MachineCodex Software has released v0.70 beta of MachineHead, an alternative media player for Mac OS X that tightly integrates your media, iTunes Library, Quartz Compositions and CoreAudio Audio Units effects. MachineHead is made for musicians, DJs, audiophiles and casual listeners alike. MachineHead allows users to easily create loops and apply real-time Audio Units effects to tracks from iTunes and elsewhere. It is built around a unique hybrid CoreAudio/QuickTime playback engine which preferentially plays files with CoreAudio.

Main features:

• Pitch Shifting from -1200 to +1200Hz.
• Time Shifting from 1/4x to 4x speed.
• Opens most audio files.
• Opens most video files.
• Unique CoreAudio + QuickTime hybrid playback engine.
• Real-time AudioUnit Effects chain.
• 10 band Graphic Equalizer.
• Looping controls to isolate one or more sections of a track.
• iTunes integration with built-in iTunes media browser, or drag & drop direct from iTunes.
• Powerful Audio file conversion, exports to AIFF/ AIFC, WAV, MP4, M4A, AAC, SD2, CAF.
• Fullscreen mode.
• Create and edit your own Visualizations in Quartz Composer.

MachineHead costs $29 but a free time-limited Public Beta is currently available (Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger, Universal Binary).

MachineCodex Software plans to ship MachineHead 1.0 in August 2007, with the final price still be be decided. Current plans would see the release of two versions, MachineHead and MachineHead Pro. These two products will be positioned in the range of $39 - $79.