73 thoughts on “Symbolic Sound Intros Pacamara Ristretto Audio Processing Unit, Like A ‘GPU For Sound’”

1. can’t live with ’em, can’t live without ’em.

2. My only real question is… “Will I know it when I need it?”

3. iirc autechre was using a kyma system way back in the 90s

   1. That’s correct. And Aphex, amongst many others too still using it. I’ve been field testing the Pacamara for a few months (and been a Pacarana user for years prior). It’s a fantastic platform and the heart of my creativity. It’s also come a long long way from the 90s (not that so used it personally back then). It’s not a system for everyone but for those looking to explore every facet of sound I think it’s unrivalled – even with today’s saturated plug-in market.

4. OMG you could buy a deddicated super computer for less money.

5. Relic from the past. This box is just a dongle. Nowadays they could easily port to PC’s. You can get the same and better results with VST’s.

6. That’s correct. And Aphex and many many other artists who still use today. I’ve been field testing the Pacamara for a few months (and was a Pacarana user for years prior). It’s a fantastic platform and the heart of my creativity. Despite the saturated plug-in market I still think it’s the unrivalled system for exploring every facet of sound. The new hardware future proofs that.

7. i always thought something like this would be super helpful back in the day and Universal Audio was the only one who did it and they made it a closed system which i always thought was a shame. very cool but i’m really curious who pushes their system hard enough with current CPU’s to need something like this in 2022. love having options though.

   1. I assumed we were out of the CPU coprocessor zone by now too. folks will push every envelope in time.

      1. Yup we are. They just cannot decouple the software from the hardware at this point. So they keep pushing forward, but I don’t think it’s the way of the future.

   2. A lot of their appeal is that they also do some HIGHLY specialized stuff, like close-to-real-time FFT operations, weird granular applications etc, in full ATMOS if you need it. It’s really niche though.

8. can it be used with daws such as Reaper ? or will it only work with the Kyma daw ?

9. I don’t need one of these but I can see the use-case. I would be worried about the stability of a laptop for in a big gig or an important studio session. The pros have several synced backup computers so why not buy dedicated hardware instead. Also the latency of vst effects and instruments is still often problematic in a live setting.

   If you’re just adding effects or instruments to a mix post-recording then I agree, a coprocessor is probably not needed anymore.

   1. One solution.. stop using cheap laptops or cheap MIDI interfaces 🙂 Seriously, I’ve used laptops on stage for over 16 years, now. Even back when I started, I don’t recall any latency issues associated with plug-ins of any kind. I trust my i7 laptop more than I do a lot of the junk that is approved by the “Pros”. Just because “the Pros do it or use it”, doesn’t make something correct, or even sensible. Take Pro Tools as a case in point. Oh wait…. technically, I am a “Pro”… Never mind.

10. Given the price of analogue/digital synths/plugins this is a fair price. I would have expcted a bigger dsp bump though…

11. Wildly overpriced

12. Plenty of reasons a system like Kyma works so well in 2022. For starters, putting aside the tremendous amount of DSP power the Pacamara provides, it’s the actual software itself which still shines. Insanely good sounding, flexible and inspiring sound exploration and composition environment, unrivalled I think (subjective of course). Even with new M1 Ultra MBP (I have one) don’t forget that all DAW and most platforms (including Max, but excepting the explicit use of Gen in Max) run of buffers of samples. Kyma guarantees that once a sound is compiled it computes every calculation on every single sample – so it excels for not just expressiveness but also things like feedback patching.
    There are still many things you can do in Kyma which simply don’t exist elsewhere. I’ve had a Pacamara a few months and love it (and a Pacarana for years prior). It’s the heart of my creative setup. The new hardware simply solidified that.

