All In the tests

166 Connected   /   Login   /   Register !

Have you ever dreamed of a speaker simulator, that would allow you to integrate any audio file into a totally programmable background environment, from a wood case to an imaginary spatial airport full of transit passengers? If so, Audio Ease has made your dreams come true with Speakerphone. From post-production to music production, a complete review.

Huge content

Speakerphone is a Mac and Windows plug-in, for AU, VST, MAS and RTAS compatible host applications. It’s available for download and registered users can order a backup DVD ($30/30€). The plug-in is authorized by challenge-response or iLok and comes with a 5 GB sample library (more information here). Note that TDM format is not available. Does it mean something is changing, due to recent computer processing power? Will every manufacturer change to native formats only? The future will tell...

Let’s see in a few words how Speakerphone works: a mono or stereo audiofile goes through a speaker simulator, then through a convolution reverb, some effects and finally it can be mixed with a complete background environment.

With Altiverb, Audio Ease has proven itself as one of the greatest convolution experts. Naturally, this technology is also used in Speakerphone to make IRs of 270 speakers: a really nice and complete collection, including record players, toys, TV, computers, phones, radios, gramophones, headphones, bass and guitar amps, walkies-talkies and other goodies.

The 30 different reverbs are mostly coming from Altiverb. You’ll also find 10 effect modules: Distortion, EQ, Crush, Gate, Compressor, Phono, Mod, Codec, Delay and Tuning. Then you can load Sample Packs in the Sample Bay, choosing between various ambiences (cities, transports, nature, etc.), sounds FX and foleys (phone rings, electronics, human sounds...), some copyright free music or your own samples, FX and music, looped or not.