u-he has released version 1.1 of DIVA, the “Dinosaur Impersonating Virtual Analogue Synthesizer” for Windows and Mac.
Good news! Here’s the Diva update you have been waiting for. We locked ourselves away in our lab and squeezed as many CPU cycles out of Diva as humanly possible, all for the sake of one thing: Performance!
Diva 1.1 is now ready for download on her brand new product page. As always with u-he products, the update is free. Simply download the appropriate installer, follow the instructions and you’re good to go.
Note: We have also made subtle changes to the basic sound quality, improving the transient behaviour and adding some “sheen”. Although these changes will certainly be recognized as improvements, we recommend that you render your existing projects before upgrading.
Changes in Diva v1.1
- Performance:
- Multi-threaded operation allows use of multi-core capabilities.
- In many cases, Diva’s filters are now a lot faster.
- Sound:
- White-noise DC-offset removed.
- Panning inverted to make it correct.
- Triggered notes sound more coherent.
- Sonic improvements (more harmonics, less noise in VCF and synced oscillators).
- New feature “Transient Mode” can reset DC-blockers and filter states on attack.
- Usability:
- Completely new MIDI-learn mode.
- Presets can be revealed in Finder (OSX) or opened in Explorer (Windows).
- Drag & drop presets in Cocoa view (Mac).
- Better file error messages for windows.
- Log written if a file named Diva.log exists on the desktop.
- Bugfix:
- Deadlocks that some experienced under Windows are gone.
- No more unwanted legato mode after preset selection.
- No more crashes after invalid file access.
- All Notes Off releases current notes instead of killing them.
- MIDI preset change no longer forgets modulator section.
- Init preset is correct in the presence of MIDI Banks.
- No more crashes after long silence.
Diva for Windows and Mac (VST/AU) is available to purchase for $179 USD (excl. VAT in EU).
More information: u-he / DIVA
u-he has announced a public beta version 1.1 of DIVA, the “Dinosaur Impersonating Virtual Analogue” synthesizer for Windows and Mac.
The oscillators, filters and envelopes closely model components found in some of the great monophonic and polyphonic synthesizers of yesteryear. Modules can be mixed and matched so you can build hybrids, but what sets DIVA apart is the sheer authenticity of the analogue sound. This comes at the cost of quite a high CPU-hit, but we think it was worth it: Diva is the first native software synth that applies methods from industrial circuit simulators (e.g. PSpice) in realtime. The behaviour of zero-delay-feedback filters when pushed to the limit clearly demonstrates the advantages of this groundbreaking approach.
Changes in DIVA v1.1 public beta
- Multicore Support – Finally play as many voices as you like on selected systems! Multicore system with on-cpu-memory-interface required (e.g. i5, i7, Nehalem).
- Up to 40% less CPU usage on expensive presets – Dramatically improved feedback prediction algorithim in the filters, highly resonant patches will now use up to 40% less cpu than older versions.
- Improved sound quality – You’ll notice that Diva now sounds like a freshly refurbished analogue synthesizer. Includes subtle changes to attack transients and VCO models.
- Revised User Guide – More info, more detail, more tutorials, more fun to read! (included in downloads).
Public beta download: Diva v1.1 public beta (Mac) / Diva v1.1 public beta (Win)
More information: u-he / DIVA
Sound Magic has announced Neo Transient, a new concept for level independent dynamic processing.
Unlike common compressors and limiters, Neo Transient reacts on Transients – those short peaks in the audio signal – rather than the overall signal loudness level. In this way, Neo Transient creates an entirely new way to process your tracks.
Neo Transient allows you to completely reshape the attack and sustain characteristics of a sound. You can shorten or lengthen the attack of all kinds of percussive signals, such as the bass drum, snare drums, toms, congas and so on, to give them more impact, change them to a punchier sound. Or go the other direction and make those sounds gentler than before.By boosting the attack period of a sound, such as a bass drum, the mix can be made to sound more transparent. Instruments can be mixed at lower volume while still maintaining their positions in the mix without costing needed headroom. By boosting the sustain stage of the sound, you can emphasize the ambiences and reverb-tails of the sound.
