Developer Serge Defever let us know about the DreamBlaster X2, an advanced Waveblaster-compatible and USB-Compatible MIDI synthesizer board.
“You can just plug X2 in USB or on your Soundblaster, and play,” notest Defever. “I think it is very suitable for integrating in DIY projects, as well!”
Specifications:
- Small form factor MIDI PCB : 65mm x 38mm size
- Black color PCB
- Dream 5000 series synth chip with 81 voices polyphony, high quality effects engine
- Waveblaster compatible connector for use on soundcards and DIY projects.
- Super low latency <1ms
- 64mbyte flash for soundbank data
- USB MIDI in (Class compliant midi device, works on windows XP without drivers)
- Stereo line out using a high quality 24 bit DAC
- Preloaded with a high quality 16 megabyte Dream General MIDI soundbank (http://dream.fr/pdf/Serie5000/Soundbanks/GMBK5X128.pdf)
- DreamBlaster Acoustic Preset editor / USB uploader tool for advanced customization/tweaking.
Here’s a video demo, via PhilsComputerLab:
Pricing and Availability
The DreamBlaster X2 is available now for € 75,00.
But why? From a musical (not DIY) standpoint, why is this relevant? If I need a computer in the first place (or possibly a USB MIDI interface that costs more than this board) to use it, why couldn’t I just use a purely software wavetable synth for playing samples? Is it the 90s all over again? I feel like I am missing an important piece of the puzzle here.
yea i got the same idea…back to once
The device is already USB MIDI compliant. A simple A -> micro B cable will connect it up and make it ready for use.
The store does sell a standalone wavetable MIDI board but it’s not required in this instance. I guess you would use it if you have a 5-pin MIDI controller and you want to use this board
The missing piece of the puzzle is that the computer likely to be running this board (attached to an old ISA sound card) is not going to have the CPU power or the chip architecture to run software wavetable.
But from a musical standpoint, I don’t know. Maybe this thing would sound better with some different samples loaded up? In either case, yes I think the 90’s are trending in certain sectors. And have some of us ever left the 80’s or the 70’s or the 1600’s?
I’m probably more inclined to use a 90’s wavetable sound card than a didgeridoo, but that’s just me.
I had to check twice that the video is not from 1995.
Anyone really still have a Soundblaster ISA-card in his PC??
And why plug it into the USB-port of the PC, when even the Windows integrated GM-Synth (or any GM-soundbank of any soundfont-player) sounds better than that?
I have absolutely no idea who could buy this and for what to use….
The only question you need to ask is why this news was curated for Synthtopia?
But there is a market for this, its just not necessarily musicians or proper synth heads.
Nevertheless, there people that are into retro computing, old sound cards, old games, general midi files, etc.
Certain models of Sound Blaster ISA cards are valued. Advanced Gravis Ultrasound and other 90’s wavetable cards are valued. Of course, old Roland MT32 and Sound Canvas are valued.
The fact that this is compatible with the waveheader on SoundBlaster cards is kind of neat. And the miniusb class compliant midi is pretty cool.
There are some musicians who also like this stuff. I have a Commodore 64 with a retrofit midi connector (MSSIAH). I also have a complete DOS/WIN98 machine with a SoundBlaster 16 and the gameport-midi connectors.
People like those found here at https://www.vogons.org/ are among the types to care about this thing.
Exactly this.
Vintage gaming with real GM synth modules for the sound is a popular thing.
Look on Youtube for gaming vids with Roland MT 32 sound.
Lots of classic games do not sound like chip tunes with the fancy soundcards they were designed for.
Try this video. There are synths…sort of in it too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMmFcs-_4x4&t=721s
i need a mind scrub
thanks
I wonder if they where trying for the SBC market?
A plug on board for a raspberry pi
This is cool because we will have to start recycle, upgrade and repurpose if we are to survive on this planet, even as nerds.
now im set for playing kings quest
But will it sound as lovely as my Yammy SW60XG? I doubt it!
Well this may be convincing ?
1 hour of dukenukem MIDI files played on X2 🙂
https://youtu.be/Oa9Ye_InxeY
I’ve used it to give new life on my Oberheim MC2000 master keyboard….
here the installation…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zt384lumVQk&t=43s
A good choice to upgrade the KB with 64mb flashable rompler sound on a budget…
There are some possibilities to run this thing without a computer. There are hardware midi players that read from a sd card. If you couple this with the wavetable with an additional card …you have a stand alone midi player !