NEWS • AUGUST 21, 2000
CreamWare Releases Mac PowerSampler
24-bit, 96 KHz sampling suite gains parity with Windows version

by David Nagel
Executive Producer
dnagel@digitalmedianet.com

German digital audio developer CreamWare has released PowerSampler 2.03, the first version of the hardware/software combo available for the Macintosh platform. PowerSampler is a sampling suite with a DSP-based hardware backbone residing on a single PCI card. CreamWare says the functionality is identical in the Windows and Mac versions. The new version offers 24-bit and 32-bit sampling. It also incorporates a number of minor improvements and bug fixes.

The dedicated DSP hardware enables PowerSampler to perform without latency while imposing virtually no load upon the host CPU. PowerSampler features 32 stereo voices; a 16-channel multi-mode; editing features, including a fully integrated graphical sample editor; and a 24-channel mixer with chorus and delay effects. Samples and programs in AKAI S1000 and S3000, Soundfont 2, WAV and AIFF format can be loaded directly from the computer's internal CD-ROM drive or hard disk.

The PowerSampler DSP hardware features four inputs and outputs offering 24-bit/96 KHz quality (stereo analog and S/PDIF). Via the optional ADAT/Z-Link Expansion, the number of available I/Os can be increased up to 36. PowerSampler inputs and outputs can be used for other software applications as well. (Drivers include ASIO 2.0, EASI, MME, DirectSound, GigaSampler, tripleDAT, Sound Manager and OMS.) Via the S/TDM Bus Connector, a second PowerSampler card can be added to the system to double the number of voices and I/Os.

The PowerSampler software includes the following features:

• Phase-locked stereo sampling;
• Sampling rates: 16-, 24- and 32-bit;
• Resampling function;
• Reads/writes: AKAI S1000 and S3000, Soundfont 2, WAV, AIFF;
• Fully integrated graphical sample editor;
• Keygroup editing, velocity-switch, velocity-crossfade;
• Modulation matrix;
• Filter with resonance;
• Multi mode with 16 programs;
• Stereo out, six individual outputs, stereo record monitor out, sample editor direct out;
• Built-in Aux-effects: chorus and delay;
• Integrated 24-channel mixer for sampler and other signal sources;
• 32 stereo voices (not dependent upon host CPU).

PowerSampler is available now for $649. Crossgrades from PC to Mac are available at no cost. For more information, visit http://www.creamware.de.

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