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Auralex Free RLX Online App

By
Bryan
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I’ve got some Auralex in Everything Recording’s test studio and for the most part it works great. Around the time that I was building this room, an app like this would’ve been very useful. Auralex has designed the Room Layout Express app to suggest treatments based on your room’s dimensions and uses. After you’ve entered your applications and dimensions of your room, Auralex will email you a list of all of the types of treatment for your room as well as how to apply them to your space. Brilliant! It’s like having your own acoustician for free on PC/Mac or Mobile device.
Indianapolis, IN, October 14, 2015 – Auralex® Acoustics, Inc., the world’s leading brand of acoustical treatments, is pleased to announce their new free RLX™ Room Layout eXpress™ online app, designed to give instantaneous recommendations for acoustical treatment solutions for many different room types. 
The app is both easy to use and returns immediate results. To begin, simply select your “Room Type” [Audiophile, Broadcast, Control Room, Home Theater, Live Room, Mastering Room, Project Studio, Rehearsal Space, Video Editing Suite, Vocal Booth, Conference Room or Other]. If your room fits more than one “type,” select the one that best fits your situation. You can also use the “Edit Room” function to view multiple results for the same dimensions previously entered. The kit recommendations are based on both the type of room selected and the suggested amount of necessary acoustical treatment required based on your specific square footage. Recommendations are made from our comprehensive line of Absorption, Bass Trapping and Diffusion products. Once the user supplies the necessary information, the app will return up to three different suggestions from our popular Studiofoam®, SonoLite™, and ProPanel™ designs. 
You are also able to input information on various types of equipment and gear used in your room. The app will use this information to provide suggestions on applicable Auralex ISO-Series™ products that help to isolate your instruments and gear from the surfaces upon which they rest. Decoupling your instruments and gear can reduce sound transmission and resonance that occurs when resting on a hard surface, which in turn decreases unwanted coloration and increases clarity. 
Once the recommendations are identified, you are able to purchase the specified Auralex solutions from an Authorized Online Dealer listing, or you may enter your zip code to receive the contact information of the nearest Authorized Auralex Dealers. You can also receive a permanent copy of your room results along with more detailed information, by simply using the form at the bottom of the app to have them emailed to you. 
The new RLX app is designed to provide customers immediate suggestions for effective sound control solutions for many room types. Auralex will continue to offer its highly acclaimed Free Personalized Room Analysis™ service. Customers simply fill out a form (online or downloadable) with details about their project and provide diagrams with room dimensions. This information is then used to render an acoustical model of the space and to determine the most effective acoustical treatment plan for the specific room and application. 
The Room Layout eXpress can be found at rlx.auralex.com

Review: Softube TSAR-1/1R

By
Bryan
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The reverb market either seems to be an afterthought for plugin developers or an exercise in control gluttony. On either end of the spectrum, you will get a bunch of modeled spaces that lack control or so many controls and graphs, you stick with the presets and never really explore. There is a small majority of plugins that balance both functionality and power, but Softube saw an opportunity to topple the existing regime with a powerful reverb that also encourages easy interaction.
 
TSAR-1 stands for TRUE STEREO ALGORITHMIC REVERB Model 1. It comes is all of the usual AAX, VST, and AU formats and installs via Softube’s Plugin Installer. Installation is very easy due to the update Softube made to the installer that encompasses all formats in one file. As was stated before, Softube is an algorithmic reverb. Unlike convolution reverb that models spaces with impulse responses, TSAR uses an algorithm to create space. This is especially helpful when you want the size of a certain room but not necessarily the color or tone. The room can also be easily altered to different sizes and depths. How TSAR stands out immediately is in what’s under the hood. While most reverbs use an engine for the left side and the right side, or even one engine per both, TSAR knows that in order to be true stereo like the name implies, you need 4 engines. Not only do the 4 engines work independently per side, they also work together to affect the other side uniquely. This allows for better depth and control over all parameters in a way that won’t wash out your source audio.
 
Not only is the reverb engine impressive, the interface is easy on the eyes as well. TSAR-1 takes on a similar look of some of the hardware units from the days of yore. It is extremely easy to use, with everything laid out in a very logical fashion. Unlike other reverb plugins, TSAR wanted to create a space that encouraged interaction and the interface really speaks to that. I mean, who doesn’t want to move faders around? The displays screen actually serves more purpose than just giving you numbers for each parameter. Each knob, slider, or LED has a display either above or below the control that gives instant feedback as to the value changed, but this display actually does more than that. A quick look to the right of the value of each control, you will see another in parenthesis. This value is your previous setting and can be accessed by clicking on the corresponding display. Once the setting is changed to the previous, the existing then swaps over to the parenthesis and can be toggled back and forth for comparison. This function is one of those “how did everyone miss this” features that I can’t believe hasn’t been used in more plugins and has become a must for my personal workflow. Another great feature the display gives you is a calculated Reverb Time that will take all current parameters and estimate the time the reverb tail will drop 60dB. Although this is not a hard and fast tool for calculating reverb, it is best to still rely on your ears and gut. On top of all of the other visuals in the display, TSAR-1 features an input and output meter on the left and right of the display to help tailor levels to taste.
Either Above or below to display, the controls sit. From the top you have your early reflections type and mix. Not only does TSAR-1 give a very simple choice of reflection size, it also allows a direct mix between reverb and reflections via the ER Mix knob to the right of the reflection size. One of the concepts at TSAR’s core is to readily give all of the tools to create both natural and other worldly reverbs and Softube believes that the key to a good reverb lies in the amount of control over the early reflections. This is apparent in the layout and Softube has laid these controls out in a very straightforward manner while giving them the spotlight in the interface. Next to the early reflections is the diffusion and next to that you have a modulation control. Fast and slow modulations will give a chorusing effect while random is used to give off a more natural sound. Finally at the top right is the output volume and reverb mix. Below the display are the faders that control predelay, reverb time, density, tone, and high cut. One thing to make clear is that the tone adjusts the color of the reverb tail while the high cut will affect both the early reflections and the tail. Using these together you can really dial in very detailed environments that add dimension to the track.
 
