Version 1.9.0
I’m currently wrapping up the final changes for version 1.9.0, which introduces three new modules based on emulations of the Sony S-SMP chip from the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). The three new modules allow for a fully chip-emulation based semi-modular synthesizer with modulation and effects! You can grab a compiled copy of Version 1.9.0 tonight when my build system finishes compiling it, or wait until it is available on the VCV library in a few days.
Super Echo
Super Echo emulates the echo effect from the S-SMP sound chip.The Echo effect of the S-SMP chip has 15 different delay levels of 16ms each, a 64KB echo buffer, an 8-tap FIR filter for shaping the sound of the echo, parameterized feedback, and parameterized dry / wet mix level. The echo buffer is stereo, although the echo parameters and coefficients of the FIR filter are the same for both channels.
Super Echo provides the key features of the echo module of the S-SMP chip, namely,
- Stereo Processing: Echo buffer for two independent inputs in stereo configuration. The parameters are the same for both inputs, but the inputs have their own dedicated echo buffers.
- Expanded Delay: The 15 levels of delay has been upgraded to 31 levels that each add an additional 16ms of delay (up to roughly 500ms). 31 levels of delay is able to fit in the RAM of the original S-SMP, but the instruction set does not normally support the addressing of 31 levels.
- Feedback: Additive and subtractive feedback following the original implementation
- Surround Effect: Stereo mixer with the ability to invert the phase of either channel resulting in odd Haas effects.
- 8-tap FIR Filter: Fully parameterized 8-tap FIR filter for shaping the sound of the echo. The filter can be parameterized as low-pass, high-pass, band-pass, band-stop, etc. and includes presets with filter parameters from popular SNES games.
Super VCA
Super VCA is an emulation of the BRR filter & Gaussian interpolation filter from the Sony S-SMP audio processing unit. The four BRR filter modes were applied to BRR sample blocks on the SNES and the Gaussian interpolation filter was applied to output audio and removed high-frequency content from the signal.
Super VCA provides the key features of the BRR filter and Gaussian filter of the S-SMP chip, namely,
- Stereo Processing: Dual processing channels for stereo effects or other create multi-tracking applications.
- 4 BRR Filter Modes: 4 filter modes from the BRR sample playback engine that act as low-pass filters.
- Gaussian Interpolation Filter: A filter that removes high-frequency content and adds subtle distortion. This filter provides the muffling character that fans of SNES audio will find familiar.
Super ADSR
Super ADSR is an emulation of the ADSR from the Sony S-SMP audio processing unit. The envelope generator has three stages, (1) an attack stage that ramps up linearly to the total level, (2) a decay stage that ramps down exponentially to a sustain level, and (3) a sustain/release stage that ramps down exponentially from the sustain level to zero.
Super ADSR provides the key features of the ADSR envelope generator of the S-SMP chip, namely,
- Stereo Processing: Two envelope generators on one module for stereo modulation, cross modulation, or both!
- Total Level Control: Control over the overall level of the envelope generator, including inversion for ducking effects.
- Stage Length Control: Control over stage timings using sliders
