Review: DNA Music Labs Hotkey Matrix V2

DNA Music Labs just released a Version 2 of The Hotkey Matrix. This new release features improved graphic design and layout and is compatible with Pro Tools 10 and 11. Everything Recording got their hands on one of these units to review.
I’ve spent the greater part of 10 years trying to shove as many Pro Tools shortcuts in my head as I possibly can. Alas there’s only so much space in there and eventually when a new handy command is added to your arsenal, another is sometimes lost… That and the brain is only so fast at recalling all of this info. So I bought the Pro Tools shortcut keyboard, which is ok, but for the beginner can basically look like a pastel rainbow sitting in front of you. Wouldn’t it be nice to have something that would eliminate the need for most of these commands and condense the whole thing to a single device. Well, if you use Pro Tools, you’re in luck!!! The guys over at DNA Music Labs have come to the rescue. They have taken what they feel are the 144 most used functions in Pro Tools and have done all of the grunt-work to condense these commands into one button solutions. Brilliant right?!
I’d love to go into a highly technical rant here explaining how all of this works, but the premise for this piece of gear is very straight-forward. You get a control surface (or Matrix as they call it) with 144 keys, all very clearly color coded and labeled. The chassis is made of plastic but feels very solid without being bulky; but big enough that you aren’t hitting several keys at once. Even the tightest of control rooms can make way for this clever device. I’ve taken the Hotkey along for several sessions and have had no problem incorporating it into each studio spread. One thing I really wish the Hotkey would have had would be backlit keys for those dark control rooms we tend to know and love. To make up for this, they have made the key colors fairly bright. Plus, once you memorize where your commands are, a quick glance down will have you where you need to be.
Installation is very simple. A few drag and drops in the right place, a setting or two changed, and you’re off to go. I had no issues at all with install on both my Macbook and Mac Pro. They also give you an extremely concise guide to get you up and running. The guys at DNA Labs do warn you that it takes a little bit of time to get used to, but persistence pays off. The guide even explains what each key command does to allow you the opportunity to both learn new commands, as well as incorporate them into your sessions.
So you’re all wondering how it is. At first, it takes a little bit of habit breaking to stop your mouse finger from clicking away at menus or the left hand reaching for the “command”, “alt”, and “shift keys.” For me in the beginning, things took a little longer because in order to break myself, I would undo what I did, search on the HotKey, and then use it several times to get it in my head. You will probably want to start using this thing with the more advanced commands in your free time at first so as not to get in the way of your normal session flow. I had a session the day I received it, so I did the install which was quick, then resorted to ONLY using the record arm, solo, mute, and new track commands. This in itself was invaluable in that it made me think less and work faster, which makes you look like a wiz to the client. I also found that the Hotkey worked best for me right above my trackball. I could quickly lift my hand off of the mouse and get to the commands I needed to, but of course there is no wrong way to use this thing. The nudge keys are low on the control surface, so it basically became my 3rd and 4th mouse button which works wonders on those long days of drum edits. Once you do learn the layout, you are off to the races. Personally, I have these stubby fingers and some of the Pro Tools commands require what I like to call “Yoga Fingers.” Gone are the days of me playing Twister against my keyboard. I’m sold on this thing. DNA Labs sent me one for testing and I quickly let them know I will be buying it.
There’s not much you can complain about at all with this. The only things I can say about it are mere enhancements like the backlit keyboard and maybe a few keys that you can program to your liking or a basic play stop and record transport built on. I know at first you might see this thing as a little intimidating with buttons and it will all blur into an array of colors, but if you find a few and memorize the ones you use frequently, something amazing will happen. As you’re going to those familiar keys, your eyes will start roaming and you will start seeing other keys and memorizing their location. In no time, you’re set ablaze on this device cutting keystrokes and menus by the thousands and saving valuable time. One of the great things about the Hotkey is that if you already have other control surfaces you love, it will fit right in as an added enhancement. It doesn’t get in the way of anything existing. It only makes life even better for you. I use it with my ipad and V-Control Pro, and I couldn’t be happier. And at $269.99, it is a steal too. This device is really a no-brainer for you Pro Tools users. If you don’t use Pro Tools, maybe if enough of you ask nicely, they’ll make one for your favorite DAW one day.
Go get one of these… seriously… you won’t look back. I bought one.
For more info, videos, and to buy, visit http://www.dnamusiclabs.com/hotkey-matrix

IK Multimedia iRig Pro

Bryan

A trend I’ve been seeing is iOS interfaces getting bulkier and when you’re going for portability, size is the enemy. The guys over at IK Multimedia understand this and have released the iRig Pro, a one stop shop for all things recording. You get a 1/4″ XLR combo along with a MIDI connection. Not only that but they offer compatibility for all types of Mac devices. You can pretty much plug in any type of mic, midi device or 1/4″ instrument and start making music just about anywhere that will tolerate your Zydeco Metal Dubstep!