The presets are a perfect starting point and some are essentially just set and forget. You are given the choice between modern units, which are set at a -6dB reference level, and presets that take after some of the great vintage units. Softube even went as far as using the unit’s name in the preset so as to really make it clear the effect being achieved. One thing I wish I saw on this unit is the presets menu built into the interface. Of course this is no problem with most DAWs but with other sequencers like Maschine, who do not have a presets menu, all of the great starting points are lost. Of course this isn’t Softube’s fault but I bet there is a little room in the display for a menu. Also as a warning, it is advised not to gradually change parameters using automation because this will cause the unit to mute reverb due to how TSAR-1 handles noise suppression in artifacts. Although not being allowed to make automation changes in reverb isn’t a big deal, it would be nice to have the option for more creative ventures. Another enhancement that would’ve made this reverb absolutely perfect for me would’ve been a knob to add saturation. Softube has an incredible saturation knob and having it in this reverb would save a lot of hassle having to pull out another distortion plugin after the reverb.
 
In use, I found TSAR-1 to be one of the easiest reverb plugins to use. I was relying less on presets like I do in most reverb plugins and simply making my own. Softube has made a plugin that is very easy to achieve the exact space you are hearing in your head. TSAR-1 doesn’t have a setting that sounds remotely bad. Turn the knobs in just about any combination and you have a space that is useable in many situations… it may not be the current situation but you will find yourself saying, “I need to remember that one” quite a bit. It really is great to have a reverb plugin that “just works masterfully”, but Softube didn’t stop there…
 
TSAR-1 has a companion in TSAR-1R. Softube wanted to take ease of use even further than TSAR-1 and made an interface with even less controls. TSAR-1R has the same brains behind it that TSAR-1 has but the predelay has been cut to a max of 200ms. This is due to TSAR-1R being more of a tool to achieve natural spaces easier and most natural reverb sounds do not use more than 200ms. If you are having trouble dialing in the predelay, reflection, density, and decay time, TSAR-1R has one knob that does the work for you. The relation between the 4 parameters is handled internally to take the guesswork out of achieving the perfect sound for the decay time you want. Of course you can still manually trim the predelay setting just to the left of the time fader. You are also given the color control to dial in the perfect tone. Softube has somehow crammed an entire plugin perfectly into 5 controls. Amazing!
 
Simply put, TSAR-1 has become the first reverb I think of when going for a mix. It was referred to me by an engineer I know so I tried it out and was blown away. I can’t go back to the others. Sure they may have a control for every single concept of reverb but why should I have to think so hard and have a degree in acoustic theory when I’ve got twenty thousand other decisions to make in a mix. Why not take a few off and pick up TSAR-1 or TSAR-1R. You wont regret it.
 
TSAR-1 comes standard with TSAR-1R or you can buy TSAR-1R separately. Conversely, TSAR-1R comes standard with Focusrite interfaces as well. So why not go buy a Scarlett interface (review here) and get TSAR-1R for free along with some of Softube’s other great plugins. Once your foot is in that door, you’ll want the rest.
For more information, visit http://www.softube.com/index.php?id=tsar1

Review: FabFilter Pro-C 2

By
Bryan
-

We need no introduction for FabFilter. We all know the pros use it. We even have reviews already published for Pro-MB (here) and Pro-Q 2 (here). We were very eager to get our hands on the second installment of FabFilter’s Pro-C. This dynamics plugin comes in all flavors for all DAWs in both 32-bit and 64-bit. For those unfamiliar with the original plugin, Pro-C1 is not your grandfather’s compressor. On top of doing all of the tasks a standard compressor can accomplish, it features 3 styles of compression, an intelligent graph displaying real time compression, basic side-chain EQ, and an easy to use interface- making it a favorite for beginners and experts alike. So if Pro-C1 is so great, why pony up the money to upgrade to version 2?
 
First off, you can have your cake and eat it too. FabFilter knows that change isn’t instant and still allows you to use Pro-C1 as well as Pro-C2, even in the same session. Unlike most upgrades that force you to “get with the times”, Pro-C2 is its own install, that will even allow for use of version 1 presets. Just be warned that your Pro-C1 presets may sound a little different due to updates under the hood.
 
A lot has changed since the original incarnation of Pro-C and Fabfilter has recognized that and given Pro-C2 a facelift. The interface now supports both Retina and High DPI screens, is re-sizeable to small, medium, large, and even has full screen mode. No more squinting at controls and numbers. It’s good to see plugin manufacturers breaking free of the old standards of interface size and allowing for the option to consume more screen real estate. This couldn’t come at a better time for Pro-C2 especially given the massive overhaul of the display sections. Better use of the background of the window as well as adopting FabFilter’s “floating main controls” featured in Pro-MB and Pro-C2, version 2 has become a powerhouse with every single facet of dynamics all at an easy glance in one window. Pro-C1 definitely lacked in this department, making you click between side-chain and level display.
 
