MADRID, SPAIN: Heritage Audio is proud to announce the availability of the SYMPH EQ — executed with more musical, surgical shelving precision as a single rack space-occupying master bus-/mastering-orientated unit taking its full (STEREO ASYMPTOTIC EQUALIZER) name from the shape obtained by its shelving curves (where the boosted or cut amplitude increases until the asymptotic value is reached, so sub lows and ultra highs are always controlled), having successfully replaced the Baxandall shelving EQ topology to which the European pro audio manufacturer turned for inspiration with a functional equivalent whose sound can only be described as tight, sweet, and natural — as of January 29…
Bringing back the philosophy of the golden age of recording and adapting it to the needs of 21st Century studios while contributing to transitioning music into a new era in the process is at the heart of everything European pro audio manufacturer Heritage Audio does — hence its apt appellation. And speaking of the golden age of recording, the Baxandall equalizer topology was introduced to the wider world way back in 1952 when pioneering British audio and electronics engineer Peter J. Baxandall published a paper on what would become better known as the Baxandall tone control circuit — an inordinately ingenious way of obtaining high and low shelves with boost and cut option without using expensive rotary switches — in Wireless World magazine. An affordable circuit, it was soon adopted by both hi-fi manufacturers — treble and bass becoming commonplace controls that are still used today — and mixing console manufacturers, mainly for its simplicity since parametric options are not necessarily needed — nor, indeed, are they always wanted.
So, some 70 years after its creation, the Baxandall EQ effectively gets a definitive update. Ultimately, Heritage Audio has successfully 
replaced the Baxandall shelving EQ topology to which it turned for inspiration with a functional equivalent — much more musical in its implementation as a single rack space-occupying master bus-/mastering-orientated unit fit for vintage sound-seeking 21st Century studios: STEREO ASYMPTOTIC EQUALIZER, affectionately known as SYMPH EQ, takes its name from the shape obtained by its shelving curves (where the boosted or cut amplitude increases until the asymptotic value is reached, so sub lows and ultra highs are always controlled). After all, an asymptotic line is a line that gets closer and closer to a curve as the distance gets closer to infinity. In the case of the SYMPH EQ, its sound can only be described as tight, sweet, and natural, while its use of parallel equalization to obtain the desired response curves results in exceptionally low phase deviation and also aids audio artifact reduction.
Since shelving with surgical yet musical precision is really what the SYMPH EQ is all about, a smart circuit layout allows for a maximum boost/cut of 10.5 dB in 0.5 dB steps; the main rotary switch sets 1 dB steps whilst the +0.5 button adds half a dB to the main reading, while the CUT button turns the boost amount into cut. Six strategically-selected frequency choices per band are available — 8, 10, 12, 15, 20, and 24 KHz on the high shelf, and 470, 360, 220, 110, 60, and 20 Hz on the low shelf.
Above and beyond that, there are also high-pass and low-pass filters available on dual concentric rotary switches at 12dB/octave in order to keep the sub-low and ultra-high frequency content under control. Five frequency choices — 10, 12, 18, 22, and 30 KHz on the low-pass, and 160, 82, 47, 20, and 15 Hz on the high-pass — plus OFF are available on each one.
Surely SYMPH EQ would already have been an awesome sculpting tool if it was only as just described above, but it turns into a monster masterpiece thanks to the following three additions: custom built by Carnhill, and manufactured for Heritage Audio by the renowned British company concerned in its Oxfordshire factory, its input transformers are the same as those found in Heritage Audio’s acclaimed SUCCESSOR (STEREO BUS COMPRESSOR); its outputs are driven by 73-type Class-A output amplifiers, built with the same Carnhill output transformers — this time manufactured in St Ives, Cambridgeshire — as the rest of the European pro audio manufacturer’s rack-mount products; and, most importantly, it boasts built-in M/S (Mid-Side) capabilities, letting the SYMPH EQ really shine for all to hear. Having said that, nothing comes close to M/S-equalising a mix since it allows the user to process the center and sides separately with musically mind-blowing benefits — brightening mixes without making vocals sound harsh, or even tightening the stereo image’s bass content without making bass or kicks sound weak, to name but a few examples of the SYMPH EQ’s M/S power! Put it this way: response of the Side high-pass filter has been made elliptical — just like vintage disk cutters — for precise frequency response.
Readily updating the Baxandall EQ, effectively, vintage sound-seeking 21st Century studio owners owe it to themselves to seriously consider adding a SYMPH EQ to their sculpting toolkit. This is where the musical magic lives! Like all analog signal processing products produced by Heritage Audio, it is the sound of yesterday — built for tomorrow.
The SYMPH EQ 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 €1,549.00 EUR (including VAT) in the EU and a MAP (Minimum Advertised Price) of $1,499.00 USD, US distribution being handled via RAD Distribution (http://www.raddist.com/heritage-audio.php).
For more in-depth information, please visit the dedicated SYMPH EQ webpage here: http://heritageaudio.net/catalogue/symph/
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
NASHVILLE, TN, USA: high-quality, professional-grade musical equipment provider iCON Pro Audio is proud to announce the availability of Cocoon and Martian — making for an eye- and ear-opening fusion of vintage-sounding clarity with bold, intergalactic design as the two large-diaphragm condenser microphone launches with which it is inaugurating its Space series — as of January 21…
Cocoon could conceivably conjure up images of the namesake 1985 American science-fiction
comedy-drama film directed by Ron Howard about a group of elderly people rejuvenated by aliens — at least to those of a certain age, yet there is no denying the aptness of the name iCON Pro Audio applied to the cocoon-shaped intergalactic design of the first of two large-diaphragm professional studio microphone models making up its newly-launched Space series. Clearly, Cocoon is as eye-opening in looks as it is ear-opening in delivery, thanks to incorporating a true electrostatic Golden Drop™ transducer within its space-age capsule architecture. A sputtering technique where a precisely engineered pattern of golden dots is distributed, this innovative technology allows Cocoon’s 33 mm (active) diameter diaphragm to move with laser-sharp precision for increased intelligibility while simultaneously reducing any coloration or distortion, which proves particularly effective given that the transducer is the part of the microphone that actually detects and converts the sound waves! With the thin, ultralight membrane being fabricated with pure 999 gold — considered the best purity of gold readily available since this refers to purity in parts per 1,000, meaning 999 parts are gold, Cocoon’s resultant extended upper clarity with smooth midrange suits any voice or instrument application.
