b2 : new Reverb from 2cAudio...

[pencilrocket]

you don't get it..
this is stuff for ME..
to keep ME inspired...
to keep ME exploring...
if an fx/instrument ... surpasses my expectations..
then it will be a welcomed addition to my pallette..
if I can currently afford to get it
simply put... new toys for the kid in me...
this was the case when I moved to Live from Cubase...
and when I got tools like Absynth or Reaktor..
I'm not an audiophile.. but I do (really) like messing with sounds...
and make a living off of it...
and I also have a lot of respect for the people making these products..
this is not my first and will not be my last reverb I'm guessing...

I used to say all I need I have in Live..
while this is still somewhat true..
I could never get the sounds I get from Aether/b2 so easily in Live..
and I don't see why I should limit myself for the sake of what?

if your q is...do I need all this shit to make a good tune ?
or to mix better ?
then the answer is definitely no...

I can understand what you are trying to say, there is always room to enjoy new things. I meant to say practical side of the 'toolbox'.

[glitchrock-buddha]

Does B2 make Aether redundant ? It seems to be Aether on steroids, with a cleaner GUI.

Make Aether redundant? Have you looked at the controls? There isn't much in common with Aether, it doesn't have the ER controls especially. B2 consists of 2 Breeze engines, with slightly expanded parameters, but mostly the same. Each engine can load breeze presets, so using a single B2 engine without dynamics and distortion is very similar to using Breeze, so if anything it makes Breeze somewhat redundant. The Gui even looks identical. And obviously the name B2 is derived from Breeze.

Maybe you meant it seems to be Breeze on steroids?

[3dot...]

you don't get it..
this is stuff for ME..
to keep ME inspired...
to keep ME exploring...
if an fx/instrument ... surpasses my expectations..
then it will be a welcomed addition to my pallette..
if I can currently afford to get it
simply put... new toys for the kid in me...
this was the case when I moved to Live from Cubase...
and when I got tools like Absynth or Reaktor..
I'm not an audiophile.. but I do (really) like messing with sounds...
and make a living off of it...
and I also have a lot of respect for the people making these products..
this is not my first and will not be my last reverb I'm guessing...

I used to say all I need I have in Live..
while this is still somewhat true..
I could never get the sounds I get from Aether/b2 so easily in Live..
and I don't see why I should limit myself for the sake of what?

if your q is...do I need all this shit to make a good tune ?
or to mix better ?
then the answer is definitely no...

I can understand what you are trying to say, there is always room to enjoy new things. I meant to say practical side of the 'toolbox'.

this...
also I think if it keeps me interested..
then it's practical..

also...
as I said..
I tend to get stuff that Live simply can't do...
you might be able to build an complex audio rack that may emulate the signal path and character of B2...
but it will be a pita to build the advanced features this plugin offers..
and will never let you modulate the parameters in the same ways...

also it will take a lot of work...
so I guess another practicality is that it saves time..
in the long run..

another practical benefit...
is that I can move between DAWS and environments and am not constrained to Ableton alone..
another practical thing...
Midi clip automation recording for vst instruments...

although both live reverb and b2/aether are both reverb units..
I like b2/aether SOUND more ...
and THAT may be the most practical reason I'm using these over Lives' reverb usually...

[Sibanger]

Does B2 make Aether redundant ? It seems to be Aether on steroids, with a cleaner GUI.

Make Aether redundant? Have you looked at the controls? There isn't much in common with Aether, it doesn't have the ER controls especially. B2 consists of 2 Breeze engines, with slightly expanded parameters, but mostly the same. Each engine can load breeze presets, so using a single B2 engine without dynamics and distortion is very similar to using Breeze, so if anything it makes Breeze somewhat redundant. The Gui even looks identical. And obviously the name B2 is derived from Breeze.

Maybe you meant it seems to be Breeze on steroids?

Ha, thats exactly what I ment to say....."Breeze" LOL

Just had aether on the brain

[Electric Blue Studios]

grabbed it today. i think its the last day for the $99 price.

[glitchrock-buddha]

grabbed it today. i think its the last day for the $99 price.

Only 99 if you own the whole perfect storm bundle already right?

[Electric Blue Studios]

grabbed it today. i think its the last day for the $99 price.

