Blue Cat's MB-7 Mixer 3.5 Multiband MultiFX and Plug-Ins Host Released

[Blue Cat Audio]

Dear KVR Members,

We are happy to release Blue Cat's MB-7 Mixer 3.5, a new version of our multiband multi-effects plug-in capable of loading third party plug-ins on separate frequency bands.

With its new new macro parameters and many new features and improvements (full list below), this new version redefines multiband effects and lets you create your own, applying built-in or third party plug-ins on their own frequency bands. Many factory presets have also been revisited to let users interact with the effects easily with just a few knobs, regardless of their complexity.

This new version is also officially ready for for the next Pro Tools release, supporting native Apple Silicon for AAX (while all other Blue Cat Audio plug-ins already have previews available for existing customers).

The free update can be downloaded from the same location as the original full version (link received by email upon purchase). Blue Cat's MB-7 Mixer is exceptionally on sale (23% off) until December 22nd, with an extra discount for existing Blue Cat Audio customers (received by email). Demo versions are available on www.bluecataudio.com in most plug-in formats for Mac and PC.



What's New in Blue Cat's MB-7 Mixer 3.5:
- New macro controls editor to edit plug-in parameters mapping.
- Assign multiple parameters from multiple plug-ins to a single macro control, and adjust the range for each parameter.
- Assign a name to each macro control, that is now displayed in automation lanes in most host applications (may require a session reload in some cases).
- Parameters names for existing sessions will be automatically updated upon load.
- Select macro knobs appearance among 18 predefined styles.
- Updated dozens of presets with macro parameters.
- New learn modes to quickly assign plug-in parameters.
- Added an option in global & preset input settings to send MIDI events when MIDI-enabled parameters are modified in the plug-in (to update control surfaces accordingly).
- In most plug-in formats, internal audio I/O configuration can now be selected regardless of the configuration defined by the host (you can for example reduce the number of channels to save CPU and process only selected channels).
- Improved performance to load the user interface.
- Improved VST parameter value display in some host applications.
- Added Apple Silicon support for AAX Plug-in Format.
- Mac: installers and plug-ins have been notarized to avoid security warnings on Mac OS Catalina and newer.
- Fixed bypass that did not let MIDI messages go thru for some MIDI plug-ins.
- Fixed some GUI resizing issues with some VST3 plug-ins.
- Fixed an issue with some VST3 plug-ins requiring to click twice on the bypass button to get bypassed.

System requirements:
- Intel or Apple Silicon Mac running Mac OS 10.9 or newer.
- Windows PC running Windows Vista or newer.

Pricing:
Blue Cat's MB-7 Mixer: 99 EUR or $99 (instead of 129) until December 22nd

[plexuss]

Thanks for the update BC. Always nice to have updated audio tools!

While I have you here, will the graduations in some of your metering tools ever be switched to logarathmic? Many are linearily graduated which I find hard to use because I have no other tools that use it. They all use log. I'd love to better use my Analysis Bundle but I find the linear graduation keeps me away. I did bring this up a couple years ago and a BC person thought it was worth looking at but I havent seen them changed. Thanks!

I just noticed, the linear approach in the specrum meter in the screenshot of the MB-7 as well in your post. What is the rationale for this? If I could better understand what the benefit is maybe it would be ok... Is there a reason your frequency graduations are done this way?

[Blue Cat Audio]

That's indeed a legacy thing - I must admit I am not a big fan of log-style graduations, hence the linear graduations chosen years ago... But I can understand this could be useful. I guess that's an item in the todo list that has been overlooked!

[plexuss]

That's indeed a legacy thing - I must admit I am not a big fan of log-style graduations, hence the chosen linear graduations chosen years ago... But I can understand this could be useful. I guess that's an item in the todo list that has been overlooked!

So the ratioanle for using non-standard linear frequency graduations is "(You are) not a big fan of log-style graduations". I am not intending to be a smart ass but have you heard of user centred design? The idea that product features should align to what the user needs and expects? Since log scales are the defacto standard (over 80% of random examples will have log scale showing it's ubiquitous) it can be said users would expect this. Designing based on personal opinion is a major user experience mistake. Log scale is how audio works and hence how audio engineers work.

I really hope you update your products with log scales because frankly I find the linear scale unusable. Any of your plugins that have a heavy user load on use of the scale prevents me from using Blue Cat products and I can't sell them on to others that care less because you don't support license transfers. This renders many of my BC products useless to me.

[escalona]

I agree

[plexuss]

By adding a user selection option between linear and log frequency scales, it creates a unique option for users vs constraining everyone to an uncommon metering system. Just a suggestion on how to rationalize it from a business perspective.