As many picture editors asked us for this functionality, we have just integrated an easy way to directly download audio samples, both in MPEG1-layer3 (stereo MP3) and HE-AACv2 (5.1 surround M4A) for every sounds in the library.

It can't be easier now, just click (or alt-click to force download) on the appropriate button, either "GET MP3" or "GET M4A", to download the sample. Now editors can check our sounds directly in their timeline to see and hear if the sound fits the purpose.
Afterward, simply make a search with the 7 digits in front of the audio sample filename (for example FN00001) or Description (present in the id3 tags) and voila, the sound is here, ready to be purchased.

We are still working on adding the M4A 5.1 surround samples for most of the sounds, and fine tuning the design of the buttons with nice icons, so stay tuned.

Sorry for the little downtime, and for some glitches that appeared recently, but we have proceed with the dev team to a major upgrade of the website.

Nothing spectacular in the visible area, but most of the functions behind the hood have been reworked, and most of the previous bugs have been resolved.

Enjoy the new platform, and let us know if you encounter anything unusual (specifically concerning the Wishlist, the Forum, and the Account sections).

Finally, the talentuous Svein Berge released its wonderful plugin (AU/VST/RTAS for OS X and Windows) to decode B-Format ambisonic sounds that SurLib offers : Harpex-B.

The B-format for spatial audio was invented by Michael Gerzon and others in the 1970s as part of the ambisonic system of spatial sound recording and reproduction. The format consists of four channels, W, X, Y and Z, where W records the pressure at a point in space while the others record the cartesian components of the pressure gradient at the same point. The mathematical simplicity and physical significance of the B-format has ensured its survival as a topic of research, providing a steady trickle of commercial products for all these years.

It is possible to design microphone systems that closely approximate the ideal, physical definition. The most common design is one comprising four separate capsules packed closely together, pointing in different directions. The outputs of these capsules can be encoded into B-format. A number of software tools are also available to create virtual sound scenes in B-format.

At Surround Library, we just LOVE this plugin, which sounds great considering the first order of our ambisonic sounds! Have a try to its standalone Player release, and let us know what you think with our demo sounds!

More informations here.

Download the plugin (AU/VST/RTAS for OS X and Windows).

Download the free Player.

We have made it! We recently reached 1000 surround sounds in our library, that we open just six monthes ago!

We are quite proud of that fact, and we can now say that we have one of the, if not the biggest surround ambiences catalog on the internet.

Lot of thanks goes to our Authors, Bruno, Gaël, Vincent, and Yves, without whom nothing of this could have ever been possible! We love you guys!

Now, let's celebrate, untill we reach 2000, or 10000, or... :-)

With AudioStage, audio design and mixing is as simple as placing sounds in a 3D space, naturally associating them with the 3D characters and playing with a large palette of colors and sound textures, in relation with their environment...

AudioStage includes patent-pending simulations of real-life acoustical phenomena such as reverberations, wall reflections, Doppler effect, multi-room coupling, sound transmission using editable openings and air absorption.

The 3D scene allows to simultaneously obtain an infinity of mixes addressing a large number of formats (stereo, 5.1, ambisonic, binaural and more…)

The software may be inserted as standard VST, Audio Units, or RTAS plug-ins on any PC or Mac-based audio workstation such as ProTools, Pyramix, Logic Audio, Nuendo, or Cubase.

Get more infos on the AudioStage website.

Try the Lite version (free) here.

A very nice software that we hope to check fully in its surround release soon!