Beetronics Larva Phaser, Free Ragnarök Synth, & 85% Off UJAM – Latest Music Gear Highlights

The latest music software and hardware news highlights include the Beetronics Larva, a unique 6-stage phaser pedal offering morphing sound capabilities, and Full Bucket Music's new free Ragnarök 2.0 virtual analog synthesizer with advanced features for musicians and producers.

LATEST IN MUSIC SOFTWARE AND HARDWARE

Beetronics Larva: Morphing Phaser for Endless Vibes

The Beetronics Larva is a unique 6-stage phaser pedal that combines two distinct phaser settings. Users can morph between the two phaser sounds using the Ramp and Shape controls, creating evolving, space-like effects. The pedal also features an excellent preamp section for added warmth and character.

Godin 5th Avenue Thin Line: Blending Sound and Design

The Godin 5th Avenue Thin Line combines the features of Godin's Montreal Series and 5th Ave Series guitars. With its fully hollow, medium-sized Canadian wild cherry body, the 5th Avenue Thin Line offers exceptional sustain and a warm, balanced sound, especially when paired with a low- to medium-gain tube amplifier.

Full Bucket Music Releases Free Ragnarök 2.0 Synth

Full Bucket Music has introduced Ragnarök 2.0, a free virtual analog software synth for Windows and macOS. The synth features a unique band-limited oscillator bank, multi-pole zero-delay feedback filter, two envelopes, LFO, and built-in effects. Ragnarök 2.0 also supports MTS-ESP dynamic micro-tuning and includes a resizable user interface.

Xaoc Devices Adds New VCA Module

Xaoc Devices has announced the Lublin, a new voltage-controlled amplifier (VCA) module for their Eurorack lineup. The Lublin features a high-quality signal path and innovative "pinging" inputs that allow users to mimic the natural decay characteristics of plucked and struck instruments. The module houses two identical VCAs with selectable envelope responses, making it a versatile tool for creating a variety of tones from bongo-like sounds to fat, compressed kick drums.

beyerdynamic Unveils Updated DT 1990 Pro and DT 1770 Pro Headphones

beyerdynamic has released updated versions of its popular DT 1990 Pro and DT 1770 Pro studio headphones. The new MKII models feature a revised TESLA.45 driver, a lower 30-ohm impedance, and small design improvements, such as a new fontanel cut-out in the headband. Both headphones offer excellent sound quality, comfort, and build quality, making them a reliable choice for mixing, mastering, and critical listening.

DEALS

• Fender Christmas Deal: Save up to 15%, plus Epiphone, EVH, and ESP deals! - Check various guitar deals from Fender, Epiphone, EVH, and ESP, including discounts on models like the Fender Player Series and Epiphone signature guitars.

• Native Instruments is offering deep discounts of up to 50% on its instruments, effects, and sound packs as part of its Cyber Season holiday sale. The sale also includes deals on iZotope mixing and mastering tools, as well as hardware like Maschine grooveboxes and the M32 keyboard.

• The Modalics Bundle includes a collection of music production plugins from the company, covering drums, beat-making, arpeggiators, and more. As part of Modalics' Black Friday sale, the bundle is currently available 62% off, at $129 (was $345).

• UJAM Virtual Instruments, up to 85% off on their signature series including Virtual Guitarist, Drummer, Pianist and Usynth.

• Build Your Own Modular by Clacktronics, a book and DIY kit to build your own Eurorack modular synthesizer, available for £228 (excl. VAT).

• Total Studio 4 MAX by IK Multimedia, a comprehensive bundle of plugins, instruments and effects - 50% off at $149.99.

DEMOS, REVIEWS & TUTORIALS

How to Get that Old-school Sampler Sound - Explore various ways to achieve the classic sound of old-school samplers, including the use of vintage sampler plugins, DAC modeling/bit reduction effects, hardware samplers, and bit reduction hardware effects.

Andertons has published a detailed comparison of 5-inch studio monitors from Yamaha, Tannoy, ADAM, and RCF. The review covers the monitors' sound quality, frequency response, connectivity, and controllability, providing a comprehensive overview to help users choose the best option for their needs.

The A-Z of Recording & Mixing Pop Vocals with KARRA - Learn why KARRA uses StudioVerse Audio Effects for her entire vocal workflow.

ENJOY IT FOR FREE 

Free This Week: Cinematrix, a trailer-scoring instrument by Rigid Audio. This free Kontakt instrument includes 350 kits, 1300 loops, and 3 GB of content to help you create cinematic and trailer-style music. It's a great tool for composers and producers looking to add epic, dramatic elements to their tracks. In addition, Rigid Audio is closing on 1st of January 2025 and giving many other products for free.

Signal Perspective has released the Grindbox Mk2, a free distortion plugin for macOS, Windows, and Linux. The plugin offers a range of features, including amp simulation, saturation, exciter, and complete signal destruction. Grindbox Mk2 boasts 384kHz oversampling and a variety of modulation options, making it a powerful and flexible addition to any producer's toolkit.