Acxel II

Remember the Technos Acxel Resynthesizer (pictured)? I just read this post on Music Thing. Apparently the creator of the Acxel, Pierre Guilmette, is working on a new version. Check out Music Thing for a letter from Pierre.

You can find his website, iDarca Audio here. You'll find a bit of info on resynthesis and some audio samples.

Update some more info on the Acxel:

"Don Garbutt writes: Freaky, obsure, expensive, unique, weighs a lot, robust construction (lots of VLSI chips inside). This machine is impossible to find, although I have one. Lucky me!!! Graphical interface is totally intuitive, and tell me if you know of any other machines that are resynthesis- based, as this is , if you care to use it in this fashion. Digital filter emulation (oscillator # filter) is unequaled.

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Nearest launching of the Synthesizer - Acxel II

Press Release
Quebec, Canada - on March 26, 2008: Idarca-audio division of Idarca Inc. is proud to announce the nearest launching of the synthesizer Acxel II - which makes profitable the original Acxel legacy (early 90's) and of a revolutionary dynamic architecture parallel processor - patented by Idarca - the RPP. With its unique characteristics, Acxel II will set new standard of real time synthesis and audio processing.

Acxel II proposes 3 synthesis modes (with integrated sound processing):
• Acxelink made up of cells (256 to 1280) independently parametrical: Amplitude, Frequency, Phase, Filter, Waveform. Cells-cells links, signal Inputs integration and processing and many other characteristics including macros.
• Additive synthesis
• Analog synthesis

Acxel II integrates unique functions on sound resynthesis and processing with full scalability:
• Real TIme Resynthesis: The Acxelink and Additive modes allocate without compromise a complete access in real time to all elements (Envelope, Midi, Modulation) of a timbre, created from scratch or configured with Analysis (integrated into the system).

• Open architecture: Acxel II allows, in real time, to introduce external sounds (for example a guitar) into the synthesis elements, for simple effects or extended processes or sound fusions.

• Scalable: The Acxelink mode integrates all of the elements to emulate and combine existing or original synthesis modes: Physical modeling, Wave Tables, FM, Wavelets, Vocoder, etc.

Acxel II will be available in 2 versions:
• Acxel II - PCI: Sound Card (PCI) with software PC/MAC
- Deliverable in 4 to 6 months.

• Acxel II - SAS: Stand Alone System with “preset” use for scenic performances or in Workstation (with PC or MAC)
- Deliverable in 8 to 12 months.

• Touch Sensitive Graphic console available in option
- Deliverable in less than 12 months.

For more information on Acxel II: www.idarca-audio.com

Octatrack MKII meets Technos Acxel

Published on Oct 20, 2017 Daniel Troberg

"The Octatrack plays drum breaks with heavy parameter modulation and probability sequencing. The Technos Acxel is MIDI sequenced from the Octatrack with equal methods and the audio is fed back in to the Octatrack. No additional mixer or effect is used.

www.danieltroberg.com"

The Technos Acxel is one rare synth. If you aren not familiar with it, see the Technos label for previous posts. The creator of the Acxel was going to release a new Acxel II software version, but I'm not sure what happened to it. If you do, let us know!

Q&A on the Acxel II Resynthesizer and the Sogitec 4X

The Sogitex 4X is mentioned in the Q&A below. You can find more info on the Sogitex here. The following is some info from that site: "The Sogitec 4X digital synthesizer at IRCAM during the 1980's, was the direct result of Luciano Berio's demand that live electronic sound ought to consist of at least a 1000 sinewave oscillators (1), in order to be interesting for the composer and the audience alike. It was the last huge hardware, that IRCAM instigated before it turned to the ISPW and subsequently to software solutions in the shape of jMax and Max/MSP. The 4X's eight internal custom-built processors were capable of altogether 200 MIPS (2), which being the equivalent of 1000 sinewaves, 500 filters or 450 second order filters (3). Each processor contained a data-memory, an address-memory, a microprogram-memory and a function-memory. For calculations it used 24 bit fixed point units consisting of a multiplier, a arithmetic and logic unit. It also had 256 internal (programmable) clocks and a large dual buffer for recording and playing. The algorithms were cross developed on DEC en Sun mainframes in Fortran and C. (4&5)."

Q&A on the Acxell II via an anonymous reader:
Q: If i understand well,its posible to acxelize a complex sound source from a pre recorded wav with the soundbuilder then use this resynthezized model in acxelink mode again to be able to control that sound it real time via an external audio input (1 or more?)( each one )

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IRCAM ISPW (Ircam Signal Processing Workstation)

YouTube Published on Apr 17, 2012 by jbfairlight

via jbrairlight in the comments of 1996 MARS (Musical Audio Research Station) Synthesizer
IRCAM stands for the Institut de Recherche et Coordination Acoustique/Musique and is located in Paris. See the IRCAM label below for more including Buchla. Some posts that stand out include a Q&A on the Acxel II Resynthesizer and the Sogitec 4X and Spaceware on the PDP-1.