Only 99 if you own the whole perfect storm bundle already right?

yes, or the individual pieces that make it up.

[asouter]

Hi Guys,

Incidentally we have extended the intro promo to Sept 15, so it is still active for 8 more days.

Here are the full details:

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

The first month of B2 has gone exceptionally well. It seems B2 may be destined to be equally as, or perhaps even more, popular than Aether. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive and we are very honored to read all of the various comments initial adopters have written such as:

http://www.2caudio.com/products/b2#Reviews
http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=6
http://www.gearslutz.com/board/new-prod ... everb.html
http://www.vi-control.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=27174

In August we offered various promotional pricing on all of our products including B2. Several customers have requested we keep the promo pricing active a little while longer, while we are still working on 64-bit OSX support. In response to such a positive reception of B2 we have decided to keep the promo pricing active for another two weeks. All promo pricing will remain active until/through Sept 15, 2012. This gives everyone approximately two more weeks to join the family... We hope the rest of you all will join us...

B2 is currently $199.95 and The Perfect Storm 2.0 is currently $449.95 for new customers until September 15, 2012. The standard promotional pricing is already active in the store and can be simply ordered from the Buy Now links in the product listings above.

Even greater discounts are available for existing customers depending on your order history, as described below:

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Have Aether, or Breeze?
Add B2 for only $149.95 from now until Sept 15, 2012.
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

If you have at least one of the previous 2CAudio products you may pick up B2 for only $149.95 during the intro period until September 15, 2012:

0) To order simply go here:

http://www.galbanum.com/shop/product_in ... ucts_id=93

1) Select OS format(s) from menus above. Add to cart, and continue to checkout.

2) At checkout you need to enter the following coupon code:

B2_Crossgrade

3) This will adjust the price to $149.95 if you qualify. Proceed through checkout.


/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Have ALL previous 2CAudio products?
Upgrade for only $99.95 from now until Sept 15, 2012.
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

If you have previously purchased The Perfect Storm 1.0 bundle or Aether, Breeze, and the Aether Expansions in separate purchases, you may now upgrade to The Perfect Storm 2.0 bundle, adding B2, for only $99.95 during the introductory offer period from now until September 15, 2012.

0) Go HERE:

http://www.galbanum.com/shop/product_in ... ucts_id=95

1) Select OS format(s) from menus above. Add to cart, and continue to checkout.

2) At checkout you need to enter one of the following coupon codes depending on your order history:

PerfectStorm2Upgrade : If you have previously ordered the Perfect Storm 1.0 bundle.
PerfectStorm2Upgrade2 : If you have previously ordered (Aether + Aether Expansions + Breeze).
PerfectStorm2Upgrade3 : If you have previously ordered (Aether2009GroupBuy + Aether Expansions + Breeze).

3) Enter the appropriate coupon code for your circumstances on the checkout page. This will adjust the price to $99.95. Proceed through checkout.

Thanks again for all your support! We truly appreciate it.

--
Andrew Souter
2CAudio | convergent creative precision | www.2CAudio.com
Galbanum | sonic science aural allusion | www.galbanum.com

[asouter]

And just in case you missed it, here is the info on B2 again:

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
B2: Full Body. Maximum Attitude.
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

We are very proud to introduce you to B2. B2 is the third child in our prodigious lineage of world-class reverbs and spatial processors. It was a ton of work, and we are very pleased with the results and think you will be too:

http://www.2caudio.com/products/b2

B2 is a modular dual-engine, non-linear spatial processor featuring built-in harmonic distortion and flexible dynamics. It is our most advanced plug-in to date and is capable of both mind-bending creative effects that defy classification as well as stunningly lush reverbs. Its modular design enables an almost infinite variety of sonic possibilities.

