Emagic releases an update to its market leading EXS24 software sampler for the Logic Series of music production software. The EXS24 mk II builds on the 32-bit internal processing, precise timing, seamless integration and intelligent project management of the original EXS24 with new features including a new superior sounding multi-mode filter, 3 LFOs, new user-interface and a flexible modulation routing system from any source to any target.
The free of charge update from EXS24 to EXS24 mk II is available for existing owners of EXS24 and Logic 5 for MacOS9.x, Mac OS X and Windows 98Se/Me/2000/XP as part of the free Logic Series 5.5 update. For new users the retail price of the EXS24 mk II remains unchanged from the original EXS24.

The EXS24 mk II runs in Logic version 5.5 and upwards, and is a renewed version of Emagic's EXS24.
At the beginning of the 1980s a new genre of instruments began appearing in limited numbers. The luxurious equipment included a terminal with 256 kb RAM, two 8" floppy drives, a 12" monochrome monitor with light pen, and an alpha-numeric keypad next to the keyboard. The sampling time per voice amounted to 0.8 seconds, and the price for each of the eight voices was approximately USd 7,000.
The following two decades would see samplers become more powerful, more compact and less expensive. Skip forward to today, and the EXS24 mk II represents a new high point in the evolution of thie sampler. The Emagic Xtreme Sampler 24 Bit Mk II weighs only 99 grams, offers up to 64 voices per unit and costs under USd 5 per voice. In addition, up to 64 EXS24 mk II "units" can be used simultaneously.
As the first software sampler to be perfectly integrated into the internal mixer of a digital audio sequencer, the EXS24 mk II offers exceptional ease of use, total recall, an identical storage medium for songs and sounds and, of course, an enormous financial saving.
The EXS24 mk II features sample accurate timing, a clearly laid-out Instrument Editor, hyper-flexible Modulation Matrix and filters of remarkable sound quality .

The basis of an EXS24 mk II sound is an Instrument, that can have as complex a structure as you wish: from a single sample played across the entire keyboard, to densely multi-layered objects comprised of numerous individual samples. The raw material for your Instruments can be AIFF, WAV and SDII files, ranging from 8 to 24 Bit depth, as well as sounds from third-party (currently supported formats: Akai S1000 / S3000, GigaSampler, SampleCell, SoundFont2, ReCycle) manufacturers. A clearly laid-out editor provides an unrestricted view into the heart of sounds.
Once you've defined an Instrument, you can further refine the sound with the high-quality tools at your disposal. A core element is the flexible multi-mode filter, that includes High Pass, Low Pass and Band Pass modes. Its unique character makes every sonic nuance, ranging from the subtle to the dramatic, possible. A hyper-flexible 10 path Modulation Matrix is also integrated, allowing for further sound design options. Two full-range envelope generators handle Filter and Volume changes, independently. The attack time can be velocity controlled. Adjust the curve shapes and key-follow time for particularly natural-sounding envelope curves. One polyphonic and two monophonic LFOs can be applied to pitch, pan, volume and cutoff frequency.
You have the option to dynamically control a sample's start time via velocity, and its pitch via the pitch envelope. And about portamento, the innovative double sliders, and filter cutoff-resonance chaining put more parameters under your control.

Common

Up to 64 (Platinum), 32 (Gold) and 16 (Audio) EXS24 mk II instances

Up to 64 voices per instance (dependent on available computer resources)

Sample accurate timing

Perfect integration into Logic's digital mixer with effects, total recall and full automation

Sample memory only limited by computer RAM

Virtual Sample Memory (VSM): allows the use of samples of unlimited size by swapping older data to hard disk

Compatibility

Reads AIFF, WAV and SDII files

Supports 8 to 24 Bit and up to 96 kHz files

Supported formats: AKAI S1000/S3000, GigaSampler, SampleCell, SoundFont2, ReCycle

Sound processing per voice

Multi-mode filter with resonance and distortion, including Low Pass,

Band Pass and High Pass modes

Filter may be switched off to increase polyphony

Two ADSR envelopes

One polyphonic LFO with decay/delay-envelope

Two monophonic LFOs

LFOs can run freely or in adjustable note values with sync to tempo

Portamento or Pitcher (Auto Bend)

10 Path Modulation Matrix - including external modulation sources

Poly, mono or legato mode

Supported audio hardware and drivers

Mac OS X: Core Audio

Mac OS 9: Mac AV, Audiowerk, EASI, Direct I/O, ASIO, Stud I/O, 1212 I/O

Minimum system requirements -Mac-

604/200 MHz processor

Mac OS 9.1 oder Mac OS X 10.2 or higher

256 MB RAM

CD-ROM drive

Logic Audio 5.5 or higher

Recommended

G4 processor

512 MB RAM

audio interface

MIDI interface