Adding the distinctive voice of a historic Koch & Korselt upright grand captured both tuned and naturally detuned for incredible realism or limitless creativity
July 2, 2024 – IK Multimedia releases Liberty Upright, the latest addition to IK’s groundbreaking Pianoverse virtual instrument, which combines the world’s finest concert-grade pianos with inspiring cinematic effects. For subscribers, Liberty Upright is included with the Pianoverse update released today through the IK Product Manager. It’s also available separately and comes included in Pianoverse MAX.
This new Pianoverse addition lets users explore a breathtaking sonic range. It combines the most true-to-life acoustic piano experience with a second, naturally detuned sample set designed to pair with Pianoverse’s sound design capabilities to fuel the wildest atmospheric and interactive creative textures.
Old-world Charm
The Liberty Upright piano is not just a virtual instrument; it’s a unique piece of history. It’s based on a historic Koch & Korselt upright grand piano built in Bohemia in 1915 and was created using robot-assisted deep multisampling. Renowned for its rich, resonant sound, this upright piano adds unique new colors to Pianoverse, expanding the creative palette in ways never imagined.
Captured Twice
Given this century-plus piano’s history, it deserved to be captured twice: first, in its authentic relic state, naturally detuned after years of settling and with beautifully soft damping that gives the piano almost a natural reverb, and then again after being restored and fine-tuned by a master tuner. Both results sound amazing, doubling the standard Pianoverse instrument sound content and presets, and they are the perfect sound source for exploring Pianoverse’s infinite sonic landscapes and effects.
The Liberty Upright piano was meticulously recorded at the state-of-the-art IK studio, located at IK’s headquarters in Modena, Italy, in the Emilia-Romagna region. The recording process used IK’s custom-built robotic system with AKG 414 microphones to capture the close-miking sound and a coincident pair of DPA mics to capture the back of the piano. This allows users to experience the true essence of the instrument and provides unique new sources for Pianoverse’s deep effects and environments.
Beyond Accuracy and Sound
Pianoverse shines with a unique combination of stage and studio work performance controls. To customize each piano’s sound, it offers adjustable lid position, harp resonance, pedal noise, or even the noise of the piano mallets, which are usually only available in modeled instruments. For live use, all 3 pedals offer continuous control, including half- and catch-pedaling and una corda, to deliver an unmatched performance experience.
Must-have Studio Processing
Pianoverse provides 2 sets of microphones per piano so users can choose whether to prefer a more modern, in-your-face sound or a more classical sound. For traditional sound-shaping and mixing, the Pianoverse engine also offers a comprehensive suite of must-have effects tools and a dedicated master channel with EQ and a VCA-style limiter for final mastering polish.
Generative Spaces to Explore
Where most piano instruments end, Pianoverse is only getting started. Pianoverse transports any of its 7 concert-grade pianos to 30 sonic destinations using a new generative reverberation engine. These go from traditional concert halls and studio spaces to less traditional ones like a warehouse or vault and otherworldly cinematic environments like an iceberg, desert or Mars. Plus, each space includes flexible controls to shape further and create never-heard-before cinematic sounds and textures.
Unique Creative Effects
In addition to custom-created spaces, Pianoverse offers 12 new creative effects for sound design. These effects range from new cinematic spatial effects to must-have studio effects and can be inserted in 3 simultaneous slots: the first slot is a parallel send effect, while slots 2 and 3 are insert effects.
Then, unique to Pianoverse, users will find four modulation sources – 2 envelopes and 2 LFOs – that may be assigned to various parameters in these 3 effects slots to animate further, move the sound and create extreme effects when desired. Together, these effects offer an arsenal of sound-sculpting tools that cannot be found in any other piano instrument.
A Series of 8 Pianos
With the Liberty Upright, there are now 7 pianos in Pianoverse based on a Koch & Korselt Upright Grand, Steinway & Sons Hamburg D-274, a Fazioli F278 Concert Grand, a Yamaha CFIII Concert Grand, a Yamaha U5 Professional Upright, a Bösendorfer 280 Vienna Concert and a Steinway & Sons New York D-274. With another coming soon based on a Bösendorfer 200, users can discover new inspiration as they need it.
Options, Pricing and Availability
Pianoverse Liberty Upright is available now, sold separately or as part of Pianoverse MAX from the IK Multimedia online store and worldwide. It’s free to all-access subscribers, as will all future Pianoverse pianos.