Although on paper perhaps sounding out of this world, the ultra-rugged-constructed Cocoon’s Class-A discrete electronics housed within its metal die-cast body are built by hand in Latvia using only the highest-quality components for peak performance, superlative durability, and extremely low self-noise. Outside of the microphone itself, iCON Pro Audio’s advanced shock-mount technology neutralizes unwanted vibrations to preserve the integrity of the signal, aided still further by the inclusion of a durable metal pop-filter, thereby ensuring an optimum recording experience borne out by Cocoon’s professional performance specifications, including 20 Hz to 20 kHz frequency range; unidirectional, cardioid polar pattern; 21 mV/Pa sensitivity at 1 kHz into 1000 Ω load; 50 Ω output impedance; 1000 Ω rated load impedance; 138 dB maximum SPL for 0,5% THD at 1000 Ω load; 85 dB-A S/N Ratio DIN/IEC 651 (A-weighted); 8dB-A equivalent noise level DIN/IEC (A-weighted); and 130 dB microphone preamplifier dynamic range.
Meanwhile, Martian sounds as warm and friendly as he looks — yes, iCON Pro Audio refers to the second entrant in its Space series of large-diaphragm condenser microphones as a ‘he’! Though the family resemblance to his cocoon-shaped sibling might not necessarily be physically obvious at first glance, enclosed inside the rotating head is a space-age shock-mounted capsule with an electrostatic Golden Drop™ transducer made of pure 999 gold, allowing the 26mm (active) diameter diaphragm to move more quickly for rich detail and transparency. But below the shock-mounted capsule residing in his head, Martian rides in an advanced full-body shock-mount, complete with a face shield pop filter, which neutralizes unnecessary vibrations and minimizes plosives, thereby ensuring the best recording experience possible. Perfect placement of his pop filter is perfectly possible, thanks to being able to rotate Martian’s head to just the right angle. And, no, he is not an extraterrestrial, but rather his Class-A discrete electronics housed within his durable metal die-cast body are also built by hand in Latvia using only the highest-quality components for peak performance, superlative durability, and extremely low self-noise.
As a perfect microphone for voice and instrument applications, features well worth highlighting include Martian’s warm and classic sonic character; unidirectional, cardioid pickup pattern for outstanding sound source separation and feedback; professional hand-built large-diaphragm capsule for full, open sound, and unsurpassed audio quality; and pressure-gradient transducer with shock-mounted capsule, to name but a notable few. And a few performance specifications should be more than enough to seal the deal, as follows: 20 Hz to 20 kHz frequency range; 33 mV/Pa sensitivity at 1 kHz into 1000 Ω load; 50 Ω output impedance; 1000 Ω rated load impedance; 134 dB maximum SPL for 0,5% THD at 1000 Ω load; 83.2 dB-A S/N Ratio DIN/IEC 651 (A-weighted); 10.5 dB-A equivalent noise level DIN/IEC (A-weighted); and 123.5 dB microphone preamplifier dynamic range.
As an eye- and ear-opening fusion of vintage-sounding clarity with bold, intergalactic design as the two large-diaphragm condenser microphone launches with which iCON Pro Audio is inaugurating its Space series, serious recordists looking to make a bold statement in their studio spaces should surely consider making some space for the phantom-powered — +48V (+/-4V) — Cocoon and Martian models… space-age microphones for new-generation studios!
Cocoon and Martian will begin shipping through iCON Pro Audio’s growing global network of dealers/distributors (https://iconproaudio.com/distributors/) in Q2 2021 with a MAP (Minimum Advertised Price) of $499.00 USD and $699.00 USD, respectively.
For more in-depth information, please visit the dedicated Cocoon webpage here: https://iconproaudio.com/product/cocoon/
For more in-depth information, please visit the dedicated Martian webpage here: https://iconproaudio.com/product/martian/
Head into outer space to watch Cocoon and Martian’s arrival on earth in iCON Pro Audio’s Space series introductory video here:
See and hear Cocoon and Martian in action here: https://youtu.be/gnnJHjsfiFI (Note that this video features the song ‘Giant’ by Steffanie Christ’ian: http://steffchris.com)
See and hear Cocoon and Martian in action again here: https://youtu.be/JvXlnKHJZws (Note that this video features the song ‘Fire’ by Josie Pace: https://www.josiepace.com)
About iCON Pro Audio (https://iconproaudio.com)
iCON Pro Audio’s products power creative projects in studios all over the world. With operations in the United States, Europe, China, and Hong Kong, its goal is to provide high-quality, professional-grade musical equipment at affordable prices. Presently manufacturing over 150 products that are sold in over 60 countries, professionals worldwide trust those products’ proven build quality and innovative design day in, day out. Originally founded as iCON Digital Limited in 1997 by a group of music technology veterans from the US, Hong Kong, and Germany, their mission was to create a company that would manufacture quality gear at an economical cost for all musicians. Mission accomplished, today iCON Pro Audio owns and operates development, manufacturing, and administrative facilities in Hong Kong and Guangzhou, China, while the US location in Nashville, Tennessee, manages international marketing, customer support, and development teams. The future looks bright, thanks to a unique international development team and an industry-leading product portfolio ranging from MIDI control surfaces and keyboard controllers, audio interfaces, studio monitors, and microphones through to a myriad of accessories, all catering to performance and studio setups of all shapes and sizes. Stimulated by musicians, engineers, and enthusiasts, product ideas are brought to reality through a unique R&D effort involving in-house engineers in the US, Europe, and Asia. Aligned with an unwavering commitment to customer service and support, the company collectively strives to provide an unmatched customer service experience for musicians and media professionals everywhere.
© 2021 iCON Pro Audio
LONDON, UK: Spitfire Audio is proud to musically (kick)start the New Year by announcing the availability of its first ‘full-blown’ library of 2021 with the timely release of CONTEMPORARY DRAMA TOOLKIT — teaming up again with British composer, producer, and songwriter Samuel Sim, whose scores for film and television have won numerous awards and accolades including BAFTA and Ivor Novello Award nominations, this time to bring more electronic dynamism and texture that is perfectly suited to today’s modern drama score stylings as a carefully curated set of tools to create a score in an instant using only one of 44 different combination patches that bring together classic and broadcast-ready sounds, simplicity and ease of use being at its KONTAKT-hosted core — as of January 21…
Spitfire Audio previously worked with BAFTA- and Ivor Novello Award-nominated film and television composer Samuel Sim on its hugely-successful BRITISH DRAMA TOOLKIT to provide the most instinctive, immediate, and intense connection to the heart of composition as a KONTAKT-hosted sample library comprising a small string and woodwind section, recorded on the sound-specializing British music technology company’s purpose-built dry stage at its London headquarters. Although a more traditional package, presenting a unique way of interacting with the players — ensembles are mapped across the full length of the keyboard with the playing styles tied to velocity, instantly allowing anything from emotive whispered textures through to bold, characterful solos — set the fully NKS (NATIVE KONTROL STANDARD®) supporting plug-in instrument in question apart from anything Spitfire Audio had created to date… until now.
