Digidesign Unveils Pro Tools M-Powered Software for M-Audio Hardware

    Business Editors/High-Tech Editors

    TEWKSBURY, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 5, 2005--

    Company to provide electronic musicians and home recording artists using M-Audio interfaces with access to new entry-level Pro Tools software

    Avid Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: AVID) today announced that its audio division, Digidesign, has unveiled Pro Tools M-Powered(TM) software. Scheduled to ship in early April 2005, Pro Tools M-Powered software will provide any musician or recording enthusiast using a range of compatible M-Audio(R) peripherals with affordable access to the Grammy(R) and Oscar(R) award-winning Pro Tools(R) software toolset. In the future, Digidesign and M-Audio plan to broaden the range of M-Audio interfaces that will interoperate with Pro Tools software, offering a target audience of approximately 400,000 existing M-Audio customers the potential to take advantage of Pro Tools M-Powered software.
    "The combination of Pro Tools software and M-Audio hardware meets our customers' demands for a wider choice of qualified Pro Tools peripherals," said Dave Lebolt, Digidesign general manager. "What's especially exciting about Pro Tools M-Powered is that some M-Audio interfaces - like the Ozonic(TM) keyboard controller and audio interface - provide musicians with an entirely new integrated and portable way to run Pro Tools. By giving our customers choices they've never had before, we believe this move will strengthen our leadership position in the rapidly growing computer music and home recording market."
    Pro Tools M-Powered is an entry-level software solution that brings the core Pro Tools LE software feature set to a wide range of M-Audio hardware peripherals, giving musicians and home recording artists an unprecedented set of tools at a breakthrough price. The software opens a new door for M-Audio customers, enabling them to take advantage of the recording industry's most popular audio/MIDI production software in conjunction with a variety of M-Audio interfaces.
    Customers of Pro Tools M-Powered software will instantly become part of the Pro Tools community, which represents the largest number of digital audio workstation (DAW) users in the world. The Pro Tools M-Powered software package comes bundled with more than 30 Digidesign(R) software plug-ins that offer instant access to a wide variety of creative signal processing and effects. Pro Tools M-Powered customers will also gain access to additional Digidesign Development Partners(TM) products - including additional software plug-ins - that are designed specifically for Pro Tools. In addition, Ableton Live Lite 4.0 - an important music creation tool - is also included. Customers who want to take their projects further can purchase additional plug-in bundles separately to complement their music production suites at great savings.
    The easy-to-use Pro Tools M-Powered software offers cross-platform support for both Windows XP- and Mac OS X-based computers. In addition, sessions created with Pro Tools M-Powered software will open on both Digidesign Pro Tools TDM and LE systems, offering instant compatibility with countless Pro Tools-equipped project and professional studios around the world.

    Pricing and Availability

    Pro Tools M-Powered software is expected to be available in April 2005, and can be purchased through M-Audio dealers worldwide. Pricing for the Pro Tools M-Powered software is $349 USMSRP.

    About Digidesign

    Digidesign, a division of Avid Technology, Inc., is the world's leading manufacturer of digital audio production systems, and the winner of the 2001 Technical Grammy Award and 2003 Academy Award(R) of Merit (Oscar(R) statuette) for the design, development and implementation of the Pro Tools digital audio workstation. The company is the exclusive distributor of the Focusrite hardware and software product lines in North and Latin America. Digidesign provides the professional music, film, video, multimedia, and radio broadcast industries with tools for digital recording, MIDI sequencing, editing, signal processing, and surround mixing. Digidesign products are marketed in over forty countries worldwide through a distribution network of value-added dealers, distributors, and OEM relationships. M-Audio, a leading provider of digital audio and MIDI solutions for electronic musicians and audio professionals, is a business unit of Digidesign. For more information, please visit: www.digidesign.com.

    About Avid Technology, Inc.

    Avid Technology, Inc. is the world leader in digital nonlinear media creation, management, and distribution solutions, enabling film, video, audio, animation, games, and broadcast professionals to work more efficiently, productively, and creatively. For more information about the company's Oscar, Grammy, and Emmy(R) award-winning products and services, please visit: www.avid.com.

    (C) 2005 Avid Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. Product features, specifications, system requirements, and availability are subject to change without notice. All prices are USMSRP for the U.S. and Canada only and are subject to change without notice. Avid, Digidesign, Digidesign Development Partners, Film Composer, M-Audio, Ozonic, Pro Tools M-Powered, and Pro Tools are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Avid Technology, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. Avid received an Oscar statuette representing the 1998 Scientific and Technical Award for the concept, design, and engineering of the Avid(R) Film Composer(R) system for motion picture editing. Digidesign, Avid's audio division, received an Oscar statuette representing the 2003 Scientific and Technical Award for the design, development, and implementation of its Pro Tools digital audio workstation. Oscar is a trademark and service mark of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Emmy is a registered trademark of ATAS/NATAS. Grammy is a trademark of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, Inc. All other trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.

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CONTACT: Digidesign Chandra Lynn, 650-731-6688 chandra_lynn@digidesign.com

KEYWORD: MASSACHUSETTS INDUSTRY KEYWORD: HARDWARE SOFTWARE PRODUCT SOURCE: Avid Technology, Inc.

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