Speaking of the side-chain display, Pro-C2 has expanded on the basic hipass and lowpass of version 1, giving you an additional mid band that can be cut or boosted with either a bell, notch, shelf, bandpass, or tilt shelf. To make matters less complicated, the only time the side-chain is in use is when it is visible. The only issue with this is the screen can get pretty big at times and it would be nice to be able to hide it sometimes. A simple color change of the side-chain button would’ve done the trick.
 
The knee display has also been updated, giving you the ability to see the source audio travel up the knee with a small green line. The knee can go from a hard knee to a 72 dB soft knee option, which can add more analog flavor and character to the audio on top of compressing. With more space freed up by using digital “feng shui” of the interface, the input, output, and compression meters have a little more room to stretch out and cover more area. If all of this is just too much visual, the knee and level displays can go away with the click of a button, leaving you with a very compact and classic looking compressor. Sometimes it’s nice to take a vacation from all of the info and just turn knobs ‘till it sounds right.
 
As great as all of the visual upgrades are, FabFilter didn’t stop there. The engine has been tuned and a slew of new features have somehow been packed into the interface without overcrowding. Up to 4X oversampling is now featured on version 2. Oversampling can help combat the false frequencies caused when aggressively compressing audio. This is especially a great help when using very fast attack times and running heavy handed on the compressor, but in exchange, Pro-C2 will need more processing power and will introduce latency.
 
Across the floating control bar are your standard threshold, ratio, attack, release, and gain makeup. The threshold knob has a nice ring around it to show incoming audio levels in relation to the threshold control. Knowing when the compressor will start gain reduction is as simple as turning the knob to the exact spot where you see your peaks on the ring. If that’s not enough, audition triggering can be used. The little headphones next to the threshold can be clicked and you can hear exactly what is audibly causing gain reduction based on the threshold. It’s the best of both worlds allowing you to use both your ears and eyes to precisely handle audio. What’s slightly different to other compressors is how wet and dry signal is balanced. Instead of featuring a mix knob, dry compression can be added separate to compressed audio to achieve gain change up to 200% and instead of having to add your own gain makeup after compression, an “auto gain” button has been added. Although it’s not exact science, auto gain can get you very close to matching input levels with the compressed output. An auto release works similarly as well to monitor overall compression and release the compressor accordingly. While most of these settings are standard to most plugin compressors, FabFilter added a few more to help tip the scales in their favor. However it is lacking one particular knob which would be extremely useful given the sheer power of the plugin… an input level knob to drive content into the compressor.
 
Next to the adjustable knee slider is a new “range” slider, which will work to limit the overall maximum gain reduction. The right two sliders features an adjustable “look ahead” slider that can scout transients up to 20ms. This helps to preserve the transparency when catching transients but just like the oversampling, will introduce a little latency. The very last slider is a very intriguing one. A “hold” slider will prolong the peak reduction up to half a second. If used sparingly, hold can help make compression a little less apparent but if used heavy handed, can even give the track a rhythmic pumping. While we’re on the subject of pumping, FabFilter has taken its intuitive midi learn capabilities and has added the ability to trigger the compressor using midi. This takes creative compressing to a whole new level by allowing rhythmic effects to be created by using your own hands. Just imagine taking a boring synth pad and triggering pumping effects by using an electronic set of drums or an MPC pad.
 
On top of the 3 styles of compression already featured in version 1, Pro-C2 now has 5 more to choose from that cover just about any scenario you can throw at it. There is the original “clean”, “classic”, and “opto” styles that cover a fairly broad uses ranging from utilitarian and clinical, to more analog and vibey. However FabFilter decided that more is better adding Vocal, Punch, Pumping, Bus, and Mastering to the mix. Each setting is fairly explainable in the name giving you the option of a clean, fast mastering compressor, one that will glue tracks in a mix bus, a punchy analog type compressor, another that will aggressively pump for EDM and pop music, and one tailored exclusively to keep vocals right where they need. What is unique about to vocal setting is that all of the hard work of tweaking the right ratio and knee has already been taken care of, leaving you only to have to choose the right threshold. I found the Bus perfect on my drum mix and punch makes an acoustic guitar sing. Adding pumping with the midi triggering was the most fun and I was able to do what usually took cutting and pasting kick tracks in place in about half the time.
 
