Product Review

Audio Ease Nautilus

Published in SOS June 2002
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Reviews : Software

Formats: Mac MAS (VST & HTDM forthcoming)

If you're a Logic or Cubase user you'd be forgiven for not having heard of the Dutch company Audio Ease, as so far nearly all their software has been for MOTU's Digital Performer. They have, however, just announced plans to port their range of plug-ins to VST and (H)TDM. For most manufacturers, a plug-in bundle means a group of plug-ins with related functions, such as a 'mastering' bundle: not so with Audio Ease. In fact there's virtually nothing (except for a vague watery naming scheme!) unifying the three plug-ins that form the Nautilus bundle.

The first is Riverrun, a granular synthesis plug-in which builds on another Audio Ease application, Thonk, that's been available as Mac freeware for some years. In case you don't know, granular synthesis involves taking relatively short slices of digital audio files (perhaps just consisting of a few dozen samples), looping them, transposing them and overlapping them with other slices. The results can be all but unrecognisable compared to the original audio. Granular synthesis, then, is an interesting hybrid of audio treatment and sound-generation technique, and Riverrun blurs the distinction yet further as it does its processing in real time, and responds instantly to a range of user controls.

In Digital Performer, which I used for this review, Riverrun is placed on a channel's insert slot just like any other plug-in. Before it can do any processing, though, audio has to be streamed into it by hitting the fat, red Record button while audio plays back in your sequencer: Riverrun can hold up to about four seconds of audio in its RAM buffer. Hitting Record again 'freezes' a segment of audio in the buffer, which then forms the raw material for subsequent granular synthesis. Alternatively, you can leave Riverrun in Record mode so that audio is constantly streaming through the buffer. Either way the upper half of the audio's waveform is displayed in Riverrun's input screen, along with an overlaid, transparent indicator called the 'grain glass' which indicates which part of the waveform the audio grains are currently being extracted from, and how long those grains are. The grain glass can be moved around by dragging it manually, or it can cycle forwards or backwards automatically, in which case loop boundaries are set by the red and yellow 'needles', with cycle speed determined by the 'walk' parameter.

The rest of Riverrun's controls are dedicated to manipulating the audio grains once they've been 'harvested'. A pitch control allows them to be transposed over what appears to be about a six-octave range, and transposition of successive grains can be randomised. A 'pitch grid' pop-up menu snaps randomised pitches to predefined pitch groups (chords, scales or individual intervals), producing chords out of recordings of single notes. There are controls for altering grain length and controlling grain flow speed, which sounds complicated but makes sense instantly when you try it. There are also facilities for applying a range of amplitude envelopes to individual grains, and Riverrun can be switched between 'flowing' mode, where the results are generally smooth-sounding, and rhythmic mode, where playback of grains can be sync'ed to the sequencer's tempo.

So how does Riverrun sound? Answer: like nothing you've ever heard. The results in flowing mode range from breathtakingly beautiful to deeply disturbing, and in rhythmic mode it's possible to create really original-sounding loops and grooves from almost any audio. You can quite easily load up a single four-second fragment of audio and 'play' it for half an hour before running out of possibilities, making Riverrun a sound designer's dream. For the most part Riverrun makes surprisingly modest demands on the processor, although overdoing grain length and speed in flowing mode can easily crash an otherwise fairly respectable G3 or G4 chip.

Next up is Deep Phase Nine. This is a phaser which offers between one and 24 notches per channel, shunted around the frequency spectrum by a flexible LFO, with feedback variable to the point of self-oscillation. The settings of most of the parameters are reflected in Deep Phase Nine's animated display panel. Underneath this there are controls for setting upper and lower frequency limits for notch sweeps, and (in the stereo version of the plug-in) a left/right channel offset control, which determines if notch movement for the two channels is in or out of phase. The LFO section includes sine and triangle waveshapes along with sample & hold and two 'one shot' options. As with Riverrun there's also an option to sync to the tempo of the host software.

As phasers go this one sounds about as good as you'll get, short of investing in pricey (and probably much more limited) analogue hardware. It can provide subtle movement and stereo ensemble effects, and also screaming sci-fi weirdness. As is so often the case with Audio Ease's meticulously designed user interfaces, it's the unprecedented level of visual feedback that makes setting up, using and understanding Deep Phase Nine so straightforward.

