LOS ANGELES, CA, USA: Modbap Modular by BeatPPL, a black-owned developer of Eurorack modular synthesizers and instruments made in America, is proud to introduce Osiris — operating powerfully as a (frequency modulation- and phase modulation-including) seven-plus TIMBRE MODE 12HP BI-FIDELITY™ WAVETABLE OSC (oscillator) module, neatly-packed with an independent sub-oscillator, LOFI processing, extensive CV (control voltage) modulation capabilities, a PITCH quantizer, four banks of 32 x 32 wavetables per bank, the ability to load user wavetables via Micro SD card (not included), and its own free open-source wavetable editor (OsirisEdit) — at Knobcon Number Nine, Hyatt Regency Schaumburg, IL, USA, September 10-12, 2021…
Following hot on the heels of Modbap Modular by BeatPPL’s Per4mer, perfectly portraying its inaugural offering as a 14HP quad performance effects Eurorack module inspired by beat-maker/DJ performance styles when launched late last year to widespread critical acclaim, Osiris seems set to also make musical waves as a powerful and neatly-packed 12HP wavetable oscillator module. More meaningfully, it is designed to be used as a powerful bi-fidelity wavetable oscillator, bolstered by the sensational-sounding BI-FIDELITY™ WAVETABLE OSC wording giving the game away across a front panel made to match the distinctive black, blue, and magenta color scheme of its Per4mer partner module. More than just an oscillator, Osiris is designed — developed in close collaboration with Ess Mattisson of Fors (https://fors.fm) — to be used as a powerful wavetable oscillator with an added sub-oscillator.
Featuring four banks of 32 wavetables — 128 wavetables in total, each of which has 32 waveforms at 256 samples per waveform while running at 96 kHz for high-quality sound output, Osiris is only just getting started since its added sub-oscillator includes a dedicated SUB V/OCT input, SUB MIX knob, and SUB mono output for further flexibility.
Thanks to its SUB WAVE knob, Osiris allows for the selection of said sub-oscillator’s waveform with Square, Sine, Triangle, -1, and -2 as available options. Digging deeper, Square, Sine, and Triangle are basic waves at a lower frequency than the main oscillator so all add weight, while -1 and -2 respectively represent a copy of the wavetable at one or two octaves below the main octave.
On top of that, TIMBRE MODE accesses a set of selectable forms of waveshaping — namely, Unison (layers a second oscillator that detunes from slight beatings up to an octave); Bend (compresses the waveform to a thinner shape); Fold (introduces symmetric two-stage wave-folding by first mirroring the waveform and then folding it); Sync (repeats the cycle count of the waveform within a Hanning window, making the edges softer); Noise (adds a window-synced noise to the waveform); FM x 1 (applies phase modulation to the oscillator using the same waveform); and FM x 8 (uses frequency modulation to smoothly scan through ratios of one up to eight, with mixed stages in between). All are available via one knob to allow for smooth morphing between modes, making for some stunning blended timbres in between them. TIMBRE AMT (amount) allows for dialing in as much or as little of the selected timbre as needed. Needless to say, TIMBRE MODE vastly expands Osiris’ range of sound possibilities.
Put it this way: with its LOFI settings, Osiris can control the FIDELITY of its oscillators — from subtle degradation to complete destruction! It introduces sample jitter, phase drift, and resolution reduction. As a knob — not just a simple on/off switch, dialing in the right amount of LOFI is easy and able to be modulated via the FIDELITY CV input. It even takes some inspiration from old Amiga audio characteristics, resulting in a classic, pleasing, and musically gritty lo-fi flavor.
Other Osiris features well worth noting include its inbuilt Micro SD card slot (for loading user wavetables), CV control over all major parameters, SYNC button, DECAY control knob, pitch QUANT (quantizer) button, and VCA (voltage controlled amplifier) control knob with TRIG (trigger) input.
In the final analysis, Osiris helpfully comes complete with OsirisEdit, a software editor designed to assist users with creating their own wavetables. It is based on Wave Edit, an Open Source wavetable editor, enabling a dedicated wavetable editor that is modified to produce wavetable banks that are compatible with Modbap Modular by BeatPPL’s Osiris, truly a sensational-sounding BI-FIDELITY™ WAVETABLE OSC module for Eurorack!
Set for release on September 24, 2021, Osiris is available to preorder directly from Modbap Modular by BeatPPL for $359.00 USD
via its dedicated webpage (which includes more in-depth information) here: https://modbap.com/product/osiris/
See and hear Modbap Modular by BeatPPL Designer and Founder Corry Banks introducing Osiris here:
For more in-depth information about OsirisEdit — currently available in Mac and Linux versions, please visit its dedicated webpage here: https://modbap.com/osiris-edit/
About Modbap Modular (www.modbap.com)
Modbap Modular is a black-owned line of Eurorack modular synthesizers and instruments made in America by BeatPPL, a boutique sound design and music label established in 2014 as a beat-maker’s lifestyle and e-commerce brand by Bboytech. Founded in 2020 by Corry Banks, it was born out of the Modbap movement with a simple mission: to develop tools for beat-driven modular hip-hop artists. As such, its goal is to develop Eurorack modules from the beat-maker’s perspective, while also adding value for music-makers of all genres.
© 2021 Modbap Modular by BeatPPL
Wuppertal, GERMANY: Black Rooster Audio is proud to announce the availability of OmniTec-67A — taking its inspiration from the acclaimed Altec 1567A vintage tube mixer as the beautifully designed vintage gear emulation plug-in producer’s latest release, realizing lush vintage tube saturation (like its hardware counterpart), conceived as the perfect tool to add saturation, harmonics, and subtle distortion to vocal, bass, and drum tracks alike — as of September 10…
Altec’s acclaimed 1567A was originally released in the early Sixties as a rack-mounted tube mixer that had a simple two-knob EQ and a whopping 97 dB of gain! Indeed, its sound suffused whatever was being processed with welcomed character, density, and grit, while its signature green faceplate visually set it apart from the gear of the time. Today it is still a go-to unit for that unmistakably raw analog sound!
Back in the Sixties (and beyond), the 1567A heavily influenced the sound of countless Motown hits — from The Supremes to The Temptations. It is impossible to think of Motown without thinking of the deliberately distorted and oversaturated brass sections, electric piano, bass, and vocals that gave those songs the sound that is so well known and loved today, thanks to extraordinary engineers like Russ Terrrana and Matt Wallace putting the 1567A to such good use. Ultimately, that iconic piece of studio gear can be credited for the sound of a generation, bolstered by the trailblazing recording techniques that those talented engineers used at the time.
The Altec 1567A stuck around after the Motown era, ending up as the gold standard for achieving a cost-effective colored sound. Above and beyond their technical excellence, Motown producers focused on creating an apparent aesthetic, one which was so influential that many artists across pop, rock, soul, indie and hip-hop still implement it today… from vocals to harmonic rhythm sections, the Motown sound is here to stay.
Saying that, then, Black Rooster Audio’s OmniTec-67A vintage preamp plug-in has been faithfully modeled to transport this iconic sound to modern-day DAW-driven workflow, with TUBE TYPE A, B, and C providing its users with a variety of options to add warmth and saturation to a track. The three types of the tube each offer a different frequency response, output gain, and harmonic range, while the BIAS control heavily influences how those tubes are driven, having an effect on their temperature and resistance — too cold (over-biased), then the valve sounds thin; too hot (under-biased), then the valve oversaturates. OmniTec-67A users can choose between LOW and HIGH voltage options to find the optimal tone for their production.