There is pretty much isn’t anything you can’t do with Pro-C2. The improved side-chain section is somehow both powerful and easy at the same time. The options are limitless on how you want to tame stereo tracks. You can process left separate from right, mid, separate from side, side separate from mid and trigger the compressor with just about any combination in between. On top of the staggering amount of control you have over content, you can see exactly what is going on at any given stage with the multitude of visuals all somehow cleanly displayed in one window. What FabFilter seems to understand is even though you have the options to see ever little thing, sometimes it’s best to be able to simplify and scale back. Pro-C2 does this very well. On top of visually seeing exactly what is happening in any stage of compression, this tool can help train newcomers to understand the basics compression by actually seeing feedback on the screen in combination with the help menu popups that show up when hovering over buttons. FabFilter has truly made a powerful compressor that spans all user levels and music styles. My only complaints involve the side-chain not being able to be active while hidden, the lack of an input level knob, and the sheer DSP usage this plugin wields. I get that quality sometimes needs quantity in the CPU area but sometimes my session would overload very quickly when I started throwing it on tracks (like you’re going to want to do). I found hiding the visuals to help a little but would still like the option of putting this plugin on every track I can without taxing the system too much. This only speaks to just how great of a dynamics plugin Pro-C2 is.
For more information and to buy, visit http://www.fabfilter.com/products/pro-c-2-compressor-plug-in

iZotope Music Production Bundle with Ozone 7 Advanced

By
Bryan
-

iZotope has the market cornered on the niche plugin market. Trash2, Alloy, Ozone, Nectar are all mainstays in audio enhancement and now iZotope is upgrading their Music Production Bundle, even featuring Ozone 7 Advanced.

iZotope, Inc., a leading audio technology company, is announcing a new Music Production Bundle. Five award-winning plug-ins are now available at a special bundle price, offering a savings of nearly 50%.
The Music Production Bundle includes Ozone for delivering professional-sounding masters; Alloy for adding clarity, punch, and life to mixes; Nectar for enhancing and tuning up vocals; Trash for sonic distortion and experimentation; and Insight to visually diagnose what’s going on with your mix. Elegant workflows and built-in visual feedback make the Music Production Bundle accessible for any musician, engineer, producer, or sound designer.
The flagship product in the bundle is the all-new Ozone 7 Advanced. Operating as a standalone platform or as a plug-in within all major DAWs, Ozone 7 Advanced includes a full suite of mastering tools. Four new Vintage modules (Vintage Compressor, Vintage EQ, Vintage Tape, and Vintage Limiter) allow engineers to dial in the desired amount of vintage character. Codec Preview lets users hear how their masters will sound to listeners who stream or buy their music online.
New updates for both the Advanced and Standard version of Ozone 7 include:
  • Vintage Limiter that adds sonic characteristics of analog hardware
  • New export options for delivering your mastered audio to desired MP3/AAC formats
  • IRC IV mode in the Maximizer to increase perceived loudness without pumping or distortion
  • Improved Dynamic EQ, a precision EQ that lives and breathes with your music
“The Ozone 7 update builds on iZotope’s reputation for superior sound quality audio mastering tools. We’re adding more processing capabilities, including an innovative new IRC limiting algorithm that uses spectral shaping to reduce pumping and distortion,” says iZotope Product Manager Izzy Maxwell. “Ozone 7 Advanced honors all the aspects of vintage hardware, compressors, and tape that people love – warmth, saturation, character, richness – and reimagines them for the modern digital music production realm.”
“We found increasing numbers of customers using Ozone to mix as well as master their audio. With the Music Production Bundle, we wanted to provide customers a smoother path to all of iZotope’s mastering and mixing tools at a compelling price that is affordable to project studios and pros alike.”
iZotope will present Ozone 7, Ozone 7 Advanced, and the Music Production Bundle at AES 2015 in New York, October 29 – November 1.
Availability

iZotope’s Music Production Bundle is available now for both new customers and upgraders from previous versions of Ozone. Includes: Ozone 7 Advanced*, Insight, Alloy 2, Nectar 2 Production Suite, and Trash 2 (plus two Trash Expansions).
*Customers will receive Ozone 6 Advanced at time of purchase with a free upgrade to Ozone 7 Advanced when it is released in November.

Pricing

The Music Production Bundle, Ozone 7 Advanced, and Ozone 7 are on sale through November 11, 2015:
  • Music Production Bundle is available for $549 USD (reg. $599) and includes a free upgrade to Ozone 7 Advanced when it is released in November.
  • Ozone 6 Advanced is available for $449 USD (reg. $499) and includes a free upgrade to Ozone 7 Advanced when it is released in November.
  • Ozone 6 is available for $199 USD (reg. $249) and includes a free upgrade to Ozone 7 when it is released in November.
Upgrade pricing can be found on iZotope’s website.
All customers purchasing Ozone 6 or Ozone 6 Advanced after August 26, 2015 will receive a free upgrade to the respective version of Ozone 7 when it is released in November.

Audient ASP800

By
Bryan
-

Audient has made some remarkable consoles. Now you can get 8 channels of their flagship ASP8024 with an added harmonic distortion on 2 channels.

Audient is proud to announce that the new ASP800 eight-channel mic pre & ADC is now shipping in the US market.
Following the release of the bus-powered audio interface iD14, the highly anticipated ASP800 offers eight Audient console mic pres, Burr-Brown A-D converters, two discrete JFET instrument inputs and two brand new ‘Retro Channels’ featuring tone controls HMX and IRON.
HMX is a custom harmonic distortion designed to emulate the sweet, thick tones often associated with 1960s tube designs, whilst Audient’s brand new variable British transformer saturator, IRON instantly adds sparkle, replicating the coveted transformer ‘zing’ of British audio in the 1970s – both giving new dimensions to a recording.
“Not only does ASP800 boast an incredible feature set, Audient is one of the only companies to offer custom transformer saturation at this price point,” explains Tom Waterman, Audient’s technical director. “It’s the perfect addition to your existing setup, offering eight additional Class-A inputs, making it ideal for recording drums – or if you simply need more channels.
“As with all mic pres across the Audient range, these are the same design as those found on the flagship ASP8024 console designed by David Dearden. Audient is certainly known for its natural & open mic pres, but that doesn’t mean we don’t understand the importance of adding colour,” he adds, highlighting the unit’s ‘Retro Channels’.
Key features also include pristine Burr-Brown A-D converters, ADAT connectivity, a Word Clock input and balanced analogue line outputs – all packed into a convenient, 1RU rackmount.
Feature set:
· 8 x World Class Audient Console Mic Pres
· 2 x Retro Channels with Dual Stage COLOUR Saturation Controls – HMX & IRON
· 2 x Discrete JFET Instrument Inputs
· Pristine 118-dB Burr-Brown A-D Converters
· Balanced Analogue Line Outputs
· ADAT Output for Expandability
· Word Clock Input
· All-Metal Enclosure
With a $799 MAP and further details – including videos – available on the Audient website, ASP800 provides eight of the best-priced mic pres on the market.
For more information, visit www.audient.com.

