Tone2 releases RayBlaster2 - Impulse Modelling Synthesizer

Tone2 Audio has released RayBlaster2, a synthesizer plugin for Mac and Windows that uses a new synthesis technique called Impulse Modeling Synthesis (IMS).

RayBlaster2 creates its distinctive sound by combining many short bursts of energy to form a complex sound. The synthesis method provides a wide range of unique sounds, which Tone 2 say can't be created by other synthesizers.

RayBlaster ships with a library of 1076 presets created by professional sound designers. Many complex sounds such as arpeggiators, vocals or drum-loops automatically synchronize to the BPM. For fast and easy access, all sounds are arranged into categories. A patch browser provides instant access to the sound library with ready-to-use patches.

Factory sounds video
Dubstep Trap mp3
Ambient Atmo mp3
Electronic mp3

Modulation
By using drag&drop or the modulation matrix, RayBlaster2 allows to connect dozens of modulation sources to all important sound parameters. Almost any parameter can be modulated with audio-rate speed.

Effects
RayBlaster2 comes with a huge variety of effects that were developed and fine-tuned to complement RayBlaster's Impulse Modeling Synthesis. 44 different stereo effects are included: A large variety of Reverbs, Delays, Chorus, Ensemble, Phaser, Flanger, Rotary, Compressor, Amp-Sim, Equalizer, Surround-Encode, TranceGate, Resonator, Hypersaw, etc.

Waveforms, Samples & Resynthesis
In addition to importing impulse responses of filters, it is possible to import the waveform of any other synthesizer into RayBlaster2. The waveforms and impulse responses can be morphed in real-time. It is also possible to resynthesize short samples like a drum loop or a vocal phrase. RayBlaster2 offers many possibilities to synchronize complex sounds to BPM as well as providing the ability to manipulate the pitch, timing and the timbre of the sounds in real-time.

System requirements:

• PC: Windows XP / 7 / 8 / 10 / Vista.
• PC formats: 32-bit VSTi, 64-bit VSTi, 32-bit standalone, 64-bit standalone.
• Mac: Mac OS X 10.6 or higher.
• Mac formats: 32-bit VSTi, 64-bit VSTi, 32-bit Audio Unit, 64-bit Audio Unit.

Price: €149 / $169.

RayBlaster1 vs RayBlaster2 - What's new?

RayBlaster2 comes with many new features, an enhanced sound engine, a reworked user interface, over 500 additional patches, a patch browser, drag & drop modulation and many enhancements. Tone2 says: "We did not change the look and replace the GUI skin to make it look more 'new'. Instead of this we decided to invest our time into what's really important: The sound, the content and the workflow."

RayBlaster2 is 100% downward compatible with all previous versions. All existing song projects and patches can be loaded without any further steps necessary. They will benefit from the enhanced sound quality.

New features:

• Over 500 new patches by professional designers, the total number of patches has increased to 1076.
• Added a comfortable patch browser.
• Drag & Drop modulation: Drag an envelope or LFO and drop it to a knob to modulate it.
• MIDI learn support: Right-click on a knob to assign a CC.
• The new synth engine is now able to create bass sounds and more realistic lowpass filter sweeps.
• Hovering the mouse over a knob shows a box with information.
• 39 DC waveform types have been added, which are suitable for bass and filter.
• Right-click on a knob opens a menu where you can assign a massive amount of modulation sources.
• Modulation depth control on top left of a knob if a source is assigned.
• Sectors on knobs show the modulation amount.
• A red sector is shown when clipping of modulation occurs.
• Added a random patch generator: Edit->'Create random patch'.
• Hovering the mouse over a knob shows the current parameter value and the modulation source.
• 134 new impulse responses in WAV format.
• 10 additional high quality Reverb effects.
• 5 additional delay effects.
• 2 additional phaser effects.
• 2 additional flanger effects.
• 2 additional vibrato effects.
• 1 additional chorus effect.
• 1 additional tremolo effect.
• 1 additional autopan effect.
• Added 'Psychoacoustic+', a new psychoacoustic mode with more' presence'.
• The patches can be ranked by clicking on the stars in the patch browser.
• Patch rankings are stored as .rnk files within RayBaster_sounds.
• Information tags (like legato, unison, etc) for every patch are shown in 'info' tab of the patch browser.
• File->'Quick save patch' overwrites a patch with the new settings.
• Additional osc window functions 'Triangle', 'Hard square', 'Harder square', 'Taper', 'Sine', 'Fish', 'Add square', 'Lips'.
• Responsive and smart GUI with tooltips.
• Parameters can be reset to the default value with right-click->reset.
• Switching the effect type now selects good default parameter values.
• 4 additional sound categories 'Wobble', 'Pluck', 'Pad 2' and 'Sequence'.
• Edit->'Clean matrix' cleans up the mod matrix and resets unused slots.
• Edit->'Reset MIDI learn' removes all MIDI CC assignments.
• Added a 'Hypersaw' effect, which sounds like many detuned oscillators.
• 32-bit WAV file format support.
• Support for exotic WAV file headers (Logic X).
• Help->'Show version info'.
• Help->'Download updates'.
• Edit->'Init gate: Ramp up / down / up & down / down & up / random' initializes various shapes for the step sequencer.

Enhancements:

• The synthesis engine has been reworked.
• More detailed overall sound.
• Extended sonic range with more 'low-end'.
• Reworked user interface.
• More soft parameter smoothing.
• It's more easy to get good results when building own sounds.
• More linear frequency response, especially for high frequencies.
• Enhanced sound of the effects by adding oversampling.
• The resynthesis is able to import larger samples.
• Higher precision for high frequencies when using the resynthesis.
• Reworked many existing factory sounds.
• New knobs with enhanced performance.
• Enhanced sound of unison.
• Enhanced Init patch settings.
• File, Edit & Help menus now pop up from beneath.
• Updated and extended demo version.
• Better performance.
• More robustness and stability.
• Better compatibility with older hosts.
• Support for exotic mouse drivers.
• Better workflow.
• Higher quality waveform playback.
• Parameters are more easy to adjust.
• Clicking on 'Next Bank' now rotates to the first entry if the last one has been reached.
• Slightly enhanced GUI skin and colors.
• Legato is more easy to setup.
• Many other small enhancements for the user interface.
• 2x and 4x stereo unison is more easy to setup.
• Category is rotating for a more comfortable patch browsing.
• More precise coordinates for the layout.
• Enhanced sound of 'Delay' effect by adding spline interpolation.
• Enhanced sound of 'PingPong' effect by adding spline interpolation.
• Enhanced sound of 'Multitap' effect by adding a lowcut filter.
• Better sound quality by adding a high-end resampling algorithm.
• More smart mousewheel support.
• More chaotic behaviour of the random LFO types in free mode.
• Enhanced performance.
• Higher quality waveform resampling.
• Extended range of synced LFO phase.
• Workaround for buggy hosts, which forget noteOff commands. The Arp does not longer produce a hanging note.

Changes:

• Matrix source 'Env1' has been renamed to 'Aux Env1'.
• 'Gate' has been renamed to 'Step'.
• Moved some sounds to a different category.
• 'Off' window function has been renamed to 'Off/Square'.
• 'CLIP.' is not longer displayed.

Upgrade:

• RayBlaster1 users get a 60% discount and are able to upgrade for €59.
• RayBlaster1 user who purchased it in 2016 or 2017 receive the upgrade for free.