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Tracktion Marketplace

Tracktion is a DAW that has been gaining quite a bit of ground in the recordingsphere. It is extremely affordable and is becoming the “no nonsense” DAW of choice for many that are tired of the bloated overcomplicated GUIs that infest modern workstations. Now they are offering a place to buy upgrades for Tracktion.

Seattle, WA (November 28, 2014) – Tracktion Software Corporation (TSC) is pleased to announce the public beta release of a revolutionary new feature called, MARKETPLACE. More than a mere on-line bazaar, MARKETPLACE enables the download of information, software, plug-ins, sounds, instruments as well as other goods and services without ever leaving the Tracktion 5 application. That’s right! While working in Tracktion 5, you can quickly and easily discover, audition, purchase and download new musical assets from a wide variety of vendors, without interrupting your creative flow. This capability has never before been available in a professional audio application and will make life so much easier, you’ll wonder how you got along without it so far!
Check out the quick overview video (right) for a better sense of what MARKETPLACE is and how it can streamline your creative process. You just need to download the latest Tracktion build (v5.4.2) – always free to T5 users – open the MARKETPLACE tab in the T5 application and give it a go. The speed, simplicity, and especially the automated download feature, will quickly make you realize that spending hours on the web, searching for new plug-ins, waiting for downloads and then hoping everything works in your session is a huge waste of time, energy, talent and inspiration. MARKETPLACE was created to eliminate all of that by allowing you to grab what you need without slowing down.
This tutorial video (right) silently walks you through the setup and operation of MARKETPLACE as part of your T5 software (once T5.4.2 is installed). As an example, we’ll show the purchase process for what is certain to be a popular item – Tracktion’s MasterMix plug-in (below) – only available from MARKETPLACE! Based on the popular FinalMix plug-in, MasterMix gives you everything you need to put the finishing touches on any mix.
See how quickly and easily you can add to your libraries while avoiding the distractions and frustration typically associated with internet shopping. Give MARKETPLACE a try today and let us know what you think!

To download the latest version of Tracktion or to purchase, visit http://www.tracktion.com/

Massey DRT V2 AAX

 
Massey’s vision of drum replacement is now available for Pro Tools 11!

DRT is now alive and well for Pro Tools 11 and the AAX format on

Mac. I hope to get TD5 crackling before the end of the year.

Then I’m back to the Windows Neverland of Microsoft Visual Studio to

work on Windows versions! Sorry, I just can’t accurately speculate on

a release date for AAX on Windows. It’s been a spell since I’ve coded

anything on Windows and I’ve already hit one sticky, annoying issue:

Microsoft is dragging their feet and aren’t fully supporting the last

C++ standard (from 2011). I guess C++11 is their AAX! Hah. So, I

might have to spend a minute degrading my code backwards to 1998.

Anyway, to install DRT, just run the latest version of the wizard

app:

http://www.masseyplugins.com/downloads/Massey_Plugins_Wizard_5255.zip

Tone2 UltraSpace

Tone2 is definitely becoming a force to reckon with. Their Virtual Instruments are top notch and contain a great deal of useful effects contained within. Now they are offering an expanded version of the reverb contained in their soft synths with Ultra Space.

TONE2 Audiosoftware release UltraSpace

UltraSpace is the complete ambience-modeling solution. It can simulate nearly any kind of room, echo or acoustic environment with high-end sound quality.

UltraSpace is far more than just another reverb – it’s a complete compilation of different effect units covering all important aspects of space simulation. By combining these units, completely new and unique effects can be created.

How does it sound?

Our DSP experts have analyzed the esoteric algorithms of the most popular and expensive hardware units. With many sophisticated experiments, we were able to design an effect suite that unifies the advantages of these legendary devices.

Because of its modular design and its flexibility, it covers a huge sonic range. UltraSpace offers a harmonic, crystal-clear, and lush sound which always sits well in the mix. Because a demo song cannot show the dynamic expression and huge sonic range that UltraSpace provides, we recommend that you download the free demo to hear UltraSpace for yourself!

Highlights

– One compact plugin as an all-in-one solution for everything related to ambient simulation.

– Replacement for a large number of very expensive hardware units.

– Modules can be combined to create new and unique effects, not possible with competing products. Make your tracks stand out in the crowd!

