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iZotope Neutron 5 adds 3 new plugins and makes its AI-powered Mix Assistant ‘faster and smarter’

iZotope, a part of Native Instruments, has released Neutron 5, a major update to its audio mixing suite. Neutron 5 bringing three new plugins and a host of upgrades and enhancements to this already-powerful collection of intelligent audio tools.

This ever-expanding suite of intelligent mixing tools gets a flexible clipper, an upward compressor, and targeted processing with new Mid/Side and Transient/Sustain modes.

The headline improvement in Neutron 5 is the addition of three new modules that give you a total of ten plugins overall: Clipper, Density and Phase. Neutron 5’s new Clipper plugin helps you tame peaks and maximize headroom with the help of an intuitive interface and visualizer that displays the clipping happening in real-time.

Equipped with three separate clippers that can be applied independently across individual, adjustable frequency bands, the flexible Clipper module also lets you target mid and side portions of the signal and focus its processing on transients or sustained elements independently. Every module in Neutron now has a mid/side mode, and many have been kitted out with transient/sustain modes, too.

Clipper is joined by Density, an upward compressor that’s designed to bring presence and detail to your audio by levelling out dynamics, and Phase, an intelligent assistant for identifying and addressing phase issues in your mix. Equipped with two specialized tools, Phase can tackle asymmetrical waveforms using phase rotation and align two out-of-phase signals with its phase delay adjustment.

One of the main selling points of Neutron is its AI-powered assistive features, which include an intelligent Mix Assistant that analyses your mix and applies corrective processing automatically. In developing Neutron 5, iZotope has made this assistant “faster and smarter”, re-jigging its Assistant View to give you a more convenient overview of the five plugins it works with, equipped with easy-to-use macro controls.

Neutron 5 also brings delta monitoring to the mixing suite, enabling you to solo the processed elements of any signal to hear exactly what’s being changed in your mix.

Here’s what’s new in Neutron 5:

• Clipper Module—Add power to your tracks while reclaiming headroom with intuitive multiband clipping options, oversampling, and versatile channel modes.
• Density Module—Keep your key elements pinned up-front in the mix with an upward compressor that effortlessly smooths out dynamics, giving your audio more presence, detail, and fullness.
• Phase Module—Fix asymmetrical waveforms and out-of-sync signals instantly to maintain a clean and full-bodied sound. Phase is perfect for getting the most punch out of the kick and bass, and addressing phase issues from multi-mic scenarios.
• Improved Mix Assistant—Quickly find a great starting point for your mix. Run the Assistant to create a custom signal chain with easy macros. Use improved processing and additional controls to match your sound to built-in reference profiles or your own profiles. Download the free Audiolens desktop app to save reference profiles from any streaming platform or audio source.
• Module Channel Modes—Explore new creative dimensions with Mid/Side and Transient/Sustain channel modes, allowing precise targeting of previously out-of-reach audio content.
• Delta Buttons—Hear exactly how Neutron 5 is affecting your mix with new Delta buttons in every module.
• Component Plugins—Neutron 5 comes with ten plugins for the individual modules.

Available now in VST3/AU/AAX formats for macOS and Windows, Neutron 5 is priced at an introductory price of $174.30, but the MSRP is $249. Visit iZotope website to find out more.

Native Instruments has announced that it will be ending software support for several older versions of its pad controller Maschine, discontinuing the products in order to focus on the development of new Maschine software.

Both Maschine MK1 and MK2 and Maschine Mikro MK1 and MK2 will be retired, and owners of these devices will not be able to update them with new Maschine software, or receive technical support, from November 6 onwards. They will, however, be able to continue using their devices with the Maschine 2 software.

“As operating systems advance and as we work on keeping our software up to date and by adding new features, aging hardware requires an increasing amount of attention,” reads a statement on Native Instruments website.

“This takes away focus from our development teams and puts limitations on the changes we can make to the software without breaking legacy hardware integrations. As a result, we have decided to retire the earliest versions of Maschine hardware that originally shipped with Maschine 1, so that we can make some bigger changes to Maschine software in the future.”

The changes hinted at here will take the form of the Maschine 3, a software update slated for next month that NI says will “significantly expand” what users can do with Maschine. Along with a redesigned and “modern” interface, additional features will include stem separation, per-scene tempo adjustment, MIDI editing workflow improvements and integration with Kontrol S-Series MK3. Also on the way is a new content library, Maschine Central, that features 128 multi-sampled instruments and 70 drum kits.

