New Gear Alert: iZotope Teases RX 9, USB Mic from AKG, Arturia’s SQ80 V Soft Synth & More

iZotope teases RX9, announces forthcoming Post Production Suite 6.

iZotope announces new versions of their popular RX and Post Production Suite softwares.

To celebrate the upcoming release of RX 9 and Post Production Suite 6, iZotope will be offering a limited-time sale on their website: anyone who purchases or upgrades to RX 8 or Post Production Suite 5 during the sale will get a free upgrade to the new RX or Post Production Suite as soon as it becomes available.

Check out the cryptic teaser video for RX 9 here, and stay tuned for more exciting announcements from iZotope.

AKG introduces the Ara two-pattern USB microphone.

A two-pattern USB mic with onboard controls for latency-free monitoring? Yes, please.

Ara lets content creators and musicians effortlessly capture studio-quality, 24-bit, 96kHz audio for superior speech clarity and stunning vocal and instrument tracks. Two pickup patterns focus on a single source or everyone in the room. The directional Front (cardioid) pattern captures sound directly in front of the mic while rejecting sound from other sides, making it perfect for podcast hosts, bloggers, gamers, videoconferencing, and for recording voice and instruments. The Front + Back (omni) pattern picks up sound evenly from all sides, making it ideal for recording interviews with multiple speakers.

Ara’s essential functions, including pattern selection, mic mute, and a headphone volume knob, are located on the front of the mic for easy access; a 3.5mm headphone jack allows latency-free monitoring. Included accessories include a 2m USB-C to USB-A cable, a 3/8-inch to 5/8-inch threaded mic stand adapter, and a free registration card for Ableton Live 11 Lite recording software. Ara works seamlessly with all major live-streaming, video conferencing, and music-recording applications.

For pricing and further information on Ara, click here.

Arturia introduces the SQ80 V organic digital wavemaker.

Arturia offers their take on the revered Ensoniq digital synthesizer with the SQ80 V plugin.

Arturia’s SQ80 V is a faithful & enhanced software emulation of the classic Ensoniq digital synthesizer. With a unique voice centered around the combination of waveforms and wavetables, its signature gritty sound combines digital oscillators with an emulated analog filter and amp for characterful textures ranging from edgy to ambient.

The SQ80 V has been expertly enhanced with extra sounds, features, and functionality for modern producers, including hundreds more waveforms added, an additional arpeggiator, MIDI modulation and envelope modes, a streamlined modern workflow, 15 built-in effects with 2 busses, and MPE compatibility.

The SQ80 V is available now for a special introductory promo price of $99 (reg. $199).

Spitfire Audio releases the Originals Media Toolkit.

Crafted by none other than co-founder Paul Thomson, Spitfire Audio unleashes the Originals Media Toolkit.

This set of broadcast-ready instruments and textures has been meticulously curated and recorded by award-winning media composer and Spitfire Audio co-founder, Paul Thomson (Half of A Yellow Sun, America’s Got Talent, The Apprentice). Discover the composer’s trade secrets through 24 presets, 21 signals and 6 controls, designed to instantly inspire and add an extra dimension to your music.

The Originals Media Toolkit features a broad range of professional instruments, including Paul’s beautiful Yamaha grand piano, an intimately recorded marimba, uniquely soft acoustic guitar, analog synth pads, leads and bass sounds, and an eclectic palette of percussive samples, from detailed hi-hats to scissors, coat hanger and computer keyboards! These sounds have been expertly treated, processed and warped by the composer and the Spitfire Audio team.

The Spitfire Originals Media Toolkit is available now, priced at $29.

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