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PRESS RELEASE

BitHeadz Now Shipping Unity DS-1 Version 2.0 For Windows 95/98/ME

September 23, 2000

Unity Sample Page
Unity Multisample Page

BitHeadz, Inc., the manufacturer of software instruments has released Version 2.0 of the Unity DS-1 Digital Sampler for Windows 95/98/ME. Version 2.0 includes optimizations for improved performance, new features for loop processing and sound design, and better integration with popular sequencing software.

Improved Performance:
Unity DS-1 is now optimized for all Pentium-based CPUs. Users with the Pentium III processor or above will be able to achieve up to 128 stereo voices. Other brand name processors will also experience a performance boost under the new version of Unity.

Loop Processing and Sound Design:
Version 2.0 includes an innovative new feature called 'oscillator stretching' for changing the tempo of a loop without changing pitch. Oscillator stretching uses sample split points to control tempo. These split points can be assigned by original tempo or amplitude threshold, and are completely adjustable for further fine tuning. Oscillator speed controls for loop tempo are included in the Unity Editor, Mixer, and MIDI Processor applications. Oscillator speed can also be assigned to MIDI controllers for adjusting tempo from a hardware controller or sequencer.

Sound design and sample editing features have also been expanded in Version 2.0. Slope, threshold, and comb filter types are now available for additional filtering options. New pitch-shift and multi-tap chorus effects have also been added, as well as improved reverb algorithms. In addition, Unity DS-1 now offers micro-tonal tuning functionality, allowing for user-defined scales and key-centered just intonation.

Sequencer integration:
Unity DS-1 Version 2.0 improves integration with 3rd party sequencing software. Patch name utilities are provided for choosing banks and programs by name within Cakewalk Pro Audio, Steinberg's Cubase VST, and Emagic's Logic Audio. This negates the need to physically launch Unity in order to access sounds by name. However, the Unity editor can also audition banks and programs through the sample engine for users who wish to work with a sequencer and Unity's Editor side by side. Version 2.0 also allows individual programs within a bank to be loaded into RAM rather than the entire bank. This is useful for conserving RAM by accessing only the sample data necessary for the desired program. A new Library function is also included to provide users with another level of organization for large sample collections.

Expanded routing:
Unity DS-1 now offers up to 128 MIDI channels by way of 8 seperate MIDI device drivers, each with 16 available MIDI channels. All 128 channels can be viewed and edited from the Unity DS-1 Mixer application. Also included is the ability to route Unity's audio output to user-defined channels for ASIO or DirectSound compatible audio hardware. In addition, any 8 MIDI controllers can be remapped to any other 8 MIDI controllers for added flexibility with MIDI setups.

Unity DS-1 ($449 MSRP) includes over 300 MB of factory sounds and supports ASIO, ReWire, and DirectSound for Windows-based computers. Upgrades are available for registered users.

For more information, visit their web site at http://www.bitheadz.com/.

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