Opcode Releases Studio Vision Pro 4.2 for MacintoshFeatures New 'Acadia' Audio Engine Software December 30, 1998
Opcode Systems announced today the release of Studio Vision Pro 4.2, the flagship to their award-winning line of computer-based audio and MIDI sequencers. Version 4.2 includes the brand new Acadia audio engine that allows powerful audio mixing with many brands of hardware. This new release also includes support for Steinberg's industry-standard VST audio plug-in architecture, bringing extensive real-time effects to the Opcode product line. Studio Vision Pro 4.2 also features Opcode's new studio-quality parametric EQs with user friendly graphic display. Created specifically for Opcode by a world renowned DSP engineer, these EQs provide sonic quality surpassing many professional-level stand-alone units. With version 4.2, Studio Vision Pro continues Opcode's tradition of innovation with the Acadia audio engine software.
"This is the release a lot of users have been waiting for," says Jonnie Gilham, Studio Vision's Product Manager. "VST plug-in compatibility and support for over a dozen ASIO-compatible sound cards make Studio Vision 4.2 the most intuitive and musician-friendly MIDI and audio recording software - without sacrificing power or usability. Acadia, the new audio engine makes it all possible."
New version 4.2 features with Acadia include:
- Real-time effects with VST compatibility
- ASIO hardware support for Event Layla, Lexicon Studio, MOTU 2408, Korg 1212 I/O, Lucid PCI 24, Sonorus STUDI/O and more
- Support for Digidesign Direct I/O for compatibility with all PCI audio systems with VST plug-ins
- Free VST plug-ins including reverb, delay, echo, chorus, flanger, phaser, compression, panner, ring modulator and more
- Acadia's 4 Band professional EQ with intuitive visual display
- Offline Bounce-to-Disk for Acadia (with console automation, effects, EQs, sends, etc)
- Importing of multiple audio files at once and automatically importing both sides of linked mono files
- 96 kHz support
- Support for Stereo Interleaved files for Acadia
- Advanced Acadia 24 bit to 16 bit dithering for CD mastering
New version 4.2 features for TDM include:
- Support for Digidesign Pro Tools/24 MIX and MIX Plus TDM systems
- Punching in on-the-fly for TDM
- 96 kHz support for DAE/TDM
EQ
Providing even more control over tone and timbre are four bands of high-quality equalization on each of Studio Vision's audio mixing channels when used with Acadia. Users can choose from five different EQ types to fill the four "slots" on each channel. Available EQ types include; fully parametric "peaking" EQ, high pass and low pass filtering, as well as high and low shelving varieties. A graphic representation of each band's frequency, bandwidth and level of boost or cut makes finding the perfect settings an intuitive process. All EQ and effects settings can also be stored and recalled. The new EQ is available using any ASIO sound card, Digidesign Direct I/O, or the on-board audio capabilities of the Macintosh.
STUDIO VISION OVERVIEW
Studio Vision Pro was the first professional software to integrate digital audio recording with a full-featured MIDI sequencer in 1991. Studio Vision Pro allows musicians, composers, and recording engineers and producers to record and visually edit music on-screen in both CD-quality digital audio and MIDI. Since both formats are side by side within the same program, the flexibility allows stunning control over arrangements and mixes. In 1998 Opcode received a patent on its Audio-to-MIDI(TM) and MIDI-to-Audio(TM) feature, which allows a vocal, for instance, to be recorded, displayed in standard music notation and the pitch of each individual note to be edited simply by dragging the mouse. The resulting edits can then be applied to the original vocal audio without affecting the quality of the singers voice - no munchkinization. For example, if a singer sang a "C" instead of a "D" the music can be changed to a "D" without being re-recorded.
FREE BUNDLED SOFTWARE
Studio Vision Pro comes bundled with numerous extras that make the overall value of the package even more impressive. These include Bias Peak SE(TM) sample editing software and Opcode's own Galaxy universal patch librarian for MIDI devices. The CD-ROM has a host of demo software including audio plug-ins, software synths, sequences and samples, all at no extra cost. For the Web minded, Opcode has included Mpecker Mpeg3 encoder and MacAMP Mpeg3 player.
The US MSRP of Studio Vision Pro 4.2 is $995 (street price about $750) and the upgrade from version 3.5 or earlier of Studio Vision Pro is $149.95. Upgrades from version 4.0 are available free as a download from Opcode's Web site, or $29.95 gets a CD-ROM with Bias Peak SE and the other free software mentioned above. For more information, visit their web site at www.opcode.com. |
