MAGIX Releases Analogue Modelling Suite, Vintage Effects Suite & VariVerb Pro

Posted on Feb 13, 2007

MAGIX has announced the release of three VST effect plug-in collections for Windows: Analogue Modelling Suite, Vintage Effects Suite and VariVerb Pro. These plug-ins are compatible with MAGIX’s flagship products Sequoia and Samplitude, as well as any other VST-enabled audio products.

AM | Suite – Analogue Modelling Suite:
The Analogue Modelling Suite features three audio tools based on replicas of classic circuit designs: am-track analogue compressor, am-pulse transient designer and am-phibia pre-amp / channel strip:

• am-track is a combination of an analogue compressor and a tape simulator in one single device. It is primarily used for so-called “tracking”, i.e. editing individual channel strips or subgroup signals. Compression can be executed either as modern or “vintage”. With emulation of the tape machine sound, typical aspects of the large, saturated sound characteristics of the magnetic recording for the hard disk studio can be made reality at low costs and high quality.


• am-pulse is a “transient modeler”, a creative tool for editing envelope and sustain processes on percussive or dynamic signals. Furthermore, the signal can be subtly “analogued” or considerably distorted by modulating the subsequent tube saturation and treble exciter sections.


• am-phibia is a tube amplifier/channel strip. It combines an optical compressor with a pre and post filter unit. As a result of the various different filter circuits, the device can be varied to a large extent and used as a vocal pre-amp, tube guitar amplifier or to create “warmer” sound characteristics according to the input signal and audio style.

VE | Suite – Vintage Effects Suite:
The Vintage Effects Suite includes three plug-ins, CORVEX, ECOX and FILTOX, a chorus/flanger, delay and filter plug-in. Each are based on the same basic handling principle: as required, a modulator (LFO) controls almost all knobs accessible via the “frontplate”. This principle enables an almost inexhaustible supply of forms for sound design from subtle to crazy distortion effects. For example, on normal guitar choruses: with CORVEX you can have the sound travel through the room by changing a few modulation settings, with ECOX you can reinvigorate old tape echoes, and with FILTOX you can add more power to weaker drum loops.

VariVerb Pro:

VariVerb Pro (short for: VARIable reVERB) is a high-quality reverb plug-in that runs on an algorithmic basis. It provides a series of rooms, halls, reverb plates, spring reverbs and so-called non-linear effects, which can be edited comprehensively and easily.

“Algorithmic” refers to the reverb impression not being created using impulse responses, as is often the case nowadays. Instead the calculation is based on mathematic models, like with classic reverb devices. With VariVerb these algorithms can be chosen via a “model” list, each specialized on a specific replica or a specific purpose and given its own set of parameters. On the other hand, technology based on convolution is only able to interpret a static copy of a process, it doesn’t know the room.

Algorithms:

• Room A: Small to medium-sized room, dampening of the low frequencies, immediate response, high density/diffusion.


• Room B: Room similar to A, less dampening, slightly different reflection pattern, responding a bit slower.


• Hall A: Larger hall, slower reverb buildup, less density than the “rooms”


• Hall B: Similar to hall A but later response of the reflection, slightly “colder” sound.


• Retro Room: Classic room effect in the style of well-known hardware reverb devices from the 80s/90s. More artificial algorithms than the previous methods. The vintage/retro character takes center stage here, definitely an “effect” sound.


• Retro Hall: Type of creation like retro room, but this is a classic hall effect with the corresponding reflection pattern. Thick, cloud-like reverberation tail.


• Plate A: Classic reverb plate, high diffusion, quite “dark” and “heavy”, slight panorama effects.


• Plate B: Reverb plate similar to A but with lighter character, faster response.


• NonLin Gate: Non-linear reverb, no sustain but abrupt end instead (classic “gated” reverb effect).


• NonLin Reverse: Reverb with reversed amplitude, sound impression played such as “backwards”


• Spring A: Model of a reverb spiral with two linked spring systems, typical echo effects and excitation noise.


• Spring B: Similar to spring A; however, the vibration is “softer.”


• HQ Room A/B & Hall A/B: Extremely high quality and very complex simulation, which, however, is associated with high processor strain. Nevertheless, or maybe because of it, it’s the definitive “main reverb” algorithm. Very plastic, tangible room impression with free positioning of the sound source and the listening location. Here, the A and B models differ slightly from one another like in the regular room and hall algorithms, that is, HQ room A provides somewhat different dimensions and different composition than B. With the HQ halls, hall B communicates with A later and sounds slightly more complex.