The ES-8 received 9/10 from MusicTech magazine in their January 2017 issue. "it will open up all sorts of possibilities that would have seemed unlikely in the old days of MIDI/CV converters" The ES-8 was positively reviewed by Sound On Sound magazine (February 2017 issue). "For serious modular users (running OSX) the ES-8 would make a great purchase, and with decent expansion potential." The ES-8 received 4 stars from Future Music magazine (February 2017 issue). "Expert Sleepers ES-8 and Audulus: The Perfect Pair" ( Audulus is a modular synthesizer programming environment for iOS, Mac, Windows, and Linux.) Loopop Music made this excellent video about using an ES-8 to create a "hybrid modular".īiminiroad wrote an article here entitled "Introduction to Audulus and the Expert Sleepers ES-8 DC Coupled Audio/CV Interface". "Sie vereinfacht die Zusammenarbeit von modularen Synthesizern und Rechnern ungemein" ("it simplifies the collaboration of modular synthesizers and computers immensely" via Google Translate) The ES-8 was positively reviewed by c't magazine (October 2018). Please consider the ES-3 as an alternative. ![]() Note: If you want the DC-coupled outputs of the ES-8 but already have an audio interface, The ES-8 has a high quality internal clock, and it can optionally sync to the clock from the input ADAT signal. Without a USB connection, the ES-8 can be used as a standalone ADAT-to-audio converter, providing DC-coupled I/O expansion for another ADAT-equipped audio interface.Īn expansion header allows connection of an Expert Sleepers ES-5, to which in turn you can connect Expert Sleepers gate, CV and MIDI expanders. This could be used for example to expand the I/O count via an Expert Sleepers ES-3 and/or ES-6, or to connect a traditional audio interface to add, say, mic preamps or 1/4" line outputs (for example with the Behringer ADA8200). Silent Way, Max/MSP, Reaktor, CV Toolkit, zMors, Audulus, Bitwig Studio, etc.) as well as audio and CV processing iOS apps. As such it is directly compatible with all popular computer-based CV generation software (e.g. Certainly the overwhelming sense you get from building patches is that the sound has a futuristic feel to it.The ES-8 is a USB 2.0 class-compliant audio interface in a Eurorack module, with DC-coupled inputs and outputs that can be used for both CVs and audio. It's as suitable for sound design and experimental stuff as for commercial EDM production. It leans towards a more modern, clean sound rather than any kind of retro emulation, but you can create anything from fat, wide basses through spiky leads, sequences, lush pads and everything imbetween. Soncially, it's very much a blank canvas until you start building, which is of course the whole point. Since it’s a complete blank canvas you have to add everything - audio ins and outs, controls, connections - as anyone who has used this kind of software before will know. Everything can be freely placed and patching is done by dragging cables between colour coded inputs and outputs. They include everything from oscillators, envelopes, generators, maths, MIDI triggers and sequencers to effects, mixers, faders, I/O, timers and more. Modules (or “nodes”) can be added easily, and these are grouped by type. Everything is draggable, either with the mouse or in iOS, with your finger.Īn “exploded” sequencer node. ![]() ![]() It’s graphically gorgeous, eschewing the virtual metal boxes of other apps for organic, pulsing lights and objects. Its design however is far more fluid and modern. ![]() Conceptually, it’s similar to the products mentioned above in that it is an environment for building almost anything you can imagine. Your desktop purchase also gets you VST (Win) and AU (Mac) plugin versions. The iOS version costs less but is a separate product in its own right, and the desktop versions are standalone products too. What Is It?Įnter Audulus, now at version 3 and running on Mac, Windows, Linux, iPad and iPhone. It’s one thing to make a great patch in someone else’s synth, quite another to build your own instrument. But the rewards - at least creatively – for sticking with it can be high. As you might imagine, this stuff isn’t really for novices. Outside of University labs, the main tools have included NI’s Reaktor, MAX / MSP and Pd, all environments for building instruments and processors from scratch. Audulus 3 might just be the tool that persuades you to take the plunge.Īlthough modular hardware synths have had quite a renaissance in recent years, software has been a popular medium for experimental synth design for as long as computers have been powerful enough to run it. Building instruments and processors from scratch isn't always easy but can be very rewarding.
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