It has some really cool and unique features that we think you will love:

• Two identical and independent engines
• Pervasive non-linearity and controlled randomness providing unique character and excitement
• Non-linear distortion ranging from subtle saturation to extreme bit-crushing
• Parallel as well as serial and hybrid configurations via Cascade
• Modular design that gives limitless configurations and minimizes CPU usage
• Extreme range in density varying from a single delay to full white noise as well as complex & clustered IRs
• Two dynamics modules providing Gating, Ducking, Auto Gain, and more
• Well-designed and ergonomic GUI which organizes deep complexity into a simple and enjoyable workflow
• Huge number of novel and unique Damping and EQ filter types
• Complex and Extreme Stereo Modes
• Advanced Conservation of Energy scheme that maintains RMS levels when editing presets
• Comprehensive Factory Presets and Preset Browser
• Engine Templates to facilitate preset design
• Ability to load Breeze presets as Engine Presets
• Dynamics sub-preset system that is distinct from engine presets to allow mix-and-match preset creation
• 2x & 4x Oversampling
• Double Precision 64bit DSP
• Band-limited Interpolation
• Proprietary Spectral Modulation
• Variable Quality Modes
• Extreme Off-line Render Modes
• 64bit Host/OS Support on Windows (forthcoming on OSX)
• Optional global saturation and soft-limiting for added character and color

For those of you who are numerically minded, B2 sports some pretty darn impressive stats. First let's talk presets.

1,141 Total Factory Resources including:

672 Factory Presets in 25 classes
96 Dynamics Presets in 7 classes
54 Engine Templates in 8 classes
319 Engine Presets in 12 classes from Breeze 1.1

Presets are a great starting point, but once you become more familiar with B2's workflow you will want to take note of the immense number of modular options it offers making it undoubtedly one of the most versatile spatial processors on the market:

2 identical and completely independent engines
36 damping and 30 EQ filter choices
33 Attitude types with 4 different routings
4 Density modes and 12 Contour modes
2 Modulation modes and 3 Modulation densities
4 Dynamics modes and 4 Dynamics routings
Amount of inspiration and enjoyment: priceless

Please see the web listing above for full details and explanations of all the exciting new features. There are a ton of details to digest.

[asouter]

...if anyone has any questions about anything, I will check back here periodically, and I am happy to try to answer...

[glitchrock-buddha]

Hi Andrew,

I assume it's the dynamics section that requires the small latency in B2, correct? Can this become zero latency when dynamics are disabled?

[asouter]

We hope to offer variable latency (including 0) in the future.


just FYI... a similar question/answer I posted on KVR:

Why specifically are you concerned about a latency of 64 samples that is auto compensated for by the host? Worse case this is 64/44100 = 0.00145 sec = 1.45 ms. Or 343 * 0.00145 = 0.497 meters. Or approximately 1.5 feet.

Algorithmic reverb algs are made up of delays. If there is zero delay there is zero reverb. So when we talk about zero latency reverbs such as Aether and breeze we refer to the fact that the dry signal has no delay at all. The wet signal always has some kind of delay. Otherwise it would not be reverb.

In B2 the dry signal is delayed by 64 samples also b.c it is possible to have presets where there is zero additional delay in the wet signal (when the reverb engines are off and we use only eq dynamics and/or distortion). And it is possible to mix this with the dry signal. If this is not aligned you will get objectionable comb filtering and phase canecelization issues. Hence the dry signal is delayed to prevent this.

But I ask again, why is 64 samples really objectionable in practice? It is less latency than in inherent in the physical distance between most real world instruments and your ear when being performed live.

[glitchrock-buddha]

We hope to offer variable latency (including 0) in the future.


just FYI... a similar question/answer I posted on KVR:

Why specifically are you concerned about a latency of 64 samples that is auto compensated for by the host? Worse case this is 64/44100 = 0.00145 sec = 1.45 ms. Or 343 * 0.00145 = 0.497 meters. Or approximately 1.5 feet.

Algorithmic reverb algs are made up of delays. If there is zero delay there is zero reverb. So when we talk about zero latency reverbs such as Aether and breeze we refer to the fact that the dry signal has no delay at all. The wet signal always has some kind of delay. Otherwise it would not be reverb.

In B2 the dry signal is delayed by 64 samples also b.c it is possible to have presets where there is zero additional delay in the wet signal (when the reverb engines are off and we use only eq dynamics and/or distortion). And it is possible to mix this with the dry signal. If this is not aligned you will get objectionable comb filtering and phase canecelization issues. Hence the dry signal is delayed to prevent this.

But I ask again, why is 64 samples really objectionable in practice? It is less latency than in inherent in the physical distance between most real world instruments and your ear when being performed live.