Needless to say, CONTEMPORARY DRAMA TOOLKIT takes a different approach by including 44 different combination patches and 72 individual instrument patches that bring together classic and contemporary broadcast-ready sounds originating from a masterfully mellow combination of the classic, chorus-enhanced tones of an Eighties-vintage, distinctive-sounding Roland Juno-6 analog polysynth and textures from the iconic Seventies-vintage Korg MS-20 analog semi-modular monosynth, alongside lead lines performed on guitar, electric cello, and electric violin, all processed via an enviable collection of analog effects and Eurorack modules. All are carefully curated by Samuel Sim and Spitfire Audio’s production team of engineers and composers with expression baked into each sound. Simply speaking, velocity enables everything — from whispered textures to bold melodies blossoming from the simplest variance in playing, unlocking a world of sound in every patch. Consequently, CONTEMPORARY DRAMA TOOLKIT users can forget about the computer and quickly write music with little effort by responding instinctively to the drama at hand — just like the BRITISH DRAMA TOOLKIT trailblazer.
Putting it this way, Spitfire Audio co-founder and composer Paul Thomson’s heartfelt introduction is right on cue: “From his many years’ experience, Samuel has curated a set of sounds which allow you to articulate emotion incredibly easily, and are hugely inspirational, allowing you to react to picture in real-time as you play. When we say contemporary, we don’t mean contemporary in the sense of the subject matter, such as sci-fi, but we mean contemporary approach to scoring — the kind of scoring approach that many directors are asking for today.”
Think of it like this: trying to recreate a cue created in CONTEMPORARY DRAMA TOOLKIT or BRITISH DRAMA TOOLKIT using any alternative sample library would necessitate laying down each section at a time, starting with the bed, then the melodies, as well as taking time to find the sounds themselves — all of which would effectively steer the composer into writing in a certain way by building from the bed upwards, rather than reacting to the onscreen sounds or action.
As it happens, Paul Thomson, himself is no slouch when it comes to finding his way around a keyboard, so is perfectly positioned to explain how he puts — and anyone can put — CONTEMPORARY DRAMA TOOLKIT’s musical modus operandi into practice: “Playing with a different kind of velocity triggers the different levels of sound — the different dynamics, and this is represented on the UI [User Interface] with three sections: the bottom [TEXTURE] section is for beds or textures; the top [LOUD] section is that very expressive lead type of sound; the middle [SOFT] section bridges the gap between the two and allows you to smoothly move between them. Either you play it in live, and you get a kind of manual dexterity of being able to play certain notes louder, or it’s very straightforward to play a part and then go in afterward in your DAW [Digital Audio Workstation] and adjust the velocities to trigger the specific layer that you want each note to sound.”
Sounds simple? That’s the beauty of CONTEMPORARY DRAMA TOOLKIT. It is simple, yet works well. Which is, of course, what it is all about. After all, the curation of the sound itself is where Samuel Sim and Spitfire Audio have collaboratively spent so much time, treating the recordings and instruments to offer a wide array of useful sounds with modern music-making in mind. Minimal (MIC, MIX, LP filter, Expression, Reverb, and ADSR ENVELOPE) controls and (ROUND ROBIN & LEGATO) settings are equally endearing in their ease of use.
Ultimately, Paul Thomson clearly concurs when ending on a high note: “It’s incredibly simple, it’s very expressive — easy to articulate emotion in these patches, with lots of inspiration from a huge palette of sounds to give you this contemporary scoring style; you can either use it to create whole cues, just with individual patches, or you can use it to layer in with other sounds to give that kind of contemporary feel to your scoring.”
Watch Spitfire Audio’s appropriately-shot, stunning-sounding trailer video for CONTEMPORARY DRAMA TOOLKIT here:
Time, then, for any composer to consider adding BRITISH DRAMA TOOLKIT to their scoring 
toolkit? Time, too, to score in an altogether different way since Spitfire Audio is making available an exclusive DRAMA TOOLKIT COLLECTION, comprising CONTEMPORARY DRAMA TOOLKIT and BRITISH DRAMA TOOLKIT, which is only available during CONTEMPORARY DRAMA TOOLKIT’s time-limited introductory promo period.
CONTEMPORARY DRAMA TOOLKIT can be purchased and digitally downloaded for a time-limited introductory promo price of £129.00 GBP (inc. VAT)/ $149.00 USD/€149.00 EUR (inc. VAT) until February 11, 2021 — rising thereafter to an MSRP (Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price) of £169.00 GBP (inc. VAT)/$199.00 USD/€199.00 EUR (inc. VAT) — from here: https://www.spitfireaudio.com/shop/a-z/contemporary-drama-toolkit/ (Note that a time-limited cross-grade price of £109.00 GBP (inc. VAT)/$129.00 USD/€129.00 EUR (inc. VAT) is available to owners of BRITISH DRAMA TOOLKIT until February 11, 2021.)
An exclusive DRAMA TOOLKIT COLLECTION — comprising CONTEMPORARY DRAMA TOOLKIT and BRITISH DRAMA TOOLKIT — is also available for anyone to purchase and digitally download for a time-limited promo price of £258.00 GBP (inc. VAT)/$298.00 USD/€298.00 EUR (inc. VAT) until February 11, 2021 from here: https://www.spitfireaudio.com/shop/a-z/drama-toolkit-collection/
CONTEMPORARY DRAMA TOOLKIT needs Native Instruments’ KONTAKT PLAYER (5.6.8 or higher) — a free version of the KONTAKT sample playback engine (included in its purchase) — to run as a fully NKS (NATIVE KONTROL STANDARD®) supporting plug-in instrument for Mac (OS X 10.10 or later) or Windows (7, 8, or 10 — latest Service Pack, 32/64-bit), while Spitfire Audio’s free Download Manager application allows anyone to buy now and download anytime.
For more in-depth information, including some superb-sounding audio demos, please visit the dedicated CONTEMPORARY DRAMA TOOLKIT webpage here: https://www.spitfireaudio.com/shop/a-z/contemporary-drama-toolkit/
Watch Spitfire Audio co-founder and composer Paul Thomson’s ‘traditional’ walkthrough of CONTEMPORARY DRAMA TOOLKIT
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.