You'll spot a Fairlight and Synclavier in the above video as well.

Googlish translation of the YouTube description (original in French below):

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More on the Acxel Resynthesizer

A few more links via Chris Strellis.
mp3s
pics and info
Mov 1
Mov 2

And the Acxel Resynthesizer is featured in this DVD, also posted here back in September 2005.

Update via Doktor Future in the comments (also posted here):

"Check out Symbolic Sound's new Tau re-synthesis algorithm. It has a lot in common with the Acxel:

- Dedicated Hardware
- Real time waveform manipulation

Screenshots
MP3's

Tau sounds *way* better than their previous resynthesis algorithm (which is still in the software if you want to use it). I have been working Sound that uses this re-synthesis algorithm and their 'cross-filter' convolution algorithm at the same time. It's pretty wild. I big fan of Symbolic Sound."

Update. We killed Chris's bandwidth. Chris gave me the ok to move these to Twango. Here they are:

Acxel2 Website

Update: Unfortunately, the Acxel2 project was cancelled in January of 2011 due to lack of funding:

"Formally Idarca-Audio is bankrupted, not for technical reasons but for critical investment that never happened.

We have working unit. We currently work to revive the project, in short to get an investment in a new corporation, complete the certifications and build new units,

Thank you for your interest."

The new Acxel2 website is up.
"Acxel2 is a new upgradeable multi-synthesis and multi-timbral modular synthesizer offering: Additive synthesis, Re-synthesis, Expanded synthesis and Analog synthesis. Acxel2 introduces its native analysis synthesis mode: the Acxelink®.

All Acxel2 musical instruments can be used with any DAW (Pro Tools, Cakewalk, Cubase, Steinberg, Logic, etc.), can operate under Apple or Windows platform and can be used as "slave" or "master" with any MIDI or audio analog entry (keyboard, guitar, microphone, etc ...).

All our products incorporate the Acxel2 re-programmable microprocessor RPP renowned for its extreme reliability and execution speed, dramatically superior to any DSP chips currently available on the market.

Through synthesis and processing of native Acxel2, processing options and sound changes are virtually unlimited. The Acxel2 can emulate any synthesis known modes or original combinations of synthesis modes, effects and signal processing, modification in sounds envelope or articulation ... all in real time!" Be sure to see the official Acxel2 website for more.

If you are unfamiliar with the history of the original Acxel Resynthesizer see these posts. Be sure to scroll when you get there for video and more. This is big news in the synth community.

Update via iDARCA Audio on the new Axcel2. The following actually came in with the image fo the Axcel2 rack above. I wanted to clear it with iDARCA before posting. Note the red below: "Here is a preview of the STUDIO Model that we are working on, 2U, the RACK front panel will also be very close to it (Back panel has different version RACK depending on options – Analog, Digital). The Grapher (2 versions) is under design, we expect the LCD version available soon in fall and LED Matrix (inspired from the Acxel1 with 24 bits colors, multitouch and better resolution than the original Acxel grapher) to be availble in the End of the year.

The CARD version (Home Studios) is actually under tests, the control software too. In fact all system share same base software that runs into MAC and PC."

Symbolic Sound's Tau

This one via Doktor Future in the comments of this Acxel Resynthesizer post:

"Check out Symbolic Sound's new Tau re-synthesis algorithm. It has a lot in common with the Acxel:

- Dedicated Hardware
- Real time waveform manipulation

Screenshots
MP3's

Tau sounds *way* better than their previous resynthesis algorithm (which is still in the software if you want to use it). I have been working Sound that uses this re-synthesis algorithm and their 'cross-filter' convolution algorithm at the same time. It's pretty wild. I big fan of Symbolic Sound."

Lyre Inc. FDSS Studio Additive Synthesizer + Resynthesis

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this auction

This is the first post to feature both Lyre inc. and the FDSS Studio Additive Synthesizer. It was spotted and sent in via M Me. The listing, images, and info is from Synthmaster.de, posted here with permission.

Details from the listing:

"I am offering my ultra mega rare Lyre FDSS Studio.

The FDSS is an additive synthesizer with analysis and resynthesis function from 1987

The technical data is on the last picture in the web, you can find almost nothing about it

Ultra rare , as far as I know less than 50 devices have been built , only three have been delivered to Europe .

This synthesizer was available as an 8 or 16 voice version,
The 8-voice version was always the basic version, which could be expanded to include a further 8 voices out of 16.

Like the famous Technos Acxel synthesizer, the Lyre
FDSS synthesizer also designed and built in Quebec / Canada.

You had to operate it via a terminal, similar to the

Synclavier, Synergy or Kurzweil K150FS.

Software was and is included for PC and Apple Mac

Mac could be connected directly and with the PC you needed a card (ISA is included)

price, no idea.....

with such rare things "whatever someone is willing to pay" applies :-))

or exchange for vintage synthesizer?"

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