M-Audio Appeals to the Masses with Session

By Geoff Duncan Published June 5, 2006

Hoping to appeal to the same demographic enthralled with Apple’s entry-level (but Mac-only) music production applications GarageBand, Avid Technology today announced that its M-Audio business unit will being shipping a new consumer-level, entry level music production application called Session with its Fast Track USB audio interface, and will soon bundle the program with other M-Audio consumer products.

Sessions will enable budding musicians, students, and music enthusiasts to get their feet wet in the world of digital music production, easily using their PCs to create loop-based music (built from layers of pre-recorded tracks and sounds) along with recording traditional musical instruments directly to their computer hard drives, all with a simple, user-friendly interface.

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“Apple’s GarageBand has done a wonderful job of bringing consumer music-creation to the Mac market,” said Tony McCall, vice president of M-Audio’s consumer group. “As a result, there’s a huge contingent of users who are hungry for a PC-friendly solution, and M-Audio’s Session software is exactly what those users have been waiting for. We designed Session from the ground up so that music enthusiasts would have an easy way to create their own music on a computer

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Geoff Duncan writes, programs, edits, plays music, and delights in making software misbehave. He's probably the only member…

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What is Snapdragon Sound? Qualcomm’s wireless audio brand fully explained

So, you're checking out a pair of headphones online or at your local Best Buy and its got this swooshy red-and-white logo in the description that says "Snapdragon Sound," and you wonder, "huh, what is that?" Then you see your new Android smartphone has the same logo. The plot thickens. What does it all mean?

In a world where the advanced features of our wireless headphones or earbuds rely on matching capabilities within our smartphones (which the phones may or may not have), Qualcomm's Snapdragon Sound is an attempt to bring order to the chaos. It's a promise that things will just work as long as all of your products bear the same Snapdragon Sound logo. Or at least that's the idea.

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Get clear, reliable audio with Sennheiser All-Day Clear OTC hearing aids

Sennheiser All-Day Clear OTC hearing aids product image

For those suffering from hearing loss, there are varying degrees of the ailment. Most consider the more extreme side, but mild to moderate conditions can be just as debilitating. It can be challenging to get help for something like that, too, even with professional assistance. Maybe you don't qualify for a prescription or simply cannot afford more expensive options. Continuing our coverage of OTC or over-the-counter hearing aids, and dealing with exactly these concerns, we're here today to talk about Sennheiser's All-Day Clear self-programmable OTC hearing aids. Meant for mild to moderate hearing loss and available in a more accessible format than prescription-required variants, they'll help you get back to a functional lifestyle. Enjoy clear, vibrant sound with excellent hearing performance, and seamless connectivity that doesn't bog you down. They'll sync up via Bluetooth with your phone, for starters.

Built into the aids are directional microphones to help you focus on what you want to hear. Additionally, they offer wind noise reduction so you can still hear outdoors even on a busy day. They're rechargeable with up to 24 hours of battery life on a single charge, too, so you don't have to worry about them dying on you in the middle of a conversation. But they have a lot more to offer, so let's discuss.

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Cambridge Audio says its new EXA100 amplifier is the finest it’s ever built

The Cambridge Audio EXA100 integrated amplifier and EXN100 music streamer.

Determined to close out the year with one more big product lineup, Cambridge Audio is at it again today launching its new premium EX Series, which consists of the powerful new EXA100 Stereo Integrated Amplifier and the EXN100 Music Streamer.

The pioneering British audio makers says that the $1,799 EXN100 music streamer is the "streaming brains of the new EX Series," while the $2,199 EXA100, the spiritual successor to Cambridge’s legendary Azur 851 range, is "pound for pound, the finest amplifier we’ve ever built" and the EX Series' "beating heart."
The EXA100 Stereo Integrated Amplifier