Propellerhead Announces Reason 6, Debuts Reason Essentials & Balance Audio Interface
Propellerhead Software made a few big product announcements today, including: the public beta period and imminent release of Reason 6, the debut of Reason Essentials — the successor to Propellerhead’s Record software, which packs recording, editing, effects, instruments, mixing and mastering tools in a streamlined package — and the new Balance USB2 audio interface, the company’s first foray into hardware.
With the Reason 6 and Reason Essentials releases, all Reason products will now have complete audio recording and editing capabilities.
Reason 6
Combining all the features from Record, Reason 6 adds audio recording and editing, along with Propellerhead’s mixing console with EQ and dynamics on every channel, multiple parallel racks, Line 6 amp models, new effect devices plus additional features.
New creative effects designed for inserting directly into instruments and tracks include: Pulveriser, sound crushing effect with crunchy compression, dirty distortion and flexible modulation; The Echo, advanced stereo echo with modern delay and analog tape echo emulation: and Alligator, a three band pattern gate for complex rhythmic texturing. Other improvements you’ll notice in version 6 include interface enhancements, high definition audio transpose and true 64-bit compatibility.
Reason Essentials
Propellerhead designed the new Reason Essentials with an “easy to grasp” interface for independent-minded musicians — “Reason Essentials has the feel of a million dollar recording studio with the streamlined simplicity of a tape deck.”
Distilled from the core of Reason, Reason Essentials contains a great selection of instruments and effects in a virtual rack that builds itself, or can be infinitely customized—drum machine, loop player, sampler, synths, reverb, delay, distortion, mastering effects and more. For guitar players, the built-in virtual guitar and bass PODs from Line 6 bring a wide range of top quality guitar amps, cabinets and effects. The intuitive audio and MIDI sequencer makes recording and arranging music a breeze.
Reason 6 and Reason Essentials begin limited public beta testing today and will be available for purchase worldwide on September 30, 2011 at the following suggested retail pricing: Reason 6 ($449); Reason Essentials ($299); Reason 6 Upgrade (from any Reason version and Reason Essentials) $169.
Propellerhead will also offer special grace period offers for purchasers of Reason, Record and Reason-Record Duo this summer. For details see: http://www.propellerheads.se/freeupgrade.
Balance
Propellerhead’s new “Balance” audio interface integrates with Reason Essentials software, but is compatible with all applications from iTunes to Pro Tools.
Propellerhead Essentials + Balance interface
Designed for the home/project studio, Balance is a USB2-powered two-in by two-out audio interface for Mac and Windows with separate volume controls for monitors and headphones, and 8 input connections to keep all instruments, mics and devices connected and ready to record with the press of a button — without software pop-ups or control panels.
Balance comes with the new Reason Essentials software package, and features deeper integration with Propellerhead software products: Hardware buttons on Balance bring up a large meter/tuner in Reason and can also enable “Clip Safe,” Propellerhead’s new recording technology that with one click heals clipped recorded audio.
According to Propellerhead — “Musicians no longer have to worry about losing a great recording because gain levels were too high, and can stay focused on creating that goose bump evoking performance.”
Reason Essentials with Balance audio interface will be available for purchase worldwide on September 30, 2011 at a suggested retail price of $499. Any current Reason and Record user who purchases Balance can receive the Reason 6 upgrade for free.
Visit http://www.propellerheads.se/products/balance/ for more information on Reason Essentials with Balance.
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