Introducing MIOConsole 6.3

Free Update!

MIOConsole3d v.6.3.03 is a free update to the software and firmware for all 3d-based Metric Halo interfaces, and is a recommended update for all users. This version has been tested on macOS Sequoia (macOS 15.x), as well as all previous macOS releases back to macOS 10.9 (Mavericks).

New Plugins Included for +DSP
The big news is that MIOConsole now includes all the new plugins and plugin updates that we have made to our native plugins since the last release.

This release adds the following new plugin to the DSP plugin pack bundled with the hardware:

• MB MixHead

  MixHead is a classic 90's style tape emulation. Rather than trying to be an absolutely faithful simulation of analog tape, it captures some of the key elements of the excitement that tape brings to the recording process without many of its downsides.

  It is also a key component of Serban Ghenea’s stereo master bus. In fact, Serban graciously contributed a preset that provides the settings that he most often used with the original device. That preset is included with MixHead.

  
  

  Now, MixHead is a TEC Award 2025 Finalist. And it is available inside your MIO as part of the 6.3 release!

• MBSI

  MBSI is a loving and faithful recreation of one of the most successful custom built consoles in the United States.

  Custom built by the technicians at MCI for studio C at Criteria Studios, Miami FL, this console was used in the production of dozens of hit records that sold millions of copies.

  Artists such as Eagles, Eric Clapton, the Bee Gees, and Grand Funk Railroad chose this room and this Console to work with some of the world's best producers including Tom Dowd and the legendary Bill Szymczyk.

  We teamed up with Make Believe and Bill Szymczyk to bring this historic console to you for the first time.

You can learn more about MBSI here.

Now, MBSI is available inside your MIO as part of the 6.3 release!

• MB Sigma Sound Studios DI

  The Sigma Sound Studios DI is a rare custom-built DI created by Joe Tarsia, founder and owner of Sigma Sound Studios (Philadelphia/New York).

  “In 1967, before stock consoles and turn key studios, I and some believers, wire by wire, component by component built Sigma’s first studio. Primitive by today’s standards the console had just 12 inputs that fed a then state-of-the-art 8 track tape machine. It was then that I built the first Sigma DI.

  We wanted a general purpose direct box that would not only direct inject electric keyboards but more importantly would get the best out of the electric bass and guitar. The unexpected results were astonishing; the Sigma DI quickly became the favorite of the bass and guitar players.

  Always looking for the better mousetrap, as new DIs came to market we put our box to the test. In every head to head comparison with both active and passive store bought DIs the Sigma box came out on top. You know the sound; you hear it in the recordings of the Jays, Lou Rawls, Teddy Pendergrass, the Stylistics, the Spinners, MFSB, Grover Washington Jr and Patti LaBelle.

  It’s ‘The Sound of Philadelphia’.

  The day Sigma opened its doors and the 35 years that followed it was the only DI I used for recording musicians like Ronnie Baker, Gerald Veasley, Steve Beskrone, Bob Babbitt, Anthony Jackson and many others.

  It was only at the urging of a musician friend, who wanted a Sigma DI of his own that I considered building a few. Unfortunately I found that the heart of the Sigma DI, a high quality audio transformer, had been out of production for years and is now just about impossible to find. We spent months searching supply houses, the web and electronic equipment manufacturers to find just 50 of the rare transformers.” - Joe Tarsia

  Only 50 of these were ever made.

  

  The MB Sigma Sound Studios DI is a lovingly crafted digital emulation of the dynamic characteristics and behavior of a pristine Sigma Sound Studios DI provided by George Hajioannou of Studio Logic Sound - with a couple of twists:

  • The transformer in the DI is so pristine that it actually requires quite a bit of drive to engage the transformer saturation. So we added a volume compensated drive control to allow you to put the signal into the sweet spot of the transformer.
  • Since the DI was almost always used with a leveling amp, we added a wonderful one knob compressor; simply turn the Comp knob to engage the compressor - it is gain compensated and has a fixed attack and release.

  Use the MB Sigma Sound Studios DI to recreate that classic Philadelphia Sound on bass, guitar, keyboards and all sorts of other sources.

This release includes upgrades for the entire plugin system, and also brings all of the DSP plugins to parity with the Native plugins by updating the following integrated plugins.

• v4 versions of all the MH Production Bundle Plugins:
  • ChannelStrip
  • Character
  • TransientControl
  • DirtyDelay
  • Precision De-Esser
  • Multiband Expander
  • Multiband Dynamics
  • HaloVerb
  • Sonic EQ
  • SuperGate
  • Thump
• v4 versions of all the Make Believe Plugins:
  • MBEQ
  • SPRES
  • GoodMath
  • Parallel 1
  • Parallel 2
  • Parallel 3+4
  • Kevins Limiter
• v4 version of the Sontec MES-432D9D Plugin

v.6.3 also adds oversampling support for selected processors:

• MB MixHead
• MBSI
• MB Sigma Sound Studios DI
• MH ChannelStrip
• MH TransientControl
• MH Sonic EQ
• MBEQ
• Sontec MES-432D9D
• * MH Character already supported oversampling, but now has additional options available
• * Oversampling on the hardware is currently limited to 4x as it quickly consumes DSP resources.

Mixer / Mixer UI Enhancements
v.6.3 adds support for EQ curve and Dynamics curve display in the mixer. This information is collected from all the EQ and Dynamics Plugins inserted on the strip and shows you the compound effects of multiple Plugins or multiple dynamics processors within a plugin (e.g. ChannelStrip).

You can check the release notes for the details.

Firmware Enhancements
This release of MIOConsole3d and associated firmware for the hardware allows you to choose the filter mode used by the mkIV converter HW (mkIII hardware, 2882 and ULN-2 have fixed filters in the converters and cannot be changed).

Bug Fixes
Of course this release also includes many bug fixes and quality of life improvements. You can check the release notes for the details.

Availability
v.6.3 is available immediately for all MIO 3d owners. You can download the update from within MIOConsole3d, or you can download it directly from the:

MIOConsole3d Software Page

If you want to learn about all the details of the update, please read:

MIOConsole3d v6.3 Release Notes

Still on 2d or Legacy?
Every MIO ever shipped can be upgraded to 3d and immediately take advantage of 64-bit support, Full Apple Silicon support, MHLink and USB interfacing, EdgeCard Expansion, and all of the fantastic new features and plugins introduced in MIOConsole3d 6.3. Upgrades are in stock and ready to ship.

Questions?
We are here to help! Drop us an email or open a support ticket and we are happy to answer any questions or concerns you have.