*Pricing excludes taxes
For more information about Pianoverse and the new Liberty Upright, please visit:
www.ikmultimedia.com/
For videos:
www.ikmultimedia.com/
Advanced dynamics processing plug-in targets specific sounds and removes them – it’s SSL magic
Oxford, England, June 26, 2024 — Solid State Logic continues to expand its family of premium FX plug-ins, this time with Sourcerer — an advanced dynamics processing tool for removing unwanted ambient sound, feedback, and stage bleed from live and pre-recorded sources. Using a highly intuitive interface and a little magic, Sourcerer is able to quickly target specific sounds and remove them in a natural way, while retaining the original characteristics of the original source. The new plug-in is available in VST, VST, AU, AXX formats and as part of the SSL and Slate Digital Complete Access Bundle.An effective tool in studio, post-production, and live sound environments, Sourcerer is able to conjure up a clean sound while maintaining the original characteristics of the audio source. With a rich cauldron of frequency-dependent expansion, filtering and sidechain controls, users can quickly summon Sourcerer to attenuate unwanted sounds while imparting clarity and presence to the signal’s primary source. Sourcerer is magical in its ability to isolate sources, without leaving the artefacts commonly found when using a traditional gate or ducking compressor.
Sourcerer casting its spell
Sourcerer is equipped with intuitive controls designed to quickly shape your sound whilst retaining the important natural elements of the recorded source material. Featuring adjustable Threshold, Time, and Depth settings, Sourcerer can be quickly adapted to fit various scenarios such as a concert recording, an instrument captured with multiple microphones recorded in the studio, a broadcast panel, or even film dialogue.
Jon Sandman, SSL Plugin Product Manager, commented: “Sourcerer is yet another display of SSL’s legacy in digital audio processing in a variety of production environments. It’s a utility tool that helps producers and engineers provide a simple and effective solution to removing unwanted noise.”
Sourcerer builds upon SSL’s unparalleled history in digital audio processing while drawing inspiration from classic dynamics processors used in studio and live sound. Originally developed for the SSL Live console range, Sourcerer is already in use by some of the world’s top live sound engineers on projects by The Killers, Sam Smith, Peso Pluma and others. The powerful software can be used for a range of applications such as isolating lead vocals, increasing headroom, removing mic bleed, and more. For the first time, this tried-and-tested plug-in is being made available outside of one of SSL’s high-performance large-format consoles and in your DAW.
SSL Complete, complete access, Rent-To-Own or Perpetual ownership
Sourcerer is available as a standalone plug-in or as part of SSL Complete, which is included in the ‘Complete Access Bundle’ dual subscription – alongside every Slate Digital plug-in – for ONLY $14.99 p/month (Ts&Cs apply). Find out more here.
For more information, to access a free trial of Sourcerer, or a trial of Complete Access, please visit the SSL eStore
Drive your sound with the new differential power-shaping plugin from the makers of Gullfoss
Kraftur is the long-awaited second plugin from the award-winning team at Soundtheory that created Gullfoss. Kraftur has been carefully engineered to enrich your mix, allowing you to elevate power and density while preserving the original integrity of its dynamics. Using new, proprietary DSP methods, Kraftur relies on innovative algorithms to avoid artifacts that come with more traditional approaches to soft clipping.
Kraftur can also add clarity, punch or pleasant warmth to almost any audio material. Used on the mix bus, Kraftur helps increase the power of the signal while containing the signal peaks. It can excite the top end to introduce more detail, depth and crispness.
On individual mix elements such as vocals, drums or strings Kraftur is very effective for adding frequency-specific saturation while maintaining the quality and dynamics of the original material. You can add extra punch to your drums, add more presence to your vocals and add clarity to your strings.
When driven harder, Kraftur can also sculpt your sound by inducing pleasant distortion to create some unique colors, warmth and space.
Kraftur makes your audio sound fuller and denser.
As expected from Soundtheory, Kraftur has some unique features:
PRICING
Kraftur will be available from the Soundtheory website www.soundtheory.com at a price of $99. Until September 1 there is an introductory price of $69. There is a two week free trial period with full functionality.
Visit Sound theory for more information: https://www.soundtheory.com/home
Tucson, AZ – June 27, 2024 – Cloud Microphones, acclaimed professional audio manufacturer known for the original award-winning Cloudlifter Mic Activator and high-quality ribbon microphones, is thrilled to announce a new partnership with Eric Hollaway, celebrated bass vocalist, voice-over (VO) artist and social media sensation known as thatbassvoice®. This collaboration marks a significant milestone for both the audio brand and the music artist, uniting them in their mission to deliver unparalleled sound quality and musical excellence.“Partnering with Cloud Microphones feels like a natural step forward in my musical journey,” said Hollaway. “The clarity and warmth that the Cloud 44-A Ribbon mic brings to my vocals have impressed me, and the Cloudlifter has been an indispensable tool in my recording setup. I’m truly excited about what this partnership signifies for the future of my music and the quality I can bring to my fans.”
Paris, June 26th, 2024 – UVI release Tape Suite, exploring the sound of analog tape with 4 effects built around a fully-parametric physical model, giving users freedom to explore the sonic qualities of magnetic tape and tape transport, from pristine studio reel-to-reel machines to worn out cassette recorders, and all the sweet spots in-between. Tape Suite is available immediately with a special intro price of $59 / 59€ valid through July 14th, 2024 (regularly $99 / 99€).