    1. I’ve been a kyma user for almost 15rs now (capybara, pacarana), almost 20 if you count the Uni. Kyma has some processing algorithms that sound great and some that are unique to it. It also has a very large library of sounds, many of them though are a relic of the past with limited real use. The filters are definitely not that good, and there hasn’t been made much effort to improve upon them (my opinion). Also i am a bit alarmed by the small amount of ram offered in the system, especially for the purposes of convolution. I’ll upgrade to the new system (i find the coffee references ridiculous for a professional instrument,and a bit lame to be echoed by fanboys but that is a detail obviously). I will do so, because of the simplicity in connectivity this will hopefully bring. It seems to me though that my pacarana will probably perform like the small pacamara version. Which for me is on the fringe of acceptable given that more than a decade has past since the Pacarana was introduced. Btw Max is on a different planet, in terms of what can be achieved, they are not comparable platforms.

       1. Excluding the data and jitter elements of Max I don’t think they are incomparable (though perhaps the requirement to exclude them is pertinent). Different yes but I can’t think of much to do with ‘sound’ that can’t be achieved with Kyma. Kyma won’t let you boil a kettle though, that’s for sure. For me, it’s the ease at which you can make complex things that draws me to Kyma, as opposed to Max. Horses for courses of course and highly subjective.

          Have you heard the NEL filters and Kata filter? They are pretty nice.

          1. It’s a different mindset with max, it almost feels like kyma is a really well made traditional game and max is an open world one. But it is expanding so fast, i start to struggle with the options. If you are talking about the zdf filters i have heard the demos and they do sound very nice. But these are not standard with kyma, they are a payed extra and given the price of the system. I haven’t hear the Kata filter though.

13. Kyma still exists? Talk about a niche product in a niche of a niche. Surprised there are enough users to even support something like this.

    1. It still has a big following. It’s used in many circles so I wouldn’t really say in a niche. It certainly isn’t for everyone though

       1. Can you still acquire Kyma without a $3k+ processor to run it on? I just went to the Symbolic Sound page (which is about the only place you get to other than some defunct LA radio station) when you Google “kyma sound”. All I find there are endless loops leading to the product that is the subject of this thread. In reading through the page that directly addresses Kyma, I thought that it would be something I would like to play with (and I’m kind of surprised that I never really paid attention to it before and I’m not sure if I was even aware of its existence before I read this thread).

          1. “Those who are serious about software should make their own hardware” (Alan Kay).

             You need the hardware. Their whole ethos is predicated on an uncompromised focus on sound.

             1. Seems to me that their whole “ethos” is predicated on an uncompromised focus on making profits. Even if “focus on sound” was their objective, which it clearly is not, to think that any hardware designed today as a platform for one particular application, that must evolve to survive, would have a useful longevity of more than just a few years is idiocy. The game is much more likely to sell you $4k of new hardware in a couple years. Complete ripoff if ever there was one! But, to each his/her own. Even Ford Edsels have some value today for people who want them.

                1. In a couple of years? Last time they put out new hardware was in about 2007 I think. They’re also very good about providing software updates to users with old hardware.

                   Kyma is a complete package consisting of hardware and a software library that represents 30 years of research in synthesis and audio processing. It’s really, really good, but thankfully you don’t have to buy it if you don’t want to.

                2. Bitter because you can’t afford one? By all accounts, it’s a pretty good system.

                   1. I kind of wish that people would stop making assumptions about what other people can and can’t afford to purchase, and then ascribing that made up reason for the other people’s comments. Personally, given my position in life (old with a shitload of money I’ve saved over the years) there really isn’t too much in the synth world I can’t afford. However, I managed to get to where I am by not wasting money on every high glitter piece of crap that gets released as “the next greatest thing”. Although I have to admit that not all of my “synth investments” were among my most wise, I have managed to come out ahead. When you’re pushing 70 and still have a pot to piss in, then speculate about my wealth!

                      1. John, I wish people wouldn’t make assumptions about pieces of equipment they have quite literally no idea about (and have admitted as such). But hey ho, the internet / free speech etc.

