Merging Technologies

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Pyramix 8.1 Unveiled at NAB 2013 and PROLIGHT+SOUND

  DSD/DXD Recording and Major Recording Enhancements Push Quality Envelope

Puidoux, April 2013: Merging Technologies is delighted to announce that, following the launch of Pyramix V8.0 at the turn of the year, Pyramix 8.1 takes the award winning software into another quality league. Booth C3239 at NAB and stand 8.0 K31 at Prolight+Sound will be the places to be if you care about the best in high resolution audio. Pyramix 8.1 will also feature on stand 5.1 C78 in Musikmesse hosted by Merging distributors for Germany, Digital Audio Service.

Pyramix V8.1
The recent sensational results in the Classical Grammy® categories reinforced Pyramix as the DAW of choice for serious recording projects and with high resolution downloads gaining in popularity, this becomes even more relevant. Merging has always tried to provide users with more than “just another DAW”. The advent of the MassCore Audio Engine in 2006 is still bringing ultra-low latency DSP to users at the fraction of the cost of the competition. The HEPTA sample rate conversion algorithm introduced with V7, which works in real time on the timeline, when mixing down or when creating CD/SACD masters, has been dubbed "the best sounding SRC available today" by many of the world’s top recording and mastering engineers.

And then, in April last year, Merging Technologies redefined the way in which audio engineers connect to their environment with the introduction of another world first, the Horus Networked Audio Interface. A native connection between DAW and interface using standard Gb LAN infrastructure and employing the RAVENNA IP Audio (AoIP) protocol meant that Pyramix could now truly be the workstation for the networking age.

No matter how far Merging pushes out ahead of the competition with its adoption of new technologies, the fact remains that almost every single project ever started with a Pyramix system begins with the act of putting a microphone in front of an instrument and recording it onto a timeline. With this in mind the upcoming Pyramix 8.1 version is a complete revamp to the way in which this most basic of functions is completed.

DSD256 (11.2MHz/1bit) and DXD (352.8kHz/32bit)
Merging Technologies continues to push boundaries by focusing this release on exceeding what they consider the “normal” sample rate of 192kHz. Pyramix 8.1 combines with the Horus Networked Audio Interface to provide, in addition to the now almost standard at Merging, DXD and 384kHz PCM, the world’s first hardware and software combination capable of DSD256. This is 4 times the resolution of the SACD standard (DSD64); the truest representation of an analogue signal ever. But, for those not ready to step into this world yet, Pyramix 8.1 has a huge number of new recording enhancements for any sample rate.

Multiple, Post FX, Simultaneous Background Recordings
Pyramix offers a new methodology for capturing sounds from the world around you. After a simple setup, users will now see some new objects in the transport window called Background Recorders. Four of these can be initiated in a project and are fully capable multi-track recorders, each with their own record mixer where plugins can be inserted to record EQ and other FX “to track”.

Uses:

  • Ingest of multiple sources simultaneously for archive, forensics, mastering purposes
  • Timeline-free recording of a multi-track event for use with more of the features to follow, such as Editing while Recording.
  • Simple ingest of multiple sources for use in “craft-editor” production in broadcast scenarios.

Record Pre-Buffering
Not getting into record in time and missing the definitive start of a performance is frustrating. Capturing time already passed has been impossible, until now. The record pre-buffering feature provides a minute of safety where the environment is recorded, even if you are not in record! If your background recorder is online, pre-buffering simply works automatically in the background.

Take Logger/Metadata tool
The new Take Logger and Metadata tool in the Pyramix media manager is the one-stop shop for all your naming and noting needs. Not only can it change all metadata for a given file at any point (both during and after a recording) it also controls any one of the multi-track recorders (timeline or background) so you can stay in a single location within the UI for the entire recording day. A new resizable “On Air” window is the quickest way for everyone to know what take is being recorded and how long the recording has been going for.

Edit/Mix/Master While in Recording
The background recorders have another game-changing tool. Once a user has started to record from one (or multiples) of the background recorders, they can drag those current recordings onto the timeline and begin to edit, mix and master the audio being captured. Multiple “in record” files can be placed on the timeline together and be mixed with media already on your hard disks and as the recording continues, the file can be set to increase its length incrementally, auto-updating the timeline. This much requested feature has applications wherever Pyramix is used.

Interleaved, Multi-mono and Strip Split Recordings
Any Pyramix user knows the difference between “one-file per track” or interleaved. Now there is a third choice which allows users to split the recording by the strip type! Mono channels to mono files, stereo channels to stereo files, and multichannel tracks to multichannel files.

Horus Mic-Pre Control from the Mixer
Horus has not only redefined the way people setup recordings, but it has also completely redefined Merging as a provider of Swiss-designed tools for use with ANY workstation. The provision of ASIO and CoreAudio RAVENNA connections allows any audio application, Mac or PC to take full advantage of Horus. Until now, the remote of all of the Horus’ internals were dealt with via a web-based interface (allowing control by web-enabled phones, tablets and other devices!) obviating the need for a separate installer for either operating system. But with Pyramix 8.1, Mic-Pre levels are controlled directly from Pyramix. Gain, phantom power, HPF, and phase can be adjusted from the internal mixer. The firmware released simultaneous with Pyramix 8.1 additionally allows Horus Mic-Pre’s to be controlled from the user interface of the Pro Tools 10 Mic-Pre section in the Edit and Mix Views (Mac/PC).

 
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About Merging Technologies

Merging Technologies SA is a Swiss manufacturer with over 20 years of experience in developing groundbreaking, professional Audio and Video products for a wide range of entertainment and media industries. With a dedicated user base in the elite end of the music, film, television, mastering and performances industries, Merging is committed to developing product ranges with unrivalled quality and flexibility, no matter what the application. Merging builds tools for people who want more from their systems, have an inherent need to push boundaries, and believe that quality always comes first, every time.


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