#KVRDC14: Acon Digital Multiply Chorus AU, AAX & VST Plugin Effect for Mac OS X & Windows wins the KVR Developer Challenge 2014
26th August 2014
The voting stage of the KVR Developer Challenge 2014 has ended and we are very excited to announce that we have winners! If you haven't done so already, you can download the entries for free.
The prize fund stands at $1853. Thanks to everyone who has donated. We'll leave donations open for a further week (it'd be nice to break $2000) - you can make a donation to the prize fund here if you wish to do so.
So, who won #KVRDC14?
1st: Multiply by Acon Digital
In first place is Acon Digital with their chorus effect plugin, Multiply, an Audio Unit, VST Plugin and AAX Plugin for 32- and 64-bit Windows and Mac OS X. Being both Mac & Win compatible Acon Digital win 60% of the KVRDC14 prize fund! Of course they also win the fantastic A3E prize giving them the opportunity to present their entry at the A3E show in Boston, September 23-24, 2014! Congratulations to them.
Multiply is a versatile chorus effect with a unique twist. Each simulated voice is processed with a phase randomizing filter so that unpleasant comb filter effects are avoided. The effect can be used to simulate the effect of several performers playing the same tones simultaneously, to widen the spatial image or to create special effects for sound design.
Multiply can simulate up to 6 additional voices and both the pitch and the loudness of the voices can be modulated. There is also an integrated equalizer consisting of low cut, low shelf, high shelf and high cut filters that can be applied to the effect signal. An integrated pre-delay section makes it possible to create modulated and diffuse echo effects.
2nd: Nova-67P by vladg/sound
The runner up is Nova-67P by vladg/sound, a parallel parametric equalizer plugin combined with a compressor. It's also available for 32- and 64-bit Windows and Mac OS X in Audio Units and VST plugin formats. vladg/sound wins 20% of the final prize fund.
Nova-67P is a parallel parametric equalizer plugin combined with a compressor. The compressor can optionally operate in frequency dependent and split-band modes. In this case the plugin operates as a parallel dynamic equalizer.
Features:
- 5 bands parallel equalizer with auto-gain.
- Optional high-pass and low-pass filters.
- Full-band frequency dependent and/or split-band compression.
- Side-chain filtering and pre-emphasis.
- Third-octave real-time spectrum analysis down to 15 Hz.
- External side-chain support.
- 64-bit internal processing.
- Ascetic UI style.
3rd: Emissary by Ignite Amps
Rounding out the top three is another effect plugin: Emissary by Ignite Amps, a digital emulation of a custom dual channel guitar tube amplifier. Sadly there is no financial reward for third place this year, but Ignite Amps can revel in the glory of placing in the top 3 and scoring more than twice as many votes as the fourth placed entry.
Emissary has been developed to accurately model its real hardware counterpart, built for Ryan Huthnance (The Seer / Gaped / Chrome Bison / Emissary Studios) by Ignite Amps, in 2014. It is a no compromise custom amp built for the kill. Featuring a very versatile clean channel that ranges from pristine cleans to slightly overdriven tones and a mean lead channel designed for serious bone-crushing distortions, it offers a very wide tonal palette for the modern metal musician.
Every single component on the signal path of the real analog circuit has been taken into account and modeled in the best possible way to match the original sound, keeping an eye on CPU performance and real-time playability at the same time.
The plug-in GUI has been 3D modeled and rendered by Voger Design, in order to resemble the real amplifier as much as possible.
Soundware Winner: NanoMod 7: 8-bit synths by Rhythmic Robot
The top rated Soundware release, and so winning 10% of the prize fund, is NanoMod 7: 8-bit synths by Rhythmic Robot, a simple but versatile Kontakt synthesiser based on vintage 8-bit polysynths, featuring an "intelligent" interface that allows the user to adjust multiple parameters with single controls.
Wildcard Winner: Fifth Degree by Bernie Maier
Which brings us to the Wildcard (which wins the final 10% of the prize fund). This decision was simple - we have no qualms in awarding it to Fifth Degree by Bernie Maier, primarily because it's our first ever entry for iOS! Perhaps we'll get an Android entry next time?
Fifth Degree is a MIDI sequencer based on a simple concept: loop around the musical circle of fifths in key and tweak the performance parameters live. You can use it to create a mesmerising loop and change the way it plays or use it as a base while you improvise alongside it with another instrument. You can even use it as a convenient loop of notes while you try out different sound patches on your synthesiser.
It's all over now...
So what have we learned? Well, KVR members love an effect plugin! Including KVRDC14, the last three challenges have been won by effect plug-ins (If bootsie / Variety Of Sound had entered this year would he have made it three in a row? I bet the other entrants breathed a sigh of relief when the entries were published and he hadn't entered!).
Interestingly, while the total number of entries was down on last time, all three of this year's top placed entries are cross-platform, multi-format and 32- and 64-bit. This is a first for the KVRDC and, along with our first iOS entry, a very good thing for the future of the event. With the ever increasing usage of mobile audio applications I expect to see at least one Android app next time! Roll on KVRDC15...
Thanks to everyone who entered, donated and voted and congratulations again to all the winners.
Check out all 37 entries for KVRDC14 - 29 run on Windows, 9 on Mac OS X, 1 on Linux, 1 on iOS and 6 are Soundware for other products - all are free...
KVR Audio, Inc.
www.kvraudio.com