FXpansion DCAM (Electronic Download)

Introducing an evolutionary leap in software synthesis technology.

DCAM: Synth Squad finally delivers the satisfaction of playing real analogue instruments in software! Advanced modelling technology carefully reconstructs the soul of dusty vintage circuits within your computer, for the unmatched vibe of hardware at a fraction of the cost.

At the heart of DCAM: Synth Squad are 3 modelled synthesizers – Strobe, Amber and Cypher – bulging with the immense weight and power of old-school analogue. These are no mere emulations stunted by the limitations of the past. Instead, they combine the best features from legendary machines with new and exciting ideas to drag them kicking and screaming into the modern world.

Oscillators ooze immense sound pressure, amp stages can be overloaded for extra grit, and real-world chaos can be dialled into the circuit for delicious instability. These synths don’t break with extreme settings, so you can abuse them just like the real thing. Meanwhile, the intuitive TransMod modulation system brings your sounds to life in new and expressive ways.

Fusor, a versatile sound-design environment that can layer and keysplit 3 instances of the DCAM synths, is also included. It provides a variety of ways to add new dimensions to your sounds with high-quality FX, extra modulation and an advanced step-sequencer/arpeggiator.

Purity of concept and execution. Meticulously engineered circuit models. Raw musical tone. The ultimate in sound quality and performance control.

DCAM: Synth Squad Technology

DCAM: Discrete Component Analogue Modelling The philosophy behind DCAM is to model a circuit based on each individual component of the circuit and its structural context, rather than simply treating a circuit as a ‘black box’ and analyzing its overall output. The result is a genuinely realistic model of the circuit – its non-linearities, structure and behaviour are preserved intact.

What this means to you is a set of modelled synthesizers with unprecedented vibrancy and realism. You can abuse parameters just like on a hardware analogue synth, and the model responds realistically. Oscs sync convincingly, amp stages can be overloaded, performing FM on an osc yields rich veins of otherworldly texture, not an ugly digital mess. You don’t have to avoid certain settings any more because they sound bad!

Do not expect perfect, symmetrical waveforms with DCAM: Synth Squad… imperfect waveforms are the very essence of a real analogue VCO! Drive stages exist at several points in the signal path for organic grit and increased tonal variation. Meanwhile, complex non-linear filters massage the raw slabs of sound pressure from the oscillators into an infinite variety of timbres. The results are musically satisfying sounds that inspire you to be creative!

The aim of DCAM: Synth Squad is to provide software synthezisers with real substance… sound sources that sound right, so you aren’t forced to bury them in endless plugin chains to make them interesting.

The ‘Analogue’ control

Each synth has an ‘Analogue’ control, which dials in a variable amount of real-world instability into the circuit. The effects of noise and mains hum are simulated, leading to an edgier sound at lower amounts, to wilder instability at higher settings.

Oversampling options

All the DCAM: Synth Squad plugins feature individual oversampling settings, both for realtime (normal use) and offline (non-realtime mixdowns and ‘freeze’) operation. The default setting for realtime use is 1x, allowing the highest polyphony on as many systems as possible. For higher-spec CPUs, try 2x oversampling for an even more realistic sound. Users with any CPU can use as high a value as required for offline oversampling, resulting in exceptional sound quality.

TransMod and FuseMod modulation systems

DCAM: Synth Squad introduces the TransMod system, offering a more intuitive way of programming complex modulation than a traditional ‘mod matrix’. A spectacular range of modulation is possible – the mod source menus include active voice/unison-voice counts and versatile randomized values in addition to more conventional sources like LFOs and envelopes. You can even harness beating rates between oscillators as LFOs in Cypher, or load entire presets as parameter modulation amounts for patch-morphing effects.

Fusor extends the TransMod concept with the FuseMod system, making DCAM synth modulators available to Fusor’s internal FX and LFOs, as well as to the Animator step-sequencer/arpeggiator. Use synth envelopes and LFOs to clock step-sequencers and modulate reverbs and granular freezers, and play self-oscillating filters with keyboard sources.

In addition, the TransMod source menus for Fusor-hosted synths are expanded with modulation sources from other synths and devices in Fusor… so you can create a super-performance synth with 3 inter-modulating Strobe instances, or complex hybrid textures and soundscapes with Strobe, Cypher and Amber. The creative possibilities for sound design are limited only by your imagination!

Expressive performance control

All of the supplied presets offer expressive timbral variation through the use of modulation by keyboard velocity and two performance controllers (which you can map to aftertouch, mod-wheel, breath and other MIDI CCs). Our team of sound designers have strived to create dynamic presets full of energy and movement. If you’ve grown accustomed to flat, boring VA synth sounds, prepare to be inspired by the possibilities that DCAM: Synth Squad presents.

The DCAM synths introduce a new type of glide alongside traditional pitch glide. Velocity glide smooths transitions to new notes’ velocity modulation depths, creating rich expressive possibilities. Glide times can also be modulated – if you modulate them with voice/unison-voice counts, different glide times are possible for each voice. Independent settings for legato glides and envelope retriggering complete a set of features that allow incredibly flexible and varied playing responses.

DCAM: Synth Squad also includes a standardized MIDI learn system, and full support for host automation. There is even an integrated program change list, so you can assign presets to MIDI program changes for live performance!

MIDI-controlled audio effects

As well as being supplied as instrument plugins, Strobe, Cypher and Amber are also supplied as MIDI-controlled audio effect plugins, meaning that you can process external audio through them! You can use unison stacking and modulation functions with the audio and use normal oscillator shapes alongside to create complex textural hybrids. In Cypher, you can even use the external audio as an audio-rate modulation source for the oscillators. The amp sections must be gated by keyboard input, meaning you can play the effect plugins rhythmically and engage their envelopes and other modulators.

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