NAMM 2006Cakewalk announces SONAR Power Studio Music Production Systems

Cakewalk has announced SONAR Power Studio 250 and SONAR Power Studio 660 integrated music production systems. SONAR Power Studio music production systems are designed for musicians who need a complete production solution that couples high-quality hardware and software with the added benefit of portability, and without the compromise of LE versions of software.

SONAR Power Studio production systems contain SONAR 5 Studio Edition and integrated Roland V-Vocal technology, paired with the high-quality Cakewalk SPS-66 24-bit/192 kHz FireWire audio/MIDI interface in SONAR Power Studio 660, and the Cakewalk SPS-25 24-bit/96 kHz USB audio/MIDI interface with SONAR Power Studio 250.

Cakewalk claims that what sets the SONAR Power Studio production system apart from other products is the uncompromised feeling the user will get of complete integration between Cakewalk hardware and software, starting from the ease of the installation process, and continuing with the speed of starting a recording project.

• SONAR Power Studio ships with an easy to understand 4-panel Getting Started Guide with clearly illustrated instructions, one User's Guide covering both the hardware and software, and there is one installer for complete setup of all software and hardware drivers and components.
• SONAR Power Studio includes a special configuration of SONAR Studio Edition where all audio and MIDI device settings come pre-configured for the included Cakewalk hardware, so all the user has to do is enable a track and click "record".
• And because this is one integrated solution from Cakewalk, customers have one phone number to call in the unlikely event that they need tech support, rather than get bounced back and forth between separate hardware and software companies.

In addition to SONAR 5 Studio Edition, SONAR Power Studio includes additional tools to maximize the customer's creative experience.

Roland V-Vocal Variphrase Technology
This powerful vocal processor features state-of-the-art Roland VariPhrase technology. SONAR Power Studio customers can use V-Vocal to create perfect vocal tracks, accomplishing edits they never imagined possible.

• Based on VariPhrase technology - a technology developed at Roland that allows control of the tempo and pitch of audio phrases in real time with virtually no sound quality degradation.
• Powerful vocal processing: automatic pitch correction, vibrato, and more.
• Adjust the phrasing and dynamics of vocals or rephrase an entire audio region.
• Easily add harmonies or choirs to projects.

IK Multimedia Amplitube LE
SONAR Power Studio customers can plug-in to a special edition of Amplitube to get true, real-time tones from several amps, cabinet models, and other effects.

The SONAR Power Studio 250 and SONAR Power Studio 660 will ship in the United States with SONAR Studio Edition and Cakewalk hardware. SONAR Power Studio 250 has an estimated street price of $449, SONAR Power Studio 660 is $599. Both will be available at select music and sound retailers in April 2006.

Outside North America, the SONAR Power Studio offerings will be marketed as SONAR Power Studio 25 (USB version) and SONAR Power Studio 66 (FireWire version). The software ships with English, French, German, and Spanish versions of SONAR Studio Edition, and the Edirol UA-25 (SONAR Power Studio 25) or FA-66 (SONAR Power Studio 66) audio/MIDI interfaces, all contained within one box respectively.

Available through Cakewalk's Roland and Edirol distribution partners, Europe's suggested retail price for SONAR Power Studio 25 and SONAR Power Studio 66 are €479 and €669 (including VAT) respectively. U.K. pricing is £329 and £459 (including VAT) respectively; and will be available February 2006.