© 2021 Spitfire Audio Holdings Limited
SANTA CRUZ, CA, USA: Plugin Alliance, supporting all major plugin formats and uniting some of the best-known international audio companies under one virtual roof, is proud to announce the availability of SVT-VR Classic — bass amplification-specializing brand partner Ampeg’s latest product, powered by Brainworx Advanced IR Technology as a plugin producing the same authentic bass tone as the collaborative pairing’s original SVT-VR full version, but with only its essential (CHANNEL TWO) features for stunning simplicity and ease of use — as a 30-day time-limited give away for free as of January 19…
“I love the character and the no-fuss design of this plugin; it couldn’t be easier to dial up a big Ampeg tone.”
– Lex Price (music producer/mixer, bassist, multi-instrumentalist), 2021
Long-established leading bass amplification specialist Ampeg’s acclaimed SVT 
(Super Vacuum Tube) amplifiers have long been favored by some of the most notable bass players out there, including Michael Bradford, Bootsy Collins, Darryl Jones, Chris Wyse, and so many more. Musically speaking, the tone of the SVT series is instantly recognizable, with a full and supple bottom end and a satisfying midrange growl, setting the benchmark by which all bass amps are judged.
Fast-forward to today, the Ampeg SVT-VR Classic plugin produces the same authentic tone as the original SVT-VR full version released to widespread critical acclaim by Plugin Alliance, but with only its essential features for facilitating stunning simplicity and ease of use by being based around a single easy-to-use channel with ultra-hi and ultra-lo modes — everything needed to achieve the perfect bass tone without distractions, in other words.
As anyone already familiar with Plugin Alliance’s musician-friendly methodology might expect, SVT-VR Classic comes complete with a customized FX Rack realizing features like POWER SOAK (for extra saturation) and an INPUT GAIN control (for perfecting gain staging), as well as a noise gate, tight and smooth filters, and a horn On/Off function for the cabinets. Creatively take advantage of three advanced boutique recording chains from Brainworx to fit any bass sound perfectly into the mix.
But better still, SVT-VR Classic carries an MSRP (Manufacturer’s Retail Price) of $99.00 USD yet it is available as a 30-day time-limited giveaway for free as of January 19, 2021, using the voucher code AMPEG-FOR-FREE. Why? Well, who better to personalize the thinking behind this than thankful Plugin Alliance owner Dirk Ulrich: “The world has been a crazy mess for the most part during the last year or so — especially for the live music and event industries. I feel for all my friends and all of our users who are going through hard times because of Covid, the various restrictions, and, in many cases, the resulting financial crises for so many. I guess we are simply lucky — certainly very thankful! — for running a business that seems to be pretty resistant to the current crisis/crises. While emotionally exhausting and operationally challenging — a big thank you to all our teams for adapting to home-office mode so rapidly last year, financially PA had a very successful year. It feels a bit weird to say that in public given the circumstances, but I thought a bit of good news can’t hurt in tough times. And I am sure many of you will appreciate the fact that PA will continue to go strong and deliver the goods you all seem to love going forward for sure! So, with all that said, it is my absolute pleasure to announce a voucher code for a brand-new commercial plugin — completely for free and forever — if you use the code within 30 days!”
Ampeg’s SVT-VR Classic is available for purchase (as an AAX AudioSuite-, AAX DSP-, AAX Native-, AU-, VST2-, and VST3-supporting plugin for macOS 10.9 through 11.01 and Windows 7 through 10) at an attractive introductory price of $49.99 USD — rising thereafter to an MSRP (Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price) of $99.00 USD — from here: https://www.plugin-alliance.com/en/products/ampeg_svtvr_classic.html (Please note that anyone using the voucher code AMPEG-FOR-FREE during its first 30 days of release can get SVT-VR Classic completely for free.)
A fully-functional, 14-day trial of the Ampeg SVT-VR Classic is available to anyone registering for a free Plugin Alliance account here: http://www.plugin-alliance.com/en/registration.html
The Ampeg SVT-VR Classic plugin is included in PA’s various subscription plans at NO EXTRA COST. Click on a plan below to learn more:
Monthly MEGA Bundle
Annual MEGA Bundle
Monthly MUSICIAN Bundle
Annual MUSICIAN Bundle
Note that the proprietary Plugin Alliance Installation Manager means users can select, download, and install only the products and formats needed for their system.
Hear the Ampeg SVT-VR Classic plugin in isolation or otherwise in Plugin Alliance’s playthrough video here:
Watch Plugin Alliance’s awesome Ampeg SVT-VR Classic-capturing trailer video here:
About Plugin Alliance (www.plugin-alliance.com)
World-class plugins. Dongle-free. Plugin Alliance is supporting all major plugin formats and uniting some of the best-known international audio companies under one virtual roof. The Santa Cruz, California-based company empowers world-renowned analog hardware companies with a digital strategy and provides software developers with services that allow them to develop products with increasing quality and quantity. It does this by providing professional marketing and distribution as well as platform features like a state-of-the-art authorization system. An open invitation is eternally extended to all developers, engineers, and artists to join its fast-growing community.
About Ampeg (www.ampeg.com)
Originally established in 1946 in Linden, New Jersey by Everitt Hull and Stanley Michaels as Michaels-Hull Electronic Labs, Ampeg leads the way in the world of bass amplifiers.
© 2021 Plugin Alliance LLC
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, USA: boutique audio company Black Lion Audio is proud to introduce Revolution 2×2 — its inaugural entry into the hotly contested bus-powered, portable audio interface market as an appropriately-named (2 x 2 USB-C) studio-grade (24-bit/192 kHz) desktop model of its own making, representing revolutionary analog design thanks to the top-tier sound of large, high-end converters costing thousands of dollars now being available in a hand-sized product that does not break the bank — as of January 18, 2021…
Black Lion Audio has long since been revered as the ‘king of audio mods’ having modded countless audio interfaces over the years. Yet it has been asked when it would be creating its own audio interface from the outset. On the face of it, its opening gambit has been a long time in the making, having planned, engineered, and worked on it in secret — for years. Indeed, it takes time to truly revolutionize bus-powered, studio-grade audio interface design, and Revolution 2×2 represents the revolutionary result!
Simply speaking, the most revolutionary thing to note about Revolution 2×2 is the quality of its sound — the top-tier sound of large, high-end converters costing thousands of dollars now being available in a hand-sized product that does not break the bank. Better still, Revolution 2×2 readily utilizes Black Lion Audio’s new Macro-MMC clocking technology, based on its numerous clocking products and modifications; Macro-MMC’s circuit implementation brings converters to new heights — well beyond what has been witnessed with other audio interfaces anywhere near its class. Clearly, with that in mind, the boutique audio company creator also assembled its finest AD/DA (analog-digital/Digital-Analogue) converter technology to provide Revolution 2×2 users with record-making power previously unobtainable in an audio interface that is so small and affordable.
