The DinoPark by MakePro X is now also opening its doors to the Eurorack community in the form of a beautiful module packed with 7 “Creamware” synth engines.
Hardware synthesizers that can load plugins. That sounds exciting, but also with constantly better processors, very few dare to venture into the field. Creamware from Germany, for example. started this early on. They offered special DSP-based rack instruments on which you can run specially developed plugins for this system. So no classic VSTs. In 2006 the adventure was over and the company was purchased by SonicCore who continues the concept to this day.
Roland also pursues a similar concept with its plugouts. Here, you can switch the engine in seconds. Creamware no longer exists, but its legacy products live on. With the DinoPark, the young German company MakeProAudio introduced a portable DSP box with a display on which you can load the CW plugins. Now there is also a tempting Eurorack version of it.
MakePro X DinoPark Eurorack
The desktop DinoPark has not been a great success so far. If it is due to the limited power or the limitation that you can only use plugins from ex-Creamware, I don’t know. Personally, I still find the concept interesting. Now, all that power you get in a Eurorack module. This includes all available DSP-based plugins, either analog emulations or other concepts. They can be edited directly on the module or you can also use dedicated editors for more details.
The following synths are available: Prodyssey (ARP Odyssey), Minimax (Moog Minimoog), Pro-12 (Prophet-5), Lightwave (Wavetable), FMagic (FM Synthesizer), B4000 (organ), and DrumsNBass (drum sounds and a bassline generator).
The possibility of playing these in monophonic or polyphonic makes the module very exciting since polyphony in Eurorack is still a relatively cumbersome job. This can be the solution. If the module can load VSTs it would be terrific. However, copy protection mechanisms makes this near impossible. If it works then with open-source plugins like in the products from Elk.Audio.
Connectivity
The DinoPark Eurorack module features MIDI inputs and a USB host connection so you can plug a MIDI controller like the Arturia Keystep straight in. Then, you have touch-sensitive knobs, CV inputs to control different parameters, and a pair of V/Oct and gate controls to play the voices. On the right side, the module also has a drum extension with 8 additional trigger inputs for the drum engine. It also has a stereo audio output and a stereo input for routing through the internal mixer, EQ, and more.
The DSP core also allows parameter states to be saved in presets in the module and called up at any time. As you know from plugins. Check out the video from Jörg Schaaf from Radikal Technologies showing you a first look at the module.
The idea is great because you get a lot of sound in one module here in your Eurorack case. In terms of sound, the plugins can still keep up with the releases of 2021. The Minimax is still one of the best Minimoog emulations to this day.
MakePro X aka MakeProAudio DinoPark Eurorack will be available in July. However, there is no option to pre-order it from the website or retailer, as well as the details about the price, are still missing.
More information here: MakeProX
Doesn‘t work with MacOS.