IK Multimedia, the global leader in mobile music-creation apps and accessories, is proud to announce iRig® PRO, the universal digital mobile audio/MIDI interface for iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and Mac. Pocket-sized, battery-powered and fully portable, iRig PRO is designed to give mobile musicians and songwriters an interface that can handle the widest variety of audio input signals, so they can create music and audio on the go anywhere, any time.
iRig PRO accepts virtually every type of audio and MIDI input, making it the most versatile compact interface on the market. Users can plug in a dynamic or condenser microphone; a guitar, bass or other Hi-Z instrument; or any line-level source.
Additionally, iRig PRO is equipped with a MIDI input for keyboards, pads and controllers, making it a truly universal compact interface for recording and composing on the go or in the studio. Its audio and MIDI inputs can be used simultaneously, for example, to control guitar or vocal software with MIDI foot controllers or pedals, for switching presets or controlling effects levels.
Plus, iRig PRO comes with a suite of IK’s best music-creation apps like AmpliTube, VocaLive, SampleTank, iGrand and iRig Recorder, and is compatible with most audio and MIDI processing apps for the mobile musician. Mac users will also enjoy the inclusion of premium software with iRig PRO, like AmpliTube, T-RackS and SampleTank, and will appreciate the unit’s compatibility with any type of music-creation software.
Universal Inputs
iRig PRO features a high-quality 1/4″-XLR combo input connector for connection with standard XLR cables, 1/4″ mono line or instrument signal cables, and a switchable 48V phantom power supply for use with studio condenser microphones. It has an ultra-low-noise, high-definition microphone-and-instrument preamp; a high-quality 24-bit A/D converter; a preamp gain control; plus LED indicators for device status, MIDI, phantom power and signal level.
iRig PRO is powered by the iPhone, iPad or iPod touch, or USB, when used with instruments or a dynamic microphone. A 9V battery (included) provides phantom power to compatible microphones. iRig PRO also features a standard MIDI input for connection of MIDI devices like drum machines, controllers and MIDI keyboards.
Universal Compatibility
iRig PRO comes with three detachable cables, compatible with Lightning, 30-pin and USB connectors, respectively, allowing for digital connection to every model of iPhone, iPod touch, iPad and Mac, out of the box, with no need for adapters. A MIDI cable with a standard MIDI jack is also provided to connect the widest variety of MIDI-compatible keyboards and controllers.
iRig PRO is class compliant and compatible with Core Audio and Core MIDI, so it can be used with any audio and MIDI processing apps for iOS and Mac OS, for true plug-and-play performance without additional hardware/software.
Universal Apps and Software Included
For iPhone and iPad users, iRig PRO comes with a suite of IK Multimedia’s most popular apps for mobile music creation on iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, including AmpliTube FREE (the #1 app for guitar players) for guitarists and bass players, VocaLive FREE for singers, SampleTank FREE and iGrand Piano FREE for keyboard players and iRig Recorder FREE for recording engineers.
Plus, all these apps work together with Audiobus integration, offering a truly complete set-up for making any type of music. Additionally, exclusive AmpliTube gear and SampleTank sounds are available as free add-ons for iRig PRO users.
For Mac users, iRig PRO includes AmpliTube Custom Shop, the industry standard guitar-and-bass processing software; a free version of AmpliTube Metal; T-RackS Custom Shop, the mixing-and-mastering effect suite with a free version of T-RackS Classic; and SampleTank XT, a sound workstation that includes over 1GB of sounds. All these software titles are available both as plug-ins for the most popular digital audio workstations (including GarageBand), or as standalone applications for immediate plug and play.

iRig PRO will ship in September from music and consumer electronics retailers worldwide for $149.99/€119.99 (exc. taxes). iRig PRO can now be ordered from the IK Online Store and select retailers.
For more information on iRig PRO, please visit
www.ikmultimedia.com/irigpro

