Creamware Minimax ASB
Digital Rhythm Composer (2006)

 

A digital remake of classic cult Moog Minimoog D based on custom Virtual Analog technology called "Virtual Circuit Modelling "

The Minimax is part of the ASB series: Authentic Sound Box.

NOTE: pictures are taken from my MINIMAX (now sold) with custom Moog knobs.

 

SYNTH MODULE main panel features a simple 3 characters display, a data encoder, 14 push buttons, 15 switch tabs, 6 knobs selectors and 21 pot knobs.

Rear panel terminal connectors:
- main stereo out
- stereo input for external signal process (with gain)
- Midi interface
- USB1 interface.


Power supply is a 9V external AC or DC 12V / 1.5 A power supply with negative center.

 

 

VOICE main core based on ADI SHARK technology generates 12 voices at 44 hz - 32 bits resolution (source: Creamware).
A single voice is composed by up to 3 oscillators (digital) + 1 independent noise channel (white/pink) with own mix gain - special feedback internally connects the synthesizer’s output to the external for signal overdrive/saturation.
The module can be played with 2 different modes:
- monophonic : 1 voice with 3 osc
- polyphonic : 3 voices polyphony each with 3 osc (not multitimbric).

 

OSCILLATOR the virtual VCO 1-2-3 have different characteristics:

	VCO1	VCO2	VCO3
Level mix	yes	yes	yes
Detune	-	yes	yes
Octaves	LO 32' 16' 8' 4' 2'	same as VCO1	same as VCO1
Waveforms	tri / saw/ sqr / wide pulse / narrow pulse / saw-tri	same as VCO1	tri / saw/ sqr / wide pulse / narrow pulse / saw reverse

 

FILTER resonant lowpass at -24 dB/ octave filter with cutoff Frequency and contour amount around the Q point for resonance emphasis.
Special 3 modes key tracking:
- 1/3 octave per octave on the keyboard.
- 2/3 octave per octave
- full octave.

 

ENVELOPE up to 2 EGs :
- EG1 VCF: 3-segments ADS + release
- EG2 VCA: 3-segments ADS + release.
Release can be added for both VCA and VCF simply pressing the apposite tab button, then release segment gets the same value as the decay one. A new Velocity EG system has been implemented to Miminax: the keyboard’s velocity modulates every level of the envelope.

LFO the third VCO acts as a modulator to following destinations:
- LFO to VCO pitch
- LFI to VCF cutoff.
The frequency rate is defined by the modulation wheel amount (CC1).

 

PERFORMANCE:
- Glide original Minimoog low priority system, but also a new and better last-note-priority mode.
- EG decay switch with gate mode
- Aftertouch can be assigned to OSC3 LFO intensity / filter / loudness.

 

EFFECTS there are 2 kind of effects:
- Chorus / Flanger with variable depth, feedback rate and phase
- Stereo delay up to 1,5 second can be synched to Midi clock (72 - 192 BPM) at different time dividers.
TIP: the Minimax can process also external signal using both effect DSP or filter.

 

MIDI all edit parameters are assigned to Midi Control Change which is pretty handy.
Full sysex implementation for sound backup.

MEMORY:
- 128 ROM
- 128 RAM.

 

 

EDITOR the module was sold with custom PC/Mac editor included "REMOTE SOFTWARE" - sadly it has not been updated since Windows XP and will never be in the future.

 

 

 

RELATED FAMILY:

	CREAMWARE KLANGBOX - it's the minimax in a rack without the superb interface. Space and cost -saver.
	MOOG MINIMOOG D is the little cheaper brother. Even more compact, the 505 features less sounds, less sequencer functions, no more separate outs and no samples tuning options.
	ASB PRO12 a modeled Sequential circuits polysynth Prophet 5 VIDEO
	ASB b4000 a modeled Hammond B3 tonewheel organ (now project is FERROFISH) VIDEO
	Other Creamware/Sonicore projects with Minimoog Minimax plugin - they should same the same as minimax: - Noah / Noah EX VIDEO - Use Audio Plugiator / Plugiator ASX VIDEO - Creamware scope soundcard Minimax VIDEO

 

VST PLUGIN / SAMPLED VERSION there are some free and commercial samples set:

	name	price	link	demo
	minimooge VA	free
	Arturia Minimoog V	$$
	GFORCE minimonsta	$$

AUDIO DEMO

Creamware demo 1 Creamware demo 2 Creamware demo 3 Creamware demo 4 Minitrack: JMR Synth: minimoog D Synth: moogfunkoo Synth: moog prodigy Synth: more more modern Synth: not another solo Synth: EBM 4 ever Synth: arpeggio Synth: classic classic Synth: edm Synth: progressivo Synth: yes go brass Synth: hihop dream Synth: too much LFO Synth: led Morane Synth: squared delay Synth: 8 bits frog Synth: c64 PWM Synth: cool duck Synth: step synth Bass: Deutsch American Freundschaft Bass: EBM world Bass: line1 Bass: line2 Bass: french tale Bass: pacman Bass: precint pad: frequency pad: modulated pad: poly1 pad: digital pad: rumble FX: bees FX: bubbles FX: horror FX: noise FX: ringmodulation FX: techno siren FX: crazy SID TEST: EG TEST: all LFo waves TEST: basic VCO waveforms TEST: noise pink noise TEST: filter range TEST: glide TEST: flanger TEST: delay TEST: external loop filtering

VIDEO CLIP SELECTION Demo demo with sequencer demo3