OmniTec-67A includes a LINE/MIC LEVEL switch, so users can select a source, each with its own frequency response and behavior — mic impedance versus line impedance, in other words, while the plug-in also auto-compensates at the output stage. Digging deeper, the mic input introduces the incoming signal into a microphone transformer, then into a premix amplifier, adding an additional saturation stage that users can control using the level of the incoming signal, while the line input is connected straight into the input switch. Since there is no level difference between the mic and line input in the digital world, Black Rooster Audio has helpfully compensated for the line input signal to reach the same boosted level as the mic input.
After the LINE/MIC LEVEL switch, there is an INPUT potentiometer that acts as an attenuator before the single-stage booster injects the signal into a vintage three-band EQ with meticulously-selected BASS (50 Hz), MID (400 Hz), and TREBLE (1 kHz) frequencies to attenuate or boost between -12dB to +12dB for each selected frequency — providing OmniTec-67A users with even more options than its hardware counterpart — and an OUTPUT control that acts as an attenuator, which, when combined with the EQ, makes it possible to saturate the last stage of the circuit in interesting ways. With the PHASE IN/OUT switch it is also possible to change the phase at the input level before any of the subsequent stages.
Several other notable controls directly accessible on OmniTec-67A’s photorealistic — four setting-resizable — GUI (Graphical User Interface) include a PHASE IN/OUT switch to invert the phase of the incoming signal to prevent phase cancellation in the mix; an ability to control the INPUT and OUTPUT gain by between -15dB to +15dB before or after processing, respectively; and also an ability to blend the WET (saturated) signal with the DRY signal using the MIX control.
Completing that user interface that is as easy to use as it is easy on the eye, OmniTec-67A comes complete with a beautifully modeled VU-meter with a -14dB reference level that allows for the visualization on the amount of ‘drive’ being generated… from gritty vocals to saturated kick drums and harmonically-complex mixes, the vintage classic with a twist that is OmniTec-67A can do it all, turning any audio signal into pure analog gold while its clear-cut control set shows the settings involved in doing so!
Says Black Rooster Audio CEO André Kirchner: “With the release of OmniTec-67A, we not only wanted to create the most colorful and interesting preamp we could think of but we also wanted to shine the spotlight on a unit that has truly shaped the sound of so many wonderful songs, while adding the Black Rooster Audio twist that we are known for. From modeling this unit to adding our own feature ideas to it and designing its GUI, every step in the creation process of OmniTec-67A as an easy-to-use tool that is capable of creating that warm Motown sound, full of beautiful grit and saturation, has been a true blessing.”
Making Motown’s ‘secret sauce’ available to all, Black Rooster Audio’s OmniTec-67A vintage preamp plug-in allows anyone to step back in time and breathe new life into present-day digital recordings with all of the magic of analog recording — and none of the hassle inherent in analog gear.
OmniTec-67A is available to purchase for a time-limited introductory promo price of only $49.00 USD — rising thereafter to its regular price of $99.00 USD — as an AAX-, AU-, and VST-compatible plug-in for Mac (OS X 10.9 or newer) and Windows (7 or newer) directly from Black Rooster Audio via its dedicated webpage, which also includes some sound samples, here: https://blackroosteraudio.com/en/products/omnitec-67a
14-day, fully-functional trial versions of all Black Rooster Audio plug-ins — including OmniTec-67A — are available by signing up for an account here: https://blackroosteraudio.com/en/myaccount/licensemanager (The new License Manager uses a simple serial number-based activation system.)
About Black Rooster Audio (www.blackroosteraudio.com)
Founded in 2016 by André Kirchner, Black Rooster Audio is best known for its beautifully designed vintage gear emulation plug-ins for producing, mixing, and mastering audio. Headquartered in Wuppertal, Germany, it is passionate about combining the finest of vintage analog sound and modern technology.
© 2021 CUREON
LOS ANGELES, CA, USA/HONG KONG, CHINA: creativity-sparking sensational products provider Ashun Sound Machines (ASM) is proud to announce the upcoming availability of Hydrasynth Deluxe and Hydrasynth Explorer as two new additions to its Hydrasynth keyboard and desktop Polyphonic Wave Morphing Synthesizer siblings successfully launched to widespread critical acclaim in 2019 — the new-found former as a 73-note, 16-voice version of the Hydrasynth keyboard, while the latter features a 37-note mid-sized key-bed — as of September 9…
As a 73-note, 16-voice version of the Hydrasynth keyboard complete with proprietary ASM Polytouch® technology to provide responsive velocity and expressive polyphonic aftertouch over each note, Hydrasynth Deluxe additionally features dual stereo — MAIN/UPPER (L/MONO and R) and LOWER (L and R) — outputs. On top of that, there are also split and layering functions for its 16 voices powered by two separate Hydrasynth — analog modeling (OSC 1-3) and WaveScan synthesis (OSC 1+2) — voice engines, allowing for full bi-timbral control. An accessory shelf that mounts on the back of the right side of Hydrasynth Deluxe extends the top panel-available area so diverse devices such as sound modules, mixers, laptops, and drum machines can comfortably be accommodated atop. A user-assignable four-octave ribbon controller and ergonomically-designed pitch and modulation wheels — all familiar from the Hydrasynth keyboard — all add to its illustrious performance capabilities, complemented by an also-now-familiar connection compliment of SUSTAIN and EXPRESSION PEDAL inputs, MIDI (IN, OUT, and THRU on five-pin DIN, as well as class-compliant USB B), and a comprehensive CV / GATE section (for playing nicely with the ever-widening Eurorack modular world, vintage synthesizers, and more).
Moving on to the other end of the synth scale, Hydrasynth Explorer is a compact-sized Hydrasynth featuring a 37-note mid-sized key-bed with proprietary ASM Polytouch® technology to provide responsive velocity and expressive polyphonic aftertouch features that are not found in other smaller-sized keyboards. However, Hydrasynth Explorer still has the full eight-voice Hydrasynth engine and, despite diminutive — 21.81”/55.4cm (W) x 9.72”/24.7cm (D) x 2.28”/5.8cm (H) — dimensions in comparison to its bigger brother, also features CV / GATE OUTPUTS, a SUSTAIN PEDAL input, and standard-sized MIDI IN and OUT connectors (complemented by class-compliant USB B connectivity), as well as a stereo — L/MONO and R — OUTPUT and another output for (head)PHONES. Perfectly portable, Hydrasynth Explorer can also be powered by 8x AA batteries — not included.
Indeed, Hydrasynth Deluxe and Hydrasynth Explorer both bring back polyphonic aftertouch — one of the most requested features in synthesizers and controllers — with their respective semi-weighted-keys-providing Polytouch® keyboards beautifully breathing life into otherwise static sounds by affording an ability to create expressive passages, unlike common channel aftertouch-enabled keyboards. It is not necessary, therefore, to learn a new keyboard technique to be able to play and perform with an ASM Polytouch® keyboard. Thanks to the two new additions to ASM’s Hydrasynth keyboard range, deciding which one best suits is now a threefold creative choice… and a clearly defined one at that!
The bigger picture is immediately clearer as ASM CEO Glen Darcey ends on an equally high note: “Our goal at ASM is to create premium-quality, fantastic-sounding, extremely-playable instruments providing musicians with the affordable tools they need to express themselves musically. Our team has many years of experience with electronic music products, both on a personal and professional level — from playing them to designing them. Our unique partnership with Medeli allows us to realize this goal.”
Hydrasynth Deluxe and Hydrasynth Explorer are expected to ship in November 2021, available to purchase via ASM’s growing global network of authorized dealers (http://www.ashunsoundmachines.com/dealers) at an MSRP of $1,999.00 USD ($1,799.00 USD MAP)/€1,749.00 EUR/£1,699.00 GBP/¥224,900 JPY for Hydrasynth Deluxe and an MSRP of $799.00 USD ($599.00 USD MAP)/€599.00 EUR/£549.00 GBP/¥79,900 JPY for Hydrasynth Explorer.