Neo Transient offers two entirely different sets of detection algorithms.These two algorithms have different sounds and will provide you more choices on the final sound it shapes. Parametric controls in Neo Transient are arranged in a easy to understand, musical manner.
Neo Transient is a “must have” for processing your percussive signals while recording, mixing or mastering.
Neo Transient features
- Two Innovative algorithms, One for level independent dynamic processing , One for peak dependent processing.
- Parametric controls are arranged in a easy to understand, musical manner.
- Adjustable Delay for look forward processing.
- Built-in A/B Compare function enables you to compare different settings.
- Up to 32Bit/384KHz resolution.
Neo Transient for Windows (VST/Supreme Piano 2 add-on) is available to purchase for 49 EUR.
More information: Sound Magic / Neo Transient
Crysonic has announced Transilate, a true level independent intelligent transient designer effect.
Control the attack and sustain of any audio signal (including pre-recorded audio) regardless of it’s level with ZERO latency. Providing Limitless possibilities Transilate will be your fundamental and essential studio tool for mixing, mastering, tracking and live work, a must have plugin. Shorten or increase the attack and the sustain sections of all percussive signals. Eliminate the Booming Bass, Congas, Tom drums, reduce reverb or increase reverb, tame a slap bass or increase the punch and attack even more. TRANSILATE is also extremely CPU efficient and you can easily have it on every track in your production if you wish and why not!
A GO-TO secret weapon every time. With it’s incredible Simplicity and Quality this will be your most used plug-in in ANY music production situation, a true life savior, we guarantee it!
Transilate for Windows and Mac (VST/AU) is available to purchase for the introductory price of $55 USD. All Previous Crysonic customers can purchase Transilate for $31 USD for a limited time.
More information: Crysonic / Transilate
Klanghelm has released DC8C, a flexible compressor effect plug-in for Windows and Mac.
The main goal while designing DC8C was to get a very clean compressor action without unwanted and often almost unevitable artefacts/distortion. This way you can achieve almost invisible compression for your most demanding mastering sessions, when you want to avoid coloration. If you aim for colour you can choose between two saturation models.
From opto style, peak compression, RMS compression, Feedback, Feedforward compression (and everything inbetween) to negative ratios, zero latency brickwall limiting, from snappy transient treatment to smooth transient rounding – everything is possible.
Klanghelm DC8C compressor: clear, smooth, open, distinctDC8C features
- Detector network and gain reduction smoothing for extra smooth operation.
- Choose between two different attack and two release curves.
- Clean mode (100% clean compression with no intermodulation, no distortion, no aliasing).
- Up to 8x oversampling.
- Sidechain filter with high pass & low pass filter plus tilt control, which let’s you shift the frequency response of the detector.
- Customize the program dependency of the compressor seperately for Attack and Release.
- GR-smoothing control to dertermine, how sensitive the compressor reacts to changes in the computed gain reduction, great to emulate opto style compression.
- Hold control for heavy pumping compression effects.
- Pre comp control to delay the start of the attack to leave transients completely alone or radically shape the attack.
- Calibration control not only to set the reference level for the meters but also for the whole signal path. The higher the value, the softer the compression characteristics and the lower the saturation amount.
- Unique Feedback-Mix-Control, which lets you determine, how much of the compressor’s output is fed back into the detector. This way it is possible to morph between Feedback and Feedforward Compression topologies.
- Zero latency limting mode.
- True zero attack (0.0 ms).
- Negative ratios possible.
- Parallel compression, peak-compression, RMS-compression.
- Easy mode which features 4 different compression styles.
- Lots of comprehensive presets to keep you started.
DC8C for Windows and Mac (VST/AU) is available for the introductory price of 20 EUR.
More information: Klanghelm / DC8C
Games From Mars has released GFM Psypan and GFM Distort, two free effect plug-in for Windows.
GFM Psypan and Distort pluginsGFM Psypan features
- Usable “out-of-head” panning plugin.
- No filtering or reverb added.
- 64-taps sinc interpolation.
- Preserve transients.
- 2% CPU.
GFM Distort features
- Gritty, digital distortion with low aliasing.
- Best used with drums and acid leads.
- Probably not for guitars.
- 16x-oversampling.
- 1% CPU.
Both VST plug-ins for Windows are available to download as freeware.
More information: Games From Mars