                         1. The only “assumption” that I have made is that it is way too overpriced, if you can even call it an assumption. On the other hand, I have made a lot of assumptions about the developers that produce it, based on their pushing of overpriced equipment on a captive audience that may want to update it. That’s all. I’d be more than happy to purchase the Kyma side if were available without the overinflated price of the hardware. True idiocy would be spending over $3k just to try something to see if you may like it.

                            1. Riiiiiight. Yep, like I said. No idea. I’m out, bye John.

                            2. This is their third hardware system in 33 years and you keep on arguing about them having a hardware Ponzi scheme. You are simply not rational in your arguments.

                            3. “This is their third hardware system in 33 years and you keep on arguing about them having a hardware Ponzi scheme.”…. First, you should find out what the term “Ponzi Scheme” means. Afterward, you would realize that I haven’t been arguing any such thing. Also, how long it takes a profiteer to pull off his next take (that’s the term you were looking for, BTW) has nothing to do with the process of profiteering. You purchase something that is ridiculously overpriced because it is the bauble of the day. Ten years later you have to repurchase it because there is no alternative on which to run the software yet you say to yourself, “I have so much invested already, I might as well throw away even more good money, because I trust my fellow man.”, not realizing, of course, that it is cognitive dissonance that is guiding your purchase. How long you keep going through the cycle probably is determined by a number of factors. At some point, insanity becomes the correct word that describes your behavior.

                            4. “The game is much more likely to sell you $4k of new hardware in a couple years. Complete ripoff if ever there was one!” A couple means 2 no? Definitely not 7x fold years. And honestly we’ve been in this argument before, when pacarana came out . Then everyone was ecstatic about vst plugins, modular systems were scarce and there was that line of reasoning of how better everything would be with the computer. And yet no one gave us a Tau. Now i don’t know about your background but i am a Max expert programmer, i am a capable supercollider programmer, i’ve used Trevor Wishart’s CDP for as long as i can remember and i learned computer music on csound. Still i see value in this system, what is there to argue about?

                            5. Ok time to chime in.
                               I had a Pacarana so I guess this qualifies me to talk about this right…!? The Pacamara IS overpriced in my opinion.

                               I can comfortably say that coming out with a new version 13 years after the previous with 2.5 times the processing power does not justify the price tag which is basically comparable to the Pacarana 13 years ago.

                               I’d recommend checking out some graphs of CPU performance improvements over the years…
                               Seems to me some people here are just too emotionally wrapped around this product to see the facts.

                               Enjoying something and deeming it worth the cost while still being able to be objective about it at the same time IS possible.

             2. ‘uncompromised focus on sound’ is just marketing fluff to justify a high price tag. Audiophile mags are full of such claims. It’s the same with ‘I’ll only use hardware’ or ‘I’ll only use analog’. Kyma is a good platform but they have always been heavy on persuasion and ego massage. Their marketing is more about flattering the buyer than demonstrating the capabilities of their product.

                1. It seems you both really don’t know Carla and Kurt who I can assure you are not in it for the money. My word, stick to your mainstream everyone – they definitely aren’t in it for the money right? I despair.

                   It seems you both have very little understanding of the product.

                   1. All I need to understand about the product is that it is something that people have a hard time defining and that, in the long run, will draw tens of thousands of dollars from your bank account if you attempt to keep it current. I guess there’s a sucker born every minute.

                      1. The Pacarana was released ten years ago and still works just fine. I sold my Pacarana and paid £1100 total to upgrade (good for another ten years, I’m sure). You don’t understand.

                         1. Works just fine if you have one of the very few FIREWIRE audio interface it works with. Please be objective dude…

                            1. There are plenty of options still in manufacturing, not least USB Dante options. It doesn’t need to be FireWire.

                            2. So what if it is overpriced? And compared to what ? A box of dsp’s? There is nothing out there similar. I mentioned it earlier, the processing power boost is small, but from a workflow stand, this is close to what pretty much every user ever wanted. And ok, it is niche, and it targets previous users. What’s wrong with that?
                               They wont become the next Native instruments?