For more in-depth information about Hydrasynth Deluxe, please visit its dedicated webpage here: https://www.ashunsoundmachines.com/hydrasynth-deluxe
Watch ASM CEO Glen Darcey’s Hydrasynth Deluxe-illuminating introductory video here: https://youtu.be/ieU4yEWHyKI
For more in-depth info about Hydrasynth Explorer, please visit its dedicated webpage here: https://www.ashunsoundmachines.com/hydrasynth-explorer
Watch ASM CEO Glen Darcey’s Hydrasynth Explorer-illuminating introductory video here:
See and hear Hydrasynth Explorer in action while watching ASM Product Manager Dominic Au’s performance video here:
About ASM (www.ashunsoundmachines.com)
Ashun Sound Machines (ASM) is a music hardware brand started in 2019, based in Hong Kong, Los Angeles, and Shanghai. It is wholly owned by Medeli, an established electronic musical instrument developer founded in Hong Kong in 1983. Passionate about using music technology to create exciting products that spark creativity, the core team at the company comprises Glen Darcey (CEO), Daniel Troberg (VP of Sales and Marketing), Dominic Au (Product Manager), Banner Xu (R&D), Xie Yingchen (R&D), Bob Liao (R&D), Brian Xheng (R&D), Ken Pierce (Product Specialist), and Fanny Cheng (Executive Chairman).
© 2021 Ashun Sound Machines Inc. & Medeli Electronics Co., Ltd.
PALO ALTO, CA, USA: sound palette-providing tools developer Louder Than Liftoff is proud to announce the upcoming availability of Silver Bullet mk2 — the culmination of over seven years of dreaming, designing, and building a 2U flagship stereo bus/line/mic TONE-AMP that brings real analog mojo and streamlined workflow to the modern DAW-based studio; it builds upon the trademark intuitive workflow of the original Silver BullET with its abundance of I/O and built-in matrix router to include expanded user-customizable MOJO, increased tone-shaping options, new ASPECT RATIO stereo image enhancer, and improved level metering, as well as adding much-requested fully-balanced inserts, to make this desert island tool even more versatile and powerful than ever before — as of September 2…
When the SILVER BULLET originally debuted in 2014 it was revolutionary: a stereo analog ‘console’ with cascading MOJO amps and TONE-shaping EQ to glue and sweeten the mix bus, stems, and individual tracks of hybrid analog/digital studios. It even had MIC preamp modes and a built-in matrix I/O router. But Louder Than Liftoff kept collecting ideas for making this powerful tool even more suited to its customers’ creative visions.
Answering the call for flexibility and customization, Silver Bullet mk2 delivers with its twin topology (A or N) MOJO amps and adds an exciting twist — a third MOJO slot accepting either new stereo MOJO amp or COLOUR modules. This feature allows integrated processing like tube saturation, compression, or EQ to be inserted into the signal path after Silver Bullet mk2’s classic ‘A’ or ‘N’ inspired MOJO amps for the ultimate in front and back end versatility that is unmatched by any other product in its class. An exciting evolution of the ‘mk1’ concept, Silver Bullet mk2 is the ultimate solution for making the sounds in anyone’s head come to life.
Musically beating at the heart of SILVER BULLET mk2 are two MOJO amps inspired by those classic American and British large-format consoles, lending their characteristic footprints to any signal passing through the circuit, and the new third user-customizable MOJO C amp. Users can process their 2-bus, individual tracks, or microphone sources through cascading combinations of those three analog MOJO amps as follows: A (American console), N (British console), and C (Custom MOJO / COLOUR modules via internal expansion slots, with Hitmaker 4000 console modules pre-installed).
Digging deeper, simple GAIN and OUT(put) controls allow users to gain stage-managing the relative levels in each step of the audio signal flow to dial in saturation — the A and N MOJO amps into the sweet spot, while C-DRV and C-MIX controls allow them to control the amount of drive for the MOJO C amp, and blend the dry and processed signals. SILVER BULLET mk2 is the only processor of its kind that allows for enabling of ‘A’ or ‘N’ sonics at the push of a button. Better still, auditioning these two signature sounds during a session no longer requires re-patching or swapping preamps.
With integrated signal routing functionality, SILVER BULLET mk2 not only enhances creativity and workflow, but also makes it into a single-unit solution for the modern hybrid studio, streamlining hybrid workflow with dedicated MIC, TRACK, and MIX INPUTS that feed separate TRACK and MIX OUTPUTS. On top of that, each channel also features fully-balanced INSERT LEFT and INSERT RIGHT SEND and RTN (return) jacks that can be switched into the signal path from the front panel, while automatic INSERT bypass modes further streamline that workflow-enabled by default, but can be overridden manually.
Meanwhile, TONE shaping is well catered for, thanks to the three-band Baxandall EQ that has a Pultec-inspired low end and a smooth and expensive-sounding top end that is in a class with the most renowned mastering EQs. The much-admired AIR circuit from the original SILVER BULLET now has its own dedicated control, and the original LF and HF frequency settings have been expanded to a total of four frequencies per band. The TIGHT filter is also on hand to tighten up the extreme bottom end with its slightly resonant and tape-like 25 Hz setting excelling on mixes, while the new 50 Hz setting is optimized for tracking individual instruments. It is also possible to smooth out digital top end with the silky-sounding VINTAGE mode inspired by legendary Seventies-vintage British consoles.
ASPECT RATIO is an analog processor new to SILVER BULLET mk2, musically enhancing the stereo width, height, and clarity of a mix. This isn’t one of those cheap-sounding, phasey widening effects that leave users wondering whether they are messing up their soundstage or balance. ASPECT RATIO delivers masterful results at the touch of a single button. No fussy tweaking or second-guessing is required. Louder Than Liftoff spent the last year perfecting this circuit so that users can get on with perfecting their mixes.
Silver BULLET mk2’s dual-interface expansion slot allows for tonal exploration — install one of Louder Than Liftoff’s new stereo MOJO C amp modules, or choose from its growing library of COLOUR module options (https://store.louderthanliftoff.com/products/collections/rgb) to customize as needed. The new stereo MOJO C amp interface supports a high voltage power rail and compressor gain reduction indication. Users can populate either the stereo module slot or the two mono analog plugin slots — one per channel — to build their dream signal path. It is also possible to install any of the COLOUR modules from third-party manufacturers. As a platform that adapts to the needs of the studio, feel free to configure SILVER BULLET mk2 with transformer saturation, compression, EQ, or even tube modules. Other exciting analog plugin modules from Louder Than Liftoff and partner companies are already in development and will be announced in the future.
SILVER BULLET mk2 features Louder Than Liftoff’s new Hypermatter PSU. Having spent the last couple of years developing a state-of-the-art power supply suited to the demands of high-resolution audio, the goal was to create a superior delivery power system whose noise, voltage regulation, and transient response performance are unparalleled. After all, an audio circuit is only as good as its power supply, so every component choice was scrutinized to render dynamic sound with revealing detail, dimension, and gut-punching authority. The Hypermatter PSU architecture uses an external switch mode power supply in conjunction with internal regulation and filter module, while its internal PCB assembly uses cutting-edge low-dropout regulators — nothing but the best components to bring SILVER BULLET mk2 to life in ways that must be heard to be believed.
Applications as diverse as mix/2-bus mojo; mastering; mic preamp; stem/bus processing; tracking channel strip with compression, EQ, and saturation (depending on configuration)… music has never felt more alive than it does when working with SILVER BULLET mk2!