– Huge sonic range, and usable for a large number of applications.

– Higher sound quality than competing products. Effect algorithms designed by DSP experts with 20 years of programming experience.

– Excellent value for money.

– 150 inspiring patches created by professionals give you instant access to the right sound to quickly enhance your mixes.

– Visual real-time displays and tooltips make it very easy to use.

– Low CPU demand and multicore CPU support.

Reverb

The smooth yet lively reverb module offers pristine sound quality and has everything you need to add lush space to your productions. This flexible, easy to use unit can simulate nearly any kind of room: From tiny to giant, from dark to bright, from cold to warm.

With a simple knob turn you can create your own ambiences. No matter what settings you apply, it nearly always sounds good, even with extreme parameters like the simulation of infinitely large spaces. The randomize function can create an unlimited number of environments, with a simple mouse click. A display visualizes in real-time what you are doing. This makes it easy to understand what you are currently tweaking.

Multitap

The powerful multitap unit adds groove to your mix. This flexible stereo effect is useful for a large number of applications, with thick multitap delays, filtered echoes, complex rhythmic sequences, huge ambient soundscapes, custom textures, infinite loops or even fat ensembles.

The smart unit never loses the beat, since it automatically synchronizes with the host’s BPM rate.

This makes it?’s easy and amusing to create your own custom grooves.

Mixing

UltraSpace is an efficient professional production tool, since it always fits right in the mix. Several smart algorithms and filters can clean up your mix automatically and remove uncomfortable-sounding garbage.

The surround module can be used for stereo widening or Dolby Pro Logic -compatible encoding. It enhances your mix with more three-dimensionality since the effects will appear from outside of the stereo field or play back from the rear speakers.

The innovative ‘duck’ module helps to make the mix sound more transparent and lush. It dynamically adjusts the volume of the effect-mix and prevents delays clashing with the original signal. It keeps the transients and important portions of the melodies clean by attenuating the effect in real time.

The integrated gate module can be used to fatten drums with ‘gated reverb’, for noise reduction, or to cut long reverb tails for a cleaner mix.

UltraSpace can be used as an insert or as a send effect. This offers the possibility to route several tracks, that need the same acoustic treatment, through UltraSpace, while reducing the low CPU demand even more.

The flexible routing allows a combination of the different effect modules and provides nearly unlimited creative potential: Gated reverb for drums, ensembles with echo, ducking delays, rhythmic reverbs, giant ambient textures, shuffled drum rolls, noise reduction, surround spaces, or completely new effects.

Price: $79.00

For more info please visit the product page:

https://www.tone2.com/html/ultraspace.html

Review: FabFilter Pro-Q 2

FabFilter Pro-Q needs no introduction. When people with the reputation that Tony Maserati and F. Reid Shippen have use this plugin regularly, you know you’ve done something right. There’s no real reason to do a typical review of this plugin so lets take a look at the new features and see whether they are useful or just fluff. I mean, could an EQ that is already great in its own right justify trying to get your money a second time?
 
FabFilter is not your normal EQ plugin to begin with. Although this plugin comes in all of the standard flavors of AAX32/64, AU, VST/3, RTAS, and Audiosuite, Pro-Q 2 comes in a surprisingly small install file like every FabFilter plugin. It’s really crazy how such a powerful plugin comes in a 9MB package. You still get the same option to select up to 24 separate bands for editing, color coded frequencies, and stacked pre / post analyzer you’ve always had. You also still have all of the features in Pro-Q 2 that 1 had but if you’re stuck in your ways and still want to use Pro-Q1, you can still run the older version alongside version 2 while you adjust.
 
On the surface, it may look like not much has changed with Pro-Q, but lurking beneath its colorful exterior is a whole new beast. The processing engine has been completely overhauled to give you more power with half the DSP. You still get Linear Phase mode but it’s been improved in sound quality and latency too. You also have the option to use the plugin in multiple sizes, including full screen mode for those tight adjustments. Borrowing from Pro-MB, the new interface for frequency adjustments is floating and follows the frequency that you’re tweaking. This takes up less space and allows more space for the analyzer to shine.
 
