Audio Damage AD046 Quanta v1.1.8 [WIN MAC LINUX]
Quanta is a full-featured ten-voice true stereo granular synthesizer, with up to a hundred 1000ms grains per voice, and full control over the grain state, with direct randomization and modulation of most parameters. Drag-and-drop a sample (WAV, AIFF, Ogg, or FLAC) on to the window and go to work.
HIGHLIGHTS
Synthesize!
With two multi-mode filters (with LP, HP, BP and notch in 2-pole and 4-pole topologies), and a “sidecar” virtual-analog oscillator and noise generator that can be used in addition to, or injected into, the grain engine, Quanta is a fully capable subtractive synth in its own right, and will work as a granular or subtractive (or both) synth without any sample at all.
Modulate!
Quanta has mod coming out its ears. First up are four of our new FEGs (Flexible Envelope Generator), a 99-point looping function generator with optional host tempo sync. Then add two arbitrary-waveshape LFOs, a multi-source sample-and-hold module, and fully user-controllable MIDI assignments, with nearly every control on the panel as a destination.
Control!
Quanta is customizable to your taste and playing style. With full MPE support, it can take advantage of the extended control set of your Linnstrument, Seaboard, Soundplane, Continuum, or other MPE controller, and support for TUN files lets you use tuning tables. The resizable Hi-DPI GUI lets you adjust the size to match your visual needs, and the cross-platform preset mechanism lets you share your creations with your friends and collaborators, no matter what system they are using.
The synth has been updated to version 1.1, with changes including a huge reduction in “clicking” from voice stealing, usability and UI updates, and many small bug fixes.
Features:
- Multi-Format Sample Loader
Quanta can load AIFF, WAV, Broadcast WAV, FLAC, MP3, and Ogg in any sample rate, bit depth, and channel configuration. - Grain Engine
Up to 100 simultaneous grains per voice, of up to 1 second long, with control over grain rate, pitch, direction, shape, length, panning, source position, and level. - Sidecar Oscillator
Continuously variable wave shape, with pulse width modulation, and independent control over pitch (separate from grain engine.) Can be injected directly into grain engine. - Noise Source
Noise source features a “color” control that affects tonal characteristics of the noise. Can be injected directly into grain engine. - Dual Multi-Mode Filters
Filters can be used in serial or parallel modes, and include lowpass, highpass, bandpass, and notch in 2-pole and 4-pole configurations. - Flexible Envelope Generator (FEG) x 4
The four FEGs are arbitrary function generators, with up to 99 steps, curve and step level control, arbitrary loop points, and host tempo sync. - Flexible Low-Frequency Oscillator (FLFO) x 2
The pair of FLFOs utilize four controls (phase, shape, skew, and warp) to access a virtually limitless palette of waveforms, and feature host tempo sync and retrigger. - Sample And Hold
The S&H mod source can sample noise (random) or any of the other mod sources, at either a user-defined rate or a musical division. - Modulation Matrix
Every mod and MIDI source can be easily and simply assigned to any destination using the quick-access bi-polar modulation matrix. Touch a destination on the UI and the matrix automatically scrolls to the correct row. - Tuning Tables And Global Tuning Offset
Re-tune Quanta to new intonations and temperaments using the open-source and easy-to-use TUN file format. A global tuning offset (default to A=440) allows you to easily retune the entire synth to match a different A frequency without using a tuning table. - MPE (MIDI Polyphonic Expression)
Quanta understands both “legacy” MIDI and MPE. Use your Linnstrument, Roli Seaboard, Haken Continuum, or Madrona Labs Soundplane (among others) to directly access per-note pressure, pitch bend, and modulation. - Per-Instance Settings
Quanta utilizes a per-instance customization method: set MPE mode, aftertouch smoothing, pitch bend range override, tuning table, and global tuning offset for each instance in your DAW. - Factory Presets
Quanta comes with a substantial collection of factory content, including Designer Presets from Marcus Fisher, Joseph Fraioli, Chris Carter, and Richard Devine. - Cross-Platform Preset Format
Quanta utilizes an XML-based preset manager, and stores the sample within the preset for easy asset management. Work between multiple systems without troubles, make a preset on your desktop machine and paste it to the iOS version with Handoff, easily share your creations with your friends, or make a preset bundle to sell, no asset management required. - Fully Resizable Hi-Dpi/Retina GUI
Quanta’s vector-based GUI is resolution-agnostic, and displays the same on every system and resolution. Easily resize the UI (per instance) to match your visual needs, from postage stamp to poster-sized.
CHANGES IN V1.1.8
New:
> We have replaced the original Quanta preset manager with the New Hotness we created for Phosphor, and subsequently added to Continua. This is a much better preset manager, and you now have three layers of folders, and are able to move things around and create your own top-level folders if you want.
> All versions now have the on-screen keyboard that was originally only in the iOS standalone.
Fixes:
> The preset folder move script that was introduced in the macOS installer for v1.1.2 has been removed. It was, quite literally, far more trouble than it was worth. On macOS, Quanta’s preset folder is now in ~/Music/Audio Damage. If you see the “Download Factory Content” button on an update, you didn’t install the last two versions, so the preset folder location has been moved. You can either grab the factory content again, or physically move your original preset folder to the new location. (You can find the original in /Application Support/Audio Damage. Just move the entire /Quanta folder to ~/Music/Audio Damage.)
> Additionally, the signing problems that started cropping up in V1.1 have been entirely solved. Hopefully. We think. If you’re still experiencing Gatekeeper issues, an old certificate is hanging around, and the solution is to delete all versions of Quanta, re-scan in your host (to clear the cache if it has one), and then install this version.
> One for the Windows people, and not a “fix” as such: we have discovered a problem with HiDpi scaling in Live (and maybe other hosts). If you’re running on a HiDpi system with the auto-scaling off, the drop target is not correctly scaled. We don’t know if this is a bug in JUCE or a bug in Live. The drop target is still there. It is just much smaller than it should be, and resides in the lower right hand corner of the waveform display. The short-term solution is to either drop in the lower right hand corner (you’ll be able to tell you’re in the right place because you’ll get that lit-up surround) or to turn on auto-scaling for Quanta. Then the target will be its correct size. We’ve pinged both the JUCE people and Live for an answer on this.
> Many small bug fixes and optimizations, as usual.
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