Silver Bullet mk2 is available to preorder directly from Louder Than Liftoff for $2,599.00 USD via its dedicated webpage (which includes more in-depth info) here: https://store.louderthanliftoff.com/products/silver-bullet-mk2 (The initial run of Silver Bullet mk2 will start shipping in mid-late October 2021.)
Watch Louder Than Liftoff’s seductive Silver Bullet mk2 teaser video here:
About Louder Than Liftoff (www.louderthanliftoff.com)
Founded by former full-time aerospace industry mechanical engineer Brad McGowan, the Californian company Louder Than Liftoff is also an experience created by music-makers for fellow music-makers. The design philosophy is simple: to create imaginative products that achieve a synergy of sight, sound, and tactile experience — complete sensory satisfaction.
© 2021 Louder Than Liftoff LLC
LONDON, UK: having successfully cemented a creative partnership with world-famous Abbey Road Studios late last year as ABBEY ROAD ONE: ORCHESTRAL FOUNDATIONS inaugurated its ABBEY ROAD ONE: FILM SCORING SELECTIONS series showcasing the foundational film scoring sound of Studio One by carefully capturing a 90-piece symphonic orchestra inside the world’s largest purpose-built recording studio, Spitfire Audio is proud to announce availability of ABBEY ROAD ONE: GRAND BRASS — following hot on the heels of three attractively-priced ABBEY ROAD ONE: SPARKLING WOODWINDS, ABBEY ROAD ONE: LEGENDARY LOW STRINGS, and ABBEY ROAD ONE: WONDROUS FLUTES followup releases captured in that same studio and available to purchase as standalone sample libraries or as adept additions to ABBEY ROAD ONE: ORCHESTRAL FOUNDATIONS itself, this time offering exceptional performances of horns and tuba, as well as the idiomatic pairing of horns and cellos, beautifully orchestrated to allow for the creation of moving, stately, and momentous melodic lines as a diverse collection of techniques to include shorts, powerful longs, and purposeful swells alongside the sound-specialising British music technology company’s newly-developed, easy-to-use legatos patches perfect for fashioning heroic drama and distinctive themes — as of August 31…
ABBEY ROAD ONE: GRAND BRASS elegantly captures expert performances of four horns, supported by a deeply resonant tuba, sounding an octave below. But better still, ultimate control of articulations such as LEGATO, LONG, STACCATO, and TENUTO, as well as SWELLS SHORT, SWELLS MEDIUM, and SWELLS LONG are all present and accessible with the greatest of ease via Spitfire Audio’s dedicated plug-in. Put it this way: with these essential techniques, ABBEY ROAD ONE: GRAND BRASS is designed to provide its users with not only the sharp, punchy sounds that they would expect from a sample library letting loose with brass but also lyrical performances for creating unforgettable melodic lines since Spitfire Audio’s carefully crafted four-horn section is combined with an enchanting ensemble of 10 cellos, creatively presented in both SOARING LONG and SOARING LEGATO patches for exclusive control.
Composers ranging from English composer, arranger, and teacher Gustav Holst — best known for his orchestral suite The Planets — to American composer, conductor, pianist, and trombonist John Williams — responsible for some of the most popular, recognizable, and critically acclaimed film scores in cinematic history — have used the idiomatic pairing of brass and strings for its characteristic mellow and rich timbre that elegantly represent those instruments’ ‘cantabile’ or ‘singing’ ranges. Think the latter’s musically memorable opening to Star Wars, for example. By being performed in the unmistakable acoustics of Abbey Road Studios’ Studio One, ABBEY ROAD ONE: GRAND BRASS’ perfect pairing adds yet more depth to Spitfire Audio’s ever-expanding ABBEY ROAD ONE… range.
Realism abounds as any ABBEY ROAD ONE: GRAND BRASS user effectively enters the room that most composers can only dream of — namely, Abbey Road Studios’ Studio One. Of course, Studio One is considered to be one of the finest acoustical spaces in the world, with its history having an indelible connection with the scores recorded there, embedding emotion, mood, and magic into many of the most renowned films ever made. Musical matches made in heaven, classics such as Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, and Avengers: Endgame were all recorded in Studio One. Thanks to its rich tonality and famed reverb, Studio One’s sound is widescreen and epic — truly the iconic sound of cinema.
Attractively, ABBEY ROAD ONE: GRAND BRASS — and, indeed, all of its associated ABBEY ROAD ONE: FILM SCORING SELECTIONS siblings — puts the same first-call musicians that play on globally successful movies at the fingertips of its users, all recorded by multi-GRAMMY® Award-winning engineer Simon Rhodes (Avatar, Hugo, Harry Potter) and featuring Abbey Road Studios’ coveted collection of microphones and outboard gear.
Growing the 90-piece symphonic orchestra-based ABBEY ROAD ONE: ORCHESTRAL FOUNDATIONS fantastically representing Spitfire Audio partnering with Abbey Road Studios for the very first time, ABBEY ROAD ONE: GRAND BRASS is also a fully-fledged, standalone sample library in its own right, recorded in the same way that its users’ favorite film composers would: with the unmistakable acoustics of Abbey Road Studios’ Studio One, exceptional players, award-winning sound engineers, and priceless microphones, albeit all allowing them to quickly and easily create film scores, saving time layering and trying to mix, thanks to stunning options of microphone positioning and mixes that are consistent across all of Spitfire Audio’s ABBEY ROAD ONE: FILM SCORING SELECTIONS series — and all without leaving their computer comfort zone.
Zeitgeist-tapping to today’s technology-comfortable composers, ABBEY ROAD ONE: GRAND BRASS can clearly elevate existing symphonic toolkits or be paired with ABBEY ROAD ONE: ORCHESTRAL FOUNDATIONS to create soaring, heroic themes — just ask Spitfire Audio co-founder Paul Thomson, himself no stranger to the wonderful world of film scoring as an English composer for film, television, and video games, and as a music technologist to boot, one who has happily signed off on it from all angles. “I’m looking forward to seeing how people use this — not only on its own in their compositions, but also in the context of working with other brass libraries,” he says, before adding: “Actually, I would use this in combination with our other brass libraries, but this — as with all our other …SELECTIONS… — fills an incredibly useful slot since it’s specifically recorded — and the specific techniques we used to capture it are designed — to get that authentic sound, which is sometimes quite hard to get.”
ABBEY ROAD ONE: GRAND BRASS is available as an AAX-, AU-, VST2-, and VST3-compatible, NKS (Native Kontrol Standard)-ready plug-in that loads directly into a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) at an attractive MSRP (Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price) of only £49.00 GBP (inc. VAT)/$49.00 USD/€49.00 EUR (inc. VAT) from here: https://www.spitfireaudio.com/shop/a-z/abbey-road-one-grand-brass/
The ABBEY ROAD ONE: FILM SCORING SELECTIONS series-inaugurating ABBEY ROAD ONE: ORCHESTRAL FOUNDATIONS is itself available as an AAX-, AU-, VST2-, and VST3-compatible, NKS-ready plug-in that loads directly into a DAW for an MSRP of £399.00 GBP (inc. VAT)/$449.00 USD/€449.00 EUR (inc. VAT) — from here: https://www.spitfireaudio.com/shop/a-z/abbey-road-one-orchestral-foundations/
Spitfire Audio’s namesake Spitfire Audio application allows anyone to buy now and download anytime and is available for free from here: http://www.spitfireaudio.com/info/library-manager/
For more in-depth info, including some superb-sounding audio demos, please visit the dedicated ABBEY ROAD ONE: GRAND BRASS webpage here: https://www.spitfireaudio.com/shop/a-z/abbey-road-one-grand-brass/
Watch Spitfire Audio’s launch premiere of ABBEY ROAD ONE: GRAND BRASS — including its tantalizing trailer video and Paul Thomson’s ‘traditional’ walkthrough — here:
About Spitfire Audio (www.spitfireaudio.com)
Spitfire Audio is a British music technology company that specializes in sounds—sample libraries, virtual instruments, and other useful software devices. It collaborates with the best composers, artists, and engineers in the world to build musical tools that sound great and are exciting to use.