This isn’t your standard every day analyzer either. This is one of the most interactive ones you will come across giving you both pre and post monitoring as well as the ability to zoom in really tight on frequencies. If that’s not enough, you have the option of actually grabbing the frequency you see that’s causing the ruckus and pull it down. Spectrum grab simply highlights the audio in the analyzer purple and lets you click and drag to pull down the problem area. The analyzer comes with an new Tilt function that works to show how the human ear perceives the frequency response.
 
Are you one of those highly technical engineers with a wasted degree in music theory? You’re in luck because now Pro-Q 2 has an optional piano roll to accompany the analyzer and allows you to quantize your EQ to specific notes. You can double click on the EQ band you’ve created and type in C#3 and the band will snap to the correct frequency. Now you can EQ musically.
 
Speaking of musical EQs, this one can work very similar to your favorite hardware with Gain Q interaction and Natural Phase mode. With these two modes, you have the option to closely match the same phase response and EQ curve interaction of your favorite consoles. The Gain Q interaction cog in between the Gain and the Q knobs works as a link between the two and provide a similar response ratio to analog EQ. As the gain goes higher, the Q narrows out and vice versa. Pro-Q 2 also allows slope interaction between all of the filters. Now those new EQ shapes in version 2 can have slopes all the way up to 96DB per Octave. A surprising feature Pro-Q didn’t originally have is phase invert, which is now in the Pro-Q 2. Now no more need to open up another plugin to flip the phase.
 
Complete control is the common theme of the new Pro-Q with even more features at your fingertips like Gain Scale, Auto Gain, and the intriguing EQ Match. Gain scale works as a quasi mix knob that controls how much the gain affects the whole track. You can use this to automate your EQs according to just how much influence needed in certain parts… or if you’re really creative, add movement to a track. Auto gain compensates for what you’ve added or taken out while EQing your track. Auto gain is not an exact science but works perfect to fill out your signal by either giving or taking away volume to balance out your content. One of the centerpieces of this plugin is the new EQ Match feature, which can analyze audio from another track via side chain, and match the frequency curve to your current channel. This is definitely a unique feature and would allow for instant replication of overall EQ for a master bus or just an acoustic guitar tone you like. Mastering for a cohesive tone of an album is at your reach within minutes.
 
That’s a pretty big list of upgrades, many of them being very unique to Pro-Q 2. Let’s tally this up and see if this plugin warrants the upgrade or new purchase. How often do you get a completely resizable plugin with as much visual control as you do with Pro-Q 2? How many plugins allow you to simply grab the analyzer to tame frequencies? Ok, how many plugins can bring in external audio and match the EQ curve for you? I’d say there are little to no other pieces of software that can do any of those. Add in the extremely smooth workflow, versatility of use, and all tools staying in one window and I’d say you have the king of EQs.
 
I like the subtle things FabFilter throws in, like double clicking to enter “1.5k” to snap to a frequency. I also appreciate that they made their knobs inertially responsive i.e.: the slower you turn them, the more precise your movements are. I even like the piano roll even though part of me would like to be able to press the keys and either a sine wave or white noise would play back to help pinpoint a frequency better. The midi learn is also some of the easiest I’ve ever used.
 
In summation, I’d say this upgrade purchase is completely justified. I’d say FabFilter easily is the “King of EQs.” Now stop fumbling around with other EQs and just go and get a trial of FabFilter Pro-Q 2. You’ll see exactly what I’m talking about.

Eiosis AirEQ

The illusive plugin we’ve been obsessively refreshing the webpage of has arrived! Slate co-founder is back with his vision of the ultimate in EQ plugins. AirEQ is guaranteed to add a whole new creative workflow to your mixed with several elemental attributes to inject the utmost in musical quality to your tracks. Now if I can just track down his de-esser plugin ported to AAX, my life will be complete.

