I expect a tidal wave of you know what but fuccit.

Creamware Pulsar is cool. I like how it looks Waldorfish.

I asked the universe - can we emulate the SHARC processors on the Pulsar card? The Universe responded with a resounding MAYBE.

--

This stuff is way over my head. Wondered if I could pull a smart person into this rabbit hole and figure it all out. @Ayahuasca

Creamware Pulsar: https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/creamware-pulsar

Emulation resources: https://www.analog.com/en/lp/001/sharc-processors-software-and-tools.html

If you're still asking "WHY". Because where else you gonna get a Waldorf Modular?

 

Last edited: Mar 11, 2025

Interesting idea. 20 years ago I was GAS-ing over Pulsar II DSP cards. Never bought it but I remember it had some great sounding synths like Adern Flexor modules for Modular and John Bowen Solaris .Their MinimaX and ProTone were the best analog synth emulations of that time and people waited like 15-20 years to hear something on par like U-he Repro 1 and UAD Minimoog

 

And now where we have low latency awesome synths people look back to emulate old stuff with even higher latency :D

 

How does it sound?

Exploration of Scope - ep #01 - The Waldorf Oscillator

Spoiler: All the 64 Wavetables of the Waldorf Wavetable Oscillator straight from the Scope Modular 4.

All the 64 Wavetables of the Waldorf Wavetable Oscillator straight from the Scope Modular 4.

00:00 wavetable 1 Resonant
00:14 wavetable 2 Resonant2
00:27 wavetable 3 MalletSyn
00:41 wavetable 4 Sqr-Sweep
00:55 wavetable 5 Bellish
01:09 wavetable 6 Pul-Sweep
01:23 wavetable 7 Saw Sweep
01:37 wavetable 8 MellowSaw
01:51 wavetable 9 Feedback
02:05 wavetable 10 Add Harm
02:19 wavetable 11 Reso 3 HP
02:33 wavetable 12 Wind Sun
02:47 wavetable 13 High Harm
03:00 wavetable 14 Clipper
03:15 wavetable 15 Organ Syn
03:29 wavetable 16 SquareSaw
03:43 wavetable 17 Formant 1
03:57 wavetable 18 Polated
04:11 wavetable 19 Transient
04:25 wavetable 20 ElectricP
04:39 wavetable 21 Robotic
04:53 wavetable 22 StrongHrm
05:07 wavetable 23 PercOrgan
05:21 wavetable 24 ClipSweep
05:35 wavetable 25 ResoHarms
05:49 wavetable 26 2 Echoes
06:03 wavetable 27 Formant2
06:17 wavetable 28 FrmntVoaca
06:31 wavetable 29 MicroSync
06:45 wavetable 30 Micro PWM
06:59 wavetable 31 Glassv
07:13 wavetable 32 Square HP
07:27 wavetable 33 SawSync 1
07:41 wavetable 34 SawSync 2
07:54 wavetable 35 SawSync 3
08:09 wavetable 36 PulSync 1
08:23 wavetable 37 PulSync 2
08:37 wavetable 38 Pulsync 3
08:51 wavetable 39 SynSync 1
09:05 wavetable 40 SynSync 2
09:19 wavetable 41 SynSync 3
09:33 wavetable 42 PWM Pulse
09:47 wavetable 43 PWM Saw
10:01 wavetable 44 Fuzz Wave
10:15 wavetable 45 Distorted
10:29 wavetable 46 HeavyFuzz
10:43 wavetable 47 Fuzz Sync
10:57 wavetable 48 K+Strong1
11:11 wavetable 49 K+Strong2
11:25 wavetable 50 K+Strong3
11:39 wavetable 51 1-2-3-4-5
11:53 wavetable 52 19/twenty
12:07 wavetable 53 Wavetrip1
12:21 wavetable 54 Wavetrip2
12:35 wavetable 55 Wavetrip3
12:49 wavetable 56 Wavetrip4
13:03 wavetable 57 Malevoice
13:17 wavetable 58 LowPiano
13:31 wavetable 59 ResoSweep
13:45 wavetable 60 Xmas Bell
13:59 wavetable 61 Fm Piano
14:13 wavetable 62 Fat Organ
14:27 wavetable 63 Vibes
14:41 wavetable 64 Chorus2
visit Sonic Core web site http://scope.zone/

 

Stefan Stenzel is maybe the best DSP programmer in the world. I love his work.

 

IMHO It should be possible to emulate the SHARC chips, but it's much harder to crack the scope software, a couple of people tried in the past and although the software ran, it produced no sound, I used to own a Xite and 3 pulsar cards, the software is good, but it's matched or bettered by the recent native plugins, even VCV rack performs as well as the scope modular.

 

Last edited: Mar 11, 2025

It's like the TC Powercore unlocking that finally happened. Without the card and chipsets, or an emulator, like you mentioned; getting the plugins to open is a small part of the battle. They do not make any sound by themselves. Without the hardware, and some legit plugin licenses; that is difficult, if not impossible project for someone. Nevermind any possible age-related compatibility issues with various operating systems.
Most of these software+additional dsp hardware products end up like this eventually.

 

I also had a bout of GAS with the Creamware range of softwares & hardware platforms.


Wasn't convinced to get a 'SM Pro - V-Machine'. Drooled over the 'Pluggiator for a while.


Very interested in the recent 'MakePro Audio - DinoPark' kits but this scheme seems to have derailed -_- "DinoPark is a high-end modeling synthesizer kit by MakeProAudio that allows users to create CreamWare DSP plugins, which set the standard for analog modeling and emulation, in a DIY format..."


Sure - a SHARC can probably emulated but the gurus are working on the DSP56300 for now.

 

Being a Pulsar II owner, I bought the Dino, great sound for 250 euros... The project started just before Covid and unfortunately seems to have stopped, now they only produce expensive control surfaces.

 

Not sure about the latency, being the Pulsars DSP cards, but yes... we have awesome synths now.

 

Yeh the cards are nearby zero latency (I sold mine decades ago), but if we start emulating DSP, latency would rise as with them other emulators. Not to mention about CPU usage.