ULTRAFUNK SONITUS:FX 2A (WIN)
A seven-pack of flexible DirectX/VST effects plug-ins.
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By
Scott R. Garrigus
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Sonitus:fx 2a is a group of seven DirectX/VST plug-ins from Norwegian software developer Ultrafunk. Each effect is named after the function it provides: equalizer, modulator, phase, reverb, compressor, wah-wah, and surround. The plug-ins have an uncluttered, intuitive interface and offer an assortment of parameters that you can adjust both numerically (from the keyboard) and graphically (with the mouse). They are available for purchase only online, either separately or as a package, and each comes with a short but informative Help file that doubles as the manual.
I tested the Sonitus:fx 2a package on a Pentium III/700 MHz with 256 MB of RAM and Windows 98SE using Cakewalk’s Pro Audio, Sonic Foundry’s Sound Forge, Steinberg’s Cubase 5.0, and a few other host applications. All of the plug-ins performed without problems and were fun and easy to work with.
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FIG. 1: Fx:equalizer provides six bands of parametric EQ, which you can set numerically or graphically (click for larger image). |
Equalization
The Fx:equalizer plug-in (see Fig. 1) provides six bands of parametric equalization. Controls for each band include filter type, center frequency, Q, and gain. You can choose from five different filter types: Lowpass, Highpass, Peak/Dip, Shelving Low, and Shelving High. The center frequency can be set at up to half the sample rate, with the width of the band controlled by the Q value. The gain of each band can be boosted or attenuated by 18 dB, and you can use the master output gain to normalize the amplitude of the signal after a filter has been applied.
I particularly like the filter graph in Fx:equalizer. The six bands are represented by numbered yellow dots. Dragging the dots changes the frequency and gain parameters; double-clicking on a dot toggles its band on and off. You can select multiple dots to modify the parameters in different bands simultaneously while still retaining their original ratios—very nice! Fx:equalizer also lets you modify the Q settings by holding down the Shift key while dragging a dot, an unusual but useful function. The amplitude range of the graph can be set to 5, 10, 20, or 40 dB for displaying subtle, precise modulations or drastic EQ effects. The Flat button provides a quick way to reset all the gain parameters to zero.
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Reprinted with permission from
Magazine, March, 2001© 2000, Intertec Publishing, A Primedia Company All Rights Reserved
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