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Review: Originally released in 2013 and celebrating its ten-year anniversary just a little late, Bloodsports was the sixth full-length and much needed return to form from London's glam-centric alt-rock staple Suede. Arriving more than a full decade after 2002's A New Morning, the LP marked the longest gap between projects from the group as issues stemming from addiction as well as the commercial underperformance of the aforementioned album led to a seven-year hiatus. Reuniting with longtime producer Ed Buller, for the first time since 1996's Coming Up, while re-enlisting former keyboardist Neil Codling who originally departed in 2001, the end result would be not only their most acclaimed work since their last outing with Buller but rejuvenate the Suede camp entirely, as we've since been treated to three more subsequent LPs, with the most recent, criminally underrated Autofiction lading in 2022.

Notes: The latest update of Arturia's legendary plugin collection, featuring 39 instruments, three expansion packs and over 9,000 presets. New instruments include CP-70 V, MiniFreak V, Acid V and three Augmented collections.

Supplier's Notes:
V Collection X

Reference instruments for music makers
A premium suite of software instruments for unparalleled sonic exploration; from evocative emulations and hybrid synth engines, to authentically modelled keyboards and beautifully captured acoustic sounds - enhanced for today's production workflow.

This is V Collection X

Immerse yourself in an unparalleled music-making experience with iconic sounds and essential tools to suit your style, performance needs and production workflow. 39 instruments, 3 exclusive expansion packs, thousands of world-class presets - 1 canvas for infinite sonic exploration.

The ultimate selection

A hand-picked, expertly-engineered suite of instruments combining timeless sonic craft with cutting-edge enhancements that seamlessly integrate with demanding production workflows. The most iconic synths, blissful keyboards, evocative hybrids and faithfully captured acoustic instruments for endless inspiration, vivid composition and boundless play.

10,000+ presets

Find the crucial mix-finishing sounds you need in a few clicks with V Collection X's expansive library of expertly-designed sounds, complete with easy browsing. Tap right into any style, any instrument, any time.

Easy to use

You don't need to be an expert to enjoy professional sound. The instruments in V Collection X are designed with accessibility in mind, equipped with intuitive interfaces, interactive in-app tutorials, and intelligent features that deliver electrifying results without hassle.

Perfected for you

High-performance features that you can count on, premium sound quality you deserve; V Collection X is the result of over 20 years of engineering innovation, musical exploration, and a passion for audio excellence and expressivity.

39 Software titles

Augmented WOODWINDS
Augmented GRAND PIANO
Augmented BRASS
Augmented STRINGS
Augmented VOICES
Korg MS-20 V
SQ80 V
CS-80 V
Prophet-5 V
Prophet-VS V
Piano V
Analog Lab V
Vocoder V
Jun-6 V
OP-Xa V
Mellotron V
Synthi V
CZ V
CMI V
Clavinet V
Acid V
MiniFreak V
CP-70 V
DX7 V
Buchla Easel V
Synclavier V
Emulator II V
B-3 V
Mini V
Stage-73 V
Matrix-12 V
Farfisa V
Solina V
SEM V
Jup-8 V
ARP 2600 V
VOX Continental V
Wurli V
Modular V

Platform specifications

Windows

Win 10+ (64bit)
4 GB RAM
4 cores CPU, 3.4 GHz (4.0 GHz Turbo-boost)
32GB free hard disk space
OpenGL 2.0 compatible GPU
ARM processors not supported on Windows

Required configuration

Works in Standalone, VST, AAX, Audio Unit, NKS* (64-bit DAWs only).

Apple

Mac OS 11.0+
4 GB RAM
4 cores CPU, 3.4 GHz (4.0 GHz Turbo-boost) or Apple Silicon CPU
32GB free hard disk space
OpenGL 2.0 compatible GPU

Work with ASC

An elegant and simple solution to help you install, activate, and update your Arturia software instruments.

Review: By 1965 Little Richard was already 15 years deep into his career blazing a trail through youth culture with his infectious rock n' roll revolution, but he still had the chops to pen a monster hit. 'Dance A Go Go' is a swinging party starter that can never get too much air time, and it's well received on the A side of this drop from Swinging' Sides. Flip the record over and you're treated to Spyder Turner with his debut single from 1964 - a stomping masterclass of Motor City soul all about his beloved mode of transport. It doesn't get more Detroit than that.

Review: Re-pressed on vinyl for the first time in 15 years, La Foret hears a full reissue via 5 Rue Christine. As conceptual as Xiu Xiu's fusion of post-punk, gamelan, synth pop, folk, and noise might seem, the group's music never feels overly cerebral or detached. On the contrary, it's usually brimming over with often contradictory emotions: love, hate, sex, violence, fear, and humor cling together so tightly in Jamie Stewart's songs that they can't be separated. Harsh and beautiful words and sounds remain intertwined on La Foret, which ranks among Xiu Xiu's subtlest - and scariest - albums.

