Antares Announces Microphone Modeler MAS Plug-In

September 25, 1999 -- Antares Audio Technologies, developers of the successful AutoTune™ pitch correction software plug-in, have announced Microphone Modeler, a new microphone emulation plug-in for the MOTU Audio System (MAS), Mark of the Unicorn's (MOTU) native digital audio recording and plug-in processing environment for Mac OS. Users of Digital Performer, MOTU's flagship audio sequencer software, and users of AudioDesk, the Macintosh audio workstation software bundled with MOTU's popular 2408 and 1224 hard disk recording systems, will be able to run Microphone Modeler directly within their MOTU software's virtual mixing environment in real time.

"Antares has quickly established themselves as a major force in cutting edge audio processing technology," said Jim Cooper, Mark of the Unicorn Marketing Director. "Their AutoTune plug-in has been an incredible success on the MAS platform, and we predict that Mark of the Unicorn users will also embrace the exceptional technology found in the Antares Microphone Modeler plug-in."

The Microphone Modeler allows any reasonably full-range microphone to sound like virtually any other microphone. Using patented Spectral Shaping Tool™ (SST) technology, Antares engineers have created precise digital models of a wide variety of microphones, from historical classics to modern exotics, as well as a selection of industry-standard workhorses. The user simply tells the Microphone Modeler what microphone they are actually using and what mic they would like it to sound like. The Microphone Modeler then references the stored models of both the source and target mics and processes the input to create the sound of the desired mic. The AMM-1 can also be used during mixdown to effectively change the mic on an already recorded track.

In addition to reproducing all of the subtle sonic characteristics that make each microphone unique, the Microphone Modeler also gives the user control of each mic's specific options. If, for example, a modeled mic provides a low cut filter, the Microphone Modeler allows it to be switched on or off. Other items like mic placement (close or far) and wind screens are also modeled. Each option results in the same sonic effect that it would have with the actual modeled mic. The plug-in also offers a model of classic analog tube saturation, which may be added to any mic model.

To ensure that the AMM-1 always remains up-to-date with the state of the microphone art, new mic models will be available for download from the Antares web site.

"Anyone who has spent any time flipping through the pages of recent recording magazines can't help but notice the increased focus on microphones," said Marco Alpert, Antares Vice President of Marketing. "From the proliferation of exotic new mics to the almost cult-like following of certain historical classics, the range of choice has never been greater. But amassing a substantial collection of high-end mics is financially prohibitive for all but the most well-heeled studios. With the AMM-1, most any musician can afford to record every individual track through a model of the specific mic that will best produce the sound he or she is looking for."

The Antares Microphone Modeler for MAS will be available in October 1999 at a price to be announced.

Visit Antares on the web at www.antarestech.com.