Signal Processors

R3 comprises a five-band, fully parametric EQ design plus switchable-slope, variable-frequency high and low-pass filters.

Dominion is a 'signal modelling device' similar in concept to SPL's highly regarded Transient Designer dynamics processor, embodying characteristics of both compressors and expanders, yet without being either a compressor or an expander in the normal sense.

Digital hardware that models classic guitar amps has been big business in recent years, but in the software field Line 6's Amp Farm has had the market to itself. Now, however, IK's Amplitube looks set to provide some serious competition.

CDXtract 4 is a handy cross-platform utility for extracting and converting sample data from CD-ROMs.

The latest technological advances in reverb design have yielded expensive hardware units that can 'sample' the sound of real rooms. Now Audio Ease's Altiverb brings the same convolving technology to the Mac — at a fraction of the cost.

Many home and project studio owners are interested in mastering as a way to add that professional sheen to their recordings. The newest way to do this is with iZotope's DirectX mastering tool for PC.

TC's DSP-powered effects board has been upgraded, and now includes a much more impressive plug-in bundle.