With its unprecedented Character and Strength parameters, Air and Earth bands, ease of use, intuitive and musical features, AirEQ is truly unique in design.
Additionally, with its transparent and precise sound, zero-delay processing and low CPU, you will always get the best quality processing without any compromise.
That’s why AirEQ is ideal for Mastering, Mixing, Post-Production, and any situation where getting the best musical sound, fastest performance, and intuitive workflow is of the utmost importance
AirEQ’s revolutionary Character parameter goes Beyond Analog : in order to adjust precisely and continuously the resonance of each band, it changes the shape of the equalization curve, from the smooth Water curve to the focused Fire curve. It is the most elegant and artistic way to control resonances quickly and intuitively.
Water : the smoothest sound possible, open and natural, ideal for transparency.
Clear highs, compact bass and balanced mids.
Fire : very tight and focused sound, with punch and impact, ideal for precision.
Snappy mids, sharp highs and powerful lows.
Neutral :  the usual equalization curves, perfectly matched to their analog references.
The Air and Earth bands are a new and easy way to adjust high and low frequencies. The Earth is amazing to boost the very low end of any track, because it never sounds boomy thanks to the unique design of its phase response. The Air is an incredibly smooth and silky high frequency adjustment, perfect for breathing life into any track.

Price $99 (Introductory until Dec 1 then goes up to $149)
For more information and to buy, visit http://www.eiosis.com

Slate Virtual Mix Rack

The day has finally come people. Slate’s 500 series plugin vision is complete. We all know Slate products sometimes get a little prematurely announced but I’m very sure it is just out of the sheer excitement over the new product he’s about to release. Nonetheless, SLATE VIRTUAL MIX RACK is here. I’ve been waiting on this one since the day it came out and I couldn’t be more thrilled. The surprise alongside the release is a free Slate Plugin. You heard right a FREE plugin. Revival is an easy to use 2 knob expansion for the Mix Rack that sonically enhances using a combination of the emulation of transformers, tubes, and tape. I’m sure if you’ve followed this page, you know all about VMR so I’ll just let the man himself explain it. Review coming very soon.

The VIRTUAL MIX RACK continues the Slate Digital tradition of providing the absolute most authentically modeled analog sound in a digital audio plugin.
The ‘VMR’ includes four world class mix modules, including two classic equalizers and two versatile mix compressors, with more modules to be developed.
The ‘VMR’ operates as a Virtual 500 series rack with hot-swappable modules, putting your whole processing chain in ONE WINDOW. This allows you customize your own channel strip, with signal flow following the modules, in any order you choose. Mix and match filters from different EQs. Chain an EQ before or after your compressor. Moving modules around is easy, fast, and creates no break in audio playback. Audition signal chains faster, easier, and in real time with the Slate ‘VMR’.
The FG-N is a digital recreation of one of the most classic discrete Class A British equalizers from the 70’s. All aspects of the circuit are modeled, including the rich harmonics and saturations that naturally occur when the equalizer is in use. The original model only contained one mid band, so we thought it would be nice to double it so that it has two mid bands. This equalizer is lush, fat, and bold. It sounds great on everything from drums to vocals, and can even add the perfect saturation to synth and electronic tracks.
The FG-S is a digital recreation of one of the most famous British console equalizers from the 80’s. This equalizer also has rich harmonics and interactive mid bands with a fat musical tone. This is the ultimate workhorse mix eq that can be used on any track. It is great for surgical cutting strokes, or wide bell and shelf strokes for making drums and guitars punch out of the speakers.
The FG-116 is the most precise digital replication of the classic American FET limiter. No expense was pared to capture every nuance of this classic sounding compressor/limiter. From its trademark timing characteristics to the extremely musical sound of its transformer, the FG-116 will give engineers the musical and fat tone that has made the hardware so famous. The FG-116 sounds great on everything like lead vocals, drums, and bass guitars.
The FG-401 started as a recreation of the classic british console channel compressor, but morphed into quite a lot more. First, we gave it variable attack and release with increased range which added more tonal options. But then, we added an optimal transformer inout, and not just any transformer, the famous transformer from the British Class A Console! This adds a beautiful warmth and sheen to the compressor. Last, we added an entirely unique second circuit path that provides and additional smooth and rich tone. The FG-401 is perhaps the most versatile mix compressor in the world that can sound good on any source you feed into it!
Unlike so many ‘analog modeled’ equalizer plugins and compressors that simply recreate analog equalization and compression curves, the VMR models every nuance of the circuit paths and recreates all of the essential harmonics, saturations, phase, and interactivity that give the units their trademark tone.
The VMR plugin is also modular, and new processors will be added in the future which will further enhance its powerful functionality.