Additionally, Revolution 2×2 internally integrates Black Lion Audio’s PG-i technology, based on its extensive experience in engineering its best-in-class power 
conditioners, with all power rails being highly filtered in every active stage — something not found even in the most well-respected, high-end products! Put it this way: with power being decoupled across all of Revolution 2×2’s circuitry — preamps, converters, internal power supply, and even the clock, any noise contamination from other devices plugged into the audio interface itself is discernibly reduced.
However, hi-fi digital design alone does not cut it; indeed, it takes serious analog circuitry for facilitating the very best capture and playback of audio. As such, Revolution 2×2 is built with the most cutting-edge, high-end ICs (Integrated Circuits) with high-end Vishay, Nichicon, and Wima capacitors being used. Ultimately, all internal gain-staging has been optimized for the very lowest signal-to-noise ratio and all analog I/O connections have not only been built with the finest components but are also fully decoupled and balanced — right to the very core of the converter! Most manufacturers do not follow this practice, failing to prevent extra noise contamination during both audio capture and playback as a direct result.
Revolutionary audio interfaces need serious software to provide an adjunct to today’s DAW-driven workflow. With its included Revolution Software Suite, Revolution 2×2 far from fails to deliver, starting with Studio One Artist — the cutting-edge DAW for all production needs from PreSonus. And as if that alone was not enough to be getting on with, Black Lion Audio has helpfully included select plug-ins from Brainworx (bx_digital — the hi-fi, mastering EQ of the future), iZotope (Elements — includes Nektar, Neutron, Ozone, and RX8, so everything needed to repair, mix, and master audio), and Plugin Alliance (Lindell Audio 6X-500 — hardware-modeled preamp and passive EQ).
It is fair to say, then, that Revolution 2×2 is not simply another run-of-the-mill audio interface from ‘big brother’ but rather it is the audio interface the world has always asked for — albeit a world still somewhat affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
“Revolution 2×2 will begin shipping in February 2021 but initial supply will be constrained due to the shortage of the premium components chosen by our engineers for this interface.” So states Black Lion Audio Chief Operations Officer Preston Whiting, before adding: “We could have subbed in alternative parts for the sake of speed but the sound would have been compromised and we refuse to do anything that negatively affects the experience of our customers or audio quality of our products.”
Revolution 2×2 will begin shipping through Black Lion Audio’s growing global network of dealers/distributors (https://www.blacklionaudio.com/dealers) with a MAP (Minimum Advertised Price) of $399.00 USD and an SSP (Suggested Selling Price) of €399.00 EUR (excluding VAT) in February. For more in-depth information, please visit its dedicated webpage here: https://www.blacklionaudio.com/store/products/interfaces/revolution2x2/
About Black Lion Audio (www.blacklionaudio.com)
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 utilized by prestigious organizations and major label acts alike.
© 2021 Black Lion Audio
SANTA MONICA, CA, USA: Antelope Audio is proud to announce Zen Go Synergy Core — its first bus-powered, truly portable (4 x 8 USB-C) audio interface, available as an equally eye-catching and powerful DSP-based desktop design powered by the same Synergy Core onboard effects processing platform found in the trailblazing pro audio manufacturer’s top-tier audio interfaces with which it shares premium technology, albeit attractively priced as a new go-to standard in the sub-$500.00 USD/€500.00 EUR market segment — at NAMM® Believe in Music Week, a global online gathering to unify and support the people who bring music to the world, being held as a virtual event on January 18-22, 2021…
As Antelope Audio’s first bus-powered, truly portable audio interface, Zen Go Synergy Core certainly lives up to its apt appellation, thanks to housing the company’s critically-acclaimed AD/DA (analog-digital/Digital-Analogue) converter technology, namesake Synergy Core onboard effects processing platform, and proprietary 64-bit AFC™ (Acoustically Focused Clocking) algorithm, supporting sample rates of up to 24-bit/192 kHz to deliver the same rock-solid stability and acclaimed sound that has helped its audio interfaces find favor with the most reputable recording studios in the world — without making any compromises. Consummate results are always guaranteed whenever Antelope Audio’s AFC technology is involved, and in that regard, Zen Go Synergy Core is no different from its Synergy Core-badged bigger brothers.
Zen Go Synergy Core comes complete with a plug and play interface delivering an optimized installation experience that also frees users from unnecessary installations or configuration settings — a perfect pairing with Zen Go Synergy Core’s two ultra-linear discrete transistor-based preamps; two MIC-XLR and LINE / HiZ / 1/4” JACK connections; two independent (HP1 and HP2) headphone outputs with dedicated DAC (Digital-to-Analogue-Converter); stepped analog rotary encoder for precise gain adjustment; alternative MONITOR line out on RCA connectors directly fed from the main DAC; S/PDIF digital I/O on RCA connectors for expansion; dedicated IPS (In-Plane Switching) display for signal monitoring; direct monitoring mixers for real-time hardware-based monitoring with onboard effects; advanced software control panel for macOS and Windows; and dedicated secondary USB-C connection for external power supply and reverse charging. Simply speaking, plugging in a USB-C cable and a few software clicks is all it takes for Zen Go Synergy Core to be good to go as Antelope Audio’s first bus-powered, truly portable audio interface!
By being able to choose from 80-plus analog-modeled real-time effects, transforming tracks with sought-after sounds is the order of the day — during live tracking or post-production, adding a distinctive analog flavor to the mix. While working ITB (in-the-box), 37 emulations of some of the world’s most coveted and hard-to-find analog studio gear are accessible for free, with Zen Go Synergy Core’s collection far from lacking in variety by spanning from a rare Austrian EQ through to legendary British solid-state processing with much in-between. Indeed, Impressor (stereo knee compressor/limiter), Opto-2A (tube optical compressor/limiter), as well as modern-day pitch correction courtesy of Synergy Core platform partner Antares’ Auto-Tune Synergy, represent but a small selection of creative choices available to Zen Go Synergy Core owners as a growing library of expansions from Antelope Audio’s Software Store (https://en.antelopeaudio.com/software-store/), starting from only $55.00 USD/€55.00 EUR. But better still, since those real-time effects are hosted by Synergy Core as a proprietary processing platform uniting the power of DSP (Digital Signal Processing) and FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) processors, this means that owners of Zen Go Synergy Core can immerse into this experience with imperceptible latency, allowing for direct monitoring of the processed signal in real-time for the most enjoyable recording experience, while also offloading all processing to the audio interface itself — no need, necessarily, to rely entirely on a host computer’s CPU (Central Processing Unit) and memory capacity or any external DSP accelerators, in other words.
