Designed to run their Kyma sound design environment, Symbolic Sound launch Pacamara Ristretto, a new Audio Processing Unit (APU). At a smaller size than its predecessor, the makers claim that the Pacamara Ristretto delivers on average a 2.5 times jump in performance, more connectivity options and seamless integration with audio and MIDI applications.
Professional audio, such as sound design for film and games, live music performance and art, requires the highest quality real-time audio. This is where an audio processing unit like the Pacamara Ristretto comes in useful. An APU does for real-time audio what a GPU does for real-time graphics; it takes care of audio processes on the computer and boosts all-round performance.
It’s the latest, most powerful revision of the most important audio DSP environment of the last 30 years”. - Alan M. Jackson, Game & Film Sound Design Consultant
Symbolic Sound produce the powerful sound design tool Kyma (more info, SOS May ’97), and are a company known for their approach to detailed integration between hardware and software. Users will be able to take full advantage of the capabilities of Kyma 7, the latest version, thanks to the increases in performance that the Pacamara Ristretto delivers.
The Pacamara Ristretto features an expanded array of connections despite its new smaller format. The back panel includes a USB-C port for audio and MIDI transfer, two USB 2.0 ports for connecting interfaces and controllers, 3.5 mm jack sockets for microphone input and stereo output, RJ-45 network port, Wi-Fi antenna jack and a USB-C power port. Symbolic Sound also provide regular software updates for the Pacamara Ristretto and the rest of their APUs, meaning they gain more features and functions into the future.
Availability
The 4-processor Pacamara Ristretto APU is available for $3,818 (US), and an entry level, 2-processor system is available for $3,302 (US) today from the Kyma website.
Symbolic Sound ask to please note that "Initial supplies are limited due to ongoing (and inexplicable) global electronic component shortages."
The Kyma 7 software for macOS or Windows is included with the APU.