Review: Softube Valley People Dynamite

Bryan

Some people swear by it, other people hate it, and sometimes both don’t understand it’s full potential. The Valley People Dynamite is a very polarizing piece of hardware from the days of yore that incorporates all sorts of patented transient enhancing wizardry to perform just about all of your dynamic needs. Softube saw this and decided to give the world a plugin based version of this all-in-one cult classic processor.
Valley People actually came about from two companies joining forces to build the pinnacle of pro audio equipment. The two companies catered personally to the likes of Frank Zappa, The Beatles, and The Beach Boys; and quickly became a staple in the recording community. So it was no surprise when co founder Paul Buff incorporated his infamous 1980’s patent on the “electronic gain control device” into a very clever piece of gear that soon became known as the Dyna Mite.
The Softube version is pretty much identical to the hardware unit with the exception of Softube allowing the “Range” knob to work on both the expanding and limiting modes. The interface is very comprehensive and very cool looking to boot. My only gripe in the interface is the same as the Slate VBC in that the controls are too small when using it on a retina display. I find myself leaning towards to screen when tweaking controls and reading numbers. Other than the small text, the controls give you ample description of the various functions via the window below. More plugin companies should take note of this but maybe with an option to hide the window. As we all know, the listener doesn’t HEAR how the interface looks so lets dive into what this unit does.
The Dyna Mite is by any stretch of the word a workhorse. You can limit, expand, de-ess, gate and duck until your heart’s content all from one window…(just not all at once of course). I really like how all functions can be performed without a veritable space station of controls. Everything is laid out right in front, giving you ease of switching between the different styles dynamic control. Now this can be attributed to the original design but Softube added the window underneath to help guide you through the process of learning this processor.
Now something else that is attributed to Valley People is the initial response to this processor. This thing is very intimidating at first and you will at several points question why you just spent money on something so difficult to use. Softube playfully warn of this and encourage you strongly to read the manual before tearing your hair out. The manual lays out the functions very straight forward and in a very entertaining manner. Once you learn each of the functions and how the controls respond, you will feel a sense of accomplishment, then that of awe over the versatility of this plugin. While we’re on the topic of versatility, lets take a look at all of the controls.
Who knew 4 knobs and 3 switches could do so much right? The Dyna-Mite is centered around 2 main principles: Limiting and Expanding but these 2 functions expand way beyond the basics and applications. The threshold goes from +20 to -40.5 DB, the release goes from a slow 5.08 seconds to a snappy .05 seconds, the range knob goes from 61dB all the way to 0dB (more on what that is in a few), and the output knob can add up 15.1dB. Your switches control how these knobs are supposed to work by either selecting the MODE to LIMIT, OUT (Bypass dynamics but leave the output engaged), or EXP (Expand). From there you have a choice on the let hand side to select the DET (Detect) to Int (Internal), DS-FM (a high frequency injected into the detector), and EXT (Externally Keyed). The DS-FM is the more unusual out of the three but serves a very useful purpose. A high frequency boost is placed in the detector stage of the signal to aid in limiting high frequency sounds like cymbals or a vocal track. The boost doesn’t affect the EQ of your track because it is placed only in the part that detects transients. From these two switches, more options become available with the DET (Detect) switch to the right of the MODE switches. You have a choice of Gate (a which is available in both LIMIT and EXPAND modes), PK (peak or fast attack), and AVG (average or slow attack). Something different that Softube added from the original hardware model is that the Range knob can work in all modes.
So now you might be wondering exactly what the Range control is. The most simple explanation is that this controls the maximum amount of dB either Limited or Expanded. It acts almost as a wet / dry zone knob where you can pick what areas are limited. In limit mode you can control the maximum amount of gain that is reduced. Something else you may be curious about is why you can select gate and limit at the same time. This is where something called “negative limiting” comes into play. With negative limiting, the ratio is set to 1:-20, meaning that even 1 dB of increase will cause the limiter to decrease the signal by 20dB. Its a very tough mode to master as it creates a lot of static sounding artifacts but if that’s what you’re looking for to create unique effects, then you’re in luck!
So with all of this considered, lets take a look at how this beast works in practical use. It is definitely not a modest dynamics tool, most everything it does is done in a way that lets you know its “there”, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
LIMIT MODE:
The limiter has an infinity:1 ratio and is definitely not subtle. I’m sure you can use it that way, but when you have something that simply wants to pummel dynamics, why not use it that way? The two main modes you can use are PK that will smash transients with a fast attack or slow it down with the AVG setting. The AVG setting will allow that “pop” to come through on a snare that will make your eyes squint. The PK setting will utterly smash drum tracks beyond belief. I like throwing it on an auxiliary track and blending it with the other drum tracks to give the drums more room sound. On the DS-FM side of things, if your cymbals are too piercing, simply set the detect to DSFM and limit to tame them.
Some of us like to push things to their max, and when this processor gets pushed, it produces a very nice pumping that works very well on electronic drums. As always you can set the Detect to external on a synth bass or keys and sidechain the limiter to trigger to a kick drum to give you the ubiquitous “rhythmic pumping” used in a lot of electronic music. On the other side of the same concept, you can use sidechain, keyed limiting to duck a backing track behind and announcer in voice-over work. The Range knob really comes into play and allows you to tweak how much lower the backing track goes behind the vocal.
EXPANDING MODE:
This setting can be used in its traditional form and it works just as good, if not better than any other gate. You don’t get that skipping, crackly sound that other gates get in some situations. Of course using things in their traditional sense is all good and well but why not push boundaries and live a little. The EXP mode uses the same types of detection as the limiter but only in the reverse sense. The GATE setting is the most harsh of the modes and works with a very fast attack and considered your “hard gate.” The AVG is the most soft form of the expander, with the PK being in the middle of the two other settings, but slightly closer to the “harder gate” settings. I usually use this to pull the room out of drum tracks or take a rhythmic synth track that needs to be tightened up and really take the tail end off of them. One of my favorite things to do with it is, insert the Expander mode with the gate setting on a synth pad and key the input with the external detect to a drum loop, and… tada!.. the synth track now rhythmically moves with the drums. You can even do a more subtle version with the AVG switch while controlling the Range to layer a sense of movement to the pad without being so extreme. The possibilities are only limited to your creativity.
Overall, after a slight learning curve, I love using this very creative tool. For years I’ve incorporated the SPL Transient Designer into just about every drum track I use, but sometimes having only two knobs can hinder your intended result. I can do the exact same things that the Transient Designer does but with more flexibility. The overall result even comes out better with the Dynamite, plus you can easily externally key the dynamite. I really recommend this plugin for anyone who wants a totally new approach to standard dynamics control. This will open up your creativity very quickly and give you a new tool to use to break out from the norm. The guys at Softube really did a great job at taking a cult classic and bringing it into the digital realm. Their added improvements on the former design only made this tool even greater and although at first, you may be staring blankly at a screen wondering how a threshold knob can cause so much trouble, once you master this tool, you won’t look back.
Available in VST, AU, RTAS, AAX, and very soon AAX64.
For more info, visit http://www.softube.com/index.php?id=dmite

