June 19
Unity Player Simplifies Sampling
Trimmed-down Unity package offers mixing but no editing

by David Nagel
Executive Producer

BitHeadz Inc. today announced the release of Unity Player, a Macintosh sampling and MIDI suite. The package is a trimmed-down version of BitHeadz Unity DS-1 that offers all the capabilities of that program but without the editing function.

Unity Player's MIDI implementation allows real-time control of all parameters and integration into existing MIDI setups. Users can play it live with layers, splits and full MIDI continuous control or use it as a multi-timbral sound module running behind another MIDI application on the same computer. The player is fully polyphonic and multi-timbral. The player will also accept Roland and Akai sample libraries when used with Bitheadz Osmosis.

Other features include 24-bit, 96 Hz sound; 128 note polyphony (CPU dependent); Velocity optimization for the G4; DirectConnect support for ProTools 5 integration; 12 MB general MIDI bank; CPU limiting to accommodate other applications; audio input/output matrix for ASIO and Direct I/O devices allowing 32 separate channelized outputs; automatic publishing of OMS and FreeMIDI names; and stereo signal path throughout.

The Unity Player Mixer application allows up to 128 channels with OMS and Free MIDI applications; controls for transposition, tuning and pan and effects sends; and a library menu for access to banks and programs.

Unity Player can output directly to digital audio format on disk in 8-, 16- and 24-bit modes. It also supports ASIO, MAS 2.0, ReWire, Direct I/O, DirectConnect and Sound Manager. The suite ships with more than 300 MB of factory content. It should be available this week for $199. For more information, visit http://www.bitheadz.com.