Tape Suite delivers 4 discrete effects including Delay, Flanger, Chorus, and Color, each custom- tailored around an advanced physical model to recreate the character of analog tape and tape-based effects with exacting realism. Delay features a 4-head design with per-head pan, sync, and selectable feedback head, Flanger features a through-zero design with manual and LFO modes, Chorus features up to 8 voices with adjustable stereo spread, and Color adds both a texture process and a convolver loaded with impulse responses from vintage devices to deliver an impressive range of character.
The heavy lifting of Tape Suite’s simulation is presented in 4 main sections, available through each plugins bottom shelf editor. Tape Simulation provides a novel model of magnetization, faithfully reproducing a large range of magnetic materials, Compander includes 3 different models of the noise reduction encode and decode stages historically found in tape machines, Playback Filtering models the characteristics of the tape playback head with physically-accurate control over speed, head distance, angle, and width, while Modulation models the tape transport, providing profoundly natural detuning, wow, and flutter.
Tape Suite offers many additional features such as compensated drive, feedback compensation, low- latency mode, tempo sync, grid-snapping, delay multiplication, and effect visualizations, combining to give you an innovative, modern effect suite that’s as easy to use as it is powerful.
Tape Suite is compatible with current versions of all major DAWs on both Mac and Windows platforms (VST, VST3, AU, and AAX). A single license includes 3 activations that can be used on any combination of individual computer systems or iLok keys. A 15-day trial is available on uvi.net.
PRICING AND AVAILABILITY
Tape Suite is available immediately with a special introductory price of $59 / 59€ now through July 14th, 2024 (regularly $99 / 99€).
ADDITIONAL PRODUCT INFORMATION
Additional information on Tape Suite is available at: uvi.net/tape-suite
Also included in UVI SonicPass
Get Tape Suite and our entire catalog of products instantly with UVI SonicPass.
For $24/24€ a month or $240/240€ annually you can enjoy unlimited access to 1,000+ instruments and effects, including day-one access to new releases.
Learn more at: uvi.net/sonicpass
Enter the Sonic Universe of Usynth STRANGER – Dark Mystical Soundscapes
June 26th, 2024
Explore sounds of the Underworld with Usynth STRANGER
Turn on your flashlight and step into a world of dark mystical soundscapes with Usynth STRANGER, the latest addition to UJAM’s Usynth series. With analog retro sounds inspired by 80s sci-fi and horror genres, STRANGER offers a sonic universe that transports you to an eerie and nostalgic world.
Perfect (not only) for creating ambient, electronic, film scores, and game soundtracks, STRANGER provides the ideal sounds for a bike ride at night through the woods with your friends.
Explore the world of UJAM Synths
Key Features of Usynth STRANGER:
● Inspiring Sound Library: Explore arps, atmos, basses, brass, keys, leads, pads, picked, poly, sequences, and strings – with a total of 200 presets.
● Easy-to-Use Interface: Easily create your own sounds without needing in-depth synthesizer knowledge.
● Advanced Synth Engine: Combines virtual analog, FM, wavetable, and multisampler technologies.
● Multi-Effects Section: Includes Finishers, Delay, and Reverb for unlimited sound manipulation.
● Built-in Sequencer: Includes Live Phrase Play and Arpeggiator for dynamic and complex patterns.
● Surprise Feature: Intelligently generates new sound variations at the click of a button.
Stranger Synths
The popularity of 80s-inspired music has been partly driven by iconic soundtracks from that era.
Usynth STRANGER puts this sonic toolbox in your hands. Created by analog synthesizer collector and world-class sound designer Alessandro Cardinale, STRANGER draws heavily on textures sampled from his collection of vintage synthesizers.
A Versatile Sound Palette
STRANGER’s aesthetic focuses on warm, retro, and saturated sounds, offering a wide range of categories from arps to basses, leads to pads, poly to strings. Whether you add a beat or not, and with the addition of effects, your sound is complete. This makes it perfect not only for ambient and electronic music but also for film scores and game soundtracks. Try Usynth STRANGER Now!
Usynth STRANGER is available in VST2, VST3, AU 2, and AAX formats. Experience its full capabilities with a 7-day free trial at ujam.com. Sounds from the otherworldly realms, the UJAM Way.
Sale and Pricing Information
To celebrate the launch, we’re offering special pricing from May 29th to June 30th:
● New Titles: 29 EUR/USD each (FLUID & TURBO-XT available now, STRANGER from June 26)
● New Synths Bundle (all three new titles): 49 EUR/USD
● All other Usynth titles: 19 EUR/USD each
● Usynth Bundle (including new titles): 129 EUR/USD
Explore the world of UJAM Synths
About UJAM
UJAM is a German-American music technology company co-founded by Hans Zimmer and Pharrell Williams. We develop Virtual Instrument and Effects Plug-ins such as Virtual Pianist, Usynth, Groovemate, Symphonic Elements, Virtual Guitarist, Virtual Bassist, Virtual Drummer, Beatmaker, and Finisher. Our mission is to make music creation accessible and enjoyable for everyone, offering a wide range of software solutions across desktop, mobile, and web platforms
Over the course of 10 weeks, Audiotool – a free, online music production tool, will host a series of game audio remix contests. The series will allow producers of all backgrounds to pit their music production skills against the rest of the world. Finalists will be judged by a carefully selected panel of industry professionals. Prizes include over $25,000 worth of music production equipment, Spitfire Audio LABS + subscriptions, and the opportunity to work with LABS by Spitfire Audio on a sample pack at Abbey Road Studios.
