Blezz Neats have released SNOP, available for $50.00.
SNOP gives you ultra-quick access to the sound of vintage machines including computers, cassette decks, record players, VHS recorders, samplers, and even video game consoles. Just select a machine and pick a preset, each one is modeled after a unique medium.
If a digital device such as a sampler is chosen in SNOP, this may include things such as sampling rate, bit depth, DC quantization method, interpolation, pre and post-filtering (anti-alias filtering), noise floor and fluctuations, dithering, and frequency response by convolution.
Comparisons are mixed up for a blind test. The goal was never to make 1:1 replicas, but hey – you be the judge.
A600
Emulates the sound of a classic personal computer with a standard 8-bit parallel port sound sampler, with or without filtered output. The artifacts of the input sample rate and the variable clock speed pitch shift make your sounds crusty, to say the least.
PSX ADPCM
Completely pointless recreation of the ADPCM-chip sound on one of the most popular game consoles. Made for the sole purpose of processing bad voice-acting performances done by developers and janitors.
GAME MAN
Original mode emulates the sound when it’s sampled straight into the machine and played back, compressed mode emulates pitching the sample up by 6 or 12 semitones and pitching it back down to original speed, or using the compress function on newer OS versions.
SB-12
Emulates the AD/DA, anti-aliasing filter (not 100% on point), and drop sample pitch shift of a legendary drum sampler. SNOP doesn’t actually pitch the audio though, you should shift it by the same amount of semitones for authenticity.
MPSEE 60
Original mode emulates the sound when it’s sampled straight into the machine and played back, compressed mode emulates pitching the sample up by 6 or 12 semitones and pitching it back down to original speed, or using the compress function on newer OS versions.
ESS950
Emulates everyone’s favorite 12-bit rack sampler. The first parameter controls the bandwidth (effectively the sample rate), and the anti-aliasing filter. The second parameter controls the cutoff of the lowpass filter with quite accurate frequency response.
SNOP’s analog devices replicate the unique imperfections of mediums like cassette tapes, VHS, and records through countless non-linear processing steps. These include wow, flutter, bias, azimuth shifts, phase errors, noise, filters, dropouts, tape saturation, stereo imaging, and custom impulse responses, all capturing the authentic character of each machine.
CASSETTE
Whenever Blezz Beats, he obsessively have to run it through a cassette deck, boom box, or freestyle. There’s something magical about it. Now he can just put some SNOP on it, it captures that sound impeccably.
VINYL
We’re not talking audiophile-grade wax here. This is about capturing cheaper turntables and records that have been played more times than the hours they’ve been on the shelf.
GRAMOPHONE
Go back to the olden golden days of top hats, horseless carriages, class, and style. Revel in simpler times, when doctors prescribed leeches and a brisk walk through muddy streets was all the adventure you needed.
RADIO
From the distant warble of AM talk shows to the warm, slightly muffled sound of music through kitchen radios, it’s all about embracing those imperfect, yet comforting, audio quirks.
VHS
Relive the grainy, fuzzy charm of old VHS tapes played to the point of distortion. It’s the warm nostalgia of home videos with washed-out colors, your favorite music video from MTV, and recorded re-runs of Knight Rider.
Reduce the sampling rate, wonk the pitch, add some dub delays, sweep the filters, and mess with the stereo image with the fine-tunable modules.
DECIMATE
Crush the sample rate of your audio with detailed precision. High-resolution degradation over two definable bands gives you unique control over what you rip apart and how much.
WOBBLE
Two wobble-modules let you dial in the exact wobble, warble, flutter and wow you want on two independent parts of the spectrum.
DELAY
Create everything from regular delays on a specific bandwidth to dub echoes, phase distortions, or even old school real-time time-stretch effects.
BANDPASS
More than a bandpass filter, ironically. A self-modulating notch filter animates the sound differently based on your selected range and threshold for a unique touch.
STEREO
Tastefully adjust the stereo placement of the entire image, or abuse smaller sections to misplace it in psychedelic pseudo-3D realms and break traditional phase rules.
The true power of the modules lies in their versatility and precision. Quickly tailor the impact on different parts of the frequency spectrum, Downsample the low and mid frequencies at distinct rates for unique textures, modulate the pitch of the highs while preserving the integrity of the lows, or break the rules and create an expansive, wide bass that fills the room.
If you are an avid sampler, you know the importance of being able to choose between stereo, left, right, or left and right merged. This also serves as a means to more accurately emulate certain devices that can only handle a mono input, but I’ve left the power of choice to you.
Quickly fade between the original signal (after machine emulation processing) and your currently set parameters for the modules to blend or compare.
SNOP has a wide selection of lovingly recorded noises from different mediums and devices that can be used to sprinkle on top of your audio, or rather merge with it.
Each noise has its own tuning which affects how it interacts with the original audio signal in a certain way, from dynamically attenuating the volume to cutting the high end or just simmering on top, however the noise would affect the signal in real life.
SNOP is available to PC and Mac users (VST3, AU and AAX).
For more information on SNOP, click here:
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