Uli finishes UB-Xa, moves on to Prophet 16

[ElmerJFudd]

From FB

"Now that we have completed the UB-Xa development and we're moving it into production, one of our several synth teams is already developing the next poly synthesizer, a model many of you have requested. As you can see it's quite advanced.

 

Over the past 4 years we have heavily invested in the development of a highly sophisticated modular platform based on powerful ARM processors, which will allow us to create complex poly synths at a much faster rate.

These are truly exciting times as we will be heavily focusing on poly synths - both legacy and new ones.

 

Guess which synth this is below?"

[PianoMan51]

Okay, I"m confused.

 

I pictured the big B developing copies of old analog synths using sophisticated modeling software to resurrect historical designs using modern analog IC technology. They"ve been running this model for years. And given the amazing number of designs they"ve brought to market this is truly a core capability.

 

What does an ARM processor have to do with this? What did I miss?

[Marzzz]

Okay, I"m confused.

 

What does an ARM processor have to do with this? What did I miss?

It almost sounds like he is building sophisticated VAsâ¦

[ElmerJFudd]

Digital tech is for memory, midi, control, etc.

 

But yes, they could of course clone VA"s like the Virus - but I vaguely recall Uli saying he wasn"t going to do this. I may be wrong. Google might remember.

 

My hope is that the knowledge and profit they are making on their trip down memory lane will give them the skills and guts to create more modern originals - like the DM12.

[Theo Verelst]

An analog with digital control signals requires a number of DACs, one for every control signal, unless a Digital to Analog Converter gets multiplexed electronically, also, digital controls can be used for modulation, such as LFO. Modern synthesizers might use audio rate updating of the control voltages for all analog blocks, so every controller connected with an analog control input voltage must be audio rate updated, thus requiring Dsp/Cpu power.

 

It's not better to do envelopes and other signals with the digital control voltages but it explains the requirement.

 

T.

[Baggypants]

That USB-midi doesn't generate itself! Sounds like they've just standardised some controller bits.

[Marzzz]

What I would really like to see is an analog 16-voice synth with multiple filters, etc. Sort of their take on a modern Andromeda-like synth as opposed to a clone of something.

[Theo Verelst]

I'd prefer an analog synth with digital control where the analog electronics are *adjusted* digitally, but with mainly static digital signals, so that for instance LFOs and Envelopes are not digitized signals but analog signals with only voltage control signals from a computer, so that the tone and it's development are free from digital effects!

 

To my knowledge no poly synth up to date works that way, but I could be wrong.

 

TV

[MikeT156]

What I would really like to see is an analog 16-voice synth with multiple filters, etc. Sort of their take on a modern Andromeda-like synth as opposed to a clone of something.

 

Novation Summit. It has one great analog filter and 16 voices. MAP is 2199.00. If you like the sound, its a bargain. Why do you want more than more than ONE filter?

[RABid]

I wonder how much digital control was built into the Rhodes Chroma. I know it had a computer interface available to play 16 different parts. Would love to see them release a modern Chroma.