OVERVIEW
For anyone with a Mac looking to get serious about audio, Logic Pro is the program to look into. It is the premiere all-in-one virtual studio from Apple that gives you the power to create truly professional sound from the first note to the final product. With Logic, your Mac turns into a digital audio workstation with production power that meets the highest demands for audio quality. From the creation process, to mastering and preparing your tracks to be finalized, Logic is there and delivers excellence all the way through with a collection of music creating tools that are unmatched. Producers, musicians, and engineers alike can benefit equally from Logic's power, flexibiliy, portablity and pristine sound quality.

FEATURES
Being Apple's premiere all-in-one studio, Logic's features run deep. For starters, Logic is capable of 16 and 24-bit audio resolution, sample rates of up to 192kHz for audio recording and playback of internal instruments, up to 255 stereo tracks and MIDI capabilities of more than 800 definable key and MIDI commands. As for processing power, with version 7.2 Logic gives you the ability to provide near unlimited processing resources throught the addition of more Macs. Logic 7.2 can tap into networked computers via Ethernet and give you more DSP processing power and up to 128 stereo streams. That's major proccessing power previously unimaginable.

Also new to version 7.2 are nine new effect plug-ins, including Guitar Amp Pro, for amp modeling. 32-bit floating-point mathematics provides enormous headroom for internal processing, making it nearly impossible to overload the signal â€" even during mixdown to 16-bit audio for CD release. Impressive new instruments await you in version 7.2 as well. Simulate any sound with breathtakingly natural timbre in Sculpture, a component modeling synthesizer. Create hypnotic rhythms using Ultrabeat, a beatbox with 25 voices and virtually unlimited parameter adjustment and low-latency MIDI processing provides control over external sound devices, software instruments and effects. You'll also enjoy integrated support for the Apogee Ensemble FireWire interface, compatibility with Pro Tools HD 7 DAE, and project compatibility with Garageband 3, as well as a complement of feature enhancements and improvements.

The array of innovative software instruments and high quality effects set Logic a cut above from the rest. Featuring 34 software instruments, including the new Sculpture and Ultrabeat; EVP88, EVB3, and EVD6 vintage instruments; and ES1, ES2, EFM1, ESM, ESP and ESE synthesizers plus over 70 effect plug-ins including Guitar Amp Pro, Ringshifter, Linear Phase EQ, Match EQ, Vocal Transformer, EVOC20 Vocoder, Space Designer convolution reverb and Pitch Correction, Logic gives you the power and options to play or sculpt all the right sounds for your track. Each of the software instruments and effects are fully editable and feature many parameters to tweak and adjust the sound to your liking. The program is also equipped with a virtual sampler, the EXS24 mk II that includes a comprehensive sampler instrument library. In the studio and on the stage - Logic's outstanding sound generation capabilities shine.

Another useful feature in Logic is Apple Loops. Apple Loops browsing and editing enable you to time stretch and pitch shift audio files in real time. Apple Loops let you work more efficiently and provide better workflow than conventional file formats. When you insert Apple Loops in software instrument format onto a software instrument track, Logic imports them as MIDI sequences with the originating instrument and effect settings intact. This allows you to change pitch, instrumentation or effects â€" something you could only dream of with standard audio loops technology. Logic also uses this functionality when you import GarageBand compositions, preserving every detail as you migrate the sessions for editing and producing in a truly professional environment.

Other useful features in version 7.2 include Track Freeze to extend processing capability for a single computer, High-end POW-r dithering algorithm, Shuffle and Auto-Crossfade Arrange Edit modes, Adaptive Track Mixer for display of selected channels, Save/load channel strip instrument and plug-in configurations, extensive channel group functions for mix and edit, 64 buses, 64 auxiliary channels, 15 inserts, 8 sends per channel, support for multiple surround formats, including 5.1 and 7.2, comprehensive hardware controller support, Matrix, Event List, Hyper, Score and Transform MIDI edit windows, Layout and printing of complete professional scores, 90 recallable screen configurations with interactive edit windows, Project Manager for powerful control of assets, Setup Assistant for easy system configuration, Fast, offline bouncing of single or multiple tracks, Tempo, Signature, Chord, Transpose, Beat-Mapping and Video Tracks, and Caps Lock conversion of computer keys into musical keyboard (really useful for those without a MIDI keyboard controller or those on the go with a laptop).

OUR OPINION

If your going to get serious about production - Logic is the way to go - hands down. Hailed by many prominent musicians and producers in the industry as THE program to use, with the most comprehensive collection of music creation tools it is easy to see why it carries a reputation as the best. The features list goes on and on with many unique and innovative features that give you the power to create masterpieces. It may have a hefty price tag, but considering the all-in-one studio capabilities with unmatched producing power, instruments and effects, and sound quality - it's fully worth it. The learning curve can be pretty steep, so the Inside Logic DVD is a good look for those unfamiliar. Highly recommended.

- Network-distributed audio processing to expand power for software instruments and effects
- Track Freeze to extend processing capability for a single computer
- High-end POW-r dithering algorithm
- Audio resolution up to 24-bit/192kHz
- Shuffle and Auto-Crossfade Arrange Edit modes
- 34 software instruments, including Sculpture; Ultrabeat; EVP88, EVB3, and EVD6 vintage instruments; and ES1, ES2, EFM1, ESM, ESP and ESE synthesizers
- EXS24 mk II sampler with comprehensive sampler instrument library
- Over 70 effect plug-ins, including Guitar Amp Pro, Ringshifter, Linear Phase EQ, Match EQ, Vocal Transformer, EVOC20 Vocoder, Space Designer convolution reverb and Pitch Correction
- Adaptive Track Mixer for display of selected channels
- Save/Load Channel Strip instrument and plug-in configurations
- Sample-accurate, track-based 32-bit automations
- Extensive Channel group functions for mix and edit
- Up to 255 stereo tracks
- 64 buses, 64 auxiliary channels
- 15 inserts, 8 sends per channel
- Support for multiple surround formats, including 5.1 and 7.2
- Comprehensive hardware controller support
- Matrix, Event List, Hyper, Score and Transform MIDI edit windows
- Layout and printing of complete professional scores
- Caps Lock conversion of computer keys into musical keyboard
- More than 800 definable key and MIDI commands
- 90 recallable screen configurations with interactive edit windows
- Project Manager for powerful control of assets
- Setup Assistant for easy system configuration
- Fast, offline bouncing of single or multiple tracks
- Tempo, Signature, Chord, Transpose, Beat-Mapping and Video Tracks
- Version 7.2 runs natively on both Intel- and PowerPC-based Mac systems

• manufacturer's website

reviewed by the mgmnt