The Vienna Symphonic Library (VSL) has introduced Vienna Ensemble 3 (Mac/Win; EUR 95), a MIDI and audio LAN solution that allows you to set up a cross-platform network of Macs and PCs using an Ethernet cable and no additional audio hardware.

While using notation software or a sequencer on the master computer, Vienna Ensemble 3 can host many Vienna Instruments plug-ins on any number of slave computers, and route all of those audio streams back to the master via an Ethernet cable. According to the manufacturer, assigning the Vienna Instruments to slave machines preserves the master computer''s CPU resources, since all computing and hard-disk streaming is done on the slave machines.

Vienna Ensemble 3 offers panning and power panning, 8 ports with 16 MIDI channels each, instrument naming, instant instrument switching, total recall, freely assignable busses, and more. The software can be run standalone or as a plug-in in RTAS, AU, and VST formats.

If you are a registered Vienna Instruments user, you may download the free demo license to try Vienna Ensemble 3 for 30 days. To learn more, visit www.vsl.co.at.