CreamWare Announces PowerSampler II

At Winter NAMM 2002, CreamWare announced the new version of the sampling system PowerSampler. PowerSampler II is based on the same DSP card as its predecessor, but is equipped with a far more powerful software package. The sampler allows unique realtime manipulations of the sound - like realtime pitch-shifting and time-stretching, formant shifting and the Robot Mode.

PowerSampler II gives you total control over pitch, tempo and formants - each independently of the others. Audio material can thus be handled as flexibly as MIDI data. Some example applications:

• Multisampling is no longer necessary. A single sample is adequate to reproduce an instrument with life-like realism over several octaves.
• Vocal samples can be transposed without changing the playback speed - and at the same time, the vocal formants are automatically corrected to prevent the notorious Mickey Mouse effect.
• Adjust the speed of a word or phrase, or correct the singer's imperfect pitch.
• The Autochord function allows you to create an entire choir from a single vocal sample.
• Manual shifting of formants can completely change the character of a voice or other sound.
• Tweak drum loops within the space of a few seconds to fit song tempo perfectly.
• In Robot Mode, you can apply totally new pitch information to existing samples via MIDI. As with all of the other examples, this is performed in realtime.

In addition, PowerSampler II offers all the features you'd expect from a professional studio sampler. Some highlights:

• 16/24/32-bit sampling at 44.1/48/96 kHz
• Import/export formats: Akai S1000 & S3000, Soundfont 2, WAV, AIFF
• Multimode filter with 15 filter types and resonance
• Extensive graphical sample editor
• Keygroup editing, velocity switch, velocity crossfade
• 3 envelopes, 2 LFOs, Mute Groups, modulation matrix
• 14 individual outputs
• Polyphony of up to 32 stereo voices (expandable)

PowerSampler II is equipped with the new SCOPE Fusion Platform software 3.1. In addition to the sampling functionality, this also includes 15 high-quality DSP effects, a recording and a surround mixer, and "live" signal routing with zero latency. The XTC mode makes it possible to use the sampler and the DSP effects as VST plug-ins in any VST-compatible recording program (this is currently available only under Windows). A complete set of audio drivers for Windows 9X/XP and Macintosh enables PowerSampler II to work flawlessly in conjunction with all popular audio sequencers. Thanks to the Ultra-Low-Latency Interface on the DSP card, driver latencies as low as 1 msec can be achieved.

To handle the realtime processing needs of the sampler and the other software studio tools, the PowerSampler II hardware is equipped with three SHARC DSPs. This makes it possible to play the sampler with no latency whatsoever. Furthermore, the PCI card features 12 inputs and outputs (2 analog, 2 S/PDIF and 8 Z-Link digital). All I/Os support 24-bit / 96 kHz audio.

As a product of the SCOPE Fusion Platform, PowerSampler II is fully compatible to all DSP plug-ins available for this platform and can be expanded conveniently with more DSP power or additional I/Os.

PowerSampler II is scheduled to be available in March 2002. The suggested retail price is US$ 665 net.