Blue Cat Audio has released a new version of Blue Cat’s PatchWork, a multi-effects processor also capable of hosting third party plugins.
Including a brand new multicore processing engine, version 2.5 focuses on performance and compatibility. With optimized CPU usage, it is able to load more effects and instruments on multicore processors, even at a lower latency. It also includes many new features and fixes.
Changes in PatchWork v2.5
- Up to 8 times more processing power with the new multicore engine that processes each parallel chain on a separate core.
- New DSP workload meter that displays the DSP activity and CPU load.
- Added MIDI control support (MIDI CC messages) for Next and Previous Preset commands, with MIDI learn.
- Reduced time to load PatchWork or any built-in plug-in.
- Multiple DSP performance improvements.
- Improved buffer management in standalone application on Mac, reducing both latency and CPU usage.
- Level meters are not updated anymore when the user interface is closed, reducing CPU usage.
- Reduced the number of threads used by the plug-in.
- Improved global and preset settings window loading time on Windows.
- Added ability to select the plug-in to load when a shell plug-in file is dragged and dropped onto a slot.
- Full unicode support.
- Preset files can now be dropped onto the preset LCD area to be loaded.
- Improved “Tone Maps” user interface (available for 9 built-in effects).
- Fixed standalone app not always asking for Microphone access on most recent MacOS systems.
- Fixed host loop end value not properly passed to hosted plug-ins, for the VST2 version.
- Fixed several crashes upon load for multiple third party plug-ins (mostly VST3).
- Fixed display issues with Waves plug-ins V12 in Mac standalone application.
- Fixed MIDI control for hosted plug-ins not always working when fed with silence.
- Fixed VST3 (and sometimes VST) version freezing Ableton Live upon save on Windows.
- Fixed harmonizer and Pitch Shifter built-in plug-ins that did not always flush their buffer upon bypass (short sounds could be heard when getting out of bypass).
The update is free to existing PatchWork users. An optimized build for the new Apple M1 Macs is also available to customers as a preview, with great performance improvements, as shown in the company’s benchmark comparing Apple M1 and Intel Macs for audio.
PatchWork is available for purchase at Blue Cat Audio and from distributor Plugin Boutique.