Rounding off the Nautilus bundle is Periscope. On the face of it, this seems like a glorified graphic equaliser, and perhaps the least interesting of the three plug-ins. A moment's experimentation, though, reveals it to be an incredibly powerful audio-shaping tool which could be used for a wide range of applications. If you ever wanted a so-called 'surgical' EQ, well, Periscope can take a band of frequencies as narrow as 10Hz, boost it by up to 36dB or cut it by as much as 144dB (effectively removing it altogether, even from a 24-bit audio signal) and keep all bands phase-coherent at all times. What makes Persicope such a joy to use is the beautifully animated frequency analysis display which dances away behind the faders. You can actually see the fundamental frequency peaks of individual notes appear as you hear them, and it makes zoning in on parts of the frequency spectrum a much more intuitive business than in most conventional EQ plug-ins. I found it indispensable for mastering, as I was able to see great gobs of low bass energy that my monitors just weren't reproducing. I used it to great effect to clean up a classical recording which had been spoilt by traffic noise: Periscope displayed the noise as a broad peak of low frequencies, and I sculpted the faders to temporarily counteract it, leaving the wanted audio virtually intact. But it also sounds good as a normal EQ, and is easily able to help provide the warmth, transparency and air that we all so often strive for.

The MAS version of Periscope I tested utilises the Altivec vector-processing engine in Apple's G4 processor, and as such makes quite light processor demands. Apparently it will also run on a G3, but takes about five times the number of processor cycles.

Overall, I've noted very few drawbacks and criticisms of these plug-ins, mostly because I don't have any! Audio E

Plug-in Tips     When you're using a multi-band compressor over a mix, it's often a good idea to use longer attack and release times on the low band, as fast attacks and releases can distort low-frequency waveforms. Many plug-in EQs sound harsh when boosting, so it's usually best to achieve the results you're after by cutting frequencies instead where possible. A neat feature of the TC 2290 hardware delay unit is its ability to duck the delayed signal in proportion to the level of the source signal, so that the delays are more obvious in the gaps in a vocal (for example). If you have a sequencer that supports sidechaining, such as Pro Tools, you can simulate this effect by compressing the delay buss with a compressor plug-in keyed from the source signal. Mike Senior

ase have put together a bundle that in many respects represents the cutting edge of plug-in design, sounds fantastic, and at the same time manages to be stylish, quirky and great fun to use. It's only available by download, so if you need further convincing, visit the Audio Ease web site, get hold of the demo and fathom it out for yourself... Robin Bigwood

	$299.
	www.audioease.com

Onyxmoon iONYXo

Formats: Mac VST

iONYXo, by German newcomers Onyxmoon is an economically priced bundle of VST plug-ins for Mac OS, which combine to provide flexible, high-quality multi-effects processing, with extensive support for parameter modulation and automation in VST 2.0 host applications.

iONYXo is described by its author as a "modular effects system". This sounds rather reminiscent of TC Works' Spark FX Machine, but there are actually more differences than similarities between the two. The latter is effectively a 'shell' into which third-party VST plug-ins can be loaded, whereas iONYXo exclusively uses its own built-in processing modules, of which there are more than a dozen to choose from.

Another difference is that while Spark FX Machine allows you to drag and drop plug-ins around within its matrix to create different effect combinations, iONYXo instead offers a number of preset 'topologies', which are like wiring diagrams showing how different modules can be connected together within a patch. There is no way at present for the user to create his or her own topologies (this feature may be added in a future version), but the existing presets already offer a good deal of scope for experimentation, and it's difficult to get bored with what's on offer.

There are three VST plug-ins in the iONYXo bundle. iONYXo Mono and iONYXo Stereo are insert effects (the latter can also be used as a master effect), while iONYXo Send works as a send effect (surprise!). Each of the three plug-ins has a different set of preset programs and topologies, although most of the same processing modules are available in each case. The user interface is the same for all of the plug-ins, so you'll only have to learn your way around once.

