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Company: SoundBits
Product: Whooshes and Impacts 2 (+ Elements)
Price: €48 for Standard, €39 for Elements
Our Rating: 4.5/5
Whooshes and Impacts 2, the extensive new library from SoundBits, offers a fresh aesthetic to creative Sound Design. We took advantage of it's palette in a project we were working on, testing it's range and ease of use.
Opening Up
We were sent both the Standard and Elements version for review. When browsing through the various whooshes and impacts, the extensive Metadata gives users a great description of each effect. The breakdown into High Frequency, Mid Frequency and Low Frequency sections in the Elements version provides a useful and quick way to tracklay a heavily designed scene. The sounds are provided in 24Bit 96kHz and over 600 sounds are included with the Standard version with a further 450 available in the Elements pack.
Making An Impact
The sounds here really took us by surprise, in a good way. They have a signature sound that separates them from other comparable libraries, SoundBits did a great job of combining unexpected elements, making the whooshes and impacts useful in a variety of genres. The fact that they offered variations on some effects was a nice touch. These effects are very nicely mastered, with the impacts having a wide and powerful cinematic sound, and the whooshes providing everything from a subtle breeze of LFE to full blown Sci-Fi pass bys.
When track laying our project, these whooshes and impacts really took it to the next level. We accented vehicle pass-bys and used the Low Frequency whoosh layers to sweeten slow motion shots. There is a clear, natural quality to the effects in the mix, which leaves more scope for EQ and compression. Other similar libraries process the sounds too heavily, which makes them great initially, but creates a struggle in the mix to make them fit.
Elements To Build On
This library is a no frills, straight up useful creative tool. Don't expect flashy artwork or overly processed sounds. Do expect content that you will use in almost every project, building blocks for great Sound Design moments. We would definitely advise purchasing both the Standard and Elements versions, as when the content is broken down, it takes on a new lease of life. It may not be the only Whoosh and Impact library you'll ever need, but for SoundBits it probably won't be the last that they release, and we would continue using their products in a heartbeat.
It may be useful in the future to separate the whooshes and impacts folders by genre or content, so it is a faster process to find the right sounds for the right scenario. There was a missed opportunity with the branding too, this library deserves more unique artwork, which could help show the quality of the content better. There is also a distinct lack of reverb here that initially disappointed me, especially on impacts. But when it came to using the library in a project, I appreciated the flexibility.
The Bottom Line
For only €48/€39 you get 2 creative tools that are unique enough to make a scene shine, yet subtle enough not to be painfully obvious in a mix. We would happily use the same effect in multiple projects with the Elements version, as you can combine the different layers to make new content. Buy both, and you wont be sorry, especially because until March 31st you will get an exclusive discount of 35% on all 'whoosh related products' at the SoundBits website with the code: 344AUDIO-SOUNDBITS as well as a generous free mini pack below.