravaganza at MusiciansFriend.com

Owners of the Pod X3 will be happy to hear that Line 6 has finally released GearBox 3.6! The software features full compatibility with the Pod X3 series and is avaiable now as a free download.

I’ve been waiting for this for a long time and from the small amount of time I’ve spent with it I think it’s been worth the wait. It’s infinitely easier to create dual-tone patches with this software.

Press Release

The FireStudio Tube is a complete 24-bit/96k professional FireWire recording system loaded with the perfect combination of inputs and outputs for bands, producers, musicians and engineers to produce commercial-quality recordings.

Two SuperChannels - Tube Preamplifiers with Limiter

The front panel of the FireStudio Tube is loaded with two “SuperChannels” featuring class A vacuum tube microphone and instrument preamplifiers along with full-featured analog limiters.

The tube preamplifiers use a high gain, military grade 12AX7 tube for maximum gain, low noise and high headroom. Neutrik combo connectors allow both XLR microphone input and hi-Z instrument input. Preamp controls include preamp gain and tube drive to achieve a wide range of sounds from smooth, clean and clear, to warm tube saturation. An 80Hz high pass filter is also located on the front panel to remove room rumble and unwanted lows.

The FireStudio Tube’s Limiter features a VCA-based ultra fast RMS and peak detection circuit used in the award-winning DigiMax 96K, delivering the most musical limiter available; able to catch the fastest transients eliminating the possibility of clipping during recording while maintaining musicality. Controls for the Limiter include Threshold and Gain make-up as well as a Limiter in/out button.

Fast-acting LED metering on the front panel displays preamp input and limiter gain reduction for the two tube SuperChannels.

Perfect I/O for Music Production

The FireStudio Tube delivers all the analog I/O needed for professional recording sessions, featuring sixteen analog inputs including two tube SuperChannels on the front panel, eight class A XMAX microphone preamplifiers and six balanced TRS line inputs on the rear panel. Outputs include eight balanced TRS outputs and PreSonus’ signature ultra loud and clear headphone output that “goes to 11”. MIDI I/O is also included on the rear panel for MIDI instruments, keyboards and controllers. The FireStudio Tube’s combination of microphone, instrument and line inputs is perfect for a band to simultaneously record drums, bass, guitar, vocals and keyboards without any additional preamplifiers.

DSP Mixer/Router

The FireStudio Tube includes PreSonus’ 16×10 FireControl mixer/router delivering up to five zero-latency custom monitor mixes easily and quickly.

Digital Converters and JetPLL Sync

The FireStudio Tube touts A/D/A converters with a dynamic range of over 114dB for unbelievable clarity as well as synchronization using patented JetPLL™ jitter reduction technology. JetPLL™ incorporates noise shaping to virtually remove all audio band jitter. JetPLL™ ensures the highest converter performance possible, resulting in better stereo separation and clearer more transparent audio. JetPLL™ delivers ultra-fast locking to any digital format through a wide range of frequencies and is extremely robust and tolerant of wide variations in clock frequencies. JetPLL™ ensures near perfect clock performance when networking audio devices, thus creating the most stable and robust synchronization to the computer.

ProPak Software Suite Included

As with all PreSonus recording systems, the FireStudio Tube includes a complete suite of software featuring Steinberg’s Cubase LE 4 48-track recording and production software along with a number of third party plug-ins, loops, samples and virtual instruments delivering a complete music production solution.

Tech Specs

• 24-bit/96K firewire (IEEE 1394)
• 16 inputs/10 outputs simultaneous record/playback channels
• 2 SuperChannels (tube microphone/instrument preamplifier with analog limiter)
• 8 XMAX microphone preamplifiers
• 2 PreSonus microphone/instrument preamplifiers
• 8 balanced TRS line outputs
• MIDI Input/Output
• 16×10 FireControl DSP mixer/router
• JetPLL Sync for improved imaging and clarity
• High performance A/D/A converters (114 dynamic range)
• Windows and Macintosh compatible
• ProPak Software Suite including Cubase LE 4 audio production software

Look for the FireStudio Tube in April 2008

For more info check out the FireStudio Tube product page at www.presonus.com.

Press Release

Alesis revealed the iMultiMix 9R Mixer with Universal Dock for iPod at the 2008 Winter NAMM show in Anaheim, CA.

This sturdy, compact, all-in-one rack-mounted mixer with integrated iPod player features 5 mic / line inputs with inserts to allow for easy external processing of incoming channels, or iPod audio playback.

The iMultiMix 9R also features 2-band per channel EQ, Mic/Line inputs and iPod playback in a single, intuitive package. The iMultiMix 9R can playback music from the iPod and mix your live performances instantly with iPod (Classic and 5th generation) or iPod nano (2nd and 3rd generation). This makes the iMultiMix 9R perfect for using the iPod as a backing track for solo or band performances, while mixing sound sources all in one compact, convenient place.

The easy-to-read 60mm faders ensure clear indication of audio level every time. For ultra–clean mixing of any performance, including home studios, musicians, small or large venues, and houses of worship, the iMultiMix 9R is an ideal solution.

The iMultiMix 9R is loaded with features such as:
Integrated Universal Dock for iPod
Five high-gain mic/line preamps (XLR and º” balanced)
48V phantom power
Aux sends and returns
Two band per channel EQ with High/Low shelving
The iMultiMix 9R will be available Q1-2008 from musical instrument retailers with a suggested retail price of $399.

For more information, visit www.alesis.com.

You can find more information HERE.

Hi Folks,
Here’s the update. Good news is that we are set to release a new version of the firmware at the end of the month. This will address the FX loop and Variax bugs as well as implement a couple of new features.

As for The GearBox update, there is some risk but we are doing everything we can to still hit the date promised.

That’s good news about the firmware update but I’m dying to have GearBox for the Pod X3.

You can read it here.

Registered users can get the free software update here: Pro Tools 7.4.1 Update