Guillemot Unveils Maxi Studio ISIS PCI SoundcardFull-Duplex, Eight Input, Four Output Home Recording Studio  January 28, 1999
Guillemot announces the launch of the new Maxi Sound ISIS PCI soundcard.
Using a revolutionary internal audio-processing engine, the Maxi Studio ISIS
allows for an unbelievable eight simultaneous inputs and four independent outputs
in fall-duplex so that users can record up to eight different musicians live.
Expensive professional solutions are no longer required with the Maxi Studio
ISIS. Contains an outstanding
external audio rack that gathers 1/4" jack connectors for unparalleled
analog recording and playback, a 32, 44.1
or 48 KHz S/PDIF input and output in both gold-plated RCA and optical format
for digital transfers with a DAT, 20-bit converters for a perfect audio fidelity,
and a DIN in/out/through connector for a maximum flexibility of the MIDI sessions.
Musicians can even select synchronization clocks and adjust I/O levels and input
monitoring due to a virtual control console.
"It was just two years ago in October 1996, when Guillemot revealed the
first true PC-based home soundcard.
With more than 40 international prizes and awards under its belt with its Maxi
Sound line of sound cards, Guillemot has become a leader in the market of PC
home sound solutions", says Claude Guillemot, President of Guillemot Corporation.
"Insatiable for progress, Guillemot addresses music lovers everywhere with
the introduction of our state-of-the-art full-featured digital audio and N41DI
recording studio for a fraction of the cost of other professional systems."
Maxi Studio ISIS is an unprecedented stand-alone professional-quality
studio soundcard that includes an amazing GM/ GS synthesizer with 4MB RAM of
high quality sounds* and a professional stereo multi-layer sampler so home musicians
can fulfill their wildest musical dreams. The ability to create music files
in real time audio and MIDI mix down in 100% digital format are just some of
the features offered for making high-quality recordings.
Enhanced multi-track recording capabilities are made possible due to the higher
bandwidth featured in this new generation PCI card. The soundcard provides a
full multi-channel compatibility with windows(R) 95 and most prevalent digital
audio/MIDI applications, including software from Emagic, Cakewalk and Steinberg,
so that musicians can stay with their favorite sequencer. Maxi Studio ISIS
also includes a comprehensive software suite with intuitive interfaces. In fact,
whether the user is a budding musician trying out his wings, or a full-fledged
maestro, Maxi Studio ISIS will be an essential creative tool that will
provide excellent support for better music making.
While this leading-edge sound card is designed primarily for the home musician's
solo or group songwriting, it is also an excellent solution for multimedia developers,
broadcasters, web site designers, disc jockeys, audio aficionados and many others
involved in the Backstage production.
Gamers will also appreciate the RISC-based Digital Signal processor (DSP) that
will provide them with a powerful effects-processing engine that won't slow
down their games. The card also offers all new predefined environment settings
for those top-selling games that don't have built-in 3D audio support. Offering
full hardware acceleration of DirectSound(TM) and DirectSound(TM) 3D applications
and 100% compatibility with all games including A3D and legacy DOS titles, Guillemot
has paved the way for true realism in the ultimate immersive 3D audio experience.
The Maxi Studio ISIS will be available for $399.99 SRP, and should be released around March 1.
Feature Summary
- Full-duplex recording of up to 8 musicians or instruments -
Eight simultaneous inputs and four independent outputs in
hardware full-duplex allow you to record up to eight musicians or
instruments in a single session and capture the magic of live performances.
- High-quality music synthesizer/sampler -
The unprecedented GM (TM)/GS(TM) synthesiser with 4MB RAM of high quality
sounds and the top-of-the-range multi-layer stereo 48kHz sampler enable
music addicts to fulfill their wildest musical dreams with the resonance
filter of up to 24dB and more high level functions.
- High audio fidelity - External 20-bit converters ensure a high Signal-to-Noise
Ratio. The four synchronisation clocks allow you to record sources at 32,
44.1, 48kHz or in slave mode for the digital S/PDIF transfers with impeccable
quality while avoiding software interpolation.
- Multichannel compatability with popular music software - Thanks to hardware full-duplex 8-input 4-output capability, make the most
of the multichannel functions provided by your favorite sequencer or music
application like Logic Audio(TM) Quartz(TM) and apply their software effects
to your creations!
- Convenience of an external rack
- Ultimately simplistic and flexible audio\MIDI Home Studio set-up.
- Hard-wearing & high-end connection of your music gear.
- External converters & connectors for minimum interference.
- High-fidelity digital S/PDIF recordings at 32, 44.1 or 48kHz.
