Merging Technologies: Pyramix 11 will ‘speed up workflow’

Swiss-based Merging technologies have announced an update to Pyramix, their Digital Audio Workstation.

Widely used in broadcast and mission-critical audio applications, the company were an early adopter of audio-over-IP technology with their RAVENNA Ethernet Audio Protocol and version 11 brings some new innovations in this, and other, areas.

The ANEMAN: Audio NEtwork MANager is a new tool that oversees the audio network and which shows the status of devices connected along with details of the Precision Time Protocol (PTP) status. Multiple sample rates are seamlessly supported and Pyramix’s AISO driver is now compatible with 48-frame AES67 devices and available for use under Linux.

“We’ve thought for a long time that the network route seemed to be an obvious choice for us,” says Maurice Engler, Product Manager and Strategic product development at Merging. “The situation in the marketplace today demonstrates that this choice was the right one. ANEMAN works with our own renowned converters (Horus + Hapi) but also with AES67 devices—and the list of compatible converters is expanding.”

Pyramix is firmly aimed at the broadcast and post-production sectors and version 11 features some new tools that creators in these areas will find useful. VST plug-ins can be applied directly to mono or multichannel clips, while Merging’s ‘3D audio’ VST-based B<>com processors offer what the company call a “truly immersive experience”. Pyramix’s surround panner can now be controlled by 3D connect devices for the tactile control of the special positioning of audio.

“It is generally acknowledged by the users that Pyramix has always been the best and most precise audio editor,” Engler claims. “In Pyramix X we introduced a unique object-based immersive audio bus monitoring and panning structure and this has been enhanced in version 11 by adding some great plugins from b<>com—which were developed in partnership with French broadcasters. Pyramix 11 is not just aimed at complex multichannel productions though and you can use these excellent sounding algorithms for a simple 5.1, stereo or binaural productions.”

Version 11 brings compatibility for Windows 10 and Windows 10 Creator (with backwards compatibility to Windows 7) and Merging’s proprietary Masscore low-latency driver is also available for the latest Microsoft operating system. Other improvements include changes to clip Trim controls, a useful labelling of inputs and outputs, Media manager improvements and an ‘album publishing’ function. Version 11 also offers enhanced integration for the AVID S-series of Hardware Controllers.

“With Pyramix 11 we’ve created tools to help speed up workflow,” says Engler. “These enhancements came from listening directly to the feedback from our customers. For example, one can now directly export a master file in its original format alongside multiple file formats, both compressed and uncompressed, all with different bit resolution and sample rates while containing the same metadata—all in a single step.” Alongside Pyramix, drivers for AES67 and RAVENNA (Core Audio, ASIO) and Merging’s converter firmware’s have also been updated.

More evolution than revolution, Pyramix maintains its reputation for rock-solid stability and low–latency with new tools aimed at those working in surround, 3D and immersive audio.

http://www.merging.com/