RMX-c

The main use case for the RMX-c during the CBM8032AV performances is delivering either chorus or short / nonlinear / reverse reverb effects. The hardware interface gives fast access to reverb type, reverb decay and chorus amount.

Since the chorus cannot be replicated with the principle of convolution, it is a separate process, running after the convolution engine.

Unlike with the original hardware this makes it possible to add chorus to any of the reverb algorithms.

The decay time parameter crossfades between 16 impulse responses of the same reverb algorithm, captured with different decay settings. The dynamic behaviour when changing its value is not the same as when changing decay times in an algorithmic reverb. RMX-c has its own 'character'.

The selection of the different reverb algorithms happens via dedicated buttons, and not the 'previous' / 'next' buttons on the original hardware, which is a huge plus when performing. A special 'User' bank allows to play with a curated set of impulse resonses that do not need to represent different decay times, but instead allow to morph between very different reverb algorithms and settings - a reverb mashup machine.

The interface is controlled via a Teensy 3.2 microcontroller, and communicates via USB with a Max4Live device running on a Mac Mini. The Max4Live device contains a multiple convolution engine.

All AMS-RMX16 reverbs have been recorded with multiple settings for each algorithm, and a series of 16 impulse responses each have been selected, which can be chosen via the decay knob. It is planned to port the DSP side to a dedicated platform soon, and to run it all without the need to use an additional computer.

The hardware and the underlying DSP code allow to extend the functionality of the interface towards using completely different impulse responses in the future.