- New technology and expandabilitty
- New poweful RISC-bsed DSP used in high-end professional synthesisers.
- New generation PCI baandwidth for enhanced multi-track recording capabilities
- Numerous MIDI banks divided into a wide array of instruments and drum sets.
- Sampling memory expandable to 36MB RAM.
- Music software demos included - Cubase Score VST(TM) Rebirth(TM) Wavelab(TM) Cakewalk Pro Audio(TM) 8, + sound libraries included. - COOL EDIT PRO SE: Professional multitrack wave file editor & mixer with advanced features.
- Ditto DJ XP - CD-burning application. On-the-fly recording with any audio source and digital sampling of audio CDs.
Technical Specifications
Main Board
- DSP (Digital Signal Processor): RISC-based Dream(TM) : MIDI
with no CPU cost. CD-Audio sound quality (44.lkHz) and Pro audio quality (48kHz).
4-layer PCB.
- Built-in synthesiser with 64-voice GM/GS hardware wavetable and multi-layer
stereo 48kHz sampler including 2 LFOs (Low Frequency Oscillators), 3 EGs (Envelope
Generators), 2 keyboard tracking tables . Resonance filter of up to 24dB.
(Multi-layer: The possibility of assigning more than one instrument
to any one note at any time)
- 4MB RAM of high quality samples (sounds included with the expressed authorization
of Roland Corporation).
- Memory expandable to 36MB RAM with standard SIMM module (<=60 ns) to
download new soundbanks.
- Inputs: Mic-In, stereo Line-In, digital game port/MIDI port.
- 1 stereo Line-Out + 1 surround output to connect 4 speakers.
External Rack
- Eight 1/4" analog line level inputs & four 1/4" analog line
level outputs.
- 20-bit ADC and DAC converters.
- Digital stereo S/PDIF input & output with gilt RCA & optical connection
for transfer of your musical creations Direct-to-DAT (Digital Audio Tape)
or mini-disc without loss.
- MIDI-In / MIDI-Out / MIDI-Thru DIN connectors.
Music Configuration
- Simultaneous recording of 8 sources and playback of 4 sources in hardware
full-duplex. Monitoring of the 8 inputs to the 4 outputs.
- Listen to your compositions in real-time through both the analog and digital
outputs and savour digital quality input for outstanding recordings.
- Choose one of the 4 user-configurable synchronisation master clocks available:
32, 44.1, 48kHz or S/PDIF clock signal.
- Two MIDI ports: - One internal port to drive the on-board synthesiser.
& - One external port for external connection.
Game Configuration
- True 3D Positional Sound on 4 speakers (no CPU usage) : Set up a real symphonic
orchestra at home.
- Real-time Surround on 2 & 4 speakers and 4-band paragraphic equaliser
on all sound sources.
- Real-time customisable special effects on 2 or 4 speakers: reverb &
chorus on MIDI & Wave; echo, pitch shifting, chorus & reverb on Microphone,
CD-Audio, Line-In
Compatible with Open Standards
- GM(TM) (General MIDI(TM)) including under Windows(R) DOS box, GS(TM) (General
Standard(TM)), Roland(TM) MPU401 mode UART, Windows(R) Plug & Play. MS-DOS
version 5.0 and higher.
- Compatible with any PC system (Intel(R), AMD(TM) and Cyrix(TM) processors)
and all popular Windows(TM) Audio/MIDI music applications.
- 100% compatible with all games, including Legacy DOS,titles. Microsoft(R)
Direct Sound(TM) & Direct Sound(TM) 3D hardware accelerator (under DirectX(TM)
6.0), Aureal A3D(TM) 1.0 on 2 speakers, Soundblaster(TM), Soundblaster(TM)
Pro and Adlib(TM) (under real DOS mode and in a Windows(R) DOS box).
Minimum System Requirements
- Intel Pentium(R) l33MHz and higher or 100% compatible. PCI 2.1 slot,
- 16 MB RAM (32 MB recommended), Windows(R) 95 or 98 or DOS 5.0 or higher
(for games).
- 3,5 MB per second data transfer speed for multi-track-recording.
- Audio sources format : Line Level.
- CD-Rom drive. (CD-R to use the CD-burning software).
- LOGIC AUDIO(TM) PRO ISIS with audio functionality: Minimum Intel
Pentium(R) 166MHz and higher or 100% compatible with 32MB RAM, recommended
Pentium(R) 200MHz, Pentium II(R) or better with 64MB RAM.
For more information, visit Guillemot's web site at http://www.guillemot.com/ |