The standard iONYXo edit window is fairly simple, and exactly what it displays depends on the parameters you're currently editing. The middle panel shows either a diagram of the current topology, with buttons to assign different modules to different positions, or controls for the various built-in 'modulators' (of which more shortly). The lower panel displays either a list of the programs in the active bank, or controls for the currently selected module's parameters.

Flicking through the presets reveals a good selection of chorus, delay and flanger programs, some nice fuzz and auto-wah sounds, and several slightly more outlandish patches, including pitch-shifting delays and 'detune' effects. There is no reverb processor module, unfortunately, although iONYXo Stereo has some simple reverb patches made using combinations of short delays.

While the presets are all good, iONYXo really comes into its own when you start building your own patches. To do this, first select the topology you want to use, then choose the desired module for each of the available slots. The available modules include bypass, delay, multi-tap echo, ring modulator, 'polynomial shaper' (a waveshaper mo

Plug-in News     Noise Wizard from Virtos is a package of five DirectX-based plug-ins for PC audio restoration, specialising in enhancement of noisy audio material from analogue sources such as LPs or cassette recordings. Five plug-ins are included: Denoiser provides three different tools for reduction of static noise, Declicker/Decrackler removes clicks, pops and crackle, Filter Toolbox is a set of versatile digital filtering tools, Stereo Processor allows phase corrections, stereo field adjustment and enhanced stereo perception, and Band Extrapolation synthesizes high- or low-frequency harmonics to give life to dull recordings. Noise Wizard is available as a complete package at $119 or as separate plug-ins from $29 to $69 each, and you can download a demo from the Virtos web site. www.virtos-audio.com. Native Instruments have updated their unique Spektral Delay. It now boasts an improved audio engine and many new performance-oriented features. There's a convenient MIDI learn function and a unique performance mode, where the computer's keyboard can trigger samples and instantly switch presets. The update also adds two new filter modulations, input and output metering, MIDI beat clock synchronisation when running in stand-alone mode, more accurate tempo delays, and full compatibility with Emagic's Logic Audio. www.ni.-spektral.com

dule capable of numerous flavours of distortion), low-pass, high-pass, low-shelving, high-shelving and peak filters, a channel splitter, a stereo panner, a panning delay, and three varieties of signal combiner in the shape of 'adder', 'X-fade' and mixer modules.

The various modules have dozens of parameters, all of which are explained in the supplied PDF documentation, and each of these parameters can have one of the six built-in modulators assigned to it. These are modulation sources rather like LFOs, which can use sine, triangle, sawtooth and square waveforms, or can be set to Cycloid mode to generate complex cyclical modulation signals. Several different parameters on several different modules can be modulated by the same source simultaneously, allowing for some nice 'sync'ed' effects. Additionally, the modulation sources themselves can be automatically sync'ed to the current tempo in Cubase or any other host application supporting this function.

In use, iONYXo is capable of some genuinely original sounds. The polynomial shaper and ring modulator modules are particularly good, and experimenting with tempo-synced modulation of their different parameters can produce some really surprising results. The filters also sound excellent, and 'articulated' synth-like patches are possible with different combinations of these modules and the modulators. The multi-tap echoes are superb for 'dub' effects, and impressive stereo choruses and flangers can be created from different combinations of short delays. More complex topologies can result in some quite bizarre programs, which mash the input signal beyond all recognition -- and even with some patches using eight processing modules in series, the CPU load is still relatively low.

The only minor complaint I have is that iONYXo's graphical user interface feels a bit sluggish, and is sometimes rather slow to redraw. Onyxmoon are aware of this, however, and you can expect the problem to be addressed in the next couple of updates. That aside, it's hard to find fault with iONYXo. It sounds great, boasts an original, easy-to-use design, and offers plenty of scope for creativity. The tempo-sync'able modulators are an excellent feature, with numerous potential uses. At $49 (about £35) iONYXo seems like very good value for money. A free demo version is also available to try. Paul Sellars

	$49.
	www.onyxmoon.com

DelayDots Spektral Plug-ins

Formats: PC DirectX

This plug-in pack from Delay Dots contains three powerful plug-ins, which all work in the frequency domain. They share a similar interface, with 'brushed aluminium' panels based around a spectral display in the upper half, complete with linear/logarithmic frequency mode button and a peak-reading stereo level meter, along with various rotary knobs, switches, and buttons.

