Soon your audio files will be going neigh, nee, grr -- or whatever kind of sound a Zebra makes -- when you upgrade to Zebra version 2.5.1 (Mac / Win).

Now available to download, the updated version of the software synthesizer is fully 64-bit, offering two new oscillator spectral effects and more. Zebra 2.5.1 also makes Zebralette and upgrades from Zebra V1.x available for free. According to U-he, Zebra 2.5.1 is much more than a normal maintenance update.

With this update, Zebralette is available free of charge. As U-he notes, Zebralette started out as "magware" and then became part of the Zebra bundle as a learning tool for Zebra's oscillators. Zebralette is still automatically installed together with Zebra; however, it now has no demo limitations. You can learn more about Zebralette at U-he's Web site.

In addition, U-he has dropped the old $20 charge for upgrading from Zebra1 AU to Zebra2. All Zebra1.x license owners can retrieve a free Zebra 2.5 license from the Support section of the manufacturer's Web site.

What's new in Zebra:

• Adds more than 70 new factory presets (Howard Scarr)
• Adds a bunch of Zebrify presets (Tasmodia)
• Includes completely new, well-structured manuals
• Adds two new spectral effects (Phase Distortion and Wrap)
• Includes native 64-bit support for Mac AU and VST Win
• Adds Cocoa view to AU version
• Loud spikes while switching presets now eliminated
• Improved timing stability for swing (affects LFOs and arpeggiator)
• Improved timing for MSEGs
• Improved CPU usage for RTAS (Mac) version
• RTAS (Mac) now supports ctrl+alt+cmd+click ("3-finger salute") automation
• Improved installers, take Win7 permissions issues into account
• Zebralette is now freeware, and it includes extra presets (also by Howard)
• Various bugs and niggles fixed, minor user interface improvements
• Upgrade from Zebra1 AU is now free

To harness the wildness of Zebra 2.5.1, visit the U-he Web site at www.u-he.com.