Just out of curiosity though, is it just the dynamics requiring latency?

[asouter]

a couple things benefit from the minimal latency...

[asouter]

While working on currently finalizing the manual I realized we still get a few questions via email such as:

So what exactly is B2?
What makes it special?
What makes it different than Aether?
etc.

In the manual I have just put a "B2 Concept" section. This summaries the answer to the above questions fairly well I think. Most of this text is already on the web, but perhaps a slightly more concise and better organized version is helpful, so I will paste it here too:

B2 is a modular dual-engine, non-linear spatial processor featuring built-in harmonic distortion and flexible dynamics. It is our most advanced plug-in to date and is capable of both mind-bending creative effects that defy classification as well as stunningly lush reverbs. Its modular design enables an almost infinite variety of sonic possibilities.

B2 is modular in design. Its anything-goes, science-experiment-esque modus operandi is in some ways more in line with the design of the great modular analog synthesizers of the past than it is with more traditional reverb designs such as Aether. It currently offers 36 damping and 30 EQ filter choices, 33 Attitude types with 4 different routings, 4 Density modes, 12 Contour modes, 2 Modulation modes, 3 Modulation densities, 4 Dynamics modes, 4 Dynamics routings, 2 special spatial modes, and 4 delay feedback/Time modes. We implore those curious at heart to try everything and anything. Of course the modular design also offers opportunities to improve efficiency and save CPU cycles. CPU usage in B2 varies drastically depending on the various modes selected as well as which modules are enabled, and current quality settings. Moreover B2's modular design was conceived specifically to facilitate future enhancements and features.

B2's dual engine design augments its modularity by allowing its two identical engines to have completely independent settings and be configured in a number of possible structures. B2 can be configured in the classic Early Reflections plus Late Reflections model to achieve results similar to Aether. Alternatively, Engine A can be Cascaded into the Engine B to achieve incredibly dense impulse responses with arbitrary envelopes. Dynamics processing can be used to automatically crossfade between two different parallel spaces. Yet another possibility is to use B2 as a discrete four-engine device to achieve unparalleled control over the behavior of inter-channel stereo cross-talk to achieve precise spatialization in classical sound-stage and scoring applications. These are but a few examples. The possibilities are enough to make your head explode, but fret not, as you need only to learn to master one set of controls. After that you can think about how to make them work together as a pair by following the examples provided in our immense collection of well-organized presets.

A non-linear spatial processor can be non-linear in many different ways technically. It may have an abruptly gated or otherwise altered decay envelope as is achievable with B2's Dynamics section. It may exhibit various harmonic distortions as is possible via B2 Attitude control. Extreme modulation settings may induce their own non-linearities as is also possible with B2. Moreover non-linear design elements may be built into the very essence of the time distribution of delays within the reverb and their relative amplitudes. These aspects contribute to the overall character of the reverb both in the time domain and in the spectral domain. B2's Geometry controls define the nature of these relationships and give it a large part of its unique character. Other developers tend to choose static settings for these types of parameters and do not expose them to the user. Sometimes a small set of these parameters are marketed as different "algorithms" where one configuration may be labeled a hall, and other may be a chamber or a plate. B2 is not confined to such limitations. Instead its Range, Random, and Curve controls define its delay distribution, and its Contour control defines the relative amplitude of these delays using any of twelve different methods. The various combinations of these parameters together with B2's density mode options allow an incredibly diverse set of possible geometries. For all intents and purposes, the range of possibilities is effectively infinite. When combined with B2's Cascade function the results are even more diverse and powerful.

When all of these aspects are combined the results are truly deep and awe-inspiring. B2's relatively simple, informative, and ergonomic interface effortlessly distills tremendous complexity into a manageable and enjoyable user experience. It is designed to be a system-level tool that will become essential to your very workflow. The basics will be almost immediately evident, however at its heart, B2 is a tool made by professionals for professionals. It can be configured in a myriad number of ways to meet the shifting needs of your current project. A minimal investment of time spent learning the subtleties and details of its methods and workflow is likely to pay dividends for years to come and unlock previously unimaginable sonic possibilities that will both inspire you creatively as well as help you achieve unrivaled technical excellence in the competitive marketplace.