Producer's Choice: 6 god Bundle

By
Bryan
-

Let’s face it. All HipHop producers want the OVO sound. Although most of it has birthed from Kanye West’s 808s album, the sound is synonymous with Drake, 40, Boi 1nda, and T-Minus. For very good reason though. These guys have run with the sound and made it into what it is today. Now it’s your turn.

I have cooked up something special here for fans of the OVO Sound.
“If you want to make beats in the style of Drake, The Weeknd, Noah “40” Shebib or Boi1da – then this sample pack was made just for YOU!”
Stacking in at over 2GB of the FINEST OVO sounds – we had a blast cooking this one up. Now it is time for you to take over, and use these sounds to cook up your own Toronto / OVO bangers.
In this incredible deal – you’re getting 3 sample packs for the price of one. You get both OVO The North Volume 1 & 2 – PLUS the OVO Sound Drum Kit. 
If you want to MASTER the Toronto / OVO Sound – then this is a MUST HAVE product for your production arsenal.

  • 2.43GB of OVO Loops, Sounds & Samples (in pristine 44.1khz 24 bit WAV Format)

  • 20 Beat Construction Kits (Inc. MIDI & WAV Trackouts)

  • 273 Individual Loops

  • PLUS X 82 OVO Drum Samples

Price: $47.00
For more information, click HERE

Spirtfire EVO GRID Woodwinds

By
Bryan
-

You need an orchestra. You don’t have talented friends who are classically trained. What do you do? Well you go and buy Spitfire Audio’s EVO GRID series virtual instruments for Kontakt.

