[sdiy] programmable synth module

[Richard Wentk]

At 21:32 11/02/2006, john mahoney wrote:
>So, what can be improved over the PSIM-1? Here's a starting list:
>-- more RAM
>-- built-in MIDI in/out
>-- more program memory
>-- ADC and DAC optimized for handling pitch CVs (sufficient resolution,
>etc.)
>
>What's right about it?
>-- direct-coupled analog ins and outs
>-- versatile!
>-- fairly easy to program
>-- reasonable cost (they were $300)
>
>What features would be nice?
>-- ability for module to write data to flash memory
>-- additional inputs and outputs
>-- pluggable memory cards like Compact Flash or SD or something (the
>cheapest ;-)
>-- expandable RAM
>-- faster processing is never a bad thing

Interesting concept, but maybe a bit 80s-ish considering what's possible 
today.

My own personal ideal, which I'm sure everyone else here will hate, would 
be an 8in/8out DC coupled ADC/DAC box with USB2, 16 bit resolution and 
probably 44.1kHz sampling. Maybe a couple of MIDI ports too.

You could then use whatever driving software you wanted, from custom 
efforts to things like Reaktor, Max/MSP, and the rest.

I don't see the point in putting a microprocessor inside a box when you can 
hook up the equivalent of a supercomputer laptop over USB2. (Except 
possibly as a programming exercise.)

A single processor system can, by definition, only do one thing at a time. 
With a multi IO system you can have MIDI/CV, spare envelopes with weird 
shapes, LFOs ditto, whatever you want, all in real time, and potentially 
all at the same time.

Richard