“This partnership is more than a great series of contests for us; our goal is to offer a stage where music and gaming cultures meet.” – Andreas Jacobi, Audiotool CEO and Co-Founder.
How do the remix contests work?
The Contests will be around remixing the Official Esports World Cup Anthem Track produced by Brian Tyler.
The stems of the anthem track will be available on Audiotool. Anyone is invited to create a remix – inspired by the game sounds of the different games that run in the main competition. A winning track is selected for each of the games as well as an overall winner who wins the additional top prize.
More info on how to enter the competition https://ewc.audiotool.com/
The panel of judges includes:
● Ken Lewis: Renowned mix engineer for Taylor Swift, known for his expertise in the pop music industry.
● Oak Felder: Acclaimed producer for Demi Lovato and Nicki Minaj, celebrated for his contributions to modern pop and R&B.
● Flosstradamus: Influential electronic music duo with a significant following in the EDM community.
● WLPWR: Esteemed hip-hop producer and collaborator with Eminem and Wiz Khalifa.
● Michael Maas: Noted composer for films like Dune and Tenet, and games such as Call Of Duty.
● Rance Dopson: Founder of 1500 Sound Academy, multi-instrumentalist, producer of JayZ.
The Top Prize:
This high-profile panel of judges will select an overall winner. Along with a plus one, the ultimate winner will be flown to London to collaborate with leading virtual instrument developer Spitfire Audio on a commercial sample pack. As well as this money-can’t-buy experience, the winner will receive full credit and payment for their work. The sound library will be created with the final winner and Spitfire Audio at Abbey Road Studios. The winner will have the opportunity to work in one of the most legendary recording studios in the world with some of the best musicians in the world. Spitfire Audio have a track record for creating some of the most advanced and intricate sample libraries made, recorded by Grammy Award-winning engineers.
“This will be an incredible experience for one extremely talented individual. We’re really excited to present the winner with this opportunity, but also to collaborate with an emerging music-maker and see what they can do when given world class resources in this iconic space” said Spitfire Audio CEO Paul Thomson
The other Prizes include:
The winner of each of the 18 contests will win a one-year Spitfire Audio LABS Pro subscription. Music production hardware and software worth over $25,000 :
Shure: MV7 + mic – Novation Launchkey 88 (MIDI Controller) – Focusrite: Scarlett 2i2 Studio (Interface, headphones, mic) – Sonarworks: SoundID Reference for Speakers & Headphones w/mic – SynchroArts: Vocal Production Bundle – Universal Audio: SC1 Condenser Mic w/Modeling – LANDR Mastering Plugin and 1 year of LANDR Studio – 1500 Sound Academy: Full suite of their 6 on demand courses – The Jamstik MIDI Guitar
“It’s a privilege to be involved in this innovative partnership. This remix contest series serves as an environment in which music and gaming cultures can merge, and will help to fuel innovation within the creative and digital entertainment industries.” – Andreas Jacobi, Audiotool CEO and Co-Founder.
About Audiotool
Audiotool is a free, powerful cloud-based music production tool that was built to make it easier to collaborate. The company’s mission is to make music production accessible to everyone and connect creators globally. The award-winning online digital audio workstation (DAW) offers free access for anyone, paired with the strong educational support from a highly engaged community. Audiotool connects musicians, producers and students worldwide. Collaborating on tracks in real-time, learning music production skills with and from others while sharing progress with talented people from all over the world are unique features of Audiotool.
About Esports World Cup
The Esports World Cup is an elite multi-genre esports competition that will take place annually in Saudi Arabia from 2024 during July and August in a world-class venue in Riyadh Boulevard City. The EWC will offer the largest prize pool in esports and feature the most popular esports titles across all major gaming genres. It will welcome a new cross-game competition format, awarding prizes for individual game titles and club performances. It is designed for both professional esports players and gaming enthusiasts, with qualifiers to provide as many teams as possible with the opportunity to participate, along with a thrilling calendar of on-the-ground activations, live entertainment, and competitions for fans.
About Spitfire Audio
Spitfire Audio is the leading creator of sounds and sample libraries for composers and music makers, uniting pioneering artists with pioneering sounds and music technology.
Partnering with outstanding affiliates including the world’s most exceptional composers and musicians, celebrated recording studios, Abbey Road and AIR Studios, and the renowned BBC Symphony Orchestra, has cemented Spitfire Audio’s global reputation as the premier music sound library company.
Spitfire Audio records and curates the best sounding virtual instruments, utilizing
in-house developed music technology and advanced software devices.