Spitfire Audio, purveyors of the finest virtual instruments from the finest musical samples in the world, is proud to announce availability of PP025 EVO GRID 004 WOODWINDS, the latest creative chapter in its evocatively-named, evolving EVO GRID series of ‘off-grid’ sample-based virtual instruments initially inspired by the trailblazing late-Sixties-vintage EMS VCS3 portable analogue monosynth and perfectly executed for the Native Instruments KONTAKT platform-compatible Producer Portfolio range — itself launched to satisfy repeated requests for drier-sounding, more manipulative samples for more non-orchestral material, as of September 18…
Following on from the success of Spitfire Audio’s prototypical PP017 EVO GRID 001 STRINGS and its phenomenal PP020 EVO GRID 002 STRINGS followup, as implied by name, PP025 EVO GRID 004 WOODWINDS takes the so-called ‘Evo’ concept from its inception in strings into the wonderful world of woodwinds. What is an Evo, exactly? Evos are hyper-long, sample-based articulations that evolve — sometimes subtly, sometimes severely — over time before looping. These are then organised on a grid so users can plot which evolution or ‘Evo’ sits on which key range, resulting in a GUI (Graphical User Interface) inspired by the breakthrough British EMS VCS3, which made musical history upon its introduction in 1969 by being the first commercially portable synthesiser available anywhere in the world, thanks to its innovative modular matrix-based patchboard dispensing with the telephone exchange-like cabling of other (much larger) modular systems in favour of making space-saving connections with (removable) coloured pins.
PP025 EVO GRID 004 WOODWINDS heads on a similarly flexible sonic bearing, but within the computer-hosted context of a truly 21st Century sample-based virtual instrument fit for ‘off-grid’ minimal musical explorations. Employing some of the UK’s finest, most progressive, and avant-garde woodwind players performing beautifully-orchestrated long notes that increase in intensity and expression, evolving into out-of-this world soundscapes, this eclectic collection of woodwind evolutions designed by Ben Foskett foster an exceptional edge to anyone’s musical endeavours. Returning to record at the ultra-dry, yet warm-sounding surroundings of Central London’s Air-Edel Recording Studios using the finest vintage microphones, Neve preamps, and the last Cadac studio console ever built, ‘Foskett & Co.’ set about creating a product that oozes originality and positively provides inspiration to all that use it. The result? 3,312 superlative samples — some 18.5GB of uncompressed .WAV files — that do just that by doing things with woodwinds that are totally unexpected, yet uniquely musical in execution.
At Air-Edel Recording Studios two subtly different performing lineups — Band A comprising FLUTE (3), ALTO FLUTE (1), BASS FLUTE (1), CONTRA BASS FLUTE (1), Bb CLARINET (3), and Bb BASS CLARINET (3); Band B comprising OBOE (3), COR ANGLAIS (2), Bb CLARINET (2), Bb BASS CLARINET (1), Bb BASS CLARINET (1), BARITONE SAX (1), and BASSOON (3) — led Spitfire Audio to ultimately provide PP025 EVO GRID 004 WOODWINDS users with a nuanced selection of sounds. Some are more reedy-sounding, others more flutey. This time the resultant Evo count stands at a healthy 48 spread across 12 pitch regions — including an additional five grids of wonderfully-warped, saturated, and totally transformed versions of each and every Evo — resulting in an almost infinite number of possibilities. Pressing the save button is important… all the more so given the many randomisation options that are also provided!
Fortunately for (potential) PP025 EVO GRID 004 WOODWINDS purchasers, Spitfire Audio has helpfully seen fit to carefully curate those extraordinary Evos into a number of spring-right-out-of-the-box-style patches — from seemingly-simple tutti-type affairs, featuring all Evos evenly spread across the keyboard, through to various diagonal patterns, as well as a handy feature for randomly creating pinned patterns from the near-infinite number of configuration possibilities — perfectly demonstrating not only the tense and extreme elements of the library but also the effortlessly-engaging ‘episodic’ Evos! Easily-accessible front panel-positioned FX controls (for Reverb, Delay, and Tape Sat.) help make this into a tool truly designed for producers — hence the Producer Portfolio range association, as well as composers, editors, and sound designers alike. Anyone needing a spellbinding solution from the moment they touch the keyboard, in other words! Like the self-explanatory SIMPLE TENSE SCARY subtitling of the PP017 EVO GRID 001 STRINGS and TRADITIONAL EPISODIC EXTREME subtitling of PP020 EVO GRID 002 STRINGS before it, PP025 EVO GRID 004 WOODWINDS can be as time-saving as the trailblazing EMS VCS3 was once space-saving.
Saying that, PP025 EVO GRID 004 WOODWINDS perfectly compliments that recently-released PP017 EVO GRID 001 STRINGS sample-based virtual instrument — an extraordinary collection of long, evolving chamber strings orchestrated by Ben Foskett before being given Spitfire Audio’s adventurous Evo treatment — and its PP020 EVO GRID 002 STRINGS sibling. Says Spitfire Audio Director Paul Thomson: “We’ve got a collection of incredible players here — very progressive, avant-garde wind players, playing beautifully-orchestrated long notes from Ben Foskett that evolve with increases in intensity and expression and different techniques to give you a really beautiful series of long, evolving tones that you can use to work with in a similar way to the STRINGS EVO GRID releases. The EVO GRID GUI is the same as before, so you’ll recognise all of the controls. There are lots and lots of possibilities — millions of possibilities, in fact, so it’s a really creative tool. We’re very proud of it. It’s very different from the strings evolutions that we’ve put out so far, but it’s very, very useful.”
Indeed it is. In this day and age of delivering more musical content against a backdrop of diminishing deadlines and budgetary constraints, composers are often asked to engage the listener by doing very little — least of all changing notes, all those EVO GRID releases represent Spitfire Audio’s masterplan for providing them with a solution to this taxing conundrum. Just ask award-winning composer — and fellow Spitfire Audio Director Christian Henson. Commissioned to write 13 hours of music for a sprawling, epic TV series, but with no budget for orchestra and only three months in which to do it, a quick string sampling session subsequently ensued, during which he fortuitously recorded a series of greatly differing long strings evolutions. Staggered by the resulting sample instrument, where the chaotic nature of different evolutions placed over different intervals made for exciting and unexpected results, he semi-seriously stated, “I could literally hit a big C minor chord, hold my sustain pedal down, reach for my sandwich, and the thing would still be writing itself a minute later while I was wiping mayo off my beard!” From the smallest seed… and all that jazz.

PP025 EVO GRID 004 WOODWINDS and its PP017 EVO GRID 001 STRINGS and PP020 EVO GRID 002 STRINGS sample-based virtual instrument siblings can be purchased and downloaded directly from Spitfire Audio for £179.00 GBP (subject to VAT within the EU) from here: http://www.spitfireaudio.com/products-page (Note that Spitfire Audio’s free Download Manager application for Mac or PC allows you to buy now and download anytime while a full version of Native Instruments KONTAKT 5 is needed to run these Producer Portfolio products.)
For more in-depth info, including an ear-opening audio demo, please visit the PP025 EVO GRID 004 WOODWINDS webpage here: http://www.spitfireaudio.com/pp-evo-grid-4-woodwinds

McDSP SA-2 Dialog Processor

By
Bryan
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I figure television and movie sound is a nightmare. I’ve never really mixed any audio for video but given the challenges of location, equipment, etc it must be tough. McDSP has a plugin to help. They also have recently released Version 6.1 which has multiple upgrades and tweaks!

