Acustica intros AZero: The New Advanced Sampler DAC Emulator

[Acustica Community]

Bring the iconic sound of 1980s samplers into your modern studio with Azero (Absolute Zero)! Inspired by the digital-to-analog converters (DACs) used in classic samplers, Azero gives you precise control over parameters like bit depth, sample rate, and jitter, letting you easily dial in everything from warm, lo-fi textures to clean, high-definition audio.


Azero is a powerful plugin, available in VST, VST3, AAX, and AU formats, designed to emulate the behavior of digital-to-analog converters (DACs) found in vintage samplers. With AZero, you can recreate the characteristic "lo-fi" sound of many samplers used throughout the 1980s, giving you total control over parameters such as bit depth, sample rate, jitter, and much more.


Authentic Lo-Fi vibes, modern Hi-Fi precision.

While Azero is inspired by iconic 1980s hardware, it does not aim to replicate them exactly. Instead, it captures and reinterprets their unique sonic characteristics through innovative technology developed by Acustica Audio, offering a modern take on classic samplers. This powerful tool allows you to blend the historical essence of vintage DACs with modern flexibility, delivering a professional sound-shaping experience.


Key Features

• Multi-model emulation: Inspired by six iconic hardware samplers from the 1980s, each offering distinct sound characteristics.
• Advanced Control: Provides detailed manipulation of DAC parameters including bit depth, sample rate, jitter, and more.
• Authentic Lo-Fi and Modern Hi-Fi Precision Options: Seamlessly transition between vintage lo-fi sounds and modern, high-resolution audio.
• MULAW Compression: Includes both digital and hardware-inspired versions of classic dynamic shaping.
• Oversampling: High-quality oversampling with options for 2x, 4x, reducing aliasing and improving overall signal quality.
• Filters: Adjustable filter slopes with orders 0, 2, 4, and 8, allowing precise control over aliasing reduction and tonal shaping.
• User-Friendly Interface: Simple yet powerful controls for an intuitive workflow.


Model overview

Azero includes six distinct DAC emulation models, each inspired by different pieces of legendary 1980s hardware, providing a range of tonal options:

1. Pendragon-S950 (Released in 1986)
Known for its sharp, clean sound, perfect for drum hits and detailed audio processing with 12-bit resolution.

2. Caliburn-SP1200 (Released in 1987)
Offers a warm, gritty sound with punchy transients, ideal for adding texture to beats.

3. Merlin-EM2 (Released in 1984)
Famous for its lush, warm tones, offering 8-bit sampling resolution for atmospheric soundscapes.

4. Merlin-EM3 (Released in 1987)
An evolution of Merlin-EM2, featuring higher fidelity and greater flexibility for complex samples with 16-bit resolution.

5. Fairy Morgana-DMS8 (Released in 1984)
Known for its 8-bit sampling and gritty, lo-fi charm, ideal for vintage sounds with raw digital artifacts.

6. Clarent-CMI2 (Released in 1982)
Features pristine 16-bit sampling with digital synthesis, perfect for complex compositions and orchestral sounds.








Technical information:

• Supported formats: VST2, VST3, AAX, and AU.
• Available sample rates: 44.1, 48, 88.2, and 96 kHz.
• Compatible with Windows 10 and 11.
• Compatible with macOS 10.15 (Catalina) to macOS Sonoma (version 14.x).
• Intel, AMD, and ARM compatible.
• Native Apple Silicon support (Rosetta not supported).


AZero| Demo




Price and availability

Azero introductory price: €79 | 39% OFF until November 26, 2024 at 11:59 pm CET (reg. price €129)
Get it here!

The product is at an introductory period for the first four weeks after release or until the first official version is released; this implies that the product may receive improvements, changes, or fixes available through Aquarius Desktop updates.

Try our FREE 30-Day Trial
Note: AZero trial version includes 44.1 - 48 - 88.2 - 96 kHz sample rates.
Please remember that trials expire 30 days after authorization, and we strongly recommend not using trial products in commercial sessions or any important project.

Azero user's manual


AZero webpage: https://www.acustica-audio.com/shop/products/AZERO

[Synthman2000]

The price is fantasy land.

[Kretch]

They’re all priced this way for their 50% off loyalty customers.

[billinder33]

Another hour, another Acustica plugin!!!

[kmonkey]

Hahaha...

"While Azero is inspired by iconic 1980s hardware, it does not aim to replicate them exactly."