About Abbey Road Studios (www.abbeyroad.com)
Abbey Road Studios is the most famous recording studio in the world and a global music icon. It was declared an English Heritage Grade II listed site in 2010, but the focus continues to be on the future and helping to spread the expertise and knowledge present within the building to a new generation of musicians, engineers, and producers around the world.
© 2021 Spitfire Audio Holdings Limited
AUGUST 25, 2021, SANTA MONICA, USA: Antelope Audio, a leading manufacturer of next-level audio recording equipment, is proud to announce Galaxy 32 Synergy Core — setting a new performance standard as a multi-channel audio interface and high-end AD/DA converter, by bringing Dante® audio-over-IP networking, 64-bit AFC™ (Acoustically Focused Clocking) technology, and Synergy Core real-time effects processing to an attractive 1U rack-mountable chassis combining 32 channels of analog line-level I/O with extensive digital connectivity.
Flexible, full integration is at the core of Galaxy 32 Synergy Core’s design. Discerning users can connect all their gear to an attractive 1U rack-mountable chassis with the audio interface itself handling all routing, recording, and monitoring thereafter. To have Galaxy 32 Synergy Core acting as the hub of an interconnected system is to have an I/O channel count of up to 64 channels of recording and playback via Dante® with all I/O of the audio interface always available.
32-channel audio interface with Dante, HDX, and Thunderbolt™ 3
Galaxy 32 Synergy Core duly delivers as an amazing audio interface, implementing:
∙ 32 ANALOG IN (input) channels over four DSub 25 connectors with AD/DC coupling switch
∙ 32 ANALOG OUT (output) channels over four DC-coupled DSub 25 connectors
∙ PRIMARY 1 and PRIMARY 2 HDX ports providing HD Native or HDX rigs with 64 I/O channels in Pro Tools, even at 192kHz
With Galaxy 32 Synergy Core, input and output channels are aplenty, thanks to an array of ports for further digital connectivity:
∙ Thunderbolt™ 3 — 64 I/O channels (supporting 24-bit sample rates between 44.1kHz to 192kHz) with custom macOS and Windows drivers for low-latency performance in native DAW applications
∙ PRIMARY and SECONDARY Dante® RJ-25 ports — 64 I/O channels (supporting 24-bit sample rates between 44.1kHz to 192kHz)
∙ Optical MADI — 64 I/O channels (supporting 24-bit sample rates between 44.1kHz to 192kHz)
∙ Optical ADAT — 64 I/O channels (supporting 24-bit sample rates between 44.1kHz to 192kHz)
∙ S/PDIF — two channels (supporting 24-bit sample rates between 44.1kHz to 192kHz)
I/O is all available at any time and can be used simultaneously without needing to exchange boards or change setups, so it is easy to work on multiple sessions.
Unrivaled sound for the entire studio with 64-bit AFC™ and up to 130 dB dynamic range
The transparent mastering-grade converters and the same 64-bit AFC™ technology found in Antelope Audio’s acclaimed master clocks combine to deliver unrivaled performance for the entire studio setup with up to 130 dB dynamic range. All allow for experiencing a new level of detail in recordings and a wider soundstage for an exceptional stereo image in audio playback.
More processing than you can imagine
Galaxy 32 Synergy Core’s implementation of Antelope Audio’s acclaimed Synergy Core real-time effects processing platform allows up to 128 effects instances available as 32 virtual racks of eight effects each in a single session to be loaded simultaneously and applied in real-time during monitoring, post-production, and live recording with imperceptible latency and no host CPU load to boot.
Beyond that, the interface comes complete with a collection of 37 Synergy Core effects modeled after classic and rare analog outboard gear, comprising 18 equalizers, 12 compressors, two preamps and channel strips, and five special processing effects. Expanding upon that collection is always possible, thanks to Antelope Audio’s ever-growing effects library encompassing emulations of classic gear and third-party specialist effects, starting from only $55.00 USD/€55.00 EUR.
With workflow-enhancing features fusing a converter, digital patch bay, Dante® system, and HDX, MADI, and Thunderbolt™ 3 interface into a standout single device, Galaxy 32 Synergy Core surely sets a new performance standard in its class in the process.
Galaxy 32 Synergy Core will be shipping in Q2 2021 — at a projected price of $4,895.00 USD/€4,895.00 EUR — and available through Antelope Audio’s growing global network of authorized dealers (https://en.antelopeaudio.com/dealers/). Or order online directly from Antelope Audio via the dedicated Galaxy 32 Synergy Core webpage (https://en.antelopeaudio.com/products/galaxy-32-synergy-core/), which also includes more in-depth info.
Explore Galaxy 32 Synergy Core’s included real-time effects here: https://en.antelopeaudio.com/software-store/?device=174256
About Antelope Audio (www.antelopeaudio.com)
Antelope Audio is a leading manufacturer of high-end professional audio equipment. Founded in 2004 and reinventing the industry with its flawless master clock technologies and versatile multi-channel interface solutions, the company has been steadily expanding its portfolio over the years under the guidance of visionary engineer and CEO Igor Levin. Antelope Audio’s products offer the best of both analog and digital technologies. Among its most recent innovations are compact interfaces with Discrete mic preamps, hardware-based effects modeled to the component level running on a Synergy Core of DSP and FPGA processing, and next-generation modeling microphones. These are distributed through Antelope Audio offices in Europe, the Americas, and Asia, and are highly acclaimed by users all over the world. The company’s customers include GRAMMY® award-winning sound engineers, top-tier producers, world-class artists, and some of the most renowned recording, mastering, and post-production facilities around the globe.
© 2021 Antelope Audio
PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC: independent development teams federation United Plugins is proud to announce the availability of Urban Puncher — provided as the latest plug-in from founding partner SounDevice Digital, effectively acting as a one-knob tool to easily add ‘punch’ to drum loops (as intended) or, indeed, anything that can conceivably be called a drum hit, resulting in percussive material musically manifesting itself with a more solid, stronger feel in next to no time — as of August 24…
As an established brand that is central to United Plugins, the independent development teams federation founded by people previously
involved in the music industry, SounDevice Digital is named after Boris Carloff’s Prague-based SounDevice Studio, which is where the two experienced developers concerned cook up the tools they feel are missing from modern music production, putting them in the hands of the plug-in-buying public. Put it this way: with Urban Puncher, SounDevice Digital has again succeeded in doing just that, this time as a definitive drum improvement tool fit for any urban music producer.
Putting Urban Puncher to work on drum loops as is its intended use — albeit it instantly works equally well on anything that can conceivably be called a drum hit — could not be simpler. Start by loading the plug-in into a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) drum channel (before or after an EQ or compressor), then dial-up its punch (%) setting to taste (up to 100) — the more the onscreen fist glows, the bigger the punch that is applied to the drum loop — and mix the resulting sound with that of the original track using the dry/wet (%) control (up to 100) to let the magic begin as percussive material musically manifests itself with a more solid, stronger feel in next to no time. The loop being processed may well start to shine through a mix within a few seconds by basically tweaking only one knob, in other words. While that punch (%) setting simultaneously controls several processes, it can best be described as an esoteric dynamic process with transients treatment and spectral shaping.