Far from having to rely on the average-grade preamps found in comparatively-priced competing audio interfaces, Zen Go Synergy Core features the same ultra-linear preamp circuit found in the reputable British and American recording and mixing consoles of the past. Planted firmly in the present, this design’s high-gain structure and transparency make it a perfect match for any type of microphone. Musically vintage sound experiences, of course, can easily be achieved by loading a legendary preamp emulation as a real-time Synergy Core effect, enhanced still further when working in perfect harmony with one of Antelope Audio’s Edge series modeling microphones with real-time use.
Zen Go Synergy Core duly delivers one of the highest AD/DA specifications with a mastering-grade monitor output boasting a 127 dB DNR (dynamic range) bringing width, separation, and detail to not only new recordings but to all tracks. Being bolstered by Synergy Core readily ranks it as the most powerful onboard effects processing-capable audio interface in its class. It is perfectly positioned, therefore, to bring studio-quality recording to the home — or, indeed, any remote recording location made more easily accessible by the truly portable nature of its implementation — with critically-acclaimed conversion and preamp design plus an array of professional features on hand, helping next-generation producers to take their sound to the next level. Location recording engineers; home-/bedroom-based producers; beat-makers; self-recording artists; traveling musicians; recording engineers needing a second, smaller audio interface; and modern-day ITB mixing and mastering engineers all could conceivably consider Zen Go Synergy Core as a recording match made in heaven. Someone sang the words heaven is a place on earth as part of a worldwide hit recorded over three decades ago at the world’s most awarded studio complex in Hollywood, CA, USA; ultimately, recording (almost) anywhere on earth is now perfectly possible with Zen Go Synergy Core!
Zen Go Synergy Core will be shipping in Q1 2021 — at a projected price of $499.00 USD/€499.00 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 Zen Go Synergy Core webpage (https://en.antelopeaudio.com/products/zen-go-synergy-core/), which also includes more in-depth info.
Explore Zen Go Synergy Core’s included real-time effects here: https://en.antelopeaudio.com/software-store/?device=168142
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 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
Developed in collaboration with Italian boutique synth-maker Soundmachines, both these new analog synthesizers take the groundbreaking UNO Synth monophonic synth and expand it in nearly every section: more oscillators, more filters, more sequencer memory, more effects, more presets, more connections and more programmability. UNO Synth Pro puts this amazing new sound engine in a rugged metal chassis with a 37-key synth-action Fatar keybed, while UNO Synth Pro Desktop provides a more portable form factor to travel anywhere.
Huge, real analog sound
Three analog oscillators offer continuously variable waveshape, including pulse-width modulation. Oscillators can be hard-synced for more harmonically-complex tones, and oscillator FM (frequency modulation) lets users shape everything from bell-like sounds to screaming industrial tones. UNO Synth Pro even includes ring modulation for wobbly, sci-fi sound, and a white noise generator for a wide range of percussive sounds and epic rises.
Dual-filter design with 24 available modes
In addition to the original UNO Synth’s 2-pole OTA multimode filter, UNO Synth Pro adds a new SSI 2/4-pole LP filter with self-oscillation. The dual filters can be used in series or parallel, with invertible phase, for a total of 24 possible filter modes. This unique design offers nearly limitless tonal possibilities, from recreating classic vintage sounds or forging completely new, experimental sounds.
Massive sonic flexibility
UNO Synth Pro offers two full ADSR envelopes, one dedicated to the filter and the other to amplitude, with both available as sources to modulate everything from oscillator pitch and waveshape to LFO speed or even other envelope stages. Two LFOs (low-frequency oscillators) can create classic synth vibrato, wah and tremolo as well as do more complex modulations including audio range FM.
A 16-slot modulation matrix makes routing all these a breeze. Users can quickly and easily design even the most sophisticated modulation scheme, with both internal and external sources, including MIDI controllers.
Deep onboard effects
UNO Synth Pro offers four effect blocks: an analog overdrive circuit from the original UNO Synth, plus three new, custom-designed digital effects: modulation, delay and reverb. External signals can also be routed through these effects, with pre-effects filtering for added flexibility.
Improved playability
UNO Synth Pro offers a premium 37-key synth action keybed made in Italy by Fatar, while UNO Synth Pro Desktop provides an enhanced version of the original’s long-lasting capacitance-sensing keys along with pitch and mod strips for enhanced expression. Both units add firm-touch rubber pads for the control sections, plus LED-backlit indicators and an LED display for key information, making it easier than ever to use live on stage or in deep programming sessions in the studio.
Powerful presets, sequencer and arpeggiator
UNO Synth Pro offers 256 user-editable presets, each capturing the full state of the sound engine from oscillators to effects. An onboard 64-step sequencer offers both step and real-time recording, with automation of over 80 parameters, letting users create incredibly intricate and evolving soundscapes, and even write CV and gate automation.
And a 10-mode arpeggiator makes it easy to create intricate patterns and runs, while a new “chord mode” takes advantage of UNO Synth Pro’s paraphonic design, opening the door to triads and chord work.
Advanced connectivity
UNO Synth Pro offers two noiseless, balanced stereo outputs as well as headphone out, for superior audio quality in any situation. USB and 5-pin DIN MIDI In and Out make it easy to integrate with other synths, Mac/PC and mobile devices, and its assignable CV/Gate connections lets UNO Synth Pro interact effortlessly with a Eurorack or other modular system.
And now, an audio input allows access to the filter and FX section for external signals, in addition to the original pass-through for daisy-chaining multiple units together without using a mixer.
Options, pricing and availability
UNO Synth Pro and UNO Synth Pro Desktop will be arriving in Q1 2021 and are currently available for pre-order from the IK Multimedia online store and from IK authorized dealers worldwide for $/€649.99* and $/€399.99 respectively.
*All pricing excluding taxes
For more information about UNO Synth Pro or to see it in action, please visit: www.unosynthpro.com
SANTA CRUZ, CA, USA: Plugin Alliance, supporting all major plugin formats and uniting some of the best-known international audio companies under one virtual roof, is proud to announce the availability of 50 Series — the latest product from Swedish plugin partner Lindell Audio, transforming Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs) into an analog mixing console like no other by capturing the legendary sound of API as a dual (console channel strip and buss) plugin with patented Tolerance Modeling Technology* (TMT) officially licensed from Brainworx bringing to light the most convincing model of these classic consoles to date — as of January 12…
The tight and powerful sound of API consoles, preamps, and EQs have made them some of the world’s favorites for creating professional-sounding drums, guitars, synths, and more with attitude and presence. Thanks to Brainworx’s patented TMT, users of the Lindell Audio 50 Series can now access the most convincing model of these classic consoles to date, including the slight channel-to-channel variances in the values of their analog components.
