CLIP has introduced a new and improved Photon Smasher, a microphone which allows you “listen to light”.
The Photon Smasher uses a solar cell as a microphone, allowing you to “hear” light within the visible and infrared wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum. The microphone enables you to uncover a secret soundscape otherwise hidden in plain sight, where flashing bicycle lights become drum machines and pulsing arcade lights transform into synthesizers.
The microphone was initially developed through workshops with young people at CLIPs weekly sound and music club in Colchester, followed by further experiments, installations, and performances from a wide range of artists including; Loula Yorke, Alissa DeRubeis and CLIP co-founder Frazer Merrick.
Building upon the success of the first version, the updated model is now entirely passive, with a 3.5mm line level mono output, so you can slip it into a portable field recording kit for electromagnetic field recording, or to insert into a modular synth system for controlling sound with light.
“The Photon Smasher is an embodiment of our mission to encourage people to get curious with sound,” says CLIP Co-founder Frazer Merrick, “and explore the world around with through sound.”
Rob Papen Inspiration Soundware has introduced eXplorer-8, the latest edition of its software synthesizer collection.
The updated bundle adds the BLUE-III virtual synthesizer and RevSane virtual effect plug-ins, so the comprehensive collection now includes all 30 Rob Papen products currently available.
Papen’s introduction to BLUE-III:
RevSane is a plug-in designed to create beautifully dense reverb sounds fit for working with any track, in the first instance, though that is only one side of this particular production story. Users can control the flow of the reverb parameters using the so-called DISRUPT ‘sphere’ to turn RevSane into a dynamically fresh-sounding special effect plug-in, permitting users to think outside of the fourth dimension by using reverb in creative ways.
Rob Papen RevSane introduction:
eXplorer-8 is available with a time-limited promotion price of €374.00 /$374.00 throughout November 2022, rising thereafter to its regular price of €499.00 /$499.00
BLUE-IIIis available — as a 64-bit AAX-, AU-, VST- and VST3-compatible virtual instrument plug-in for Mac (OS X 10.13 or higher) and as a 32- and 64-bit VST- and VST3-compatible virtual instrument plug-in for PC (Windows 7/8/10/11) with 64-bit AAX-compatibility available for PT 12 or higher (PC) — at a time-limited promotion price of €111.00 /$111.00 throughout November 2022, rising thereafter to its regular price of €149.00 /$149.00
RevSane is available — as a 64-bit AAX-, AU-, VST- and VST3-compatible virtual effect plug-in for Mac (OS X 10.13 or higher) and as a 32- and 64-bit VST- and VST3-compatible virtual effect plug-in for PC (Windows 7/8/10/11) with 64-bit AAX-compatibility available for PT 12 or higher (PC) — at a time-limited promotion price of €36.00/$36.00 throughout November 2022, rising thereafter to its regular price of €49.00/$49.00
Cherry Audio has introduced Synth Stack 3, a collection of 16 virtual instruments, including the Voltage Modular Core + Electro Drums bundle, DCO-106, CA2600, Surrealistic MG-1 Plus, Polymode, Eight Voice, PS-20, Memorymode, Mercury-4, Quadra, Dreamsynth, Miniverse, Lowdown, Elka-X, Sines, and their new flagship synthesizer, GX-80.
The virtual instrument collection includes 13 emulations of classic vintage synthesizers, two original synthesizers, one massive modular synthesizer platform, and nearly 6,000 presets.
Synth Stack 3 includes:
Voltage Modular Core + Electro Drums, a powerhouse collection of modular madness including 120 modules and over 600 presets.
DCO-106, a stunning recreation of the much-loved Juno-106 polysynth of the 80’s.
CA2600, a powerful, self-contained duophonic synthesizer inspired by the groundbreaking ARP 2600 synthesizer.
Surrealistic MG-1 Plus Synthesizer, a recreation of the Moog MG-1 synthesizer sold in Radio Shack stores in 80s.
Polymode, inspired by the Moog Polymoog synthesizer, one of the world’s first polyphonic synthesizers.
Eight Voice, an emulation of the immense Oberheim Eight Voice, one of the world’s rarest and most desirable vintage instruments.
PS-20, an “ultra-realistic, polyphonic, hot-rodded tribute” to Korg’s renowned MS-20.
Memorymode, based upon the Memorymoog, one of the very best-sounding polyphonic programmable analog synthesizers of the 80s.
Mercury-4, a detailed emulation of one of the best-sounding and quirkiest polyphonic synthesizers of the late 1970’s, the Roland Jupiter-4.
Quadra, a reimagining of one of the quirkiest, rarest, and most curiosity-inspiring vintage synthesizers of all time, the 1978 ARP Quadra.
Dreamsynth, a tribute to the celebrated hybrid analog/digital synthesizers of the mid-to-late 1980s.
Miniverse, a virtual emulation of the granddaddy of all portable synthesizers focused on a single principle: absolute authenticity.
Lowdown recreates the super-fat, room-rattling sounds of the most legendary dual-oscillator bass pedal synth ever made.
Elka-X, based upon the legendary Synthex, a rare Italian analog synth manufactured by ELKA in the early eighties.
Sines, an original polyphonic synthesizer that utilizes diverse waveshaping methods to bend pure waveforms into infinitely variable and complex shapes.
GX-80, Cherry Audio’s visionary flagship synthesizer that combines the sound and features of the fabled Yamaha GX-1 “Dream Machine” and its renowned descendant, the CS-80.
Synth Stack 3 is now available, as both standalone applications and in AU, VST, VST3, and AAX plugin formats for Windows and macOS, priced at only $299.
