In collaboration with IRCAM, Flux has officially released the IRCAM Tools product range, which includes five plugins: IRCAM SPAT, IRCAM VERB, TRAX Transformer, TRAX Cross Synthesis, and TRAX Source Filter.

IRCAM Tools are the result of over twenty years of fundamental research within the realms of music related digital signal processing, according to Flux. What's more, IRCAM Tools evolved from two major fields of technology, Acoustic and Cognitive Spaces, and Sound Analysis and Synthesis.

Flux describes IRCAM SPAT as a complete room acoustics simulation and localization solution that manages both spatialization (source localization) and room acoustic simulation in a consistent and visually logical way. SPAT's room acoustics simulation uses advanced perceptive models that conceal the complexity behind the actual algorithms, and in turn allow you to interactive with the tool without having to think about how it works. Designed for surround and multi-channel use, SPAT presents the option to setup output arrangements, which provides a variety of stereo and surround configurations, including subwoofer configuration. Configurations up to 7.1 and 8.0 are possible as well, since SPAT has eight input and output channels available.

IRCAM VERB is an algorithmic room acoustics and reverberation processor (say that five times fast). This tool has a modular construction that uses a recursive filtering reverb engine, which reproduces and creates the specific acoustics of any spatial sound environment. IRCAM VERB provides eight input and output channels, with the option for reverberation processing in multichannel and surround formats. A built in I/O routing matrix makes it easy to set up inputs and outputs in relation to the physical audio monitoring in the control room.

TRAX Transformer is a real-time voice and sonic modeling processor. Based on an augmented phase vocoder technology and a transformation algorithm, this tool allows you to manipulate voice properties like gender, age, breath, and more. It also works on other sounds, not just vocals, and affects expression, formant, and pitch.

Next in line, TRAX Cross Synthesis, a spectral envelope morphing processor, makes use of a phase vocoder (the amplitude and the frequency / phase spectra) to morph the spectral characteristics of two sounds. The amplitude and frequency / phase spectra can be blended continuously and because the features that are used here are strongly non-linear, the sound morphing is nonlinear as well. You can use TRAX Cross Synthesis to create a wide range of original, unusual sound effects.

Lastly, TRAX Source Filter is an enhanced sound filtering processor that blends the energy contour and the spectral color of a source sound with that of an arbitrary filtrating sound. TRAX Source Filter allows you to transform sounds and do things that are well beyond the more common source filter morphing effect, notes the manufacturer.

All of the IRCAM Tools plugins provide:

• Up to 8 channels Input / Output
• 64-bit internal floating point processing
• Sampling rate up to 384 kHz DXD (Pyramix DSP based)
• Sampling rate up to 384 kHz for Native (Audio Units / RTAS / VST)
• Due to the nature of Trax CS/SF, they only support 2 channels

Flux IRCAM Tools are now available for Windows, Windows x64, and Mac OS X Universal Binary in VST, AU and RTAS plugin formats. You can purchase all five of the IRCAM Tools for $1,999. Or you can purchase SPAT and VERB together for $1,799; VERB alone for $899; or the TRAX suite of all three TRAX plugins for $499.

To learn more about IRCAM Tools, please visit the Flux Web site.