Creatively, the Lindell Audio 50 Series does more than just model a single console by providing an array of choices in its dynamics and EQ sections. Ultimately, users can simply switch in their favorite flavor of the classic 500-series modules modeled; moreover, they can also be used on busses or individual tracks.
Conveniently choose between three classic EQs — the semi-parametric 50A EQ for three-band processing, the 50B for four bands, and the 60 as a precision graphic EQ for radically reshaping sounds in a way that is as transparent and flexible as it is fun.
Finally, the VCA compressor models API’s high-end 2500 series compressor, with additional controls to improve upon the original. On top of that, the included FET compressor nails the tone, simplicity, and ease of use of the original 500 series since it is modeled after the acclaimed API 525 compressor.
Clearly, then, the Lindell Audio 50 Series far from falls short of the mark, with a fanciful feature set well worth highlighting here: 72 different TMT channel emulations in one plugin — just like a real console; three switchable EQs modeled after the most popular 500-series lunchbox designs; two switchable compressors; classic API noise gate and expander emulation; classic API preamp tone capture — full, tight, and punchy — with automatic gain compensation; continuously variable THD (Total Harmonic Distortion) and virtual GAIN controls to add colorful saturation and/or simulated analog noise independently or globally; and scalable UI (User Interface) to adapt to different screen sizes and workflows, with users also benefitting from plenty of preloaded presets providing a useful starting point for finding their sound.
* Brainworx Audio’s Tolerance Modeling Technology (TMT) is protected under the following patent: US Patent No. 10,725,727
Legal Disclaimer: the 50 Series plugin was developed by Brainworx and Lindell Audio using their own modeling techniques, studying original products from API. The names 500-series, API, 2500 are trademarks of Automated Processes, Inc. which is unaffiliated with Brainworx. Automated Processes, Inc. has not licensed any intellectual property for use in the 50 Series, nor have they endorsed or supported the 50 Series in any manner.
The Lindell Audio 50 Series is available for purchase (as an AAX AudioSuite-, AAX Native-, AU-, VST2-, and VST3-supporting plugin for macOS 10.9 through 11.01 and Windows 7 through 10) at an attractive introductory price of $299.99 USD — rising thereafter to an MSRP (Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price) of $349.00 USD — from here: https://www.plugin-alliance.com/en/products/lindell_50_series.html
A fully-functional, 14-day trial of the Lindell Audio 50 Series is available to anyone registering for a free Plugin Alliance account here: http://www.plugin-alliance.com/en/registration.html
The Lindell Audio 50 Series is included in PA’s monthly MEGA Bundle (https://www.plugin-alliance.com/en/products/pa-mega-bundle-monthly.html) and annual MEGA Bundle (https://www.plugin-alliance.com/en/products/pa-mega-bundle.html) subscription services, and also its monthly MIX & MASTER Bundle (https://www.plugin-alliance.com/en/products/pa-mix-master-bundle-monthly.html) and annual MIX & MASTER Bundle (https://www.plugin-alliance.com/en/products/pa-mix-master-bundle-yearly.html) subscription services at no extra cost!
Note that the proprietary Plugin Alliance Installation Manager means users can select, download, and install only the products and formats needed for their system.
For more in-depth information, including several superb-sounding audio demos, please visit Plugin Alliance’s dedicated Lindell Audio 50 Series webpage here: https://www.plugin-alliance.com/en/products/lindell_50_series.html
See and hear music producer, mixing engineer, and composer Eryck Bry introducing the Lindell Audio 50 Series in Plugin Alliance’s talkative trailer video here:
Take a guided trip through the Lindell Audio 50 Series’ sound and features with Eryck Bry here:
About Plugin Alliance (www.plugin-alliance.com)
World-class plugins. Dongle-free. Plugin Alliance is supporting all major plugin formats and uniting some of the best-known international audio companies under one virtual roof. The Santa Cruz, California-based company empowers world-renowned analog hardware companies with a digital strategy and provides software developers with services that allow them to develop products with increasing quality and quantity. It does this by providing professional marketing and distribution as well as platform features like a state-of-the-art authorization system. An open invitation is eternally extended to all developers, engineers, and artists to join its fast-growing community.
About Lindell Audio (www.lindellaudio.se)
Sweden’s Lindell Audio was founded in 2010 by Bohus Sound Studios resident producer Tobias Lindell. Having set out to design high-quality hardware recording equipment to satisfy his own way of working by developing hitherto unavailable functions and user interfaces, introducing the Lindell Plugins product line based on its hardware designs as a joint venture with LSR Audio later lent that same authentic attention to audio quality and efficient workflow to direct DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) usage.
© 2021 Plugin Alliance LLC
PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC: small, independent development teams federation United Plugins is proud to announce the availability of Voxessor — the latest plug-in from founding partner SounDevice Digital, dedicated to achieving a perfect voiceover in next to no time thanks to all voice treatment processes (such as compression, equalization, and saturation) being easily accessible alongside several shortcuts — as of January 6…
As a piece of narration in a film or broadcast, not accompanied by an image of the person speaking, voiceover is a tried-and-tested production technique that has been used as a character device, creative device, education or descriptive device, and commercial device, as well as a translation tool, for many years. Yet it is not necessarily easy to create a great-sounding voiceover — arguably all the more so in an increasingly independent age of proliferating YouTube video and podcast presentation — with which to cast a message far and wide. Which is exactly where SounDevice Digital’s dedicated Voxessor plug-in comes into play, perfectly positioned for anyone creating commercials, e-books, movies, podcasts, YouTube videos, and, indeed, any other need to cultivate recorded speech.
Setting the controls for the heart of the human voice — starting with the self-explanatory input (db) knob (to control the input signal level, ranging from -24 to +24) and output (db) knob (to control the volume output of the plug-in itself, ranging from -24 to +24), Voxessor effectively begins by allowing its users to speedily sweep for ideal equalization. By bypassing the tedious process of manually applying EQ, so there is no need to tweak specific frequency and Q — the ratio of the center frequency to bandwidth — settings according to the person speaking’s voice characteristics, Voxessor users can skip searching for those specific sweet spots by simply sweeping through man to guy to woman to girl EQ settings — suitable for working with the deepest and most manly voices to gentle female speech, in other words — using its photorealistic graphical user interface-dominating dedicated control. Couldn’t be simpler, surely — all the more so since an associated intensity (%) knob acts as a dry/wet control for the EQ applied.