Spitfire Audio launched LABS in 2018. The ever expanding, eclectic series of samples now has 36 million downloads and 2.6 million users. Spitfire Audio adds three new sample packs to LABS every month – it’s a playground for experimentation and an opportunity for users to reach creative fulfilment. Music makers have the ideas and LABS has the sounds. The platform allows the opportunity for talent to transcend, be it from a world class recording studio or a bedroom.
Composer and music makers around the globe use Spitfire Audio products in their compositions and productions, and through their phenomenal work, research suggests that a major percentage of composers use Spitfire Audio products in their journey to scoring films and projects, including those who have been nominated for and have won Oscar, Emmy, BAFTA, GRAMMY® or César Awards.
About Abbey Road Studios
Abbey Road Studios is the most famous recording studio in the world, renowned for its creativity and technological excellence. It is a global icon that for the last 90 years has been the musical home to The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Shirley Bassey, Cilla Black, Yehudi Mehin, Jaqueline du Pre, Ella Fitzgerald, Fela Kuti, Kate Bush, Oasis and Radio head to Sam Smith, Florence + The Machine, Amy Winehouse, Brockhampton and Adele. Legendary and ground-breaking records have always been made within the walls of Abbey Road. The 1970s and ‘80s saw George Harrison’s All Things Must Pass, Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon and Wish You Were Here, Kate Bush’s Never for Ever, Fela Kuti’s Afrodisiac and Live! And more recent history has seen artists from Blur, Travis, Massive Attack,Nick Cave, The Spice Girls, Take That and Lady Gaga choose to record there.
For the last 40 years, Abbey Road has become one of the world’s premier destinations for film scoring, with projects including Raiders of the Lost Ark, the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit trilogies, many of the Star Wars and Harry Potter series, Black Panther, 1917, Avengers: Endgame and Oscar-winners such as Gravity and The Shape of Water. With the addition of a Dolby Atmos Premier accredited Mix Stage, built in 2017, Abbey Road is now the only facility in the UK to offer both scoring and film sound post-production.
PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC: following last year’s eye- and ear-opening unveiling of Tempera with a show-stopping showcase suitably captivating the musical masses assembled at SUPERBOOTH23 in Berlin, Beetlecrab is proud to introduce its v2.0 firmware update — ultimately improving the boutique innovative electronic musical instruments producer’s hardware granular synthesizer that allows for full hands-on approaches to both live performance and sound design with numerous new features and bug fixes to polish and streamline its workflow while further expanding its possibilities — as of June 25…
As a multi-sample, 16-voice polyphonic granular synthesizer that allows for full hands-on approaches to both live performance and sound design, Tempera invites its users to blend tones like paint on a canvas with pristine audio processing — interacting intuitively with the compact, sturdily-built box to quite literally invoke sounds from beneath their fingertips. For Tempera could well be thought of as eight parallel stereo tape tracks that are arranged
alongside each other in columns to form a kind of 2D tape surface, with fingers becoming ‘generators’ (or so-called Emitters) of one or more ‘tape heads’ (Grains) riding across the surface. Said surface is actually a fully-polyphonic touch-sensitive control interface (TouchGrid) upon which Emitters are placed, in turn producing streams of Grains; eight audio samples are arranged in those columns, in other words, resulting in thousands of Grains travelling across the surface to build up chopped breakbeats, delicate grain clouds, dramatic orchestral scores, and lush soundscapes — simultaneously, even — when placing and moving Emitters on the TouchGrid. Tempera’s powerful granular engine can produce chaotic scatters, loops, movements, and organized rhythms. And all with precise scrubbing or broad sprays — to return to that analogy of painting on a canvas with pristine audio processing.
Far from resting on its laurels, however, Beetlecrab’s v2.0 firmware update for Tempera has been three months in the making, improving the already advanced hardware granular synthesizer in question with numerous new features and bug fixes to polish and streamline its workflow while further expanding its possibilities: pre-Emitters FX send level — allows for adjusting the amount of effects applied to each Emitter for better separation of percussive and tonal sounds, for example, while also making it easier to layer complex sounds; relative X and Y scrubbing — Grains can be scrubbed in two dimensions across the TouchGrid surface with the greatest of ease, which is a perfect pairing for the Tempera concept in itself; adjustable LED (Light Emitting Diode) and Emitters colors — users can personalize the look of their Tempera to suit their needs, including better separation for those with color blindness; improved onboard keyboard — new chromatic piano-like keyboard layout with improved usability and clear visual feedback for standalone operation; improved random Grains detune — can now be quantized to fifths, octaves, or both, providing a natural shimmer or additional harmony; upgraded reverb — new algorithm provides richer and smoother reflections as well as faster diffusion properties that are perfect for producing lush and wide soundscapes; doubling of per-voice modulators from five to 10 — thereby allowing for twice as many modulations simultaneously, as well as improved modulator visualization — better visual feedback helps clarify their visual behavior; stable and reliable MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) clock sync — improved clock BPM (Beats Per Minute) detection, even with jittery sequencers, so Tempera synchronizes well with other gear; Canvas quick-save — handy and speedy shortcut for saving projects; Emitters editing shortcut — makes it easier to edit, cycle, and organize Emitters configurations; new Global MIDI channel parameter — easily integrate Tempera into a bigger setup while allowing for pre-Emitters MIDI channels; and last, but by no means least, upgraded delay — dot mode added alongside smoother filter coloring.