                            3. Like I explained… it’s overpriced by their own standards.
                               I agree that it’s a great workflow improvement! I whish my Pacarana had this! But 4k for USB ports and a lift-up is a bit much.
                               All I’m saying is I see this as a missed opportunity to rejuvenate a fading community and open Kyma up to more users through a lower asking price since this time the hardware upgrade, again, is minimal compared to the capy/paca jump.
                               That’s what’s wrong with being overpriced.

                            4. The Pacarana in 2010 was $4402 (5.9k in 2022 money). The new box is $3.8k.

                               SSC have reduced costs, increased DSP power and massively improved connectivity at a period where almost every manufacturer has massively increased costs.

                               Unlike software Kyma systems also retain a good value on second hand market.

                               I’d love bigger DSP but you know what…I think it’s pretty unlikely I’ll be over extending the Pacamara anytime soon (especially given it’s devoted solely to audio).

                               Maybe it’s still too expensive for you and that’s fine (you’re happy with limited VST plugins after all).

    2. I disagree, the community is TINY, especially if compared to Reaktor, Max or most any other modern software. If you go in the forums you’ll see the dates of the entries.
       I had a Pacarana for years, sold it and bought everything from GRM, Zynaptiq and Melda with the money, never missed it once since. Much faster workflow and as good results or better.

       1. The community isn’t at the forum, for starters. There are healthy groups on Slack and now a new Discourse too – open to those with a system. But yes, smaller than Max clearly. more than large enough to function well though and run annual conferences (when pandemic allows). Glad you don’t miss it. I most certainly would given the comparison.

          1. I have watched the “conferences”… and I’ll stop at it here to not say something mean. The facebook group is mostly about selling off users’ systems… I cannot speak for the Slack one but if it’s anything like the rest it will be 50 people more or less, 10 active?!
             About the comparison comment: All but 2 people (Amon Tobin and Ben Burt) never got anything worth of note that I have heard out of, the rest has been mostly tech demos or stuff that could be easily done with any other audio software. I have listened to your music if you have some examples you feel confident about when it comes to showing the strength of kyma I would love to hear them.
             It was an absolute pioneer and forward thinking system, but in my opinion it has been coasting and refusing to evolve for a while now. Since the Tau editor (2006) nothing major has hit the software in terms of uniquness.

             1. If you measure the strength of a community based solely on numbers than you and I clearly see things very differently (that said, your numbers are wrong).

                You clearly didn’t gel with Kyma and that’s fine. It’s obviously not for everyone (just like anything in life). I’m not going to point you to a specific sound in my music that only Kyma can do. That’s futile (though, there are still algorithms that are unique to Kyma including many of the re synthesis approaches and things like the crossfilter stuff). It’s difficult to point to the parts where Kyma had influenced because for me the strength of Kyma lies in its ability to let you explore things quickly and creatively (the sound browser, multigrid, Smalltalk/Capytalk, replicators and cascading replicators etc). Replicators in particular allowed you do things easily that in Max would have been a nightmare until the .MC stuff only a few years back.

                You might not like or rate my music and that’s fine. I didn’t ask you to. But maybe someone reading this doesn’t like Max (or whatever) and wants an alternative. I did, after years of Max, and haven’t looked back.

                Anyway, I’m out. Good luck to you.

             2. great posts pal. it’s sad to see some Kyma users push obvious excuses and slogans as facts… professionals should remain objective where it’s possible.
                the guy quotes Alan Kay on soft/hardware just like it was applicable to Kyma, or to Kyma only, easily adding the sugars of “ethos of uncompromised sound” just like something else (like MAX running on a dedicated m1ultra Mac) was compromised or its stability was amateurish..

                while the truth is, it’s the very Paca-waco hardware is the stone that sunk Kyma and its near-dead community to the seafloor.
                of course, you do need hardware, you do gain from using dedicated cpu and controllers for music. but it’s done differently, and done widely now — though Im happy Kyma still exists, as it offers something great too, it’s still relevant — but just as much as its market shows.
                but soon it will be gone where the two owners retire. IP will be bought out, maybe some elements get a new life as universal plugins, but that’s it.