And as if that finely-tuned EQ sweep control is not enough to be getting on with, Voxessor helpfully has another ace up its virtual sleeve since the already helpful feature in question can be combined with its inbuilt intelligent matching expertise. Engaging the analyze your voice (learn) button for five seconds is all it takes for Voxessor to detect the voice characteristics of the person speaking, then the match (%) control — adjustable between 0 and 100 — can be used to apply EQ accordingly so that the result sounds as close to ideal as possible.
Performance can sometimes prove problematic — human nature is what it is, after all, so engaging Voxessor’s auto level automatically fixes any volume imperfections inherent in a speaking person’s performance to achieve a smooth and flawless flow for further perfecting voiceovers in next to no time. This can prove particularly useful during demanding performances involving longer-lasting stretches of sustained speech, such as documentary or e-book narration.
Needless to say, every voice is different and every speaker’s sibilants — speech sounded with a hissing effect — occur on slightly different frequencies. Fortunately, Voxessor’s (switchable) de-esser features tuning (kHz) and depth (%) controls to allow users to choose the right frequency band — between 3,2 and 7,4 — to work with maximum efficiency while minimizing adversely affecting the original material.
Moreover, Voxessor also features a smart dynamics section with one-knob compressor (%) and gate (%) controls. All are set internally, tuned to work with dialogue and voiceover applications, although they could conceivably be also applied to vocal tracks — albeit achieving occasional unexpected results!
Rounding out that photorealistic yet flexible GUI — giving users an impression of working with physical hardware while easily adapting to their needs (by instantly resizing to suit when dragging the arrow at the bottom right corner as appropriate) — are a series of onscreen meters: in (indicates the input signal volume); comp gr (indicates the compressor gain reduction); gate gr (indicates the gate gain reduction); and out (indicates the overall output level).
Last but by no means least, Voxessor’s automatic gain compensation constantly adapts to the current settings to ensure that the plug-in’s output always sounds as loud as the input — no more thinking something sounds better simply because it is louder!
It is clearly as sophisticated in action as it is simple in operation, yet Voxessor certainly succeeds in its aim of achieving a perfect voiceover in next to no time! Thankfully, it is also perfectly priced to suit, so anyone creating commercials, e-books, movies, podcasts, YouTube videos, and, indeed, any other need to cultivate recorded speech should seriously consider adding it to their DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) toolkit.
SounDevice Digital’s Voxessor is available to purchase for a time-limited introductory promo price of €29.00 EUR until January 31, 2021 — rising thereafter to its regular price of €129.00 EUR — as an AAX-, AU-, VST-, and VST3-compatible audio plug-in directly from United Plugins here: https://unitedplugins.com/Voxessor/ (A 15-day, fully-functional trial version for macOS and Windows can be downloaded for free from here: https://unitedplugins.com/download/)
Note that all United Plugins partner plug-ins — SounDevice Digital’s Voxessor included — now feature a more CPU-friendly core with extra efficiency — for instance, intelligent sleep on silence certainly helps — and are also compatible with macOS 11 (Big Sur) and Apple’s new M1 processor-based computers.
Note that no iLok, dongle, or internet access is required for Voxessor 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 Voxessor in action in United Plugins’ illuminating introductory 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
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, USA: boutique audio company Black Lion Audio is proud to announce availability of the PG-XLM Power Conditioner and PG-X Power Conditioner — providing best-in-class professional power conditioning as affordable 1U rack-mounting must-haves with PG-90 Filtering technology providing an average of 90% of noise filtering — as of December 28…
Anyone actively involved in professional music-making — onstage or otherwise — knows that it takes more than a few rack-mounted power outlets to inspire true confidence in a power conditioner. Clearly, acquiring a must-have piece of gear only to find it noisier than expected or missing high-frequency detail — or, worse still, having it fried by an unwanted power surge — are all far from ideal scenarios! Such sorry setbacks need not happen, however; Black Lion Audio is here to help, having long since been trusted to modify the best gear and make it even better, which is what it took to create the PG-XLM and PG-X — taking industry-standard designs and improving them to the point of peak performance.
Power conditioning comes naturally to Black Lion Audio. After creating its original PG-1 (https://www.blacklionaudio.com/store/products/pg-1/) as a confidence-inspiring, rack-mountable power conditioner — also available as the PG-1 TYPE F (https://www.blacklionaudio.com/store/products/pg-1-type-f/) variant with 230V Europlug connections, the company collectively realized that there are a lot of professionals out there working with a smaller budget who felt left out since some of its features could conceivably be viewed as overkill when seeking something appropriate at a more affordable price point. It is with this in mind that Black Lion Audio has built both the PG-XLM and PG-X, while still providing best-in-class professional power conditioning!
Clearly not all power conditioners are created equal, yet Black Lion Audio acknowledges that everyone’s hard-earned equipment purchases deserve the best power possible, which is why it took great care in making sure that the PG-XLM and PG-X both deliver just that — thanks to that best-in-class PG-90 Filtering technology providing an average of 90% of noise filtering, as opposed to the typical average of 76% found in other power conditioners at the same price point.
Putting this into practice, the PG-XLM features a back-panel-sited bank of eight switched, filtered, and surge-protected power outlets. On the front panel, there is a single SWITCHED OUTLET, an LED (Light Emitting Diode) display-based real-time VOLTAGE MONITOR, two pull-out lamps, and a (5V1A) USB CHARGER for device charging. As implied by its shortened nomenclature, the PG-X drops the lamps and metering from that specification, yet far from falls short of the mark by duly delivering the same core functionality to also provide confidence-inspiring power as an affordable 1U rack-mounting must-have.
The PG-XLM Power Conditioner is available to purchase through Black Lion Audio’s growing global network of dealers/distributors (https://www.blacklionaudio.com/dealers) with a MAP (Minimum Advertised Price) of $199.00 USD and an SSP (Suggested Selling Price) of €199.00 EUR (excluding VAT). For more in-depth info, please visit its dedicated webpage here: https://www.blacklionaudio.com/store/products/pgxlm/
The PG-X Power Conditioner is available to purchase through Black Lion Audio’s growing global network of dealers/distributors (https://www.blacklionaudio.com/dealers) with a MAP of $119.00 USD and an SSP of €119.00 EUR (excluding VAT). For more in-depth information, please visit its dedicated webpage here: https://www.blacklionaudio.com/store/products/pgx/
About Black Lion Audio (www.blacklionaudio.com)
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 utilized by prestigious organizations and major label acts alike.
© 2020 Black Lion Audio