Guillemot Unveils Maxi Studio ISIS PCI Soundcard

Full-Duplex, Eight Input, Four Output Home Recording Studio

January 28, 1999 -- Guillemot announces the launch of the new Maxi Sound ISIS PCI soundcard. Using a revolutionary internal audio-processing engine, the Maxi Studio ISIS allows for an unbelievable eight simultaneous inputs and four independent outputs in fall-duplex so that users can record up to eight different musicians live.

Expensive professional solutions are no longer required with the Maxi Studio ISIS. Contains an outstanding external audio rack that gathers 1/4" jack connectors for unparalleled analog recording and playback, a 32, 44.1 or 48 KHz S/PDIF input and output in both gold-plated RCA and optical format for digital transfers with a DAT, 20-bit converters for a perfect audio fidelity, and a DIN in/out/through connector for a maximum flexibility of the MIDI sessions. Musicians can even select synchronization clocks and adjust I/O levels and input monitoring due to a virtual control console.

"It was just two years ago in October 1996, when Guillemot revealed the first true PC-based home soundcard. With more than 40 international prizes and awards under its belt with its Maxi Sound line of sound cards, Guillemot has become a leader in the market of PC home sound solutions", says Claude Guillemot, President of Guillemot Corporation. "Insatiable for progress, Guillemot addresses music lovers everywhere with the introduction of our state-of-the-art full-featured digital audio and N41DI recording studio for a fraction of the cost of other professional systems."

Maxi Studio ISIS is an unprecedented stand-alone professional-quality studio soundcard that includes an amazing GM/ GS synthesizer with 4MB RAM of high quality sounds* and a professional stereo multi-layer sampler so home musicians can fulfill their wildest musical dreams. The ability to create music files in real time audio and MIDI mix down in 100% digital format are just some of the features offered for making high-quality recordings.

Enhanced multi-track recording capabilities are made possible due to the higher bandwidth featured in this new generation PCI card. The soundcard provides a full multi-channel compatibility with windows(R) 95 and most prevalent digital audio/MIDI applications, including software from Emagic, Cakewalk and Steinberg, so that musicians can stay with their favorite sequencer. Maxi Studio ISIS also includes a comprehensive software suite with intuitive interfaces. In fact, whether the user is a budding musician trying out his wings, or a full-fledged maestro, Maxi Studio ISIS will be an essential creative tool that will provide excellent support for better music making.

While this leading-edge sound card is designed primarily for the home musician's solo or group songwriting, it is also an excellent solution for multimedia developers, broadcasters, web site designers, disc jockeys, audio aficionados and many others involved in the Backstage production.

Gamers will also appreciate the RISC-based Digital Signal processor (DSP) that will provide them with a powerful effects-processing engine that won't slow down their games. The card also offers all new predefined environment settings for those top-selling games that don't have built-in 3D audio support. Offering full hardware acceleration of DirectSound(TM) and DirectSound(TM) 3D applications and 100% compatibility with all games including A3D and legacy DOS titles, Guillemot has paved the way for true realism in the ultimate immersive 3D audio experience.

The Maxi Studio ISIS will be available for $399.99 SRP, and should be released around March 1.

Feature Summary

Full-duplex recording of up to 8 musicians or instruments - Eight simultaneous inputs and four independent outputs in hardware full-duplex allow you to record up to eight musicians or instruments in a single session and capture the magic of live performances.
High-quality music synthesizer/sampler - The unprecedented GM (TM)/GS(TM) synthesiser with 4MB RAM of high quality sounds and the top-of-the-range multi-layer stereo 48kHz sampler enable music addicts to fulfill their wildest musical dreams with the resonance filter of up to 24dB and more high level functions.
High audio fidelity - External 20-bit converters ensure a high Signal-to-Noise Ratio. The four synchronisation clocks allow you to record sources at 32, 44.1, 48kHz or in slave mode for the digital S/PDIF transfers with impeccable quality while avoiding software interpolation.
Multichannel compatability with popular music software - Thanks to hardware full-duplex 8-input 4-output capability, make the most of the multichannel functions provided by your favorite sequencer or music application like Logic Audio(TM) Quartz(TM) and apply their software effects to your creations!
Convenience of an external rack
- Ultimately simplistic and flexible audio\MIDI Home Studio set-up.
- Hard-wearing & high-end connection of your music gear.
- External converters & connectors for minimum interference.
- High-fidelity digital S/PDIF recordings at 32, 44.1 or 48kHz.
New technology and expandabilitty
- New poweful RISC-bsed DSP used in high-end professional synthesisers.
- New generation PCI baandwidth for enhanced multi-track recording capabilities
- Numerous MIDI banks divided into a wide array of instruments and drum sets.
- Sampling memory expandable to 36MB RAM.
Music software demos included - Cubase Score VST(TM) Rebirth(TM) Wavelab(TM) Cakewalk Pro Audio(TM) 8, + sound libraries included. - COOL EDIT PRO SE: Professional multitrack wave file editor & mixer with advanced features.
Ditto DJ XP - CD-burning application. On-the-fly recording with any audio source and digital sampling of audio CDs.

