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Creamware Klangboxes: Knobless virtual analog synthesizers

by James Grahame

Matrixsynth and sequencer.de have blown the cover on an upcoming series of rackmount ASB synth modules from Creamware. Apparently, €444 will get you a 1U rack unit that contains the heart and soul (well, just the electronic bits…) of either the Minimax, Pro12, or Prodyssey virtual analog synths. Each device features a power switch, blue LED power light, and MIDI/USB connectors on its backside. Presumably, they’ll be programmed using a softsynth-like interface running on your PC or Mac.

I think Creamware might be missing the boat with these — after all, the ASB series is wonderful because each box provides a tactile control surface to tweak sounds the moment inspiration strikes. And, quite honestly, second hand Creamware Scope DSP boards are now so inexpensive that I’d prefer to run the PC-based version of these instruments instead. Still, they could be useful for live performance. There’s no “official” confirmation of these products on the Creamware ASB site yet.

Creamware Klangboxes

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  • http://www.emulsionmusic.com emulsion

    This would really have to interface with my computer using a VST or AU to be appealing. To me a synth with no knobs but that is missing the convenience of softsynth plugins is sort of the worst of both worlds.

  • Thomas

    External hardware controlled only by software? Hmm, that's not really sexy.

  • eS

    Clavia Nord Modular G2 engine… anyone?
    :-D

    Ok, if only they gave the option to load whichever synth one wanted…maybe… :-/

  • Adrian Anders

    Yea, they should have at least included a couple of knobs and an LCD on the front for editing if it isn't going to have a VST plug-in bridge.

    Like what emulsion said, the worst of both worlds.

  • RS

    I don't know…looks great to me. Connect a midi knob bank to it and you've got knobs to spare. My question is whether there will finally be a way to use these under linux or OSX given that it's USB.

  • http://www.musicthing.co.uk Tom

    I think the 'either' is a big loss. Imagine if this had a big switch on the front, with little pictures of a Minimoog, B3, 2600, P5…

  • Damon

    Well, on the flip side, the Creamware emulations are regarded by many as the best sounding available. I think these boxes are in the game if or until someone else creates soft synth emulations that sound better than the Creamware versions and costs less. But that leaves these boxes in a state of perpetual peril. Beware the looming technology of Gmedia.

    Blessings,

    Damon

  • Stuart Anderson

    Well, I have a horrible tower PC with 2 Pulsar cards which I have set up only to use the John Bowen plugins. I'd love to take my 2 cards and morph them into a simple rack with a PC, preferably Mac UI.

    S.

  • Sandonsand

    For those (like me!) who already have an ASB, or knobs and keyboard, etc… it sounds great to have (for the price of 1,5 VSTi…)a stable rack that gives you THE sound of very welknown synth. For the gigs it sounds really good. My B4000 ASB is perfect for hammond sound (i need the drawbars !); as for the the sound of Prophet, Minimoog or ARP Odyssey, if you have already a controling gear for your gigs, i would suggest to buy 2 Klangs instead of 1 sole ASB (hope the official. My ASB is a dream, but it is quite expensive. Just a big investment. But for stable gigs i do prefer to avoid too much computer (i don't know if creamware software+soundcard are stable for gigs?).

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