“It’s the biggest upgrade so far — like three packed into one.” So says Beetlecrab’s Andre Sklenar, subsequently adding: “The most important thing was feedback from the Tempera community.”
Clearly, community is of utmost importance to Beetlecrab, further evidenced by simultaneously announcing that its Gallery (https://gallery.beetlecrab.audio/patches/) — an online space dedicated to user-created patches, providing somewhere to download, explore, and share creations — is coming out of BETA status and now open to all as a source of creativity and inspiration.
Tempera is available to purchase — priced at €670.00 EUR within the EU (plus shipping and VAT)/$720.00 USD to the US (plus shipping and import tax)/€670.00 EUR to the UK (plus shipping and VAT)/€670.00 EUR worldwide (plus shipping and import tax) — directly from Beetlecrab with a four-week lead time from here: https://www.playtempera.com/
Owners of Tempera can download its latest v2.0 firmware update from here: https://www.playtempera.com/support/
Watch Beetlecrab’s teaser video for the Tempera v2.0 firmware update here:
About Beetlecrab (www.beetlecrab.audio)
As a small synthesizer manufacturer based in Prague, Czech Republic, Beetlecrab designs robust, high-quality hardware and develops cutting-edge algorithms to translate intuitive human-machine interfaces into hand-assembled electronic instruments for performers, producers, and sound designers alike. Aftersales support is second to none, servicing a close-knit community of musicians who have, to date, taken delivery of instruments in over 50 countries.
© 2024 Beetlecrab s.r.o.
KINGTON, UK: Z&H Designs is proud to announce availability of its HVC250 five-band parametric EQ — an attractively-priced tribute to the sought-after Seventies-vintage Sontec MEP-250 classic rarity, representing the UK-registered pro audio equipment design studio’s debut offering as a newly-launched brand that has spent the last five years working on a collection of pro audio outboard gear aimed at the wider musical masses — as of June 25…
As a tribute to the Seventies-vintage Sontec MEP-250 parametric EQ that is still so sought-after today, Z&H Designs contemporarily created HVC250 with five true parallel bands on each channel as a direct result of spending five years redesigning the increasingly rare and pricey original’s classic circuitry, ultimately producing many components in-house before handcrafting the resultant five-band parametric EQ in readiness for testing on over 100 commercial projects prior to launching the brand. But although the now commercially available HVC250 is as attractively priced as it physically looks, it is actually built the expensive way with 14 independent high-voltage op amps outperforming traditional IC op amps in terms of bandwidth and dynamics. Indeed, its specifications speak volumes — frequency range: 15Hz – 25kHz; SNR: -97.092 dBV (left), -96.021 dBV (right); LF: 15Hz – 800Hz (Q: 0.67 – 4.0 or shelf, ±12 dB boost/cut); LMF: 15 – 800 Hz (Q: 0.67 – 4.0, ±12 dB boost/cut); MF: 160Hz – 8K (Q: 0.67 – 4.0, ±12 dB boost/cut); HMF: 450Hz – 25K (Q: 0.67 – 4.0, ±12 dB boost/cut); HF: 450Hz – 25K (Q: 0.67 – 4.0 or shelf, ±12 dB boost/cut); distortion (left & right channel off): 0.0008%; distortion (left & right channel on): 0.0015% (20 – 20kHz).
As a CLASSIC 5-BAND PARAMETRIC EQUALIZER — to paraphrase the wording subtly emblazoned across its spacious front panel, each of HVC250’s independent bands generously overlap each other and can be independently bypassed. Better still, those generous Q settings allow anyone to perform surgical-style EQ on any track, while the shelf option available at ‘air’ and ’sub’ band levels emulate the LF and HF territorial trickery of that sought-after Seventies-vintage parametric EQ classic rarity that HVC250 so convincingly pays tribute to. That said, extensive field testing has shown that — in spite of the HVC250 design providing such a variety of options — users quickly feel engaged and are able to achieve a desirable sound with only a few tweaks.
The inclusion of excellent electrical components from the likes of Motorola, Nikon, ON, and Philips help HVC250’s all-discrete circuit boards preserve the beauty of analogue equipment, while its modern-day design ethos enables a clean output stage. Saying that, though, a 56V high-voltage linear power supply is central to HVC250’s clear, detailed, solid, and spacious sound quality, helping the five-band parametric EQ handle a higher dynamic range while offering more headroom and effectively reducing noise. Obviously opting to go against the flow of other modern-day brands, Z&H Designs has stuck to tried-and-tested solutions — to the extent of authorizing additional outlay on a more effective cooling system.
