For Uhbik 2.0 we're radically changing the UI and concept. At the same time Uhbik 2.0 stays fully backwards compatible to Uhbik 1.x.
The first thing you'll notice is the change of UI. Surely, some people will prefer the original skins ("signature wheels") at first. Let me pre-empt any outrage here and say that usability and consistency is vastly improved in the new designs. Also, the new features require a compact view. Give it a few days and you won't want to come back.
Secondly, we added extensive modulation. Similar to Twangström, we added a dynamic envelope, an LFO and a ModMatrix. Behind the new Scope we also added the ModMapper known from Zebra, ACE and Bazille. We furthermore improved those standard modules to accommodate their usefulness in Uhbik. Let me outline some points about these:
- Every Uhbik has the same modulators: Learn once, apply everywhere!
- Modulators can interact: Build gate effects etc.
- We've added extra "good to modulate" parameters to some Uhbiks
- Work in progress: We hope to be able to also visualize ModMatrix slots in the Scope!
Let me explain what I mean: In Uhbik-A we added extra gain parameters for early reflections, diffuse hall and effect input. We also added stereo panning (l/r in pairs for surround applications) With the dynamic envelope you can build ducking reverbs, gated reverbs, reverbs with smoothed out transients, gated diffuse reverbs without gating early reflections, reverbs that only apply to one quarter in a beat (sequenced reverbs), reverbs that randomly apply to any given beat, reverbs that pan, reverbs that pulsate, reverbs that have longer tails on louder signals, reverbs that... loads of them.
We added similar options to Uhbik-D, which already has some excellent mod targets.
Other effects could probably do with some more meaningful modulation targets. Discussing those things is one of the main incentives to post a public alpha version. We'll continue work until we think it's complete.
2. Further improvements
We've added new phaser modes to Uhbik-P which mimic classic 4/6/12 stage phasers. With the now bipolar Mix knob you can do pretty much any classic phasing sound that ever got famous.
We have plans to add new reverb modes to Uhbik-A and new filter modes to Runciter. This is not set in stone yet, but now looks like a good opportunity to do so.
The EQ will get a visual feedback for audio spectrum, both pre- and post EQing. This section is a bit orphaned in the current alpha. Work In Progress™
Because some modulations can make things go crazy, there's a softclip function to prevent loud audio spikes. At the moment this is linear (absolutely transparent) up to 0dB, then smoothly aligns everything until +6dB. This may be to harsh for some, we would like to know what's acceptable, maybe we can use +12dB or even +24dB as the brickwall. And maybe we need to experiment with a combination of limiting as well.
3. Roadmap, pricing and all
Our plan is to go public beta in mid December.
We hope to be ready for release mid of January.
Until release, the price stays €149, then (mid of January) goes up to €199. (Consider the current price tag an introduction offer to V2.0)
The upgrade is free for existing owners of a 1.x license.
There are experiments with a rack version. We will let you know if and what we do with it as soon as we are sure that it's what we want it to be.
Discuss,
- U
...Any new set of ideas to implement for it?