                meanwhile, other platforms will move on and develop

                1. My M1 ultra Mac still glitches every now and again running Max. Just so you know.
                   Bye.

                   1. May I suggest trying Max with Windows 10 and a modern Intel I9 processor. You might be amazed!

                      1. Also works well on my win 10 – amd ryzen pc

       2. Grm, Zynaptiq and Melda make vst plugins, they are closed systems, they do not give me anything from their analysis to use but for the preprogrammed way they have decided upon. . These might work for you, not for me though (for example). Max and supercollider are indeed valid alternatives, each of them different in scope and usage. I agree the community is small but this was never an important factor for me. The one event i’ve attended in person felt somewhere between a religious cult and an Apple event . Also yes its true that many of the “celebrated” kyma users are not something special either musically or “technically”. They are just consistent in being always there which might create a problem if they are influential to symbolic sound (they probably are). However all of these have nothing to do with me using their system. The new pacamara costs as much as a waldorf quantum or a yamaha montage 8 or 1/3 of moog one, and the amount of technology included in it is exponentially larger. The ease with which i can add the supported controllers to kyma is unparalleled. The whole mpe thingy is so simple to do in kyma, almost plug and play, where in daws or max, and supercollider it is a lot fuzzier. There are benefits to kyma, denying them makes no sense. There are also problems, this last reincarnation is a lot more friendly to coexist with ones production system though, even though the processing power doesn’t seem competitive enough to their old pacarana. But these guys had a hardware based on firewire, which almost became extinct and instead of dropping the towel they managed to program a valid alternative using ethernet. Most other music technology brands, would have just let it be obsolete, look at what is happening with the audio interfaces, some of them costing as much as a basic kyma system. Fair is fair.

14. They are saying that the ability to leverage GPUs for audio processing is just around the corner. I am wondering if that wouldn’t cover this same territory at a cheaper price and easier integration.

    1. Yeah – I was thinking about a recent synthtopia article about GPU Audio:

       https://www.synthtopia.com/content/2022/07/11/gpu-audio-adds-amd-support-apple-hardware-support-coming-next/

       That’s going to be huge, once they get it running with Apple processors, but probably not on the same level as a real dedicated audio processor.

15. It’s amazing to see so much negativity about this product, coming mostly from people who have never used the it and clearly don’t understand it.

    I’ve been a Kyma user for 21 years. I have a Capybara and a Pacarana, both of which still work perfectly after many live concerts and countless hours of use in the studio. I also have a wall of modulars (which cost me a lot more than this and do a lot less) and all the plugins you can imagine, as well as using SuperCollider, Max, and multiple virtual modular systems. They all have their place in my workflow, but for me Kyma is irreplaceable, especially for fast prototyping and for live electronic performances. It has some truly unique features that you won’t find anywhere else, and its flexibility and depth are unrivaled (even if it also has its own limitations that can be frustrating at times).

    Kyma also receives constant free upgrades, so those of you who think this company is in it just for the money really don’t know what you’re talking about. If I calculate what I paid for my Pacarana spread over the many years I’ve used it, along with all the significant free upgrades, the price is quite reasonable. And the community is small, but it is full of really interesting people from many fields, including some top composers, sound designers, and even scientists, and the annual Kyma symposium is a wonderful event with some amazing concerts and presentations every time.

    As for people thinking that this paradigm is outdated and won’t last, well… that’s what people were saying 30 years ago (and 20, and 10…), and yet here we are! Kyma just keeps getting better for those of us actually using it (the software, and also the hardware being smaller, less expensive and more powerful). If it’s not for you, that’s fine, use whatever works for you and suits your needs and budget. But no need to hate the company! They are as legit as they come and are true pioneers who have been building these tools for decades.

    And for those of us who actually use this product, or those looking to get into Kyma for the first time, the release of the new hardware is great news!