Novation Launch Control

Bryan

Ableton always gets the coolest toys and now the Launch Control has the perfect new partner thanks to the Launch Control. Not only does it have custom built-in mappings, it is also compatible with FL Studio as well as your iPad. This gives you the perfect control surface to throw in your backpack on the go. Comes standard with Ableton Live Lite and a pretty sizeable Loopmasters sample pack.

Novation is excited to announce Launch Control: a robust, compact controller with 16 assignable knobs, eight three colour launch pads, and four function keys – designed to be the perfect partner to Launchpad. Use Launch Control’s knobs for fluid control of filters, levels, and effects while you use the launch pads for muting, effects activation, or even launching clips and scenes.
Augment the power of Launchpad with Launch Control and take your performances to new levels of expression, or simply use it alone. Launch Control comes with Ableton Live Lite in the box and works with all major music software – and with your iPad via Novation’s powerful and free Launchpad app.
Launch Control At A Glance
Compact control surface with 16 knobs and eight three colour launch pads
Perfect partner for Novation’s Launchpad, Ableton Live and FL Studio – plug and play with the built-in mappings, create your own and MIDI-learn parameters
Integrates perfectly with the Launchpad app for iPad – control volumes and filters with the knobs, and trigger FX and clips with the pads
Tough, portable and bus-powered – even from an iPad
Eight factory templates and eight user templates allow you to create and save your own control setups
Comes with Ableton Live Lite – the music production software used by countless leading artists to produce and perform ? and an extensive Loopmasters sample pack
Additional Details
Novation Launchpad has changed the way musicians produce and perform music, with instant access to a 64-pad grid of buttons. Launch Control adds 16 knobs, enabling you to transform performances and studio workflow – and another eight three colour Laun

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McDSP Everything Pack

Bryan

Who doesn’t want everything industry leading plugin company McDSP has in its heavy arsenal including the new 3 plugins mentioned in the post below? Now you can with the very aptly titled “Everything Pack.” Well… this post pretty much wrote itself didn’t it? I’m gonna go mix

For those who need everything, the McDSP Everything Pack is the ticket. The McDSP Everything Pack bundle includes EVERY plug-in from the Emerald, Classic and Retro Pack bundles, and the latest three new plug-ins from McDSP. Equalizers, compressors, virtual tape machines, multi-band dynamic processors, reverbs, de-essers, noise filters, ‘futz’ tools, and the new 6020 Ultimate EQ, AE400 Active EQ, and SPC2000 Serial / Parallel compressor are all included.
Compatibility
McDSP v5 plug-ins include support for Intel-Mac systems running Mac OS 10.5.x (Leopard), 10.6.x (Snow Leopard), 10.7.x (Lion), and 10.8.x (Mountain Lion). McDSP AAX plug-ins require Pro Tools 10.3.6 or later, or Pro Tools 11.0.1 or later, on Mac OS X 10.7.4 and later versions. Windows support will be released soon.
In addition to Pro Tools, McDSP v5 plug-ins support Logic, Garage Band, Digital Performer, Ableton Live and other AU compatible DAWs. Please note the McDSP v5 release is a paid upgrade for non-v5 customers. Specific pricing can be found by visiting McDSP’s online webstore.

For more information visit www.mcdsp.com
Price: Currently $1995.00 at Front End Audio

McDSP Announces 3 New Plugins

Bryan

McDSP is at the top of their game right now. They’ve stayed right at the front lines with AAX, giving their customers who upgrade to Pro Tools 11 near immediate compatibility with their award winning plugins. Somehow in between feverishly porting all plugins to AAX64, Colin McDowell has created 3 more tools to add to your bag of tricks. To compliment the Swiss Army type compressor we reviewed earlier, the 6020 Ultimate EQ features 10 EQ modules from some of the most well known consoles as well as some that McDSP placed their own special spin. The SPC2000 takes their renown compressor bank and puts it on steroids to give you a very powerful multi-stage parallel compressor with the versatility only McDSP can provide. Last but not least we get the AE400, a multi-band compressor / EQ that has 4 fixed bands of active EQ.

