Digidesign Ships D-Fi Plug-In Bundle
September 26, 1997
Digidesign is now shipping a new TDM/AudioSuiteTM Plug-In package, the D-FiTM Plug-Ins, adding to the ever-growing list of sound manipulation options available within the Pro Tools environment. The D-Fi Package is a bundle of four Plug-Ins providing "down-processing", analog synthesizer effects and vari-speed effects designed to address the needs of contemporary musical genres such as rap, hip hop, industrial music, and others, in which this unique sound is an inherent part of their popularity. The D-Fi Plug-Ins allows these effects to be available within the Pro Tools environment, eliminating the need to locate often discontinued and increasingly expensive older outboard processors.
Instead of offering pristine audio quality, Lo-FiTM intentionally degrades audio quality in a creative way through a number of available processes such as bit rate and sample size reduction, distortion noise addition and saturation. Prior to the availability of this type of Plug-In, sound designers and creators of contemporary musical forms, such as dance and hip hop music, would be required to re-sample audio files through a lower bit-rate sampler or re-process the file through a modular analog synth. Lo-Fi also functions as an AudioSuite Plug-In.
The Sci-FiTM Plug-In, for both TDM and AudioSuite architectures, provides unique effects through the use of ring modulation, frequency modulation and variable frequency resonators. The signal can then be further modified with various adjustable modulation options, such as LFO. Sci-Fi enables Pro Tools users to emulate the popular analog synthesizer type of effects as a sound design tool.
Recti-FiTM generates harmonics or subharmonics through waveform rectification. A built-in Low Pass Filter can be used to smooth out the resulting harmonically rich waveform. Like Lo-Fi and Sci-Fi, Recti-Fi can function either as a TDM or AudioSuite Plug-In.
Vari-FiTM, an AudioSuite Plug-In exclusively, allows you to process your audio files to disk to create the effect of audio on tape (or from a turntable) changing its pitch over a wide range. You can create the effect of audio "coming up to speed," or, conversely "coming to a complete stop." This effect is particularly useful for sound design or on longer selections with entire mixes.
Boldly challenging the rules of digital audio, D-Fi combines the "worst" of the past with the best of present digital audio tools at an affordable price. The D-Fi Plug-Ins are now available at a retail price of $395 through authorized Digidesign dealers.
For more information, visit their web site at www.digidesign.com. | 