Dialog. The focal point of any movie, television show, documentary, or for that matter, any creative media production involving the spoken word. Add to the mix a sweeping musical score, dozens of foley effects, and plenty more – and it becomes clear the job of dialog mixing is a tall order. After all, if you can’t hear what the actors are saying, why watch it at all!!
The SA-2 Dialog Processor is based on hardware originally conceived by Academy Award winning re- recording mixer Mike Minkler and used on over 100 major motion pictures. The SA-2 is designed to improve the overall sound of recorded speech. But the SA-2 is not just for dialog. It’s equally useful for vocals, and is a great tool for adjusting the timbre of any track, a reliable de-esser, and a fine multi-frequency compressor, in our completely biased opinion.
The SA-2 Dialog Processor is made up of 5 bands of active equalization, configured in a variety of modes to best address common issues of dialog. Each band of active equalization has a threshold control to determine at what signal level the active equalizer begins to effect the signal. There are also enable buttons for each band to quickly audition the effect of any given band. Two mode selectors – one for controlling the ballistics of the active equalization, and a second for placing the five bands at strategic locations in the frequency spectrum. Finally, there are input and output gain controls for overall adjustment.
Feature List:
Five independent bands of strategic active equalization
Multiple process modes for a variety of applications
Unique signal reduction metering
Double precision processing
Ultra low latency
Mono and stereo versions

 
Price: $74 (Native) $124 (Dsp)
More information and demos of the new SA-2 Dialog Processor are available at http://mcdsp.com/plug-ins/sa2/

Universal Audio Apollo Twin USB

By
Bryan
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The Apollo interface line has swept through the home recording market with reckless abandon. Hell, even professionals use these in their mobile rigs. They are incredible interfaces that have a lot to offer. Now the Twin has a USB version for Windows!

Universal Audio, a leading manufacturer of professional audio recording hardware and software, is proud to announce Apollo Twin USB High-Resolution Desktop Interfacewith Realtime UAD Processing for Windows-based recording systems using USB 3.
This sleek 2×6 USB audio interface combines high-quality 24/192 kHz audio conversion with onboard Realtime UAD-2 DUO Processing. With its ergonomic desktop design, rugged aluminum construction, and front panel headphone and instrument connections, Apollo Twin USB allows Windows 8.1 and Windows 7 users to record in real time (at near-zero latency) through the full range of UAD Powered Plug-Ins from Neve, Studer, Manley, Marshall, API, and more.

Apollo Twin USB also features Unison™ technology, which allows its mic preamps and front-panel DIs to sound and behave like the world’s most sought-after tube and solid state preamps, guitar amps, and stompboxes — including their all-important impedance, gain stage “sweet spots,” and circuit behaviors.
Based on breakthrough integration between Apollo’s digitally controlled analog inputs and its onboard UAD processing, Unison lets Apollo Twin USB owners track through a range of colorful preamp emulations from Neve, API, Marshall and more with amazing accuracy.

Apollo Twin USB comes with Universal Audio’s “Realtime Analog Classics” UAD plug-in bundle, featuring legacy editions of the LA-2A Classic Audio Leveler, 1176LN Limiting Amplifier, and Pultec EQP-1A Program Equalizer, as well as the 610-B Tube Preamp plug-in, Softube Amp Room Essentials.
Apollo Twin USB will begin shipping in October, 2015 with an estimated street price of $899 USD.
Apollo Twin USB DUO Key Features:

  • Desktop 2×6 USB 3 audio interface with world-class 24-bit/192 kHz audio conversion

  • Realtime UAD Processing for tracking through vintage Compressors, EQs, Tape Machines, Mic Preamps, and Guitar Amp plug-ins with near-zero (sub-2ms) latency

  • Unison technology offers stunning models of classic tube and transformer-based mic preamps, guitar amps, and stompboxes

  • 2 premium mic/line preamps; 2 line outputs; front-panel Hi-Z instrument input and headphone output

  • 2 digitally controlled analog monitor outputs for full resolution at all listening levels

  • Combine with UAD-2 DSP Accelerators for added UAD plug-in processing power

  • Up to 8 channels of additional digital input via Optical connection

  • Includes “Realtime Analog Classics” UAD plug-in bundle, featuring Legacy editions of the LA-2A Classic Audio Leveler, 1176LN Limiting Amplifier, and Pultec EQP-1A Program Equalizer, plus Softube Amp Room Essentials, 610-B Tube Preamp, and more

  • Runs UAD Powered Plug-Ins via VST, RTAS & AAX 64

For more info about the Apollo Twin USB, visit uaudio.com/twinusb

Rob Papen RP-EQ

By
Bryan
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Rob Papen is one of the greats in virtual synth production. Countless EDM, pop, hiphop, and even rock tracks feature his digital fingerprints. After creating last year’s RAW soft synth, he saw useful parts in the plugin that could work as a standalone plugin. What we get is RP-EQ.