McDSP is proud to announce the release of three all new plug-ins: the 6020 Ultimate EQ, the SPC Serial/Parallel Compressor and the AE400 Active EQ for the Pro Tools AAX Native and AAX DSP formats.
6020 Ultimate EQ – Equalization for Any Situation
The 6020 Ultimate EQ is a collection of ten equalizer models inspired from classic, rare, and modern equalizers over the last four decades. Using the popular module format and leveraging McDSP’s 15+ years of audio plug-in development, the 6020 modules offer a range of EQ configurations designed to compliment the compressor modules found in the 6030 Ultimate Compressor.
Whatever your style, the 6020 has a custom made equalizer just right for any application.
SPC2000 – Powerful Multi-Stage Compression
The SPC2000 Serial / Parallel Compressor takes the power and flexibility of the now classic CompressorBank plug-in by McDSP, and offers two, three, and four band configurations with serial and parallel routing combinations unlike any dynamic processor. Couple this routing capability with the ability to emulate any other compressor, and its clear the SPC2000 is a serious audio tool.
AE400 Active EQ – Flexible Dynamic Equalization
The AE400 is an advanced active equalizer suitable for music production, post production, and live sound.
The AE400 is made up of four bands of fixed and active equalization. Each band is completely overlapping with all other bands and has its own Q (bandwidth), fixed gain, and active gain controls. A key filter for each band allows the active gain response to be as selective or broad as needed, based on the Q (bandwidth) control. Each band can use the input signal or selected side chain signal to trigger the active EQ response.
For complex material, or subtle audio touch ups, the AE400 can get the job done.
Compatibility
McDSP v5 plug-ins include support for Intel-Mac systems running Mac OS 10.5.x (Leopard), 10.6.x (Snow Leopard), 10.7.x (Lion), and 10.8.x (Mountain Lion). McDSP AAX plug-ins require Pro Tools 10.3.6 or later, or Pro Tools 11.0.1 or later, on Mac OS X 10.7.4 and later versions. Windows support will be released soon.
In addition to Pro Tools, McDSP v5 plug-ins support Logic, Garage Band, Digital Performer, Ableton Live and other AU compatible DAWs. Please note the McDSP v5 release is a paid upgrade for non-v5 customers. Specific pricing can be found by visiting McDSP’s online webstore.

