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Pipes - stand alone hardware sample player


ElmerJFudd

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https://www.pipes.rocks

 

http://ww2.sonicftp.com/news/images/29430_446.jpg

 

Module-flat-rear+view.png

 

"Imagine the audio quality and power of a laptop/tablet with 24bit/48KHz audio capability, a touchscreen interface designed for both audio creation and live performance, all for less than the cost of a current smartphone.

 

Pipes is a standalone MIDI computer with a touchscreen interface perfect for studio or live.

 

Pipes replaces a laptop and audio interface.

 

Pipes outperforms any sample playback instrument and even out-horsepowers a laptop. Best of all, Pipes costs less than smart phone.

 

Up to 20,000 high quality 24 bit/48KHz samples are always loaded, triggering in less than 4ms.

 

7" touch screen, single knob/button interface.

 

Switch between multi-GB sample sets and instruments instantly. Onboard library included.

 

Hook up one or additional midi controllers

 

balanced outputs

 

Three USB ports are included, but you can add a USB hub if you have more triggers. If you are using 5-pin DIN MIDI connections, an inexpensive MIDI to USB adapter is all you need.

 

Samples can be in WAV or AIFF format, or for maximum usability our MDA format is ideal.

 

WiFi and Bluetooth enabled! Connect Pipes to your WiFi and download factory updates, your own files, new Tweakers and eventually, anything our Pipes MIDIocracy community dreams up thanks to our open source approach!

 

Of the four audio pipes, you get three effects rack Pipes (with clean bypasses) plus 1 clean Pipe. You can have four Effects per rack. There is a Master Rack, and then three Pipes which can have unique Effects for a total of 12 Effects running simultaneously."

 

Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560

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Cool.

 

"Best of all, Pipes costs less than half of what you'd pay for the latest fancy smartphone!" Since the latest fancy smartphone is about a grand, I guess they're targeting $499 or a bit less. And being dedicated for this purpose it might beat an iPad and a soundfont player in terms of capacities, latency, stability.

Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-)

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Exactly what I was thinking.

I was sort of eyeing that piano module from Dexibell on the notion of converting some great stuff into sf2 and getting into the 1.5gb of storage. The hardware looks good, I'm sure the engine is good, and the fx stage, balanced outs. Done.

 

But seeing this thing... it may very well be able to deliver what? 64gb of storage? 128? 256? Sheesh. Uncompressed WAV. Drop the mobile OS parts that muck things up and get 4ms latency performance. The platform has the tools to build our samples into great performing instruments, FX stage, balanced outs. Very cool idea. Now, how to get pro developers to make instruments for it with the format being so open and easily shared... I'd gladly pay a fellow like Busch for a great sounding instrument in sf2, WAV, MDA format and wouldn't share it on honor system, but I know that's not always the case.

Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560

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I understand there is one - with a 5" screen, although they would like to produce one with a 7".

 

Yup, I just found it on the website;

 

"We have a complete working prototype called The Black Box, with a 5" touch screen running the latest version of PipesOS. It has almost all of the functionality promised in the version we'll release when we hit our goals. What's missing is the custom hardware enclosure and the assignable, variable infinity knob/button. Short of that, everything else is almost ready to go.

 

We will be at the NAMM show at the end of this month showing our progress to the industry, please come by our booth #9701 if you are attending, we'd love to show you how amazing Pipes is with a personal demo."

Hammond SKX

Mainstage 3

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"We will be at the NAMM show at the end of this month showing our progress to the industry, please come by our booth #9701 if you are attending, we'd love to show you how amazing Pipes is with a personal demo."

implied but not said...

"so that we can count on you to help fund our project when we launch our KickStarter campaign." :rolleyes:

:nopity:
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I'd like to know who's working on the stock sample library and patch design. If they smart and have the $ - that's the place to kick this thing off right.

I doubt they have lots of $, they're looking for donations, it's open source...

Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-)

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How many times have we been down similar paths only to find the product wasn't commercially viable or it never came to pass? I hope they can pull it off.

They should hire you to design a bunch of the initial sounds!

Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-)

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There was some new info about pipes i wanted to share. First they confirmed next to mda aiff and wav it will read gig, exs24 and Nki (Kontakt!!) samples. SO that is great. They will also include a sequencer. Prices will start at 399,- and they will offer memory upgrades up to 128GB. Because they use pure date it is maybe possible that you can insert all kinds of synths into what they call tweakers. Modular, granular (they mentioned this one), wavetabe, fm,....

