Creamware Announces ElektraModular Synthesis DSP System for PC & Mac  June 2, 2000
With Elektra, CreamWare presents a professional modular synthesizer system
on a PCI card. The system is based on a combination of software and DSP
hardware and will be available for both Windows and Macintosh computers.
On the software side, Elektra boasts more than 140 modules, which can be
freely interconnected via virtual patch cords. The module library contains
oscillators, envelope generators, various effects, pattern sequencers,
filters etc. Constructing new synthesizers, drum machines, effect
processors and more is made easy thanks to an ergonomic and intuitive
graphical user interface.
The modules allow virtual analog, FM and also sample based synthesis.
Samples can be loaded in WAV, AIFF and Akai S1000 format. They can be used
as the basis of a synthesizer, instead of or in addition to traditional
analog waveforms. A set of step and pattern sequencer modules can be used
for the creation of virtual drum computers or to compose complete tracks
inside a synthesizer patch.
Elektra instruments are fully remote controllable via standard MIDI
controllers. Patches and presets can easily be saved and exchanged with
other users. Furthermore, Elektra is compatible to the Pulsar Modular
Synthesizer V2. And since all modules are purely software, Elektra can
easily be expanded. New modules and patches as well as system updates will
be available for download from the CreamWare homepage.
Up to six patches can be used simultaneously. For maximum flexibility, a
special system patch allows audio signals to be freely routed between
patches, hardware I/Os and drivers.
The Elektra PCI card hosts three Analog Devices SHARC DSPs. Thus, the
modular synth can be played just like a hardware instrument - while
imposing virtually no load on the host CPU. The hardware features four
inputs and outputs offering 24 bit/96 kHz quality (stereo analog plus
stereo S/PDIF). Via the CreamWare Z-Link interface, an optional Luna 2496
breakout box with eight additional analog I/Os (24 bit/96 kHz) can be
added. An optional 16-channel ADAT interface can also be attached to the
Elektra card.
The I/Os of the Elektra board can be used by other software applications as
well. The system comes with ultra-fast drivers for ASIO, ASIO 2.0, EASI,
MME, DirectSound, Sound Manager and Gigasampler. The drivers can also be
used to directly record the outputs of a modular patch to any HDR system
running on the same computer.
Elektra is scheduled to be available in early Q3 2000. For more information, visit Creamware's web site at www.creamware.com. | 