For more info visit www.McDSP.com

Review: Pro Tools 11

Bryan

The greater part of my recording career has been spent with a certain DAW we all have come to know as Pro Tools. My journey began with the humble beginnings of Pro Tools 5.1 back when your software came with a physical keepsake in the form of a CD. For someone who was transferring from Cubase and a quick romp with a Lexicon Omega interface and Bias Deck, this digital audio workstation seemed like a leap. The beginner could start using it quickly and the professional studio can handle large projects easily. Then came 64-bit operating systems and faster processors. Now the laptop can even run an HD unit with the right equipment. Even though all of this was blossoming before our very eyes we had a dilemma… Pro Tools remained 32-bit. We had 4 lane highways, but we could only use 2 and traffic was starting to build quickly. Something had to be done.
After countless rumors upon releases and a most likely Avid office full of people despising the question they were probably asked daily, Pro Tools is finally 64-bit! And this wouldn’t be a proper release without bringing it in with a bang. Avid was even generous enough to give us all Pro Tools 10 as a swan song to the legacy hardware and operating system with some really nice features for the ones holding back for whatever reason (we all know why right.) It truly is a great time to own this revolutionary DAW… well for the most part.
I don’t need to give a review on the DAW itself because we all basically know Pro Tools… Even people who don’t record know it by name. So lets take this review in a different direction and focus on the new stuff and overall performance of this new iteration. Pro Tools 11 is a 64-bit digital audio workstation that requires Mac OS X Mountain Lion or Windows 7 Service pack 1. You need at least 4 gigs of RAM, 15 gigs of hard drive space, and an iLok 2 to operate it. Most of this is fairly standard with the pack of computers out within the last couple of years so this shouldn’t be asking too much. Although Avid supplies enough plugins to get you started, Pro Tools 11 only supports the AAX 64-bit plugin format (more on this in a bit) and runs off of the new Avid Audio Engine. It also has been refitted with a multitude of features like a sleek new retina friendly interface, faster offline bouncing, expanded metering, low latency input buffer, the Avid Video Engine, improved workflow and visuals, and easier media search capabilities. I could keep typing more but I will get into each new feature in detail a little later. Your obvious major upgrade is complete use of system resources, giving you access to those powerhouse computers you’ve owned but haven’t been able to fully harness. So lets dive into the fun parts now.
Install:
Avid has finally gone the way of DAWs such as Reason but simply allowing you to drag Pro Tools into your application folder. This cuts install down by a massive margin and doesn’t even require the old restart you’d have to do. Avid has even started implementing this with their plugins as well by simply allowing you to drop the plugins right where they need to go from one window. This is especially helpful when in the case of having to do a reinstall of the OS. One thing I have done is created a folder on an external with a backup of all of the plugins as well as a folder shortcut and BAM… you can install all plugins in one batch. The other great thing about owning Pro Tools 11 is they have included a version of Pro Tools 10 as well so you can still use those important RTAS plugins you cling to for dear life while they are being coded over to AAX 64-Bit format. Although this is not exactly what people were wanting, it is a great compromise on Avid’s part. Why do we need to change the plugin format? The answer to this can be found in Pro Tools biggest new feature.
64-bit Architecture and Avid Audio Engine:
Welcome to the big leagues people. We now can use our systems to the fullest. Those large sessions with thousands of clips are a cinch to the new 64-bit Avid Audio Engine. This was a complete overhaul of the system giving you access to more RAM as well as the ease of handling even the most memory hungry virtual instruments. With the new engine under the hood, system performance is maintained more efficiently by spreading out the workload between the cores. They aren’t lying when they say 11 can handle more plugins. I’ve piled plugin gratuitously all over a high track count session for fun and it didn’t even blink. We’re talking the entire Rob Papen Bundle, Analog Lab, and Plugin Alliance. Also, when audio is not running through the plugins, they don’t draw power. Another great feature especially for the Native users is the dual buffer. Pro Tools automatically sets the playback buffer dynamically according to what the session needs, the record buffer can be set very low and works only on record tracks, thus removing the need for you to go and change the setting when your vocalist complains of sounding delayed.
AAX Plugins:
The beast we’ve all been dreading is upon us. The RTAS suite was a very outdated format that needed revamping for years. The coding was archaic and was basically the equivalent of using a 56K modem to stream Netflix. Avid hung onto it as long as they could but around 18 months ago, they started the slow, unpopular transition to the Avid Audio Exchange (AAX) Format. This format allows for an array of new features as you will see later in this review as well as the same quality and performance of DSP (TDM is the old term) based plugins. This gives the populous who doesn’t necessarily need the card based processing the same sound and quality that the big league HDX system plugins have. It’s also necessary to enable faster than real time bounce, so that processing through an HDX card sounds exactly like the real time bounce which uses the computer’s native processors. The RTAS and TDM plugins are now replaced with shiny new AAX Native 64 and AAX DSP 64 formats. This coding allows for some really great features as well as more RAM to use in Virtual Instruments and Effects Processing. Those convolution reverbs that used to kill your system can now be ran almost effortlessly. This format change has not come with some resistance and heartache given that some of those Holy Grail plugins are not being coded over for one reason or another. I must admit this is a big inconvenience but rest assured, the companies know Avid has what most of us believe to be the largest market share in owners and AAX will eventually show up in your folder for the majority. Who knows, you may even find a better version of what you were using from a new company that is embracing AAX so look on the bright side. If that’s not enough, you always have that version of Pro Tools 10 to run those old faithfuls.
Faster Offline Bouncing:
This has been something I’ve wanted from the day I started using Pro Tools. Although it is a nice double check to your mix to have to play back the whole song to bounce it, it was not practical. Plus having to solo out groups and bounce stems were a pain as well, but Avid has solved that issue by offering you the offline bounce checkbox at the bottom left of the bounce menu. They have pretty much overhauled the entire menu, giving you the option to bounce stems of bus tracks you have as well as add an MP3 version of the track. If that’s not enough, they have even created a “bounce folder” inside the session folder to keep all of those stems and mixes in one easy to find place. You still have to option to do a real-time bounce as well but since they claim the quality of either isn’t any different, why would you? I did a bounce on a 4 minute song and it took about 35 seconds start to finish. Not bad huh?