So you know they are hooking you for the AKAI sound but you'll never get it.

The dishonest part: Acustica, if this is not what it says on the tin, then why are you suggesting "Bring the iconic sound of 1980s samplers into your modern studio with Azero (Absolute Zero)" and then using resemblances of an AKAI? Why are you not calling this what it is — another bit juggler?

Ah yes because if you did no one would purchase it. This way at least some of the morons could be tricked into the fantasy of getting AKAI or whatever sound into their DAW.

Priceless.

People: TAL DAC, D16 Decimort, or TonneBoosters Bit Juggler piss over this.

They should just make it free for Halloween like Pumpkin plugin or Santa crap because it's that worth.

[TIMT]

None of those offerings you just listed sound like running things through a sampler though. They are "bit jugglers" as you call them with more bells and whistles. I haven't heard this either, but i haven't heard a plugin as of yet sound like any of the samplers i've been through over the past 10 years or so when i got interested in them (Roland S770 being my fave, though not very grungy, Akai S612 being pure filth). Plogue Chipcrusher gets pretty close though

There's a lot more to the sampler sound than the quantisation and downsampling artefacts(though even this doesn't sound right on most of em. Possible cut corners or abstracting stuff. Dunno), and if Acustica has managed to capture or model(lingo is confusing, so not sure if this is a usual Volterra jobby, or algorithmic)i'm all for it.

Will test on the weekend

[dark water]

TBF, from those examples, AZero makes a difference to the original sounds - particularly with the synth and drum bus tracks (more presence and more depth, albeit perhaps with more volume in some of the 'after' examples as well...).

And it's a nice idea with an attractive GUI (imho).

But it's up against products by other developers (some mentioned in a post above) who have similar ways of creating a 'sound within the same ballpark', and nearly all (if not all) of their products are cheaper.


It's a bit different from recent AA offerings, so fair play to them for that.
But it's very much a niche product which might well appeal to a few people, but I suspect it will receive a 'mixed' reaction (as per this GS thread):

https://gearspace.com/board/new-product ... 2c1162b9c8

[Dr.Gunjah]

Hahaha...

"While Azero is inspired by iconic 1980s hardware, it does not aim to replicate them exactly."

So you know they are hooking you for the AKAI sound but you'll never get it.

This way they can release another product later, that "replicates them exactly", just see this post

[DanielKonopka]

Plogue Chipcrusher gets pretty close though

Glad someone mentions one of fantastic Plogue products. I'm under constant impression the developer gets not enough love for what is on offer.

[Karbon L. Forms]

Don't these guys do EVERYTHING as a shit-ton of IRs?

Not interested anyway, the marketing is hilariously off-putting.

[kmonkey]

This way they can release another product later, that "replicates them exactly", just see this post

Yep, these guys are more and more questionable day by day.

[kmonkey]

Don't these guys do EVERYTHING as a shit-ton of IRs?

Not interested anyway, the marketing is hilariously off-putting.

Actually no, their products are much more than shit-ton if IRs.

Their tech is actually really really impressive. There is no doubt about that. Their tech is well explained on their website.

It is just that their performance in other areas is complete chaos.

You could get more sense and consistency from random white noise than from Acustica plugins.

[ROTMetro]

KVR, where we litigate plugins instead of, you know, trying them out.

The other options tend to add unwanted characteristics that this doesn't. I love Decimort but it tends to have to be followed up with dealing with or just accepting unwanted artifacts (I admit probably because of my poor skills). If this doesn't do that I'm interested. If I can drop it on and be done for the sound I want that's awesome. To me that might be worth a price difference because for me time=money and I'd rather spend time doing what I enjoy (which contributes back to my poor skills I admit) depending on how often I do it. I spent way too many years making patches on things like DX7s or spinning knobs on S1000s setting points (tools that were thousands of dollars). Nowadays I'm willing to throw sub $100 at not having to do that AND get the benefit of better results.

I really don't understand what people get out of going to home depot standing in the hammer isle and complaining that there are too many hammer choices and varying prices. Especially over and over on each thread.

[ROTMetro]

Playing with it a bit seems nice on shoegaze style vocals/guitars, drums, and the synthwave stuff I tried it on. Hope they flesh it out a bit more (though it sounds like each model takes a lot of effort on Acustica's part so might be an issue of required developer effort versus user expectation clashing). Definitely a maybe and worth shooting it out against Decimort for the month trial.

[prene]

My take on it. FWIW