Sojus Records has recently introduced a hardware-level emulation of one of the most unique digital synthesizers of the early ’90s.
The SD-1 (1990) comes from a long line of Ensoniq’s evolving Transwave® wavetable digital synthesizers. It began with Ensoniq’s earliest synthesizer, the ESQ-1. That led to the SQ-80, then the VFX and VFX-SD (the latter featuring an on-board sequencer) and then to the SD-1 (and it eventually led to the Fizmo). The SD-1 allows for additive synthesis using waveform modulation, a sort of wavetable synthesis. This puts it into a unique class of digital synthesizers along with the PPG Wave series and Waldorf Microwave series.
The SD-1 can create all sorts of acoustic, electric, digital, and analog-like sounds. Its piano sound has over 1 MB of 16-bit waveforms to give it a full and rich realistic tone not found in other digital synthesizers of the time.
Ensoniq SD-1/32 features
- VFX, VFX-SD, SD1 .SYX SYS-EX file import.
- Full VST automation (All keys, sliders and buttons. Now you can save presets: Saving requires holding down PRESETS button and pressing a BANK button), full MIDI CC controlling, polyphonic aftertouch.
- Global settings saving.
- VST3 state saving.
- 4 different panel layouts with resizable GUI and VFD display.
- Buffer setting.
- 4 outputs: stereo main out, optional stereo aux (dry signal with no effects).
- Can load all compatible VFX/VFX-SD/SD1-24/SD1-32 disk images (.img, .hfe, .dsk, .eda) and cartridges (.eeprom, .rom, .cart, .sc32).
Built with JUCE and AI coding, the free and open source MAME-based VST3 emulation of the Ensoniq SD-1 32-voice synthesizer is available for Windows, macOS and Linux.
More information: Sojus Records
