MacEdition Pro News : October 19, 2001

by MacEdition Staff (feedback)

Music on the Mac is far from dead. For that matter, according to Sonnet, neither is your vintage Power Mac 7200.

Sync different! Soft synthesis with CellSynth

Someone has got to be able to engineer an original backbeat for the next Britney Spears single. For that matter some people may want to make real music – and it may as well be done on a Mac. If that may be your calling but you’re still weighing up the software tools, you may want to consider the shareware CellSynth. From the press release:

CellSynth 1.5 - Press Release, London, 1st October 2001 - Living Memory today introduced CellSynth exclusively for the Mac. CellSynth addresses several main areas in computer music, notably audio synthesis, sample manipulation, audio processing and automation sequencing.

CellSynth is unusual in catering for both musical beginner and expert alike. The program is easy and intuitive to use, with an on-line manual, tutorial and support. Synthesis experts will be immediately at home and able to create new sounds quicker than ever. All output can be recorded to disk for use in other software such as VST, Logic or Digital Performer. Modelling classic analogue and digital synthesisers has never been so easy.

Best of all it’s Shareware! Available immediately as a download from www.cellsynth.co.uk

[...]

Key Features

• Unique, powerful, friendly and intuitive user interface. Easy and fun to use even if you’re not familiar with making computer based music.
• Unparalleled implementation of sample looping, modulation and multiple sample loops. Synchronised playback of audio samples, with the ability to instantly tune loops to tempo.
• Unique sample modulation function. Powerful DSP effects including any combination of reverb, delays, envelopes and resonant filters.
• All the features of a large modular analogue synthesiser, LFOs, oscillators, filters, envelopes (ADSR), noise generators, random (sample and hold) generators and mixing modules.
• Audio samples, oscillators, envelopes, ‘sample and hold’ generators and delays can be synchronised to internal or external (MIDI) beat clock.
• Harmonic additive oscillators with up to 32 user specified harmonics.
• Full real time MIDI control of virtually all parameters.
• Self-contained automation sequencer allows you to compose songs and automate controllers entirely within CellSynth.
• CD Quality playback and real time recording to hard disk.
• Can be used ‘live’ as a synth with simultaneous playback and real time mixing of sample loops.
• Works with your favourite sequencer.
• CellSynth can and has been used to create entire compositions.

Availability

CellSynth is shareware and available as a download from www.cellsynth.co.uk for use with PowerPC Macintosh systems with Mac OS 8.6 or better. The faster the Mac the more CellSynth can do!

“Your 7200 is not a paperweight,” says Sonnet

Whichever way you look at it, the Power Mac 7200 is a venerable machine. Some have unkindly suggested that even considering its release in the pre-Jobsian era of beige, it was not a particularly pretty Mac. Nevertheless, Sonnet has helped extend the life of the oft-misunderstood 7200 with its Crescendo/7200 G3 accelerator cards. However, one thing has been holding back accelerated 7200 owners from wild celebrations: memory.

The original 7200 had particularly fussy memory requirements, namely 5-volt EDO DIMMs – not the type that you’d find at firesale prices at “Bob’s Memory Hut.” Enter Sonnet with an all-new and improved version of its Crescendo/7200, now compatible with industry-standard DIMMs. From its press release:

IRVINE, CALIFORNIA September 5, 2001. Sonnet Technologies ships improved versions of its Crescendo/7200 processor upgrades, achieving compatibility with industry-standard 168-pin EDO or Fast Page Mode 5 volt DIMMs. Crescendo/7200 G3 and G4 PCI cards have always included on-board RAM expansion, supporting a doubling of total system memory. The original Crescendo/7200 had not been compatible with some varieties of DIMMs.

Sonnet is concurrently shipping updated Crescendo/7200 software which supports virtual memory up to the full 1GB supported by the native Mac OS, up from the previous limit of 256MB. The new software version also includes broader support for third party PCI cards. Users are encouraged to check Sonnet’s Crescendo/7200 compatibility matrix at http://www.sonnettech.com/support/matrices/c7200_matrix.html for information on any particular card. Users of all versions of the card can download the software update at http://www.sonnettech.com/downloads/proc_upgrds_sw.html#c7200

[...]

The Crescendo/7200 is compatible with Mac OS 7.5.3 - 9.0.4. OS 9.1 support is planned for fall 2001.

But that’s not all! Just in case you’re still having trouble locating that kind of RAM, Sonnet is selling 128MB DIMMs at reasonable rates to new Crescendo customers until the end of the year. From another press release of Sonnet’s:

IRVINE, CALIFORNIA October 1, 2001. Sonnet Technologies, the worldwide market share leader in processor upgrade cards for Apple Macintosh computers, announces 128MB DIMMs at a very special price of $49.95 with the purchase of any Crescendo/PCI or Crescendo/7200 processor upgrade card. Every U.S. and Canadian customer who purchases one of these popular upgrades between October 1 and December 31, 2001, qualifies to receive up to four 128MB DIMM units at this special price directly from Sonnet. Qualifying Crescendo products can be purchased from any Sonnet reseller or from the Sonnet online store at: http://secure.clubnet.net/webcatalog/sonnet/entry.tmpl.

The specifications of the DIMMs offered in this promotion are: 128MB (16 x 64); 60ns; 5 volt; 4K Refresh; 168-pin; Fast Page Mode (FPM). The memory is compatible with Crescendo/7200 DIMM sockets as well as motherboard DIMM sockets on all Power Macintosh PCI and 7200 models. Every DIMM is thoroughly tested and inspected, and carries Sonnet’s standard three-year warranty.

Eligible customers must submit a completed form found at http://www.sonnettech.com/128promo along with the UPC code from the eligible Sonnet product package and a copy of the receipt showing the date of purchase. Complete rules and requirements are also found at this address. This offer is valid only in the USA and Canada and is good on any Crescendo/PCI and Crescendo/7200 purchased from October 1 and December 31, 2001. Claims must be submitted by mail and postmarked by January 31, 2002.

Please note that Sonnet has a warning about upgrading to Mac OS 9.2.1 for owners of pre-G3 machines.

Looking for old ProNews segments? Check out our index. Do you have news releases or tidbits of interest to the Macintosh professional? Send them to pronewsnotes@macedition.com.

E-mail this story to a friend