Fairlight CMI Gets Modern, Quad-Core Brain, WiFi, USB + More
Freshwater Instruments has introduced the FI50A CPU Card, a complete modern CPU card for the Fairlight CMI Series I, II and IIx.
The CPU card replaces the original computer section of the CMI, while preserving the instruments character, workflow and hardware experience.
It runs updated software, derived from the original source code, and dramatically improves speed, reliability, storage and usability of the instrument.
The FI50A arrives pre-installed with a fully licensed original CMI sound library and adds new ways to expand it: enhanced 10-bit sampling, waveform upload over Wi-Fi, SD card and USB memory support.
It also brings modern wireless interfaces, DisplayPort output, USB, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, while retaining support for legacy CMI keyboards, CRT/light pen operation, floppy disks, MIDI interfaces and Series I/II channel cards.
The FI50A CPU Card is expected to be available in August/September 2026, priced at $1,500 USD.