Such simple-to-apply yet far-from-simple processing may already be enough to satisfy some urban music producers, yet Urban Puncher provides more adventurous users with a saturation (%) control (up to 100) with which they can quickly apply an analog-like transformer/tube blended emulation of saturation to give the ‘punch’ effect a completely different feel — from easily blending the drum track into the overall track more musically via subtle usage to achieving a real-deal street sound by dialing it up all the way. When hitting the destroy button, however, all hell breaks loose as this triples the amount of saturation defined by the saturation (%) control setting, resulting in a heavier form of distortion!
Other than an obvious OFF / ON onscreen POWER switch — albeit one that acts as an intelligent bypass, so no need to worry about any clicks or unwanted noise when bypassing the effect, elsewhere an output (dB) control defines the overall output volume of the Urban Puncher plug-in by +/-24dB while colorful IN (input) and OUT (output) ‘LED ladders’ also aid judging the processing proceedings from a visual viewpoint.
Ultimately, Urban Puncher’s powerful processing need not necessarily be applied to drum loops only — or, indeed, anything that can conceivably be called a drum hit, even — since the plug-in can also be pressed into playing away, adding punch to other percussive-sounding instruments, such as acoustic guitar or piano. No need to be afraid to experiment beyond the boundaries of urban music production as percussive material can musically manifest itself in other ways in next to no time, too, thanks to the SounDevice Digital-developed Urban Puncher plug-in effectively acting as a one-knob tool to add a persuasive percussive ‘punch’ to almost anything.
SounDevice Digital’s Urban Puncher is available to purchase for a time-limited introductory promo price of only €19.00 EUR until September 20, 2021 — rising thereafter to its regular price of €59.00 EUR — as an AAX-, AU-, VST-, and VST3-compatible plug-in (using internal 64-bit audio processing capable of handling any sample rate) directly from United Plugins here: https://unitedplugins.com/UrbanPuncher/ (A 15-day, fully-functional trial version for macOS 10.10 and newer and Windows 8/10 can be downloaded for free from here: https://unitedplugins.com/download/)
Note that no iLok, dongle, or internet access is required for Urban Puncher activation. (All United Plugins software uses license
files for activation and owners can freely use purchased software on all their computers as long as they are the user.)
See and hear Urban Puncher in action in United Plugins’ persuasively percussive ‘punch’ demonstrating trailer video here:
About United Plugins (www.unitedplugins.com)
As implied in the carefully chosen wording for an apt appellation that really represents how the Prague-registered Limited Company came about and what it collectively creates, United Plugins is a federation of small, independent development teams comprised of individuals involved in the music industry. Indeed, the founding triad of FireSonic, JMG Sound, and SounDevice Digital can count engineers, producers, and artists amongst their ‘united’ names. Needless to say, all were seeking the freedom to create the tools that they would like to use in their studios and on their projects. And all agreed that this could be better achieved when working together. Though United Plugins’ proliferating product portfolio may not always be for the musical masses, surely someone, somewhere will always find those tools to be a perfect fit for their own music productions… just like those inventive individuals behind United Plugins’ partner brands, the ranks of which have since swelled to include Muramasa Audio and MeldaProduction. Thanks to the latter letting United Plugins utilize its super-easy licensing system, which is why selected MeldaProduction products are also available from the United Plugins website, a thriving future for the federation is assured.
© 2021 United Plugins
“I was really lucky to spend lockdown with my family in a countryside cottage [with] a covered swimming pool, and, as I was walking in there, the sound was just immediately beautiful; I really loved making a sample library — not only sharing the album, but also the tools that I used to make the album.”
– Oliver Patrice Weder (contemporary composer, producer, and artist), 2021
LONDON, UK: Spitfire Audio is proud to announce availability of OLIVER PATRICE WEDER – THE POOL PROJECT — following the the expertly curated sound of OLIVER PATRICE WEDER – OPW as the second sample library from the inquisitive musical mind of contemporary composer, producer, and artist Oliver Patrice Weder, this time taking the intimate composing toolkit concept into new realms, thanks to recording a wide variety of instruments and techniques (comprising chanting solo and trio vocals, breathy woodwind swells, circular breathing techniques, personal piano sounds, delicate percussion, and shimmering organic and electronic loops) in the remarkable setting of a reverberant pool house, carefully sculpted to blend together perfectly, presented in Spitfire Audio’s award-winning, easy-to-use plug-in with a range of bespoke controls, effects, and reverbs to add a much-sought-after human quality and fragility to music as transcendental textures suited to intimate film scores and contemporary classical or ambient tracks alike — as of August 23…
Who better to formally introduce the OLIVER PATRICE WEDER – THE POOL PROJECT sample library and album namesake — capturing the peace and stillness of the stunning reverberant pool house in which they were recorded just outside of Madrid, and to which the two-pronged project owes its notable name — than its creator, contemporary composer, producer, and artist Oliver Patrice Weder: “I was really lucky to spend lockdown with my family in a countryside cottage, surrounded by an evergreen holy oak forest. As it happens, this place has a covered swimming pool, and, as I was walking in there, the sound was just immediately beautiful. I wasn’t sure what to record in there until my good friend and brother-in-law came over and kind of jokingly sang some opera. I was, like, ‘Wow! This sounds gigantic and so beautiful — how about singing something really soft and fragile?’ I was already conceptualizing and kind of starting to write my next album, so thought, ‘Okay, I’m going to have very angelic and gentle voices recorded in there, capturing the peacefulness and sensitivity of the surroundings.’ There are lots of windows in the pool house — you can see all these trees and the forest right from the pool, so that was a really inspiring situation. I felt I was a little bit in a bubble, and I could concentrate on my family and my art, and I really feel that you can hear that in the coherency of the sound and the ideas in the album and in the sample library as well.”
With that in mind, album and sample library were created in perfect harmony — hardly surprising since Oliver Patrice Weder also acts as lead composer at sound-specializing music technology company Spitfire Audio. “When I started writing for the pool house, I already knew that this was going to make a fantastic toolkit, and also being a film composer I could put my head into the end-user — what would be important for the user, and how would they want to use it,” he continues.
Creatively, OLIVER PATRICE WEDER – OPW — Oliver Patrice Weder’s first sample library for Spitfire Audio and associated London label SA Recordings-released album — was inspired by constant movement and traveling, yet its follow-up is a tribute to peace and stillness. Saying that, then, residing at the core of OLIVER PATRICE WEDER – THE POOL PROJECT are male vocal swells, longs, and vowel sounds performed by Madrid’s Club del Rio, blending beautifully with woodwind duo Zopli2’s breathy alto flute and bass clarinet swells and visceral playing techniques, including circular breathing. Better still, this is accompanied by Oliver Patrice Weder’s very own personalized piano sounds created from a mellow-sounding Sixties-vintage Petrof treated with felt and tape, synthesizer loops from his classic Roland Juno-6 analog polysynth fed through various effect pedals and electronic manipulations, and a unique selection of toys and percussion hits and loops — including a steel tongue drum, toy piano, recorder, and kaval (Bulgarian flute) — to provide gentle rhythm and momentum.