Spektral Shaper is essentially a 4096-band equaliser that allows you to impose the frequency response from an existing WAV file onto another audio file, just like Steinberg's Free Filter, and with a similar real-time spectrum analyser display of your material overlaid with a curve showing the desired response. However, I found it a lot easier to use than Free Filter. First, you click on the Load button to choose either a WAV file to convert, or a previously saved Shape file, and then you just start playing your file.

It also adds a feature that I suggested in my July 1998 review of Free Filter -- a Smooth knob to iron out kinks in the response but still apply an overall 'feel' -- and there's also a Sharp knob to accentuate them for more extreme flanging effects. Even better, you can click on the Edit button to turn your cursor into a pencil tool to create or edit your own Shapes, while the Norm button auto-normalises the curve's peak, and a Save button lets you preserve your creations for posterity. I was most impressed with Spektral Shaper, for special effects as much as for 'EQ ripping', and you'll find a bank of my Shapes included in the latest download that will transform tracks into chord clusters, haunted voices, or Tibetan bowls.

Spektral eXtractor is an adaptive, self-tuning band-pass filter with three modes, and this time the spectral display is in sonogram form. In Manual mode, you have full control over the centre frequency with Coarse and Fine knobs, while the Left and Right range knobs control the bandwidth either side of this, Left and Right Amplitude set the ultimate drop in gain at the band extremes, and Left and Right Curve shape the response between the centre frequency and each extreme. The four settings of the Bands control split the spectrum into either 128, 256, 512, or 1024 bands, which affects audio quality and processing overhead, while the Rand knob alters the centre frequency by a variable but random amount for special effects.

You can create a lot of extreme filtered effects with Manual mode, but once you switch to the other two modes they take on a whole new dimension, since while the filter characteristics are still under your control, the plug-in automatically chooses its own centre frequency. Dominant mode tracks the strongest frequency in your audio, while Centroid tracks the weighted centre frequency. The results sound like a cross between a vocoder and envelope follower, and some radical transformations are possible, particularly with drum loops.

Spektral Morpher is the most powerful plug-in in the series, and consequently consumed anything up to 25 percent of the power of my Pentium III 1GHz processor. It lets you spectrally alter your source sounds using a target audio file and 10 different transformation modes. I don't intend to explain the workings of the 10 modes, since not only would it take a lot more space than I've been allotted, but it still wouldn't tell you what they sound like -- experimentation is the key. First you need to load a target WAV file, and since only mono data is used, you can use left, right, or mixed channels of a stereo file. A four-position Bands control is common to all modes, and this time it lets you choose from 256, 512, 1024, or 2048 bands, while an overall output level control helps you avoid unpredictable overloads.

The simplest mode is Spectral Convolution, which needs no extra controls. Magnitude-only Convolution adds an effect Threshold control, which is also used by the spectral Vocoder. The remaining seven modes are all classed as Mutations, and are labelled Uniform Signed and Unsigned, Linear Contour, Nonlinear Contour Signed and Unsigned, and Combined LCM+Contour Unsigned and Combined LCM+Uniform Unsigned. All mutation modes have Magnitude and Phase controls, along with a Link button to gang them together and an Emphasis knob to control the feedback on successive mutations, while the final five also have a Random knob ranging from 'chaotic' to 'stable'.

These controls provide an almost unbelievable array of sound manipulation possibilities, ranging from familiar vocoded choirs through to weird flanging, reverbs from the insides of alien machines and bizarre digital lifeforms. The seven mutation modes also offer a Morph function with adjustable start and end times that control morphing from Source to Target, gradually transforming a drum loop into a chord, or an entire song into an alien voice. Some of the results are worthy of Eric Persing's Distorted Reality collection. The best way to use this plug-in is to record its real-time output while you experiment, since you may inadvertently capture an entire sci-fi soundtrack for later tweaking. I haven't had this much digital fun for ages! Martin Walker

	$55.
	www.delaydots.com