Particular Sound and LinPlug have announced the release of the Sophistry Ambient Synthesizer for Windows and Mac OS X in VST and AU plug-in formats.

Sophistry is a CronoX3 instrument with all features of the CronoX3 plus over 700 "ambient" presets based on more than 5 GB of samples from Particular Sound.

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Features:

• Free Filter with new, continuously adjustable, modulatable filter-type.
• Loop Sampler Generator with individually modulatable loop-points and start-point.
• Versatile architecture with 4 generator modules that are mixed into two filters.
• Easy-Edit panel allowing preset browsing and quick access to main parameters.
• Powerful, editable arpeggiator with up to 32 steps.
• Stereo and 5.1 support (2 generators, both filters and 3 of the effects units can be mixed in 5.1 format. Settings are stored as part of the preset).
• Analogue-modeled Oscillator Generator for real-time analog-style synthesis.
• Time-Sampler with independent real-time time-stretching and pitch-shifting.
• Wavetable (Schrader) Generator that offers wavetable-like operation using any sample.
• Capable of loading up to 64 samples per loop sampler.
• Sampler Generators support audio formats incl. WAV and AIFF up to 24bit/96kHz.
• 2 analog-style multimode stereo filters with modulatable cutoff frequency and resonance.
• 7 ADSFR-type envelopes for controlling output amplitudes and cutoff frequencies, as well as two freely assignable Modulation Envelopes.
• 4 independent LFOs with various waveforms and MIDI-sync capabilities. LFO Waves have adjustable delay, attack and decay time and waveform-symmetry.
• Modulation Matrix with 10 routings for connecting 30 sources and 56 destinations.
• Fully recognizes Velocity, Aftertouch, Pitchbend, Modwheel and various other MIDI controllers, and includes a MIDI Learn function for easy controller assignment.
• 6 simultaneously available effects units, including various Delays, Chorus, Phaser, Filter, Flanger, Gator, Stereo Enhancer, Parametric EQ and Crusher.
• Mono/Polyphonic Portamento/Glide featuring "Fingered" mode and Auto-Bend Modes.
• Full microtonal capabilities (TUN/Scala support).
• 32-voice polyphony (CPU dependent).

Sophistry costs €149 / $179 and is available exclusively from the LinPlug website on DVD only (includes free shipping and handling). CronoX 3 customers can buy Sophistry for €89 / $99.