Since all Z&H Designs products are handcrafted and tested, the signatures of the two working engineers who tested the unit in question will be applied to each and every HVC250 that ships. Speaking of which, the name of every craftsperson involved in its creation is also applied, proof positive that Z&H Designs prefers to take the boutique-grade craftsmanship route rather than becoming another faceless mass-manufacturing operation.
On top of that, purchasers can customize their HVC250 at the ordering stage — switching knobs and changing the front panel design from a selection of available alternatives, or even submitting an original design to better suit their studio setup, for example, as well as choosing a 6 dB boost/cut option, itself including a dedicated panel print. Put it this way: while customized curb appeal may well appeal to many — albeit with additional costs (highlighted here: https://zhdesigns.audio/products/hvc250-stereo-5-band-parametric-eq-customise), an upcoming mastering version of HVC250 with stepped knobs that will soon be making an appearance is surely set to broaden its appeal as an attractively-priced tribute to the sought-after Seventies-vintage Sontec MEP-250 classic rarity still further.
Shipping from Shanghai, China, where units are handcrafted and tested, HVC250 is available to order directly from Z&H Designs for £2,123.00 GBP/$2,699.00 USD/€2,631.95 EUR via its dedicated webpage, which includes more in-depth information, here: https://zhdesigns.audio/products/hvc250-stereo-5-band-parametric-eq
Shipping is free for orders above £208.00 GBP/$250.00 USD to wherever in the world is deliverable by FedEx, UPS, or other legitimate courier companies; full import duty charges into the UK and EU are covered by Z&H Designs itself, while orders destined for the US will not be charged customs duty by default — check out Z&H Designs’ FAQ webpage (https://zhdesigns.audio/pages/faq/) for further information.
See and hear HVC250 in action while watching Z&H Designs’ informative introductory video here:
About Z&H Designs (www.zhdesigns.audio)
Z&H Designs is a UK-registered pro audio equipment design studio with a global footprint; its goal of reviving some of the greatest outboard history has witnessed while also satisfying the needs of contemporary studios dates back to 2019, originating from an international community of mix engineers’ intent on bringing such exclusive equipment to the wider musical masses. As a pro audio engineering instructor/influencer with access to multiple studios, Jaky Zheng was instrumental in helping to assemble a team of top designers, engineers, and craftspeople — co-creators from the UK, US, and EU are also involved — in actively pursuing that goal. Getting there was largely a musically driven exercise with each developmental model being tested in working studios by working musicians, making their mark on many popular game projects in the process. The time was right in 2024, then, to launch the brand, with all units being handcrafted by highly capable Shanghai, China-based craftspeople benefiting from over 10 years of experience, effectively uniting UK sound technology know-how with the same precision manufacturing skillset being utilized by many popular pro audio brands to facilitate high-end product production.
© 2024 Z&H Designs Ltd
SCOTCHTOWN, NY, USA: having closely collaborated with GRAMMY® Award-winning mix engineer Chris Lord-Alge to previously introduce its full-range, two-way passive CLA-10 as an accurate recreation of an iconic studio monitoring mainstay, subsequently followed by its active CLA-10A counterpart, affordable high-quality audio products producer Avantone Pro is proud to announce a repeat return of the ‘white cone’ classic studio reference monitor in question in appropriately-named next-generation CLA-10 Active and CLA-10 Passive configurations — CLA-10 Active replacing CLA-10A, remaining almost identical to the original bar some slight aesthetic changes; CLA-10 Passive replacing CLA-10, and adding a new TPC (Tissue Paper Control) switch so the HMF (High Mid Frequency) driver output can now be dropped by 2 dB to simulate the high-frequency dampening trick of covering the tweeters with tissue paper often deployed by those in the know when working with the original ‘white cone’ classic back in the day and beyond — as of June 18…
Closely collaborating with Platinum album-mixing specializing studio stalwart Chris Lord-Alge, Avantone Pro originally set out on a musical mission to recreate the ubiquitous ‘white cone’ classic studio monitor that has been the staple of world-class recording studios for over 45 years — the sound of hits, in
other words! Since supply of aftermarket components for those vintage white-cone speakers had dwindled, Avantone Pro took it upon itself to fill the void, drawing upon its decade-plus global experience in driver construction to create near-identical reproductions of both drivers and the classic crossover that all stay true to the original specifications while meeting modern environmental standards. Saying that, then, Avantone Pro’s proprietary AV10-MHF 3.5cm soft dome HF (High Frequency) tweeter underwent rigorous engineering to arrive at the exact phenolic resin doping required to replicate the original’s performance curve while the AV10-MLF 18cm cone LF (Low Frequency) woofer — unmistakably white in its cone’s emulative execution, of course (with Avantone Pro even going as far as to closely collaborate with one of the original vendors to ensure that its stiffness and weight flawlessly match the original’s behavior) — boasts custom-tooled mechanical parts that faithfully mirror its predecessor.