Moreover, 40 exclusive presets — namely, 6x Gentle Breeze, 4x Percussion, Pianos (Double Felt & Taped), 7x Solo Voice, 10x Synth Loops, 5x Toys, and 6x Vocal Trio — are accessible via Spitfire Audio’s award-winning, dedicated plug-in, the easy-to-use GUI (Graphical User Interface) of which includes a range of specially curated built-in effects — think 13 specially curated IR (impulse response) reverbs — and controls, providing a wealth of complex sonic possibilities to drastically control and manipulate each of those presets — namely, dynamics, expression, REVERB, ATTACK, RELEASE, STRETCH (to control the speed of the sample playback), DISTORTION (to take the organic-sounding samples in a totally different direction), variation (to switch between different variations of the sound), and tremolo, as well as KEY RELEASE, DELAY, PEDAL VOL (volume), and PEDAL DYN (dynamics) controls on the two piano presets. Put it this way: while the dynamics fader moves the microphone signal from close to room for the organic patches and also controls the arpeggiator speed for the synth patches, each sound is also velocity-sensitive for further tone variation.
It is only fitting for Oliver Patrice Weder, therefore, to have the final say on the seriously satisfying result of the two-pronged project in question: “The record and sample library both have a very clear sound palette — I was working towards a timbre, rather than songs. I was primarily in search of ‘the sound’ that would reflect my feelings, surroundings, and imagination.” Indeed, it is clear to anyone listening to the album and playing with the sample library that he has succeeded on all counts — with a little help from that stunning-sounding reverberant pool house just outside of Madrid. Perhaps ‘pooling’ resources paid dividends in the case of the OLIVER PATRICE WEDER – THE POOL PROJECT sample library and album namesake!
OLIVER PATRICE WEDER – THE POOL PROJECT is available as an AAX-, AU-, VST2-, and VST3-compatible plug-in supporting Native Instruments’ NKS (Native Kontrol Standard) for Mac (OS X 10.10 – macOS 11) and Windows (7, 8, and 10 — latest Service Pack) that loads directly into any compatible DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) for an RRP (Recommended Retail Price) of only £29.00 GBP (inc. VAT)/$29.00 USD/€29.00 EUR (inc. VAT) — from here: https://www.spitfireaudio.com/shop/a-z/oliver-patrice-weder-the-pool-project/
Oliver Patrice Weder’s The Pool Project album is available to pre-order on its own as a limited-edition 12-inch vinyl album for £20.00 GBP (inc. VAT) — with an estimated release date of November 30, 2021 — or bundled as a limited-edition 12-inch vinyl album with the (already-available) OLIVER PATRICEWEDER – THE POOL PROJECT sample library for £43.00 GBP (inc. VAT); it is already available to digitally download in MP3 or WAV / FLAC formats for £6.99 GBP (inc. VAT) or £7.99 GBP (inc. VAT), respectively, or in WAV / FLAC format bundled with the OLIVER PATRICE WEDER – THE POOL PROJECT sample library for £30.00 GBP (inc. VAT) directly from SA Recordings here: https://sarecordings.com/release/238414-oliver-patrice-weder-the-pool-project (Please note that purchasers of either bundle will receive a sample library download code via e-mail within 48 hours.)
Spitfire Audio’s namesake Spitfire Audio application allows anyone to buy now and download anytime and is available for free from here: http://www.spitfireaudio.com/info/library-manager/
For more in-depth information, including some superb-sounding audio demos, please visit the dedicated OLIVER PATRICE WEDER – THE POOL PROJECT webpage here: https://www.spitfireaudio.com/shop/a-z/oliver-patrice-weder-the-pool-project/
Watch the OLIVER PATRICE WEDER – THE POOL PROJECT transportive textures toolkit trailer video and an informative walkthrough with Oliver Patrice Weder himself here: https://youtu.be/DGVd27ribM4
Watch Spitfire Audio’s ‘The Making of The Pool Project’ video with Oliver Patrice Weder here: https://youtu.be/g-w7n1HXeCY
About Spitfire Audio (www.spitfireaudio.com)
Spitfire Audio is a British music technology company that specializes in sounds—sample libraries, virtual instruments, and other useful software devices. It collaborates with the best composers, artists, and engineers in the world to build musical tools that sound great and are exciting to use.
About SA Recordings (www.sarecordings.com)
As a London-based record label and music platform dedicated to songs and sounds by contemporary composers, SA Recordings’ mission is to nurture and support a sonically diverse, international roster of innovative music makers. It is committed to releasing digital and physical works, commissioning creative projects, producing limited-edition merchandise, and developing bespoke, artist-led sample libraries in collaboration with Spitfire Audio.
© 2021 Spitfire Audio Holdings Limited
MADRID, SPAIN: Heritage Audio is proud to announce the availability of MOTORCITY EQualizer — executed as the world’s first reproduction of the ‘Holy Grail’ of classic EQs, faithfully fashioned by the European pro audio manufacturer from Motown* units owned by eight-time GRAMMY® Award-winning producer and mix engineer Michael Brauer to reproduce the unmistakably huge, punchy, and warm signature sound that made the EQ in question as classic as the hits it helped create — as of August 17…
As a real dead-ringer for faithful musicality, MOTORCITY EQualizer’s 10-
gauge aluminum faceplate features custom-molded Bakelite knobs as part of its historically accurate control layout lending further credence to Heritage Audio leaving no stone unturned in its quest to offer the world’s first publicly available reproduction of the ‘Holy Grail’ of classic EQs — namely, Motown’s Chief Technical Engineer and musical miracle worker Mike McLean’s take on the smart graphic EQ designed for the film industry and made by Cinema Engineering*, Langevin*, and Altec*. Fully faithful to the original design, a unique passive equalization circuit using no less than 21 inductors and 21 tone capacitors — exclusively made for Heritage Audio to match Michael Brauer’s originals’ values to 1% tolerances — further reflects the attention to detail behind realizing the European pro audio manufacturer’s mission. Indeed, it stands as the only EQ that can rival — or even ‘beat’ — the popular Pultec* EQ!
Engineering — reverse or otherwise — a 100% accurate reincarnation, however, was no easy task. Thanks to a little Stateside help from friends at Chicago-based boutique audio company Black Lion Audio, Heritage Audio CEO Peter Rodriguez and his faithful European team spent weeks working closely with Seth Berman from Black Lion Audio’s New York facility, who took the lead in sourcing the in-depth information needed for Heritage Audio to work its musical magic. Made more difficult by the global pandemic-induced 2020 summer lockdowns in Europe and the US, the dream team overcame many hurdles to realize the MOTORCITY EQualizer dream — not least that the exceptionally-tight mil-spec Sixties-vintage tone capacitors and inductors so central to the sound of that classic EQ are no longer available. Amazingly, alternative replacements were never considered as an option. Of course, Heritage Audio had custom recreations built from scratch instead, each with exact materials, values, and tolerances. The result? A perfectly interchangeable clone of the very few original Motown units remaining — just add 60 years’ worth of dust to twin them with the world’s first reproduction… and a spot-on one at that!
That said, MOTORCITY EQualizer is an all-analog, passive EQ design with seven accessible frequency points across the tonal spectrum, each with a stepped rotary switch capable of a flat response or up/down up to 8dB in 1dB increments. Indeed, those frequency points graduate from 50, 130, 320, and 800 Hz, before jumping to 2000 and 5000 Hz, peaking at 12500 Hz. Helpfully, the front panel also features a simple IN/OUT/OFF toggle switch with top hat knob (allowing users to A/B the EQ effect settings) and jewel light power indicator, while all such stepped, heavy-duty rotary switches have easy-to-read-from-a-distance ‘General Radio’ Bakelite-style knobs created to look like the originals. On top of that, MOTORCITY EQualizer finally features a (-8dB/+8dB) master GAIN control, again in 1dB increments. Incredibly simple in its execution, the Sixties-vintage-accurate back panel — also announcing MOTORCITY EQualizer as a Classic “Detroit-Heritage” Equalizer Unit — features a power supply jack and XLR Output and Input connections. Clearly, the sound itself is as to be expected from what is, after all, the world’s first reproduction of the ‘Holy Grail’ of classic EQs — packing a punch without sounding harsh or distorted.