Improved Graphics and Visuals:
I bought a Retina Macbook Pro not too long ago and was excited to see the insanely detailed resolution on apps, but was quickly disappointed upon realizing that apps had to be coded for it. The result was a very blurry Pro Tools, making extended mixing sessions an actual nightmare. I found myself leaning towards the screen to look at blurry values and menus. That is a thing of the past with 11 now that they have enhanced just about every visual aspect of the DAW. Upon opening Pro Tools 11, my eyes blurred up, not due to the resolution but because there were tears in my eyes because I felt like I had my vision back. For the record, they were manly tears. Even the wavforms are more detailed and everything can be seen from a safe distance. But Avid didn’t stop there, they stepped up the game by offering not only better resolution but a whole better viewing experience that connects you to the creative choices you make. The faders are 30% bigger, making it feel more masculine to track at -18 dBFS on top of giving you complete control over how you see audio in the meters. With Pro Tools 11 HD you now have a choice of 17 metering standards like VU, Peak, RMS, Linear, as well as gain reduction to the right of each peak meter. With all versions of 11 you can even chose to see a certain plugin’s dynamics or see gain reduction over the entire track from all plugins. Pro Tools doesn’t stop there, you can also monitor those expanders and gates in this meter as well as the actual insert’s mini meter. This is all thanks to the new AAX infrastructure that allows more information to be in more places without sacrificing power. The send incorporates the same process by allowing you to see at a glance the amount of audio being sent from each aux send’s mini meter. No more having to click and hunt for where on the screen you left the aux meter. You can even see levels better with the bigger meters in the expanded aux send window.
Workflow & Automation:
So besides having a facelift, Avid has thrown more brains into Pro Tools 11. New key commands can be used to bypass either all or some sends and inserts; and creating new tracks is as easy as double clicking the area below or to the side of tracks in the mix window and either using Command, Shift, Alt, or Control to get new Audio, Master, Instrument, or Aux Tracks. Plugin presets can be accessed through right clicking the insert, allowing you to instantiate a plugin, set it to your favorite preset and get to mixing without even looking at the plugin’s GUI. On top of giving you new visual features, Avid has enhanced the dreaded session file location search window, making searches faster and less stressful. We all hate it when a session doesn’t link data and Pro Tools has answered our prayers by giving us more tools at hand to tackle media management. I’ve always wanted to be able to audition a clip while searching so that’s a huge feature for cleaning up those un-needed files.
Avid also has now added the ability to automate while the track is in input or recording. This gives you the ability to live “in the moment” during those live recordings and retain some of the fader moves that were being made.
Avid Video Engine:
Pro Tools 11 not only comes with a version of Pro Tools 10, it now comes with the Avid Video Engine, which is an iteration of Avid’s powerhouse Media Composer. You can pretty much make a full commercial in Pro Tools now with added HD Video formats and basic HD video editing on the Timeline. You also have maximum compatibility with Avid Media Composer due to no video transcoding or separate Satellite system is needed.
The End Justifies the Means:
So with that massive lineup of features, Avid has finally atoned for years of 32-bit hardships… for the most part. Many are still reeling from the loss of many RTAS Plugins and even though I have a more positive outlook on losing all of those plugins that isn’t shared by the populous (article coming soon), I still feel there had to have been SOME way to make some sort of rewire plugin that would host RTAS in Pro Tools 11. At the time of this review, Waves has been dragging their feet to release AAX Native 64 but hasn’t committed to AAX DSP. I do use a great deal of their plugins so having to use 10 back and forth is daunting as well as a missed opportunity to use onboard DSP cards in HDX. I know Avid is giving us Pro Tools 10 for free, but once you start using Pro Tools 11, you’re not going to want to mix in 10 anymore. This means having use the old slow bouncing system to get your mixes in 11 so you can use all of the great new features that easily become required features. I know my programming days have been behind me for years now but I just really wish Avid would’ve made some sort of RTAS Rewire device to host the old plugins until they were recoded. The other slight issue I had was that the icons in my dock on OSX have the same name and look which makes things a little confusing when remembering which one is which. I’m also sad to see Echo Farm go as well, but other than those issues I have nothing but praise for the new DAW.
Aside from those few foibles, the transition to 64-bit is apparent in the new Avid Audio Engine. The program even loads up a great deal faster than 10. Installation is simple, and keeping up with the latest version of Pro Tools is easy with Avid’s “Trail Page.” This is the page that shows all of your authorized Avid products as well as the latest link to download right next to the product. No more hunting around Avid to find out the latest and greatest. Simply log into to Avid User Area and download away. Speaking of updates, I will mention to make sure that the Pro Tools 10 you have is the latest 10.3.6 or higher release or you will get a few hiccups along the way.
All in all every new feature on this release has become a must have in my bag of tricks. Each one becoming instantly indispensable within just a few uses. The new GUI is sleek and sharp and I find that I have all of the tools to monitor my mix in the actual mix window. The new metering and mini meter views on sends and inserts have me looking less at the plug in’s interface and more at the project as a whole. Being able to see the amount of gain reduction throughout the whole track is an instant hit in my book as well. I can save a bunch of starter presets for my favorite plugins and right click once I instantiate them and I’m ready to go. Each and every update they have added has become an indispensable tool for intuitive and easy audio creation. You can really tell a great deal of attention went into the newest update. Having 64-bit really opened a lot of doors and gave the guys the freedoms they need, and boy did they take full advantage of it for sure. Pro Tools has always been a top contender in the DAW field, and a lot of companies have had some of these same features for a while. This is true, but they never had one thing… they were never Pro Tools.
For more info visit https://www.avid.com/US/products/pro-tools-software
To buy, visit http://www.sweetwater.com/feature/protools11/
Also, to keep up with what plugins have been ported over to AAX, visit http://www.avid.com/plugins

