Expert Sleepers has announced the release of Augustus Loop v1.7.0 for Windows and Mac OS X in VST and AU plug-in formats. This is the first release for Windows and the first VST version for Mac OS X.

Augustus Loop costs $29 for new customers but v1.7 is a free update for owners of the previous version.

Changes:

• First Windows version.
• First Mac OS X VST version.
• New GUI.
• Fixed various filter problems. In particular, the filter cutoff was being limited to about 2kHz - now the full range up to 8kHz is usable. Therefore, this version may sound different to previous versions at the same settings. A preferences setting is provided to revert to the previous behaviour, which may be useful if you have to re-visit an old mix after upgrading.
• Added 'Tape Stop' feature.

For those new to this plug-in, Augustus Loop is an emulation of a tape-based delay effect, with some extra features to facilitate its use as a looping device.

The key features of Augustus Loop that make it more than just a big delay effect are:

• Really long maximum delay (3600 seconds - that's one hour).
• Tap length/tap record. You can set the loop delay time while recording your first phrase.
• Virtual tape. The delay simulates an old-style tape delay, meaning you can:
  • Change the tape speed (i.e. pitch up and down)
  • Reverse the tape direction
  • Stop the tape
  • Smoothly change the delay time (as if you were changing the head gap on a tape delay).
• Multimode filter and saturation in the feedback loop.
• Four feedback taps (left to left, left to right, right to left and right to right) with independent delay time and feedback settings, for ping-pong effects, stereo delays, etc.
• Pitch and filter LFOs.
• Loop length can be set in terms of the host's tempo setting.
• The plug-in can output MIDI clock messages to synchronise other applications to its loop.
• Automatic fades up and down to allow smooth transitions in your playing. It can even automatically clear the loop for you once it's faded out.
• Host transport-sync'd punch in and out when recording.
• 'Inertia free' mode suppresses the tape-like behaviour when changing delay times to allow seamless transitions between loop lengths (This is also the route to the popular 'multiply' and 'divide' features found on some popular looping devices).