New Gear Alert: Kali Audio’s IN-5 Monitor, Vocal Bender by Waves, JUNO-60 by Roland & More

Kali Audio announces the IN-5 studio monitor.

Kali Audio rounds out their “Independence” line of monitors with the new IN-5.

The IN-5 is a 3-way studio monitor with a 5-inch woofer, and concentric 4-inch midrange and 1-inch tweeter. It fills out Kali’s “Independence” line of 3-way studio monitors, which also includes the larger IN-8. In both systems, the crossover point between the woofer and the concentric midrange/tweeter drivers makes the monitors acoustic point sources. This configuration eliminates spatial separation of the high frequency and low frequency elements, giving the monitors a highly detailed soundstage. The midrange driver also unburdens the woofer and tweeter, allowing for substantial system-wide improvements in total harmonic distortion.

The IN-5 introduces a new amplifier platform that reduces self-noise by 12dB, and implements a more powerful DSP section, allowing for smoother high frequency response. The cones on the woofer and midrange driver have been updated, with new materials being used for greater reliability.

The IN-5 is powered by a 160W Class D amp with 80W going to the woofer, and 40W each going to the midrange and tweeter. Boundary EQ settings, like those found on Kali’s Lone Pine monitors, are accessible on the back of the speaker, along with a quick reference guide printed directly onto the speaker itself.

The IN-5 is available now in the US, with worldwide availability soon to follow; it is priced at $349.

Waves is now shipping the Vocal Bender plugin for real-time voice manipulation.

Harness the power of zero latency pitch processing with the Waves Vocal Bender.

With Waves’ Vocal Bender plugin, you can now manipulate your vocals in real time for the most popular sounds in hip-hop, pop, R&B, and electronic genres. With zero latency and two simple Pitch and Formant controls, you can easily track, mix, and perform hit-sounding pitch-shifted vocals, instantly.

Waves created this tool for musicians and producers to get their ideas down quickly, saving precious time when working creatively. You can even use Vocal Bender in live performances; pull it up in your DAW session and manipulate your live vocal sound, without latency.

Check out an introductory video to Vocal Bender here.

Vocal bender is available now for a special introductory promo price of $58.32 (reg. $149).

Roland debuts the JUNO-60 soft synth.

The classic tonality of the JUNO synth is now available in digital form via the Roland Cloud.

The JUNO-60 Software Synthesizer brings back the vintage sounds of the popular JUNO-60, now in a modern and flexible plugin. It’s the latest addition to the Legendary series of software-based Roland instruments available through the Roland Cloud.

The JUNO-60 fully captures the original’s balanced magic—including the odd quirks and charming limitations—and enhances it with useful modern additions. The filter has been modeled to perfection, and you now have the ability to switch to the HPF circuit of the next-generation JUNO-106 and its characteristic bass bump. The oscillator range has also been extended, and there’s a second envelope for extra flexibility. Polyphony has been expanded to eight notes, with the option to limit it to the original’s six (or less) for an old-school vibe.

For the next few weeks, anyone can test drive the JUNO-60 for free with a Roland account—no membership required! For pricing and further information, click here.

Synchro Arts releases VocAlign Ultra.

Tighten up your vocals with unprecedented power, thanks to VocAlign Ultra by Synchro Arts.

Featuring technology from Synchro Arts’ flagship Revoice Pro software and building on a legacy which stretches back over two decades, VocAlign Ultra takes plugin based vocal matching to a whole new level with unparalleled control and total flexibility.

Powered by Synchro Arts’ latest algorithms from Revoice Pro, VocAlign Ultra consistently provides better results when aligning longer and more complex sections of audio. Then for creative freedom, VocAlign Ultra features a new tightness control so you decide how much alignment you want to apply to your signals. And VocAlign Ultra doesn’t just fix the timing of your performances with unprecedented ease and speed; it can align pitch, too.

VocAlign Ultra will be available for a special introductory promo price of $279 (reg. $399) until February 28th. Any VocAlign Pro users who redeemed their license after July 21st, 2020 will be entitled to a free upgrade via the Synchro Arts website.

Tracktion upgrades Waveform Free.

Tracktion offers crucial upgrades in this new version of Waveform Free.

Waveform Free, the free DAW based on the essential features of Waveform Pro 11, is renowned for its efficient workflow, streamlined user interface, and its intuitive usability.

New to Waveform Free is the Welcome Screen, allowing you to get up and running with minimum fuss. It offers quick setup for audio devices, a range of project templates, training materials, and the latest product news. This newest version makes editing quicker and more intuitive with features like Range Selection, Ripple Delete and Heal/Consolidate/Silence. Plus, a dedicated Step Clip Editor makes clip programming even easier.

The Actions Panel allows you to favorite your most used actions and create custom actions which can be recalled with the click of a button. In addition, MIDI Typing turns a computer keyboard into a musical instrument in an instant. This function can easily be toggled on and off, providing a seamless jump between editing and playing.

To learn more and download Waveform Free, click here.

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