 

They will kickstart pipes in a few months.... i can't wait.

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Awesome to see the prototype, thank you. Im intrigued by this device. I dont know how they are supporting all those formats. With reverse engineered translation into their format, perhaps? Like chickensys or the way EXS opens Akai format. But being able to pick and choose sample libraries and run them small on dedicated hardware is mighty cool.

Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560

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  • 8 months later...
Just read that it will support NKI files up to Kontakt 6.

 

I assume for sample mapping/groups but none of the scripting or effects, and not for anything NI-authorized (like the Grandeur or Scarbee libraries).

I make software noises.
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Just read that it will support NKI files up to Kontakt 6.

 

I assume for sample mapping/groups but none of the scripting or effects, and not for anything NI-authorized (like the Grandeur or Scarbee libraries).

 

Expect basic mapping. NKI format can be complex and detailed and how much of that they're planning on supporting is anyone's guess. Scripting would be out (no one supports that). Scripting is as much about UI as anything. Anything that is able to use the Kontakt Player has encrypted, copy-protected WAVs. You can't get to them.

 

Has anyone seen detailed info about Pipe's sample format and the exact capabilities of the playback engine?

 

Busch.

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"Pipes entire sound and instrument library loads at startup and can be triggered instantly ..."

 

I see there will be 32Gb and 128Gb versions.

Now I wonder what that "startup time" (load time) will be for each version.

 

I also wonder how it behaves when samples are mono.

Will polyphony be still 64 voices or does it expand to 128?

 

The feature, playing many, even all,- libraries at the same time in split/layer configurations sounds great, but only makes sense when there´s enough polyphony available.

64 stereo voices might be eaten by a single grand piano depending on quality of voice allocation algo and what you play.

 

:)

 

A.C.

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"Pipes entire sound and instrument library loads at startup and can be triggered instantly ..."

 

I see there will be 32Gb and 128Gb versions.

Now I wonder what that "startup time" (load time) will be for each version.

 

I also wonder how it behaves when samples are mono.

Will polyphony be still 64 voices or does it expand to 128?

 

The feature, playing many, even all,- libraries at the same time in split/layer configurations sounds great, but only makes sense when there´s enough polyphony available.

64 stereo voices might be eaten by a single grand piano depending on quality of voice allocation algo and what you play.

 

:)

 

A.C.

 

Im so spoiled from Kontakt I cant use Dexibells or Integra 7s and I probably wouldnt like this either.

Everything sounds good but the articulations are the icing on the cake.

I dont care for the Sampled Horns in Kronos or Montage either.

I like my Physis K4 and 1200 dollar 1U PC.

 

Wish somebody could make the ultimate playback hardware module.

Until then Ill keep my ultimate PC.

 

Theyre so cheap to build I can carry a spare, even though Ive never needed anything but to swap a drive before a gig once.

Magnus C350 + FMR RNP + Realistic Unisphere Mic
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This is what Pipes wrote on their FB page regarding Kontakt conversions: "Yes anything up to Kontakt 6. Support will be at least the samples and their assignments, and beyond that as much else as can be paralleled."

 

The Kontakt 6 barrier is the same issue brought up by Garth at Chicken Systems.

 

Busch.

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Yes that makes total sense.

Unfortunate the Kontakt format has become near the only game in town for developers. But that doesnt mean you cant sample and build great sounding sounding stuff in soundfont or other formats.

Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560

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This is what Pipes wrote on their FB page regarding Kontakt conversions: "Yes anything up to Kontakt 6. Support will be at least the samples and their assignments, and beyond that as much else as can be paralleled."

 

The Kontakt 6 barrier is the same issue brought up by Garth at Chicken Systems.

 

Busch.

 

Ive been avoiding upgrading, the slight advantages since 5 dont really concern me.

My main concern is String & Horn articulations from Kontakt 4 & 5.

Id love to see how this turns out.

Id pay Buko Dinero for a 256GB Hardware Module.

It would replace my DSP Rack/PC 4U that would be great for these small gigs.

 

Id tried giving up Analog rackmounts but thats like going from HX-3 to NI Organs.

That dog dont hunt.

Magnus C350 + FMR RNP + Realistic Unisphere Mic
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