Pyramix Celebrates 25 Years With Major New Release
Dolby Atmos® workflow, new packs and prices, new security system
Puidoux: October 2020. Even though celebrations for Merging Technologies 30th Anniversary have been muted by Covid-19, nothing could stop major enhancements to all three of the company’s software platforms. The mere fact that Pyramix has remained at the top of the quality tree for DAWs for this length of time is an achievement in itself. This might have been Pyramix 13 but we conveniently chose 25th Anniversary Edition as its title.
DOLBY ATMOS®
The really big news for Pyramix is the inclusion of a Dolby Atmos® workflow in response to the increasing demand for immersive music mixes to be released in this format. Pyramix 25th allows users to create natively in Dolby Atmos without the need to move to an alternative platform. This means that the many customers that have been asked to provide immersive content can dramatically simplify and speed up the process of delivering the final master.
Many Merging customers have been pioneers in producing wonderful immersive music and simplifying the process of delivery and increasing the diversity of content will be a huge bonus to music lovers worldwide. Merging Technologies has worked closely with Dolby to not only have full communication between Pyramix and the Dolby Atmos Renderer, but also to bridge the gap between the Dolby Atmos 7.1.2 maximum bed size and the traditionally bigger bus sizes used by some Pyramix users. By detecting when a user is mapping the bus-based channel to an object, Pyramix sends the correct metadata to the Dolby Atmos Renderer, to emulate a speaker. This is particularly relevant for users wanting to translate native mixes using more than two height channels (5.1.4, 7.1.4) and/or using wide speakers (9.1.4, 9.1.6).
· Direct connection with a Dolby Atmos Mastering Suite workstation to transfer audio and metadata.
· Fully compatible with the Dolby Atmos Production Suite renderer
· Extremely flexible mixing options. Bed and Objects can be optimized in Pyramix to manage different speaker set configurations
Pyramix aside, any DAW user needing an audio interface to get started with Dolby Atmos should definitely consider MERGING+ANUBIS as the perfect companion to the Dolby Atmos Production Suite since the release of EQ on outputs (latest Anubis firmware).
NEW PACKS
In a move to make the software packs simpler to understand and more cost effective, Pyramix software now comes in only three versions with dramatically reduced prices.
1. ELEMENTS is the cheapest version allowing creators to experience most transparent DAW in the world enjoying DSD/DXD format.
2. PRO is for those who rely on Pyramix for editing and require more channels of DSD/DXD.
3. PREMIUM is the version containing all features allowing 24 channels of DSD/DXD and featuring all the mastering options that Pyramix is famous for including Dolby Atmos compatibility.
Add the MassCore Hardware option to any software version and get ultra-low latency, maximum track count (64 I/O DSD/DXD) and massive performance from VS3 plugins from leading vendors like Cedar and Flux.
FREE VERSION
Free is a word that grabs attention so Pyramix for free sounds very tempting. There is a string attached; you need to have purchased a Merging Hardware product after September 1st 2020 and registered it on the website. You then get the choice of Pyramix or Ovation Elements in a full version and fully capable of DSD and DXD recording. For those not buying even an Anubis, you can still purchase either program for a nominal amount and experience the best of high-resolution audio.
NEW SECURTY REGIME
Something that will affect all releases is a new security system. With laptops being stripped of USB ports and software deployment requiring lightning speed, Merging has implemented a new security system allowing customers to authorise their software without any hardware dongle. This system works online and offline and should you still prefer to use hardware dongles, the choice is there. This also means that it will now be easier than ever to download a trial of Pyramix.
MULTI-THREADING FOR NATIVE
The next major improvement is for the native user. For a long time, clients looking for maximum performances required MassCore. Pyramix is now based on a multi-threading architecture, so users will benefit from a huge performance improvement. The audio engine analyses the session in real time and calculates the optimal number of threads to be used. For the power user, MassCore remains the go to option for maximum I/O, lowest latencies and tons of power for VS3 processing.
OTHER STUFF
In case that is not enough, significant improvements have been made to VST/VS3 plugins’ distribution, video playback, SRC performance along with some mixer enhancements. Claude Cellier, President of Merging Technologies reflects on the strangeness of the situation; “When we launched Pyramix all those years ago, only in my wildest dreams would we be still doing such amazing productions with Pyramix. Only in my wildest nightmares would we be introducing such a major release in the middle of a global pandemic. The fact that most of the engineering team continue to work from home is a testament to their extraordinary commitment in such difficult circumstances. Our exciting relationship with Dolby in enhancing our immersive offering has also been cemented remotely since there have been no trade shows to meet face to face. It looks like that will not be changing anytime soon.”
Merging Technologies is a Swiss manufacturer with 30 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.
RAVENNA is a solution for real-time distribution of audio and other media content in IP-based network environments. Utilizing standardized network protocols and technologies, RAVENNA can operate on existing network infrastructures. RAVENNA is designed to meet the strict requirements of the pro audio market featuring low latency, full signal transparency and high reliability and is fully AES67 and ST2110 compatible. With a capacity of nearly 8 x MADI streams over a single Gigabit Ethernet link, it is also the first and only Layer-3 based IP audio protocol with full support for high-channel count DXD and DSD signals.
While primarily targeting the professional broadcast market, RAVENNA is also suitable for deployment in other pro audio market segments like live sound, install market and recording. Possible fields of application include (but are not limited to) in-house signal distribution in broadcasting houses, theatres, concert halls and other fixed installations, flexible setups at venues and live events, OB van support, inter-facility links across WAN connections and in production & recording applications.
Dolby, Dolby Atmos and the double-D symbol are among the registered and unregistered trademarks of Dolby Laboratories, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries.
