MusicMan 2 HiFi edition, and FZ Pro manuals

[A Rawnsley]

As well, as the Messenger Pro 6 update released earlier this week, the
MUG show also sees new editions of MusicMan 2 and the Fireworkz Pro
CD.

Taking FZ Pro first (the integrated word processor, spreadsheet and
database), for a quick paragraph, the CD has been updated with
extensive new manuals - tutorial, user guide and reference manual,
each cross-referenced and with comprehensive PDF bookmarks for easy
navigation. Many examples are supplied to support the documentation,
with particular emphasis on the various commands, functions and
scripting supported by the software.


Now, MusicMan 2 HiFi Edition. We are pleased to announce the results
of our work with several high-end audio companies, operating in the
"if you have to ask the price..." bracket of the hi-fi industry. For
this market, uncompressed WAV files are the only acceptable digital
audio format, preserving bit-perfect accuracy in recordings. MusicMan
2 gained support for WAV files at release, but the HiFi edition of
MusicMan 2 (2.07) takes this much further, with what we believe to be
the best quality WAVs available.

Since the WAV format has no standard for embedded info (aka metadata),
most programs (even big names like iTunes) simply don't bother to
include anything. However, various standards have been proposed /
implemented by different companies and organisations. Microsoft, for
example, do their own thing with Windows Media Player (which only
works if the information appears at a specific point in the file).
Other standards are based on the existing id3v2 standards used by many
of the popular lossy-compression audio formats.

With little or no consistency, we have had to work carefully with
MusicMan to add the extra information in a variety of formats for
maximum compatibility. Not only that, but we had to try and conform
to the various recommendations laid down by different organisations as
to how the files were structured. Our end result manages to not only
support high end hi-fi equipment, for example, but retain
compatibility with Microsoft into the bargin.

The net result is the ability to create what have been described as
"probably the best WAV files" for high end device playback/
compatibility, besting the more wide-spread market "leaders". To
quote one tester, "You realise that I'll have to re-rip my entire
music library now that I've seen what MusicMan can do?" We're already
thinking of ways to help make that easier for him!


MusicMan 2 remains at its current price, which definately isn't in the
"if you have to ask" territory. Indeed, it is probably *too* cheap
for the hifi audience! Why not come and have a look/listen at the MUG
show this weekend?

For more information, please visit http://www.rcomp.co.uk/


--
R-Comp
22 Robert Moffat, High Legh, Knutsford, Cheshire WA16 6PS
Tel: 01925 755043 Fax: 01925 757377 http://www.rcomp.co.uk