Press Release
Please note that Universal Audio and bx/SPL will be releasing the SPL Vitalizer and bx_digital v2 plug-ins in a future release, anticipated in Q3 2011. We apologize for any confusion this has caused with our users in the UAD community, and with our friends in the music and audio media. We are keeping this press release live on site for historical purposes only.
SCOTTS VALLEY, CA — April 6, 2011 — Universal Audio (UA), a leading manufacturer of high-quality audio recording hardware and software, is pleased to announce the impending release of the first new "Direct Developer" plug-ins for the UAD-2 Powered Plug-Ins Platform: the Brainworx® bx_digital V2 EQ plug-in and the legendary SPL® Vitalizer MK2-T plug-in.
The Brainworx bx_digital V2 EQ is an award-winning mastering EQ, named as the "Gear of the Decade" by FutureMusic magazine. The bx_digital V2 EQ offers three modes — M/S Mastering, M/S Recording, and L/R Stereo — with a unique "SixPack" Master Section, 11-band EQ with Shifter EQs to 22kHz, and built-in M/S De-Esser, Dynamic EQ, and extensive metering options. An included bx_digital V2 Mono plug-in provides the same Mastering EQ-quality sound for mixing applications. For many engineers, this incredibly smooth-sounding processor is simply the ultimate software equalizer.
The SPL Vitalizer MK2-T is an authentic emulation of the popular tube-based Vitalizer hardware unit, a longtime staple of top mixing and post-production engineers. Offering a patented technology for greater perceived loudness and clarity without unnatural artifacts, the Vitalizer provides independent Bass and Mid-Hi processing that works in both the time and frequency domains to effectively unmask overlapping sounds. As both a fixative and an enhancement tool, the Vitalizer MK2-T is a mixing must-have.
These new UAD-2 Powered Plug-Ins are noteworthy both in their unique sonic capabilities, as well as their being developed in their entirety for the UAD-2 platform by the software engineers at SPL and Brainworx — two of the audio industry's most respected brands — as part of a new UAD-2 SDK (software development kit).
"With the opening of the UAD-2 Powered Plug-Ins platform to select Direct Developers, we wanted to start with partners that would deliver exceptional results. That meant turning to our friends at SPL and Brainworx," commented Matt Ward, president of Universal Audio. "The SPL Vitalizer and the Brainworx bx_digital V2 have already proven themselves as standout mixing tools on Mac and PC. Now they are available to UAD-2 DSP Accelerator owners, offering a way to offload processing power for running more tracks and virtual instruments on the host computer."
"We're extremely pleased to see the new UAD software version being released and featuring our first SPL & BX plugins for the UAD-2 community," says Dirk Ulrich, CEO of Brainworx and Head of SPL Software. "We've spent the last nine months developing the SDK with UA, and it´s been a lot of work and a lot of fun at the same time. Now it´s time for UAD-2 users to rock the new SPL& BX tools UA is offering them with the new release. Enjoy!"
The Brainworx bx_digital V2 EQ and SPL Vitalizer MK2-T plug-ins will be available as part of the new UAD Software v5.9.0 release, slated for Q2 2011. In addition to the Brainworx and SPL plug-ins, v5.9.0 includes the Lexicon 224 Digital Reverb emulation, as well as improvements for UAD-2 Satellite users.
Learn more about the award-winning UAD-2 Powered Plug-Ins platform here: http://www.uaudio.com/uad-plug-ins.html
About Universal Audio Inc.
Founded in 1999 by Bill Putnam Jr. and based in Scotts Valley, California, Universal Audio is best known for its vintage analog reproductions and advanced Digital Signal Processing technology, including the award-winning UAD Powered Plug-Ins Platform for Mac and PC. The company is focused on merging the best of classic analog and modern digital technology. UA is devoted to this endeavor, following its rich recording heritage and motto, "Analog Ears. Digital Minds." http://www.uaudio.com
About SPL
Since 1984, German manufacturer SPL offers analog and digital audio signal processors for the professional sound and music production. Milestones of our R&D history are the patented VITALIZER® sound optimization processor, the invention of the mother of all transient design tools, the TRANSIENT DESIGNER, the launch of the world's first discrete 5.1 surround miking system ATMOS® 5.1 in 1998, and the development of the SPL SUPRA op-amps with an unprecedented operating voltage of 120 Volt. The SUPRA op-amps are the integral components of our 120?V Mastering Series product line, which is setting new benchmarks in audio signal processing to outperform any existing analog or digital audio format. With the Analog Code® plug-ins we have finally accomplished a much-desired goal: to transfer to the digital domain the high quality we have striven to achieve with our analog processors throughout several decades. The first time we ever heard software that fulfilled our expectations, one of our hardware developers said to the programmers: "You have cracked the Analog Code" — thus was coined the name of our digital products. http://www.spl.info
About Brainworx
Brainworx was founded 1999 in Germany, initially as a music production company. CEO Dirk Ulrich has worked with many national and international top stars, mainly in the rock domain, before coming up with the idea for the original bx1 / bx_digital M/S EQ concept in 2007. This Mid/Side Mastering EQ plug-in found its way into countless top studios worldwide. DIGIDESIGN / AVID released the bx_digital V1 in their Massive Pack 7 in 2008, which gave Brainworx a massive boost in recognition and sales. Brainworx currently runs several partnerships with other pro audio companies, the main partner being SPL, with Dirk leading the SPL software team. Since 2008 Brainworx has released outstanding and critically acclaimed mastering and mixing plug-ins, the best-known being bx_digital V2, bx_XL and bx_control, plus excellent models of analog hi-end audio tools. http://www.brainworx-music.de