    1. Here’s the test. Can I try it and then decide whether or not to buy it? Notice, I didn’t go negative until I experienced their web pages. I went there with an interest in Kyma, and left with the idea that I wasn’t welcome unless I wanted to fork over money for the hardware (and the “introductory system” price, is what really set me off). If these people are as straight as you say they are, their web pages definitely don’t reflect it. I should have left them the message that was running through my head at the time. “Yea, and I’ve got a nice solid bridge in NYC that I can sell you as well”

       1. That is the case with most boutique hardware synths as well, and there is no way around that. It’s not like they can send it to you to just demo it, right? However, they probably do have some options to return it for people who order and are not happy with it. But other than that, there are always ways to try it out through events and the community, for people that are seriously interested. But hey, if you don’t like this product and think it’s useless and overpriced, etc., I’ve got a simple solution: DON’T USE IT! End of the story. No need to convince people that it’s such a bad thing. And for me, and many of my colleagues and students, it has been a very valuable tool that we love, and I’m very happy about the new hardware, even if I may wait a little bit to upgrade (by the way, the software will continue to work perfectly fine with the old hardware). And yes, every 13 years or so there are new versions of the hardware, go figure eh? But I’ve had several laptops in the meantime, so I really don’t mind getting more power, a smaller sized device, and more connectivity options for whenever I choose to upgrade, not to mention dozens of free significant software updates along the way.

          1. I see. Now you make it sound like the ultimate masturbation tool. Yea, that’s the ticket!

             1. Seriously, get a life and let the serious people work with whatever professional tools they like, while you keep whining about how it’s all a ripoff and a scam just because you don’t like it, don’t understand it, and can’t demo it. I have used Kyma for over 20 years and love it, and will continue to use it. Additionally, Kurt and Carla (Symbolic Sound) are two of the most brilliant and kindest people that I know. I’m done wasting my time trying to explain all of this to people who just hate it because it doesn’t fit their needs or ideas. But Kyma will still be here and will continue to grow, as it has all these years while people kept betting against it. And I can only be happy that you are NOT part of the Kyma community! I’m out. Cheers!

                1. The sad thing is that you probably really believe what you just wrote.

                   1. “ Since v10, I’ve updated to Ultimate each time, just to get everything on a disk. By the time I actually purchased v13, there were so many “updates” that I forced to download more than 50% of the package, anyway. I really don’t need any more crap expansion packages, and some of the stuff (e.g., Lores) that I would have purchased it to receive, I already have. So, I guess Kontakt 7 is really the only reason to do this, but I’ll buy the “upgrade to Standard” option when I do.” (John Rossi, in relation to Native Instruments Komplete 14).

                      Definitely not a hypocrite. Definitely a master of a ‘good deal’ and not being taken for a ride by software developers and forced to update.
                      Good luck selling your Komplete 36 license in years to come, great investment I’m sure.
                      Thanks John, you’ve made my day. Only getting the ‘standard’ upgrade will really stick it to the man. I hope NI survive.

                      1. Yes, and I admit that Komplete hasn’t been a great investment for me. It is software, however. Assuming that everything remains as it was in the past, I should be able to update to the Standard version of Komplete for about the same as, or less than, the purchase of Kontakt 7, alone. That doesn’t make me an NI fan, or even an advocate of their products. Now, if NI was charging me an additional $250 for a “hardware upgrade” every time I upgraded Komplete (that is in Kyma equivalent hardware update cycles figuring a 10 year cycle), I would have stopped doing it a long time ago, Kontakt or not. Also, since Kyma won’t run on anything other than the platform designed for it, how sure are you that all of that DSP you are paying for is even up to snuff in comparison to modern microprocessor-based systems?

                         1. Ugh. I’m really bored John. This is boring. I really am out now. Good luck to you.

                   2. As opposed to what, writing something that does not represent my views just to deceive you? Right! If you’ve run out of things to say it’s better to stop. 😉 Now excuse me while I go happily make some music with Kyma!

16. This is actually pretty great if the APU is design specifically to process audio. That’s the great thing about custom fab chips.