The latest version of the Maschine software will be compatible with Maschine MK3, Maschine Mikro MK3, and the standalone Maschine+. While we’ve no word yet on new Maschine hardware, we wouldn’t be surprised if MK4 was just around the corner.

Native Instruments has released Komplete 15, the latest version of its colossal  virtual instrument bundle, sounds and effects, along with a new version of the beloved software sampler Kontakt
What’s new in Native Instruments Komplete 15:

Kontakt 8 – NI calls this “the biggest update in years” for Kontakt. New Chords and Phrases Tools offer smart features for sparking new ideas. Plus they can be paired with your favorite Kontakt instruments to unlock new creative possibilities.

Komplete 15 updates NI’s mega-bundle of music software with a broad variety of new content that includes a new flagship instrument, Kithara. Included in Komplete 15 Collector’s Edition, Kithara is a cinematic collection of guitars and string instruments that covers everything from guitars and mandolins to rare and exotic instruments such as the cuatro and ronroco, four of which can be layered in each patch.

The samples in Kithara’s library have been processed with an array of effects and sound design techniques to create unique and modern-sounding presets that can be further transformed using granular processing and an array of effects that includes delay, distortion and a lo-fi effect, while a flexible modulation system gives you plenty of scope for designing rhythmically evolving sounds, or hooking Kithara up with aftertouch-equipped controllers like NI’s Kontrol series for expressive performances.

Komplete 15 comes in four different tiers: Select, Standard, Ultimate and Collector’s Edition. Select is divided into three editions: Beats is aimed at beatmakers working in hip-hop and R&B, Band features sampled instruments for songwriters, and Electronic is angled towards dance music and electronica.

Komplete Standard brings you 95 instruments and effects, while the Ultimate tier includes more than 150 instruments and effects and 70 Expansion sound packs. The bumper Collector’s Edition gives you over 290 instruments and effects, and more than 150,000 sounds in total.

Among the new Kontakt instruments in Komplete 15, you’ll find Valves Pro, Fables, Vocal Colors, Schema: Dark & Light, Upright Bass, Session Percussionist, Alicia’s Electric Keys, Action Woodwinds, and Acoustic Sunburst Deluxe, along with an array of instruments from NI’s Play series.

Alicia’s Electric Keys – Alicia Keys’ CP-70 electric grand piano has been one of the cornerstones of her sound. Now, you can bring this instrument into your own productions, and you can dive into Alicia’s own custom effect chains to transform parts into ethereal pads, guitar-like tones, and beyond.

Guitar Rig 7 Pro – it features guitar and bass amp simulators, studio effects, and pedals, plus over 100 new rack presets.

Vocal Colors –  an “expressive vocal engine that infuses the emotion of the human voice with incredibly innovative modulation features.”

Standard, Ultimate and Collector’s Edition all come with NI’s amp simulator and effects rack Guitar Rig 7 Pro, iZotope mastering software Ozone 11 Standard and vocal synthesizer VocalSynth 2, and the new version of the brand’s popular software sampler Kontakt.

iZotope Ozone 11 Standard features “cutting-edge processing” and AI-powered workflows to get your music release-ready.

A “massive step up” from its predecessor, Kontakt 8 is equipped with a revamped interface and three new features that make this industry-leading sampler an even more versatile music-making tool: Leap, Tools and Conflux.

Leap is a tool for transforming loops and one-shots that makes it easy to turn a basic sample into a new hook, riff or texture. Shipping with 12 curated ‘Leap Expansions’, loop packs geared towards specific genres and styles, Leap will also let you load in and manipulate your own samples and trigger its effects in real-time with the black keys on your keyboard.

Tools is a suite of generative MIDI tools aimed at sparking creativity and helping you come up with new musical ideas. Kontakt 8 introduces two new Tools: Chords for chord sequences and Phrases for melodies. Third-party developers will be able to develop their own Tools for use in Kontakt.

Conflux is a new hybrid instrument that blends sampling with wavetable synthesis, expanding Kontakt’s capabilities beyond that of a conventional sampler instrument for the first time.

Order Komplete 15 before September 30 and you’ll get iZotope’s AI-powered mixing tool Neutron 4, which would ordinarily set you back $249, for free.

Komplete 15 Select is priced at $99/€99, Standard at $599/€599, Ultimate at $1199/€1199 and Collector’s Edition at $1799/€1799. Reduced prices are available for those upgrading from a lower tier. Kontakt 8 can be purchased outright for $299/€299.

Visit Native Instruments’ site to find out more or read a full list of what’s included in Komplete 15.