Kotkas has announced that version 2.0 of their freeware VST sampler Paax will be released soon.

Some of the new key features are:

• Totally re-designed GUI.
• 128 notes of polyphony.
• Up to 4 VST outputs with individual controls for volume and pan.
• Enhanced envelopes with delay, attack, hold, decay, sustain and release phases.
• Optional delay control previous to the start of any LFO.
• Up to 8 velocity zones per split (layering and cross fading are now possible).
• 2 samples per velocity-zone (up to 16 layered samples per note).
• New advanced panel with dozens of controls for tweaking individual split-velocity-sample parameters (envelopes, LFOs, loop point offsets, effect sends, etc.).
• New Micro-Granular real-time pitch-shifting option.
• Enhanced effects rack with 2 new stereo effect units: chorus & delay (plus the previous reverb unit).
• New enhanced bank format.
• Capable of importing SoundFonts (.sf2) and AKAI S5000/6000 programs (.akp).