112dB's Cascade synth promises "sounds you could never create before"

We haven't heard much from developer 112dB for a while - the company is best known for its range of effects and unashamedly retro Morgana sampler - but it could be set to create a splash with its Cascade synth.

This, like so many others before it, is said to be powered by a new form of synthesis, this has some familiar elements nonetheless: two oscillators, analogue-style filters, envelopes and an LFO, for example. However, we're told that Cascade is based on a complex delay network that can 'densify' a sound up to 5832 times.

This doesn't necessarily mean that all sounds have to be dense, however; they can also be lush and spacious. What's more, sounds can develop over time, and you can focus on the most interesting parts of these developments. Expect to be able to create atmospheres, soundscapes and otherworldly strings.

You can find out more about Cascade's synth engine on the 112dB website (it's inspired by the work of Austrian composer Peter Ablinger, who in the late '80s experimented with sound densification using 12 tape decks). If you'd rather skip the tech lesson, however, consider that the closest comparable sound is said to be that of a super-fat chorus ensemble.

Cascade is available now in VST/AU/AAX formats for PC and Mac priced at $99, and a demo can be downloaded, too. Get the full lowdown on the 112dB website.

Ben Rogerson
Deputy Editor

I’m the Deputy Editor of MusicRadar, having worked on the site since its launch in 2007. I previously spent eight years working on our sister magazine, Computer Music. I’ve been playing the piano, gigging in bands and failing to finish tracks at home for more than 30 years, 24 of which I’ve also spent writing about music and the ever-changing technology used to make it. 

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