Time Factory II is a professional Mac application for high-quality audio time stretching, pitch shifting, and formant shifting, featuring multiple algorithms and industrial-grade batch processing.
Purpose and Core Capabilities
Time Factory II is a standalone audio processing application designed to alter duration and pitch independently, over a wide range of ratios, for any audio file. It targets professionals needing precise tempo or pitch changes, such as film sound designers adjusting frame rates, music producers remixing tracks, or transcription specialists slowing down recordings.
The application includes several renowned algorithms—MPEX 2, MPEX 3, ZTX, quickStretch, and ClearScale—each with distinct strengths and parameters for different signal types. This variety allows users to select the most appropriate method for speech, complex material, monophonic, or polyphonic music, ensuring optimal results.
Key Features and Formats
Time Factory II supports phase-synced processing of mono, stereo, and multichannel files, including 5.1, 6.1, 7.1, and N.1 layouts. It handles sample rates up to 384kHz (DXD) and bit depths up to 32-bit. File formats include AIFF, WAV, BWF with metadata preservation, CAF, WAVE64, MBWF/RF64, and SoundDesigner II. It can also import MP3 and AAC directly from iTunes.
The program offers a “transpose” function for sample rate conversion, and factory presets for common scenarios like 3:2 pull-down and PAL-to-NTSC conversion. Users can save custom presets for repetitive tasks, and stretch factors can be entered as BPM, seconds, sample frames, FPS, percentage, or pitch transposition.
Workflow and Precision
The workflow is straightforward: drop files onto the application, set the stretch or shift amount, and begin processing. Users can specify new duration in time, percentage change, source/target BPM or FPS, or sample frames, making setting precise targets flexible.
Timing precision is emphasized, especially for long files like film reels. The application uses high-precision mathematics to avoid artifacts such as lip-sync errors, drum timing issues, or transient flanging, aiming for timing accuracy without common time-stretching side effects.
Batch Processing and Practical Use
Time Factory II includes an industrial-grade batch processing engine, allowing users to set parameters, click process, and let the Mac handle multiple files automatically. This is ideal for large projects like converting an entire film’s audio or processing a music library.
Practical applications include frame rate (FPS) conversion for film and broadcast, tempo/pitch adjustment for production or remixing, sound design, and slowing down music for transcription. The combination of algorithm choice and batch handling makes it a versatile tool in professional audio workflows.
Key features
- Five algorithms: MPEX 2, MPEX 3, ZTX, quickStretch, ClearScale
- Phase-synced processing for mono to arbitrary multichannel layouts
- Supports sample rates up to 384kHz and bit depths up to 32-bit
- Preserves BWF metadata and reads many file formats including AIFF, WAV, CAF
- Factory presets for frame rate conversions and user-saveable presets
- Flexible stretch factor entry in BPM, seconds, frames, FPS, or percentage
- Built-in batch processing for efficient handling of many files
Best for
Time Factory II is best suited for audio professionals and post-production engineers who need precise, high-quality time and pitch manipulation for film frame rate conversions, music remixing, sound design, and transcription, especially when handling large batches or multichannel formats.