Technical Specifications

Main Board

DSP (Digital Signal Processor): RISC-based Dream(TM) : MIDI with no CPU cost. CD-Audio sound quality (44.lkHz) and Pro audio quality (48kHz). 4-layer PCB.
Built-in synthesiser with 64-voice GM/GS hardware wavetable and multi-layer stereo 48kHz sampler including 2 LFOs (Low Frequency Oscillators), 3 EGs (Envelope Generators), 2 keyboard tracking tables . Resonance filter of up to 24dB. (Multi-layer: The possibility of assigning more than one instrument to any one note at any time)
4MB RAM of high quality samples (sounds included with the expressed authorization of Roland Corporation).
Memory expandable to 36MB RAM with standard SIMM module (<=60 ns) to download new soundbanks.
Inputs: Mic-In, stereo Line-In, digital game port/MIDI port.
1 stereo Line-Out + 1 surround output to connect 4 speakers.

External Rack

Eight 1/4" analog line level inputs & four 1/4" analog line level outputs.
20-bit ADC and DAC converters.
Digital stereo S/PDIF input & output with gilt RCA & optical connection for transfer of your musical creations Direct-to-DAT (Digital Audio Tape) or mini-disc without loss.
MIDI-In / MIDI-Out / MIDI-Thru DIN connectors.

Music Configuration

Simultaneous recording of 8 sources and playback of 4 sources in hardware full-duplex. Monitoring of the 8 inputs to the 4 outputs.
Listen to your compositions in real-time through both the analog and digital outputs and savour digital quality input for outstanding recordings.
Choose one of the 4 user-configurable synchronisation master clocks available: 32, 44.1, 48kHz or S/PDIF clock signal.
Two MIDI ports: - One internal port to drive the on-board synthesiser. & - One external port for external connection.

Game Configuration

True 3D Positional Sound on 4 speakers (no CPU usage) : Set up a real symphonic orchestra at home.
Real-time Surround on 2 & 4 speakers and 4-band paragraphic equaliser on all sound sources.
Real-time customisable special effects on 2 or 4 speakers: reverb & chorus on MIDI & Wave; echo, pitch shifting, chorus & reverb on Microphone, CD-Audio, Line-In

Compatible with Open Standards

GM(TM) (General MIDI(TM)) including under Windows(R) DOS box, GS(TM) (General Standard(TM)), Roland(TM) MPU401 mode UART, Windows(R) Plug & Play. MS-DOS version 5.0 and higher.
Compatible with any PC system (Intel(R), AMD(TM) and Cyrix(TM) processors) and all popular Windows(TM) Audio/MIDI music applications.
100% compatible with all games, including Legacy DOS,titles. Microsoft(R) Direct Sound(TM) & Direct Sound(TM) 3D hardware accelerator (under DirectX(TM) 6.0), Aureal A3D(TM) 1.0 on 2 speakers, Soundblaster(TM), Soundblaster(TM) Pro and Adlib(TM) (under real DOS mode and in a Windows(R) DOS box).

Minimum System Requirements

Intel Pentium(R) l33MHz and higher or 100% compatible. PCI 2.1 slot,
16 MB RAM (32 MB recommended), Windows(R) 95 or 98 or DOS 5.0 or higher (for games).
3,5 MB per second data transfer speed for multi-track-recording.
Audio sources format : Line Level.
CD-Rom drive. (CD-R to use the CD-burning software).
LOGIC AUDIO(TM) PRO ISIS with audio functionality: Minimum Intel Pentium(R) 166MHz and higher or 100% compatible with 32MB RAM, recommended Pentium(R) 200MHz, Pentium II(R) or better with 64MB RAM.

For more information, visit Guillemot's web site at http://www.guillemot.com/