Pros:

More than pitch correction, it's like a whole rack of outboard gear in a single unit

What it is
Users of ProTools have raved about the quality of Antares' realtime pitch correction and mic modeling plug-ins. Antares has included both of these, plus a variety of other must-have algorithms such as compression, gate, de-esser and parametric EQ, into a single rack space module. Best of all, no computer is required!

What it's not
The AVP-1 is not a harmonizer. It is a pitch corrector. Antares makes it clear that the Auto-Tune function of the Vocal Producer can correct the pitch of a periodic waveform with a "clearly defined quality of pitch" (i.e., a single voice, or a lead guitar solo). So don't expect the AVP-1 to correct the pitch of an ensemble of monks singing Gregorian chants. But give it a chance to fine-tune the performance of a single vocalist, and this puppy will amaze you.

Construction
The AVP-1 is well-built, and features a bright LCD display, a large selector knob, and numerous push buttons and meters. The buttons illuminate when a particular function is active. The layout is functional and easy to follow. The meters have tapered ends, for a look you won't find anywhere else.

Power is supplied via an external 9 volt (AC) wall wart, with plenty of cable to reach an AC outlet or surge suppressor. One thing that surprised us was no on/off switch on the unit. While the user manual assures the reader that the AVP-1 may be left on indefinitely with no adverse impact, we decided to play it safe and unplug the unit when not in use.

Rear panel connections are solid and well marked. A single 1/4" unbalanced line input is provided, as are a pair of 1/4" unbalanced line outputs (one double tracking which may be set for stereo operation). MIDI ins and outs are also provided, as is a 1/4" jack for an optional foot switch.

Manual transmission
The user manual is spiral bound to lay flat when opened, and written in a breezy, easy to understand style. The explanations of compression, expansion, and gating are some of the best we've seen. Kudos to Antares for taking the time to write a manual that made us want to read it. One suggestion for the next edition: include the preset listing in the manual instead of as a separate document. If that's not possible, add a pocket to the inside front or rear cover where we can place the list (or a custom chart of our own patches).

Pitch-er perfect
We were excited to get our hands on this unit after we visited the Antares web site and heard the before-and-after sound clips showing its potential. We had previously recorded a track on our Korg D1600, so we hooked the AVP-1 up as if it were an outboard effect. Chapter 4 of the manual made this part easy. We wanted to get the "Cher" effect, so we tweaked the Speed and Auto-Tune sensitivity settings, then set the musical scale. We nailed it! Some performers will want the AVP-1 just to get this one effect.

Reducing the Speed and sensitivity made the corrections much more natural, which is the desired result for most of us. The Correction segmented bargraph LED changes from green to yellow to red to show the amount of correction being applied to the track.

We were also able to adjust the reference pitch to match a specific instrument or track. In our test, we corrected the pitch of a jam track that was recorded against a reference pitch just slightly below regular A440 concert pitch. After we brought the tune back to A440, the guitarist rerecorded his rhythm track and everything was up to snuff. This saved us from having to bring the vocalist back in to redo the part in concert pitch.

Squeeze play
We had an existing bass track that needed compression to level out the peaks. Lucky for us, one of the 32 presets was designed with bass guitar in mind. We couldn't believe the final product. The bass pumped, and it seemed to sparkle and come more alive (probably due to the slight bit of EQ we added on the AVP-1).

We also enjoyed the stereo double-tracking effect, which really makes a vocal come alive. Especially if it is a bit thin to begin with. Think John's vocals on recordings by The Beatles -- most of his were double-tracked to make his vocals stand out more.

The AVP-1 makes drums come alive, too. Audio clips on the company web site show how the Vocal Producer can add beef to wimpy drum loops. Now there's no excuse that your drums can't be as punchy as you want. Presets designed for percussion tracks are included on the AVP-1, and of course you can use these as a basis for creating your own settings.

MIDI
The AVP-1 supports MIDI automation. Every parameter can be controlled via continuous controller messages for realtime control. You can also archive one or more of your favorite presets and/or the AVP Setup Menu settings as a MIDI system exclusive file. What this means is that any user-definable settings you create can be backed up onto your computer or your MIDI workstation. This way you can reset the 32 factory presets at any time and still get back your original settings.

Low maintenance supermodel
We should say "super" modeling, since the AVP-1 gives your tracks the characteristics of expensive studio mics. You can adjust the virtual "proximity effect" of the mic, and even the low cut feature that the original mic may have. The source mic can be one of several standard types, including the classic Shure SM57. It's easy to scroll through the onscreen menu to select the source, pick the mic you want to emulate, and you're all set.

You can also dial in some tube warmth to the mic modeling, typical of a high quality outboard tube preamp. Increasing the warmth increases the amplification of the signal, but doesn't produce harsh digital clipping. Instead, the AVP-1 does a credible job of simulating natural tube overdrive. This can warm up vocals, or do wonders for a "sterile" sounding keyboard patch.

If you're already using a roomful of expensive studio mics, you can disable mic modeling by pushing a single button on the AVP-1 front panel.

Extra crispy or regular recipe?
In case your original track is too crispy, or if you've overtweaked a take, the AVP-1 contains a powerful de-esser that can be tailored for any vocalist. The easy-to-use threshold, ratio, attack and decay settings give you precise control. As an added plus, the de-esser can be switched in or out as easily as pressing a single button on the front panel. This also gives producers the flexibility to add significant amounts of high mid and treble to a track, then use the AVP-1 to tame the final product.

Silence is golden
With all the magic built into the Antares Vocal Producer, what really knocked us out was the lack of noise on our tracks when we used the AVP-1 as a mix-down effect. Antares claims a frequency response of 10Hz-20KHz +/-0.2dB with distortion + noise of less than 0.005% (@1kHz). So our ears didn't deceive us: this unit really is quiet. If you're worried that the AVP-1 may add noise to existing tracks, don't. Of course if you're really concerned, you can always use the AVP-1 as an insert effect at the time of initial recording. We like to do the sweetening later, but to each their own...

Final thoughts
We love this unit. The AVP-1 is well-built, well-designed, sounds great, and is easy to use. You'd expect a unit like this to break the bank, but at a street price of US $499, it's affordable for even the smallest studios. We predict it will pay for itself the first time you resurrect a track by using the pitch correction or compression features.

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