Presonus RC500 Channel Strip

Bryan

Presonus has really been amping their game up (unintentional pun but it stays) in the hardware and software department. Their Studio Live Series is becoming a staple among both portable and permanent installations. Then the ADL came out and made some serious waves. Now Robert Creel, the guy who is behind many of Presonus’ flagship hardware has his namesake incorporated into the new RC 500 Channel strip. The RC500 is a solid state preamp with FET compression as well as 3 band EQ. This unit incorporates circuits found in the ADL 700 but with a solid state front end. This allows a little more top end and transient response for today’s demanding users who need a one stop shop for all types of applications.

PreSonus® today unveiled the RC 500, a top-of-the-line channel strip for professional recording engineers and recording musicians. The RC 500 combines an ultra-low-distortion, high-gain, solid-state Class A preamplifier with the same custom-designed FET compressor and semi-parametric EQ circuitry found in the highly lauded PreSonus ADL 700 tube channel strip. The result is consistent, transparent, detailed audio, suitable for a wide variety of applications, and reminiscent of classic, vintage solid-state preamp designs.
The newest member of the PreSonus family of preamps/processors, the RC 500 was designed by PreSonus engineering ace Robert Creel (hence, “RC”), who also designed the PreSonus XMAX™ preamp, the ADL 700, and many other favoite PreSonus analog circuits. For some time, the PreSonus offices have buzzed with rumors that Creel was working on an amazing and very special solid-state preamp; happily, the rumors were true!
Creel’s new microphone preamp features a Class A hybrid input stage with discrete transistors and the latest-generation, low-distortion operational amplifiers. The design maintains the sonic qualities of Class A and benefits from the repeatability in performance of the operational amplifier.
Compared to a tube preamp, this solid-state preamp offers better definition at the edges of its frequency response range. High frequencies are crisper and low frequencies are tighter, producing a transparent, musical signal that retains the “airiness” of a room and provides a more three-dimensional result than a tube mic preamp can deliver.
Of course, the preamp sports 48V phantom power, polarity invert, and a -20 dB pad. In addition, it includes a 12 dB/octave highpass filter set at 80 Hz.
The RC 500’s FET compressor perfectly complements the new solid-state preamp. Controls include fully variable attack (0.5 to 10 ms), release (30 to 500 ms), and threshold (-25 to +20 dBu), as well as hardware bypass. Ratio is fixed at 3:1.
FET (Field-Effect Transistor) compressors use transistors to emulate a triode-tube sound. This type of compressor generally provides a faster attack time and better repeatability than the optical compressors that are more commonly found in channel strips in this price class. Combined with the consistent repeatability of the RC 500’s solid-state preamp, this is sure to make the new channel strip a favorite in pro studios.
The 3-band semi-parametric EQ was designed with musicality in mind, combining isolated filters and optimized, per-band Q to provide subtler signal shaping without harsh artifacts. All bands have Gain (±16 dB) and Frequency controls, with overlapping frequency ranges between the mid and high bands and fixed Q (0.5). The low and high bands are switchable between shelving and peak.
Both the Compressor and EQ sections feature a relay bypass.
Rear-panel XLR mic and line inputs (with front-panel Input Select switch) and a front-panel ¼” TS instrument input accept a variety of sound sources. Dual-mode analog VU metering enables monitoring of output and gain-reduction levels. A master level control adjusts the overall output from -80 to +10 dB.

I really really really want to try this thing out against a few pieces of gear in my setup.
Shipping in September
Price: $999.00
For more info, visit www.presonus.com

Sontronics Free Mic Giveaway

Bryan

Sontronics has been catching quite a bit of acclaim lately with their products but in their defense, they’ve had a pretty good hot streak with several of their latest releases. I still want to get my hands on a Halo, Sonora Preamp, or DM1-b for sure. Right now Sontronics is giving you an opportunity to get more of their British created greatness with the Summer Promotion…motion…motion..otion…otion (analog echos courtesy of a plugin called “Laptop Keyboard”). If you buy the workhorse stc-3x you already get a popshield, XLR cable, shockmount, carry pouch AND LIFETIME WARRANTY. Incredible deal right for around $375.00? Cue the 80’s music because THATS NOT ALL FOLKS, you also got a FREE STC10 Small Diaphragm Condenser. Perfect for those cold nights when you’re alone and need to track an acoustic guitar or drum overheads. Did I mention it’s free?

British microphone brand Sontronics has teamed up with a handful of specialist Sontronics dealers in the UK to offer a fantastic summer promotion with the chance to get two pro-studio-quality condenser mics for the price of one!
Anyone buying a Sontronics STC-3X PACK, comprising the best-selling three-pattern, large-diaphragm STC-3X mic plus accessories, from a participating store will automatically receive a FREE Sontronics STC-10 pencil condenser mic, worth £95 (UK RRP) totally FREE!
This means that for just £239 you’ll get a fully rounded recording package, ideal for singer/songwriters, home set-ups, professional studios or voiceover artists, that includes the following:
• Sontronics STC-3X three-pattern (omni, cardioid, figure-of-eight), large-diaphragm condenser mic with three-stage filter and three-stage pad controls, available in silver or black. It’s ideal for recording vocals, spoken word, acoustic guitar, piano, drums, podcasting, overhead and more!
• FREE recording accessories as part of the STC-3X PACK: spider-style shockmount, double-layer nylon-mesh popshield, 5-metre XLR cable and handy zip-up mic pouch
• FREE Sontronics STC-10 pencil-style cardioid condenser mic with two-stage filer and two-stage pad controls, mic mount and foam windshield, perfect for direct-miking acoustic guitar, solo woodwind or strings, drums, percussion, video and film work
• FREE downloads of Toontrack’s award-winning EZMix 2 Lite and Ezdrummer Lite software
• FREE Lifetime Warranty for both STC-3X and STC-10 mics
As Sontronics founder and mic designer, Trevor Coley, admits, this is a amazing giveaway that shouldn’t be missed: “Both the STC-3X PACK and the STC-10 are brilliantly versatile mics, and our users constantly tell us how they give results that compare with those of mics that cost many times more, and now you can get both for the price of the STC-3X PACK. Our Sontronics brand wouldn’t be here without the people who buy, use and love our mics, so this is our chance to give something back to all of you… for free!”

More info about the giveaway and the participating dealers can be found here: www.sontronics.com/stc3xpromo.htm
Please link directly to this specific page from any blog, online news story, facebook or twitter post? Thanks!
Current participating stockists include: Absolute Music, GuitarGuitar, Rubadub, Production Room and Westend Production

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