Put it this way: while that ubiquitous ‘white-cone’ classic studio monitor is not known as the world’s best for casual listening, it is instead known for being the world’s best reference for mixing. Meticulous research into the original — and an unwavering attention to sonic detail — led to it effectively being reborn for a new generation of audio purists for the first time as Avantone Pro’s CLA-10 full-range, two-way stereo pair, delivering a 60 – 20,000 Hz frequency response (accessible musical range) via an AV10-MLF and AV10-MHF mounted in a hybrid medium-density fiberboard and real wood veneer sealed cabinet design. Duly delivering the unforgiving mid-forward frequency response that lets users focus on the most mission-critical elements of their mix — vocals in particular, if a mix sounds great on a pair of CLA-10s then rest assured that it should sound great on any speaker!
Speaking of which, Avantone Pro did not simply stop at matching the original, of course, but rather made available active and passive variants of its collaborative creation, introducing unique high-frequency adjustments that are unavailable to those working with the iconic studio monitoring mainstay from which the affordable high-quality audio products producer so successfully drew its inspiration.
Indeed, today’s next-generation CLA-10 Active model — making available 240W total RMS (Root Mean Square) power handling as a full-range two-way stereo pair (120W per speaker) — features a VTPC (Variable Tissue Paper Control) knob on its back panel, allowing users to not only simulate the high-frequency dampening trick of covering the tweeters with tissue paper often deployed by those in the know when working with the original ‘white cone’ classic studio reference monitor back in the day and beyond, but also simulate anything from the original vertical ‘M’ model to the horizontal ‘Studio’ alternative and everything in between. No need, necessarily, to debate the best tissue paper to use since VTPC has it covered — to the extend of even saving money on tissue paper in the long run… unless users unfortunately find themselves suffering from constant colds! As Avantone Pro decided to stay traditional with a linear power supply, implementing a massive, old-school toroidal transformer in order to maintain the legacy sound, CLA-10 Active employs a monolithic Class AB amplifier. At low power, THD (Total Harmonic Distortion) is a phenomenal 0.005%; at rated load it is 0.1%, yielding excellent performance compared to Class D amplifiers.
True to the classics, today’s next-generation CLA-10 Passive model is, as implied by its appropriate appellation, a passive-format studio monitor that requires the use of a power amplifier — Avantone Pro recommends its own
CLA- series power amps for that very purpose, of course! Taking things a step further forward from its CLA-10 predecessor, CLA-10 Passive’s newly-added TPC switch allows its HMF driver output to be dropped by 2 dB to also simulate that high-frequency dampening trick of covering the tweeters with tissue paper often deployed by those in the know when working with the original ‘white cone’ classic studio reference monitor back in the day and beyond.
Both passive and active models are clearly testament to Avantone Pro’s tenacity in continuing to refine its recreation of the ubiquitous ‘white-cone’ classic studio monitor that has been the staple of world-class recording studios for over 45 years. Yet it could well be that CLA-10 Passive and CLA-10 Active are now the world’s best reference monitors for mixing!
CLA-10 Active and CLA-10 Passive will be shipping globally in early July 2024, available at Avantone Pro’s US Dealers (https://avantonepro.com/en/dealers) with a MAP (Minimum Advertised Price) of $999.00 USD and $699.00 USD per pair, respectively; European SSP (Suggested Selling Price) is €1,332.00 EUR and €932.00 EUR (including VAT) per pair, respectively, with worldwide distributors listed by country here: https://avantonepro.com/en/distributors
For further information, please visit the dedicated CLA-Active and CLA-10 Passive webpages here:
https://avantonepro.com/en/products/cla-10-active
https://avantonepro.com/en/products/cla-10-passive
About Avantone Pro (www.avantonepro.com)
As a producer of affordable high-quality studio monitors, reference headphones, microphones, and accessories, Avantone Pro is a different kind of audio company — a creative vehicle, in effect, enabling its core team to bring to market the things viewed as missing in the industry. Indeed, this could be anything as simple as meeting a particular price point to give excellent quality for reasonable pricing to a product that simply does not exist until built by that team. Far from using the shotgun approach to creating a product line, however, each and every product produced has passion and purpose driving it forward. Regardless of whether attracting a two- or four-figure price tag, attention to design is consistent throughout all Avantone Pro products. Performance comes first, of course, but a great deal of design time is spent creating visually attractive products. Put it this way: the company collectively enjoys classic, timeless designs itself; it is convinced, therefore, that others feel the same way! With its microphones and monitors used in studios around the world — whether within home-based project setups or world-renowned multi-million-dollar facilities, Avantone Pro is sensitive to the real-world operating budgets of bigger and smaller studios alike but also appreciates struggling songwriters/artists who are passionate about creating great music yet must adhere to budget limitations based on common sense spending. Since it strives to offer products that anyone would be proud to own and have long-term use of in the quest for creating great music, even those on a budget can comfortably access Avantone Pro’s world-class sound.
© 2024 Avantone Pro
