idea for scope II - ASM extension box

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hifiboom
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idea for scope II - ASM extension box

Post by hifiboom »

I had a pretty nice thought about scope II.
If it ever comes here is my recommendation:

a connector port on the pci-ex card to integrate real analog components through an external hosting box. naming could be ASM - Analog Scope modules.
The creamware system with its 0-latency is the only system that could really integrate best of analog world into the digital scope world.

Think about being able to load a real anlog filter into modularIII with the ease of a digital visualized module.

The ASM rack host box would be some kind of extention for the scopeII card. You can buy it but you don`t have to.
If you buy it you can decide depending on money you have how many and which modules you will like to buy.
For example just two filters.
Now the devices you have bought appear as mod modules but also in all flexible filter host slots of the new scopeII synths. :D
For example you could switch the Prodyssey internal filter to the a real analog if you bought one.
If you reach the maximum number of analog filters/polyphony in your virtual synth, than the system gives you an notfication and switches to the digital ones.

I think this idea would pretty much add to the scope idea of being extremly flexible and finally Scope is the only system that could work with such an idea without problem due to its great architecture.
Finally it does not have to be manufactured at the very beginning of a scope II development.
There just needs to be a well-though specification of the cable connector for such a rack slot unit.
This would also be a unique feature not availbale yet in this form and could attrack serious well-paying customers.

Another advantage would be that you could save your real analog modular patches or mixed analog-digital hypbrid patches in the same way as a a pure digital patch.

Think about it, the sound of nalaog + the flexibility of digital.
saving a patch is as easy as it ever was.
and so on.
The ASM modular hardware modules could be cheaply made in plastic cases to keep cost low and there would not be the need for knobs and that stuff, as controlling is doe by the ASM rack controller and the scope software.

So the modules are digital controlled analog parts.
This would hit the nail I think of what people think about an innovative product.

Its just an idea but I wanna mention it if there is something in devlopment this could be considered for implementaion. And it would be THE attracvtion point to buy a dsp based system in worlds of quad cores.

It could look like this:
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ASM.JPG
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irrelevance

Post by irrelevance »

Nice idea, but if I understand you correctly, the ASM is useless without the scope card as it has no control surface. So someone would have to be predisposed to buying scope gear to really see the benefit.


I do think that further integration with hardware is a good avenue to take but maybe a bit more open ended. i.e Have the ability to integrate with other manufacturers equipment. Maybe an external scope mixer that could load scope fx and hardware fx and could transfer digitally and latency free to scope card.
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hifiboom
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Post by hifiboom »

irrelevance wrote:Nice idea, but if I understand you correctly, the ASM is useless without the scope card as it has no control surface. So someone would have to be predisposed to buying scope gear to really see the benefit.
yeah for sure it would be useless without a scope card. But it features 2 cost advantages:

(1) You can/could build a hybrid synth pretty cheap, as you only need a few modules which really improve the sound (maybe a vca and a filter)....

The less soundcritical modules are emulated digitally. thats a cost advantage.

(2) as the ASM modules would have no user interfaces and cheap cases they could be manufactured pretty cheap too.

controlling them digitally also has other advantages:

- controlling the analog modules by the scope cards software lets you easily save settings of your modules...
you know with an analog modular synth you have to write down the values to a paper. Pretty uncool in these days.

- routing is extremly easy and done digitally.

a disadvantage would be that every module would need to have a AD and DA converter at least of good quality for the integration.
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FrancisHarmany
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Post by FrancisHarmany »

sounds pretty cool!
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astroman
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Post by astroman »

it's a valid approach only in the snobish 5K Euro and above league... :wink: :P
at least I assume you don't talk 'any analog' (like my cheapo MAM Drum Synth), but top quality.
I've had the pleasure to hear the Solaris hardware prototype in Frankfurt.
There's no more need for 'analog', at least not in context with sound 'quality' ;)

you already have a moogish ladder filter who's digital implementation is undistinguishable from the original. You could build a cheap one with transitor arrays, but what for ?
it exists in perfect emulation - and the 'magic' of an analog implementation will puff to smoke as soon as people notice that any kid can cludge it together from readymade parts - unlike the original.

you cannot use 'vintage' circuits for a current production (except in the afforementioned snobish approach)
so you got to design new analog parts, superceeding the original ones - that's even more expensive and specialized than developing software.

nevertheless, some brainstorming isn't bad at all - yet I'd never post the real cool ideas.
Some of the bigger Japanese corporations also read this board from time to time ;)
and did you find a way to solve the Modular preset problems... ?

cheers, Tom
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hifiboom
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Post by hifiboom »

for sure its just some brainstorming about new ways and ideas before a new scope spec is fixed.(I really hope they do scopeII one day)
nevertheless, some brainstorming isn't bad at all - yet I'd never post the real cool ideas.
Some of the bigger Japanese corporations also read this board from time to time

I hope they do! :D seriously I think nobody can copy the creamware platform that fast. (It needs much knowledge in 3 areas: audio design skill, hardware engineering skill and software skills)

The japanese and chinese developers are good at copying and mostly they take the markets that have good margins. And the audio area is less attractive.
And that approach does only work with the scope idea. Else you would have to design everything from ground which would be very cost intensive.

The scope developers@creamware/soniccore have my highest repect as the platform is really great and the "audio" sdk in that quality is a genious thing.
and did you find a way to solve the Modular preset problems... ?
which problems? :D
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