    45W for intensive and complex audio work. That’s pretty impressive.

    CPU, GPU, and APU audio processing, I mean we’re going to be living in a world where computer scientists and audio engineers can learn from the different architectures to make each one better, what a time to be alive.

17. I’ve tried to post a comment, but for some reason it doesn’t appear, so I’m trying it as a reply…

    It’s amazing to see so much negativity about this product, coming mostly from people who have never used it and clearly don’t understand it.

    I’ve been a Kyma user for 21 years. I have a Capybara and a Pacarana, both of which still work perfectly after many live concerts and countless hours of use in the studio. I also have a wall of modulars (which cost me a lot more than my pacarana and do a lot less) and all the plugins you can imagine, as well as using SuperCollider, Max, and multiple virtual modular systems. They all have their place in my workflow, but for me Kyma is irreplaceable, especially for fast prototyping and for live electronic performances. It has some truly unique features that you won’t find anywhere else, and its sound quality, flexibility and depth are unrivaled (even if it also has its own limitations that can be frustrating at times).

    Kyma also receives constant free upgrades, so those of you who think this company is in it just for the money really don’t know what you’re talking about. And it’s been more than 10 years since the last hardware release, so it really doesn’t look to me like SSC is just trying to update the hardware to make more money! If I calculate what I paid for my Pacarana spread over the many years I’ve used it, along with all the significant free upgrades, the price is quite reasonable. And the community is small, but it is full of really interesting people from many fields, including some top composers, sound designers, and even scientists, and the annual Kyma symposium is a wonderful event with some amazing concerts and presentations every time.

    As for people thinking that this dedicated hardware paradigm is outdated and won’t last, well… that’s what people were saying 30 years ago (and 20, and 10…), and yet here we are! Kyma just keeps getting better for those of us actually using it (the software, and also the hardware being smaller, less expensive and more powerful). If it’s not for you, that’s fine, use whatever works for you and suits your needs and budget. But no need to hate the company! They are as legit as they come and are true pioneers in the field who have been building these tools for decades.

    And for those of us who actually use this product, or those looking to get into Kyma for the first time, the release of the new hardware is great news!

    1. Grandier

       Anytime a new person comments on the site, the comment is flagged for manual moderation. This is to keep hate speech, spam and porn links out of the comments.

       You’ve commented previously with other names (Terretektorh, Patrick, lower case grandier), and each time you use a name, the comment system will treat you as a new user.

       If you use a consistent identity, you can avoid this.

       1. Ok, thanks! Good to know that.

18. Hmm, sorry about the repeated posts. Not sure why it took several hours for my original comment to appear, but I thought it just hadn’t worked.

    1. welcome to ‘mystery post theater’ :0)

19. To all the Kyma fanboys here:

    I’ve owned and used Kyma. It’s OK, but hopelessly outdated. The software and documentation have scarcely been updated in twenty years. I didn’t sell my Capybara, which required ridiculous amounts of expansion cards to do anything remotely sophisticated in real time. I threw it away.

    Since we’ve established that I could afford it, and have owned it, the next line of fanboy argument will be that I did not understand the system. In fact, I did, but Reaktor, CDP, and various granulation tools were so much quicker, easier and more intuitive tools to use that Kyma sat gathering dust. I predicted a long time ago that once CPUs reached a sufficient stage of native processing power, Kyma would be left behind. It has. The best thing about it is that it is an all-in-one box, and now, at least it doesn’t require several thousand dollars’ worth of additional expansion cards to do something in real time (I presume).

    I have met Kurt and Carla. They are very nice and knowledgeable people. But at present they own the equivalent of an Edsel factory.

    Now, let the crybaby ad hominems of all the fans who claim to be “out” begin!

20. Like any other software/hardware computational tool, to get the system to do what you want it is imperative to RFM in order to achieve the specific desired result. Maybe most folks in this thread have no clue as to what desired result they’re looking for, preferring to blame the system rather than “reading f*cking manual” to thoroughly comprehend…