Introductory price of $149 w/ free iLok
For more info and to buy, visit http://www.slatedigital.com/products/vmr

SSL XL 9000 K for Softube Console 1

Console 1 is Softube’s answer for an easy-to-use tactile counterpart for in-the-box engineers who want a more tactile response. You also get emulations of famous consoles which they already have the SSL 4000 console. All knobs for controls are accessible without having to mouse of dig through menus. Now Softube has added the famous SSL XL9000 K console emulation. This console is known for its clean crisp sound and thunderous tight low end. Although this is a very transparent board, used for hip hop and R&B records the world over, Softube has added the VHD circuit to put a little nasty into it by adding 2nd and 3rd order harmonic drive.

We are proud to announce the release of our new product: The Solid State Logic XL 9000 K-Series for Console 1.

Owners of Softube’s Console 1 system can now add a new channel strip to their system, in addition to the included Solid State Logic SL 4000 E. We have continued to work with Solid State Logic also for this channel strip, and can now present the unique Solid State Logic XL 9000 K-Series for Console 1, which also includes a model of Solid State Logic’s VHD (Virtual Harmonic Distortion) circuit.
Visit the plug-in’s own product page for more details!

Price for Console 1 $1149
Price for the Solid State XL 9000 K software: $329
For more info, visit http://www.softube.com/buy.php

Review: Meris 440

Another day, another preamp based on a staple in classic American recording, right? Well, not so fast. The folks at Meris understand the market is fairly saturated (unintentional pun) and have set themselves apart with their own rendition, stocked with quite a few more bells and whistles than your run-of-the-mill 500 series preamp.
 
The Meris 440 comes equipped with Cinemag input and output transformers, giving you that classic punch, with both weight and open top end. It features both an input and output knob, allowing you to push that Cinemag input transformer and taper off the output. This gives you the option of a clean or heavily colored signal. Believe me, you can push this preamp pretty hard with 60dB of gain at the input stage. If that’s too much, you’re given a -20dB pad for the kick drums and phase switch for the stereo signals. Sure, Meris could have stopped there and given you a very high quality 500 series preamp that would become a go-to; but when you have other 500 series preamps with similar components $100 cheaper, you have to get creative. The result is pretty impressive, coming with a selectable 12dB per octave hipass filter at either 80Hz or 200Hz, selectable 4Khz or 7Khz 3db shelf EQ, and to top it all off, an effects loop that is located right in between the transformer sections. You can even use just the return jack of the effects loop as a D.I, taking full advantage of the 12 dB gain of the Cinemag transformer.
 
The preamp comes in a very sleek white finish in great packaging. It pairs well with other 500 series units both in aesthetics and in sonics. (Disclaimer: we at Everything Recording will always pick sound quality and performance over looks but you know you like it when you have a 500 series rack that doesn’t have crazy clashing colors between your units.) You can tell a lot of care was put into the 440, even down to the logo printed on the inside part of the unit, something you would only see when installing it because you’re not going to want to take this one out of the rack. For all of the extras this pre packs, the layout on the front isn’t too crowded at all. Everything is easily located and labeled as well. I just wish there were some form of LEDs showing incoming signal. It just makes it a little easier to glance at the preamp especially when you’re using a patch panel. Just a small gripe in an otherwise great unit. The quick guide that comes in the box is pretty much all you’ll need, even if you’re new to recording, with great diagrams and easy to understand terms.
 
So if you can’t already tell, the 440 is a guitarist’s dream pre, allowing you to either re-amp with effects or a nice boost before your guitar hits the amp. Effects loops in guitar amps provide nice tucked delays and full reverbs, allowing the best parts of your amp to cut through; but effects loops in a preamp also allow for creative tomfoolery by giving your synths, vocals, or anything you can think of full use of your pedal board or outboard effects. So far, I’ve run a few synths into the 440 and even ran a TC Helicon into the vocal track for some great FX. This gives your preamp front-end access to patch in effects quickly and efficiently. You will soon be using guitar delays on vocals, trust me it’s really fun. Versatility is definitely a strong suit in this preamp, working stellar on vocals, acoustic guitar, and especially bass drum. I pretty must left the shelf EQ on at all times because it adds a great presence that is not overbearing, making my DAW have to work a lot less. Having a choice between different hipass frequencies is great for cutting the mud out of guitars with the 200Hz or just removing rumble, using 80Hz. I love the almost finished texture the 440 gives straight out of the box. It really takes the work out of tracking and lightens the workload of mixing. Tracks just sit well in the mix with the 440 no matter what you’re recording.
 
