Audified Releases MixChecker ULTRA

US An evolution of the MixChecker PRO mix reference tool 13/06/24

Audified has announced availability of MixChecker ULTRA, which they say is the ultimate evolution of its MixChecker mix reference concept for quickly checking reference mixes without having to export them for listening on different speaker setups. They tell us that it is now taken to even higher heights thanks to the inclusion of over 90 simulated high-end pro audio and commonplace consumer devices, an attractive new GUI styling, and time-saving analytical additions for measuring the most crucial mix parameters, practically, from within a single plug-in, plus more besides. Here's the full details in their own words...

To truly appreciate the impact of Audified's MixChecker mix reference concept, it is worth stepping back, briefly, in time to 2016 when the original MixChecker was introduced to widespread critical acclaim as a must-have mixing assistant plug-in that transforms studio monitors into classic reference monitors or one of several consumer devices to instantly improve mixes -- no more time wasted exporting mixes to smartphones or burning CDs to listen in a car before going back into the studio to tweak the mix only to have to repeat the tiresome process time and again. Indeed, it remains available in its latest incarnation to this day through the likes of one-stop music production powerhouse LANDR (https://www.landr.com/plugins/audified-mixchecker), and includes 12 simulated devices that make it ideal for quick-reference mix-checking purposes. Put it this way, though: today Audified has truly taken the concept to another level entirely.

Enter, then, the wonderful world of MixChecker ULTRA, ultimately allowing its users to choose from 90-plus accurately measured simulations of up-to-date devices with instantly-recognisable icons and associated descriptions to help with identification. It is, for instance, perfectly possible to try out the sound profile of industry-standard studio monitors and headphones; check how a mix translates to cars, club PA systems, or small Bluetooth speakers; or check mixes in noisy real-world environments, such as shopping malls, streets, subways, and more.

Supporting standard WAV IR (Impulse Response) files, MixChecker ULTRA also allows users to import an IR of any environment -- be that a colleague's studio, a popular acoustic space, or, possibly, even a cathedral -- to hear how a mix translates to that imported environment, effectively.

Moreover, MixChecker ULTRA benefits from an attractive new GUI and improved UX (user experience) to quickly choose those simulated high-end pro audio and commonplace consumer devices and change their settings. Such settings are easily adjustable, allowing users to adjust the Volume of each device independently or set the simulated Stereo Base to better match real-world conditions. Audified's audio engine also takes into account the non- linear behaviour of the devices concerned and, as such, simulates their distortion and clipping characteristics; users can quickly turn on DIST to see if their mix would Dist (distort) or Clip the selected device.

Analysing any mix is essential to improving its quality, so it stands to reason that MixChecker ULTRA benefits from some serious yet seriously easy-to-use analytical metering tools available in a series of dedicated modules -- namely, Gonio (analyses the stereo image of a track to show how balanced a mix is), Loudness (checks how loud a track is to show whether it is exceeding an adjustable threshold, and includes presets for the most popular streaming services that set thresholds to their levels to show whether a mix would fit their criteria), Dynamics (checks the dynamic range of a mix to show the difference between the loudest and quietest parts), Stereo (shows how occupied the frequencies of a mix are in the stereo field to identify whether some crucial frequencies are only present on one side of the spectrum), and Spectrum (provides a quick overview of which frequencies need to be focused on to improve a mix when compared to a reference track). All adds up to enabling users to quickly analyse their mix and make changes accordingly. (It is worth pointing out here that MixChecker ULTRA users can quickly import a reference track using its WAV- and MP3 format-supporting Player module that allows them to switch between sources in each module to compare their master track with a reference track, analyse the differences, and make further changes accordingly.)

And last, but by no means least, MixChecker ULTRA users can quickly save a combination of the 10 devices shown in the main window together with the selection and position of the analytical modules as presets.

Though the original MixChecker has been an integral part of Audified's portfolio for years, selling over 15,000 copies worldwide -- an impressive figure that was only bettered by MixChecker PRO that has, to date, sold over 20,000 copies since its introduction in 2018 (adding 50-plus new devices, additional features, saveable presets, and more in the process of advancing anyone's reference game), it is crystal clear that Audified has, indeed, taken its ideally-monikered mix reference concept to even higher heights in response to customer feedback with today's timely introduction of MixChecker ULTRA, overhauling and improving everything about MixChecker PRO -- and then some -- to take big strides towards becoming the ultimate mastering suite while ushering in a new era of the software application, software effect, and hardware processor developer's development.

Pricing and Availability:
MixChecker ULTRA is available to purchase for $149.00 USD (Owners of MixChecker PRO can upgrade to MixChecker ULTRA for $39.00 USD.)

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