Review: The Colour Purple is one of those films that went against the odds in the wrong way - the second adaptation of Alice Walker's novel about a Black couple living in the Deep South around the turn of the 20th Century, it built on a legacy of acclaimed literature and cinema (Steven Spielberg's 1985 film), came with a strong cast and had $100million spent on it. Yet, after its release in 2023, despite great reviews and multiple award nominations, it grossed just $67million at the global box office. Musicals aren't for everyone, of course, although it's hard to find fault here. Songs range from super dramatic, almost tribal and certainly stage-filling epics, through to kitchen sink soul, roots, blues, R&B, hip hop, and power pop, and listening through even without the visual focus, leaves a big, long-lasting impression.

Review: Ghost are sadly an easily confused band - doubly so, for the fact that there is now a wildly popular masked metal troupe of the same name, *and* because there is, uncannily, a 1984 film named Ghost, also rather well known. This confounding is apparently so prevalent that the obligatory Wikipedia entry on *this* Ghost is titled
'Ghost (1984 band)'. We wouldn't usually mention it, save for the fact that this perhaps not so wilful obscurantism actually works in their favour. With Drag City's reissue of Ghost's first album on griseous vinyl here, it's safe to say that this Japanese experimental psych/acid record's aura as a hidden gem feels rare to come by. It's almost as if Ghost (1984) is 'haunting' the other aforementioned cultural touchstones of the same name. Don't get it twisted, though: Ghost formed in the early 80s, but this debut recording didn't make it to the pressing plant until 1990. What explains the gap in their CV, you ask? Legend has it that the band led a truly nomadic existence - as a "band" should, in all senses of the word - roving, drifting from ruined ancient temples to disused subway stations near Tokyo. With that all checked, the album itself is truly free-spirited and eerie, and not what you'd expect from contemporary notions of space rock, with prepared tinkerings and strange readymade detritus seeming to fill each piece at every twist and turn.

Notes: ***B-STOCK: Item refurbished, repaired and in perfect working order.***


More bang for your buck? Omnitronic's four-channel offering is a competitively priced alternative to entry-level mixers from Pioneer or A&H. Built-in mp3 playback from USBs and audio streaming over Bluetooth.

Supplier notes:
- 4 input channels with gain control, LED level meter, 3-band equalizer, cue button and channel fader
- DJ microphone channel with level control, 2-band equalizer, on/off and talkover switch
- Integrated Bluetooth audio streaming for your smartphones and tablets
- MP3 player with USB port and blue LCD screen
- Pre-fader listening to all input channels and the master output via adjustable stereo headphones output
- Crossfader with assignment switches and adjustable curve
- Master channel with level and balance control
- 10-digit stereo LED level meter
- Adjustable monitor output (DJ booth)
- 10 line and 2 phono inputs via RCA jacks
- Balanced XLR and RCA outputs
- Record output, independent of the master

Notes: The highly coveted Octave Clang has made a triumphant return to Death By Audio's Queens workshop. Long presumed extinct, the OC was never really gone, merely in a state of hibernation-evolving, refining, and enhancing its already extraordinary sound.

In the decade since it disappeared, Death by Audio have revisited the original Clang circuit, sculpting it into something better-a more ferocious, menacing, and thunderous force that is as usable as possible for today's musicians.

Embraced by professionals and punks alike, the vintage Octave Clang was created to unleash distinctly unconventional tones that captivated the senses. In this, it succeeded, but many users found it difficult to tame. Today, Death By Audio have refined and extended the range of the original controls, added a foot-switchable octave, and did some under-the-hood supercharging.

The resulting circuit is an insane yet versatile beast, empowering you to easily sculpt discordant ringing drones, visceral octave scrapes, and ground-shaking distortion. The revitalized Octave Clang is primed and ready to destroy!

Controls

Bypass (Left Footswitch): Turns the Octave Clang on and off (red LED).
Octave (Right Footswitch): Toggles the Octave Up mode (yellow LED). The yellow LED stays on/off when the pedal is bypassed to indicate if the Octave Up is engaged.
Volume: Controls the output level. Goes from totally silent to extremely loud. When set above your normal volume, it propels your chain into overdrive
Gain: Sets the gain of the Octave Clang. This can (and will) drive the rest of the circuit into overdrive and fuzz. Can provide up to +39dB of gain.

Tone: A powerful pre-gain tilt EQ, this control adjusts the amount of highs and lows going into the rest of the circuit. This can make the octave and fuzz react very differently. Overloading the lows yields a larger, more blown-out sound while overloading the highs gives a more cutting and clear sound.

Bias (Internal): Allows misbiasing the distortion circuitry. Leave this control in the middle (5-6) for standard functionality, or turn it left or right to skew the character of the distortion to a rougher sound.
Access this control by removing the back plate of the Octave Clang.

Specifications

Dimensions: 4.8" x 3.7" x 2.1" (including hardware).
Weight: 11.5 oz.
Power: The Octave Clang is powered by a standard 2.1mm 9V DC adapter with a centre-negative polarity. Isolated power supplies are recommended. It is also possible to use the Octave Clang with a 9V battery (not provided). When not using a battery, the internal battery snap should be attached to the corresponding battery snap holes on the board. This will prevent the contacts from shorting out against the circuitry. Do NOT leave the battery snap floating inside the pedal when not using a battery.
Current Draw: 10 mA