I could write you tons of paragraphs explaining how great this preamp is, but why not just let you hear for yourself. I tracked every instrument through the Meris 440 on the song below. There are no external processing or EQ on any of the guitars. The only exception is the virtual instrument piano was run back into the 440 from Pro Tools with a Kush Audio UBK Compressor armed on the track. This gave me a chance to push the input on the 440 to breakup and give the piano some saturation.
 
Fender Strat Deluxe HSS
Orange Dark Terror with Matchless 112 Cabinet
Gibson J45 True Vintage LTD
Mic used for acoustic guitar and amp: JJ Audio U87 Clone
Pedals: Paul Cochrane Tim, Pigtronix polysaturator, Caroline Kilobyte delay
 

 
For more information and to buy visit http://www.meris.us/products/440-mic-preamp/

Kush Audio Clariphonic 500 Series

The piece of gear that mix engineers such as Michael Brauer and Joe Chiccarelli claim they use on every mix, is now available in single channel, 500 series goodness. This one stop shop midrange and high shelf EQ does all of the hard work.

With the same sonics that landed the rack unit in such exotic places as Electric Lady, Warner Bros. Archiving, and Sunset Sound, the Clariphonic 500 Series Module brings all the legendary magic within the reach of everyday musicians, producers, and recordists. 

A fiendishly clever new approach to high frequency equalization, designed from the ground up with six parallel signal paths that produce the kind of air, clarity, and presence previously found only in very old, very expensive analog equalizers.

 There is no limit to the types of sweet high end the Clariphonic can produce. The internal parallel signal paths produce a form of additive-only high frequency equalization that is at once holographic, transparent, and virtually phaseless. You get effortless, natural high end for days.

For all the info you need, and to find a dealer, visit http://www.thehouseofkush.com/#!the-ubk-clariphonic/c23ed

HOFA: iQ Limiter

I’m actually really excited about this limiter. HOFA made one of the most flexible EQs I’ve ever used (review HERE) with the iQ-EQ and now they have released a limiter. HOFA is the one stop shop for powerful plugins that are extremely easy to use. The limiter is extremely minimalist in appearance but behind the knob and meters lies an algorithm that will bring a wall of sound to your mixes.

If you’re looking for the (mastering) limiter, that simply makes your productions maximally loud, you’ve finally found it.

Where other plugins try to attract with many controls, the IQ-Limiter convinces with a clear design that resembles an exclamation mark. And that is what this plugin will do: setting an exclamation mark after all your productions.

 All necessary settings are regulated by the elaborately programmed intelligent algorithms, adapting themselves to the incoming audio signal.
 Features V 1.0.3 (changelog):

  • highly adaptive limiting for maximum loudness with minimum artefacts
  • 16 and 24 bit dithering for the highest demands
  • three intelligent algorithms
  • precise intersample peak metering
  • changeable plugin window size
  • interactive tooltips & manual onboard
  • “set as default” preset
  • works with all common sampling frequencies
  • 64-bit internal processing
  • support for PC and Mac, 32 and 64-bit DAWs

The HOFA IQ-Limiter makes for:

  • outstanding results in spite of the easy handling

  • top pro masterings

  • “in your face” sounds also in the mixing process (e.g. groups, vocals, instruments)

Compatibility:

  • HOFA Plugins work with Windows 7/8, Vista and WinXP, as well as Intel-Mac from OS X 10.6.
  • Audio Unit, VST, VST3, RTAS and AAX.
  • HOFA Plugins are tested constantly on the following DAWs:
    Steinberg Cubase/Nuendo/Wavelab, MOTU Digital Performer, Ableton Live, Apple Logic, Magix Samplitude/Sequoia, Avid Pro Tools, Cakewalk Sonar, Presonus Studio One, Cockos Reaper

The IQ Limiter can be purchased at an introductory rate of $150.99, after the introduction window, the rate will move up to $163.99
For more info and to try out the iQ-Limiter, visit http://hofa-plugins.de/en/plugins/iq-limiter/

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