Virtual instrument and effects plug-in developer Rob Papen Soundware is proud to announce availability of RP-EQ — expanding EQ essentials from its all-the-rage RAW soft synth, specialising in ‘distorted’ sounds specifically suited to EDM (electronic dance music) production and beyond, to create an essential EQ effects plug-in for Mac (32- and 64-bit, AAX, AU, and VST for Mac OS X 10.6 or higher) and PC (32- and 64-bit, AAX and VST for Windows Vista, 7, 8, and 10) with inventive graphics control at its instinctive heart suited to tweaking anything in hitherto unseen ways with a natural and sweet sound well worth its attractive asking price — as of September 28…
Whether used in a corrective or creative capacity, EQ (or equalisation) — adjusting the levels of frequency response of an audio signal — has long since been seen as an essential extension to the art of recording, mixing, and mastering. Indeed, in the wonderful world of virtual music production an almost unlimited choice of EQ plug-ins are available to the discerning user… from those purporting to perfectly emulate expensive, well-known, and often hard-to-source hardware classics to those that are already part of the chosen DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) itself, with much in-between and beyond. But why would anyone need another one from Rob Papen? Quite simply because RP-EQ is from Rob Papen, that’s why! Well, what, exactly, makes RP-EQ so special, then?
To answer that, it helps to know where the RP-EQ concept came from. First and foremost, Rob Papen is all about ‘sound’ so if it can collectively create something fresh for the music-making world that makes musical sense then so be it. And so it is with RP-EQ, evolving, as it did, from another Rob Papen product — namely, RAW, released late last year to critical acclaim as a soft synth specialising in ‘distorted’ sounds specifically suited to EDM production and beyond. “RAW has a focus on ‘distorted’ sounds, so this means that it has a different signal setup, synthesizer-wise… what is new when compared to our other synthesizers is that you have an EQ that can be pre- or post-distortion.” So stated namesake company founder and Managing Director Rob Papen at the time. That EQ is part of the distinctive sound of RAW and its inventive graphics control is at its instinctive heart, something that did not escape the attention of the attentive Rob Papen. “I asked Jon Ayres, who is the brilliant DSP coder behind all Rob Papen products, to send me this EQ as a standalone plug-in so that I could try it out on an audio track,” he says. “Surprised by its natural and sweet sound, I started a discussion with Jon to tweak it a bit more to achieve what would become the sound of RP-EQ.” Expectedly, perhaps, there is more to RP-EQ, then, than meets the ear: “Initially, the idea popped up to also add a spectrum analyser, because this is very handy to have in the workflow when mixing, as is our famous XY pad, as featured in Blade, BLUE-II, and RAW. Having the XY pad inside RP-EQ really offers something special to the creative artists amongst us!” That said, the natural and sweet sound of RP-EQ was enough in itself to convince creative artist Rob Papen of the value of releasing the plug-in, but before doing that he felt it wise to check his findings with others. And who better to check those findings with than Freek Vergoossen (a.k.a. DJ Free K), who just so happens to also be the brilliant ‘distorted’ mind behind the idea for RAW. Reveals Rob Papen: “We sent a beta version to Freek, who said, ‘Yes, this sounds very good, but why not add a bit more so I can use it for even more musical tasks!’ So we had a studio session with Freek, focusing on the needs of today’s music-makers and additional features for RP-EQ. Some of these were new to Jon Ayres, but we were convinced that he would be able to create them and add even more extras. The result? He’s done it… again!”
Indeed, he has. Handover to the buying public was in safe hands, as attested to by Rob Papen. “To confirm that we had nailed the additional features, final flight checks were made by DJ Promo and Rob Fabrie, who is also known for his EDM mastering skills. Both were excited by those features and confirmed the pleasant, silky sound of RP-EQ.” Endgame!
 
‘Edited highlights’ of RP-EQ are as follows: eight-band EQ, which can work in regular EQ mode or Mid/Side EQ mode (with bands 1-4 being for the ‘Mid’ signal and bands 5-8 being for the ‘Side’ signal), with a graphic control panel and lower control panel with additional settings to allow users to quickly view, solo, or lock a single band; an AIR section that represents an additional EQ band, boosting very high frequencies with a wide bandwidth with the perceived effect of providing the effected audio with a bit more breathing space (or ‘air’); a FILTER section with filter slopes selectable between 12dB and 24dB per octave with two filter types — the HP (high-pass) filter with a 75Hz setting can be used to filter out any rumble or otherwise uncontrolled low-end material, for example, while the LP (lowpass) filter is a classic ingredient of any synthesizer setup, so can be used here to enhance the creative application of equalisation — that are the place to start for creating dynamic and rhythmic filter effects in combination with the XY pad; a MONO/STEREO SPLIT FILTER section to divide the audio signal into mono and stereo parts based on a frequency — typically, low frequencies do not contain much spacial information and are perceived as mono signals while spacial placement in a stereo image is provided by the higher frequencies, making this an amazing tool for contemporary music-making in a mix-bus configuration or for mastering applications; a SATURATION section for applying a ‘warming’ effect to the sound, based on the effect of saturated analogue tape recordings; a SPEC (spectrogram) section that displays the input and output signal as an FFT (Fast Fourier Transform) spectrogram, a 30-band (1/3-octave) bar spectrogram, or a 30-band (1/3-octave) single-line spectrogram; and more besides, including the aforementioned XY pad — truly unique to RP-EQ, which works as two programmable LFOs (Low Frequency Oscillators), with movement in either direction directly controlling the value of one or more RP-EQ parameters. Put it this way: this creative collection of fanciful features all add up to making RP-EQ a truly essential music-making tool for today. Whether or not EDM is your musical bag, surely you owe it to your creative self to give your music a competitive equalisation edge with RP-EQ?
 

RP-EQ can be purchased as a boxed version from authorised Rob Papen dealers worldwide or downloaded directly from Rob Papen for €79.00 EUR (including VAT/tax)/$89.00 USD from here: http://www.robpapen.com/rp-eq-buy.html Note that eXplorer-III, Rob Papen’s all-encompassing software bundle, now includes RP-EQ as standard, bringing its total product count to 14; competitively priced at €585.00 EUR (including VAT/tax)/$699.00 USD, this represents a significant cost saving of over 50% when compared to separately purchasing each and every Rob Papen virtual instrument and effects plug-in included!
For more in-depth information, please visit the dedicated RP-EQ product webpage here: http://www.robpapen.com/rp-eq.html

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