Surely something as supposedly simple as an analog seven-band EQ might sound more like hype than hyper-goodness, yet hearing is believing. But why has Heritage Audio gone to such lengths to see through the seemingly impossible task of bringing such a classic back to life? Let’s let Michael Brauer have his say: “It’s simply got that sound!”
Saying that, then, Heritage Audio’s MOTORCITY EQualizer is not a digital equivalent, not a respectfully close replica, and not a more modernized ‘improvement’ but rather nothing more or less than staying true to the original article — all finally made available to the general public. Put it this way: with MOTORCITY EQualizer it is now perfectly possible to integrate this true-to-specification carbon copy of both form and function into any recording setup… for the very first time in history! However, it is also fair to say that the UTC replica input transformer made exclusively for Heritage Audio with modified turns ratio makes for better integration into modern recording studios while the Carnhill-driven deployed output line amp truly trumps the original’s Opamp-labs output-induced Achilles heel. Having access to that Classic “Detroit-Heritage” in a modern 2U rack-mountable package packing a sub-two-grand price tag to compete with the likes of those priceless Motown-designed units owned by eight-time GRAMMY® Award-winning producer and mix engineer Michael Brauer to reproduce the unmistakably huge, punchy, and warm signature sound that made the EQ in question as classic as the hits it helped create clearly all adds up to one mean feat for Heritage Audio — with a little help from its Stateside friends: musical mission accomplished!
* Motown, Cinema Engineering, Langevin, Altec, and Pultec may well be trademarks of their respective owners and Heritage Audio is in no way affiliated with any of them. Mike McLean is cited for historical purposes only and Heritage Audio is in no way affiliated with him.
MOTORCITY EQualizer is shipping and available via Heritage Audio’s growing global network of dealers (https://heritageaudio.net/where-to-buy-international/) with an SSP (Standalone Selling Price) of €1,999.00 EUR (including VAT) in the EU and a MAP (Minimum Advertised Price) of $1,999.00 USD, US distribution being handled via RAD Distribution (http://www.raddist.com/heritage-audio.php).
For more in-depth information, please visit the dedicated MOTORCITY EQualizer webpage here: https://heritageaudio.net/catalogue/motorcityeq/
About Heritage Audio (www.heritageaudio.net)
Heritage Audio is a European pro audio manufacturer based in Madrid, Spain. Founded in 2011 by Peter Rodriguez, a sound engineer, and producer with extensive experience in the music industry, its aim is true: to bring back the philosophy of the golden age of recording and adapt it to the needs of 21st Century studios while contributing to transitioning music into a new era in the process. The company’s canon covers all-analog signal processing bases. All its products are designed and manufactured in Spain and available in over 36 countries worldwide.
© 2021 Heritage Audio
Natalie & The Damn Shandys will deliver a sizzling, sultry summer single with Lay Eyes on You premiering this Friday, August 13 on all major online retailers. The New York based Country/Americana trio teamed up with VuDu Studios’ producer Mike Watts to compose the single that portrays a budding workplace romance between two coworkers pining for a connection. Lay Eyes on You features Natalie Anne on vocals and guitar, Ben Gorham on vocals and piano, and Rob Wagner on lead guitar and backing vocals.
“Who hasn’t had even the slightest crush on someone in the workplace?” says Natalie. “Lay Eyes on You tells the story from both his and her point of view, revealing just how those subtle hints can unravel into an undeniable love.”
To pre-save the single on Spotify, visit https://ffm.to/layeyesonyou.
Natalie & The Damn Shandys newest single Lay Eyes on You showcases the group’s anecdotal style paired with their strong harmonic melodies. Listeners will be flushed with excitement for what could be with their current crush as they sway to the warm beat. The trio started working together back in 2016 and have since released their debut EP Overlook Trail and several singles including 48 Polaroid and Homebody. In the live performance arena, they have performed alongside Chely Wright, Trace Adkins, Joe Nichols, and more.
Most recently, Natalie & The Damn Shandys joined forces with Black Lion Audio and Avantone Pro when they went in the studio with Watts to record Lay Eyes on You. Watts captured all vocals and instruments on the Black Lion Audio Revolution 2×2 Portable Recording Interface and two Avantone Pro CV-12BLA microphones. “Mike Watts and I decided to do a project together featuring the Black Lion Revolution and the Avantone Pro CV-12BLA. When I received back the initial track on Natalie & The Damn Shandys, the great sound quality was only overshadowed by how great the song was! I was floored. It’s a special song created by special people. I love it.” Jon Haber, President of Black Lion Audio
The latest single, Lay Eyes on You, will be available on all streaming platforms on August 13, followed by the single’s forthcoming music video making a national debut across the broadcast community starting August 23. To stay updated on Natalie & The Damn Shandys upcoming releases and video roll out, follow the links below:
Website: www.theshandys.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/theshandys/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/theshandys/
YouTube: www.youtube.com/theshandys/
About Natalie & The Damn Shandys
Originating in New York, Natalie and The Damn Shandys features Natalie Anne (vocals/guitar), Rob Wagner (guitar/mandolin/vocals) and Ben Gorham (piano/vocals). The trio has opened for Chely Wright, Trace Adkins, Joe Nichols, Marshall Tucker Band and Corey Smith. Natalie & The Damn Shandys first connected in 2016, after Natalie moved from San Diego to New York pursing her music career. She met Rob Wagner, the multi-instrumentalist and vocalist, and the two decided to take their talents to Mike Watts at VuDu Studios as Rob had previously worked at the studio and knew the quality that could be captured there. It was at the studio that they were introduced to Ben Gorham, who initially fell into a keys and backing vocalist role. However, they quickly realized Ben’s talents and today he shares lead vocals with Natalie on their projects. The trio released their debut EP Overlook Trail on Esque Records & VuDu recordings in May 2019. Since that EP, Natalie & the Damn Shandys have released several singles including 48 Polaroid and Homebody. In a review of their show with Chely Wright, The Daily Times wrote, “Chely Wright took the stage shortly after inviting Grunnan (Natalie) up to sing with her. Wright couldn’t say enough nice things. In fact, she proclaimed Natalie & The Damn Shandys are destined for great things.”
About Black Lion Audio
Founded in 2006, Black Lion Audio is a boutique audio company based in Chicago. Collectively, it takes pride in providing customers with outstanding quality gear for their recording studios at prices that are ridiculously affordable. As such, the company has built a reputation for supplying superior quality sound in a cost-effective manner within the space of a few short years. Yet, given the current economic climate, it is no wonder that major labels, project studios, software companies, and high-profile tracking and mix engineers make up a significant portion of the company’s client base. Indeed, its work can be heard in award-winning major motion picture scores and soundtracks, major television shows and commercials, as well as being used by prestigious organizations and major label acts alike.
For more information, please visit www.blacklionaudio.com.
About Avantone Pro
It is our belief that great audio products can be created without charging thousands of dollars for them. Our microphones and speakers are used in studios around the world — from home project studios to world-renowned multi-million-dollar facilities. We are very sensitive to the real-world operating budgets of studios as well as the struggling artist/songwriters who are very passionate about creating great music but have budget limitations based on common sense spending. Now, even those on a budget can get world-class sound in their studios. We strive to offer products that anyone would be proud to own and have long-term use of in the quest for creating great music. We believe in our products’ value and know the power of “word-of-mouth” advertising. When you see how good our products are, we know you will tell others!
For more information, please visit www.avantonepro.com.
For more information or to schedule an interview with Natalie & The Damn Shandys, please contact Anna Proctor of PLA Media at (615) 327–0100 or anna.proctor@plamedia.com