Subject: REVIEW: DSS8+ sound sampler, version 2.01
From: [email-masked] (Michel J. Brown)
Date: 25 May 1994 21:25:19 GMT
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.reviews

PRODUCT NAME

	DSS8+ sound sampler, version 2.01.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

	Digital Sound Sampler 8+ (DSS8+) is an audio digitizer.  It consists
of a sampling/digitizing hardware interface and a sampling, editing, and
sequencing program that allows you to digitize, edit, combine and play back
audio samples.

AUTHOR/COMPANY INFORMATION

	Name:		Great Valley Products (GVP)
	Address:	600 Clark Ave.
			King of Prussia, PA  19406
			USA

	Telephone:	(215) 354-9495
	FAX:		(215) 337-9922

	E-mail:		None given, although I suspect that they monitor
			the nets part time as individuals.

LIST PRICE

	I do not know the list price of the product, but I paid $99.95 in US
dollars from my local Amiga dealer in Portland, OR, USA.

SPECIAL HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS
	
	HARDWARE

		Supports all current Motorola CPU's including the 68040.
		The card is processor independent for compatibility, but
		dependent inasmuch as speed is concerned.

	SOFTWARE

		None.

COPY PROTECTION

	None.

MACHINE USED FOR TESTING

	Amiga 2500 (rev 4.5).
	2 MB Chip RAM, 4 MB Fast RAM.
	Kickstart version 37.300, Workbench version 38.35 (AmigaDOS 2.x).

INSTALLATION

	Installation is easy and uses the Commodore Installer program.  I
selected the Expert Mode and found most of the defaults to be standard:  the
Novice selection wouldn't have been much different.  The Installer script,
however, doesn't seem to like my GigaMem partition, but the requester can be
closed, so that is a moot point.  I applaud GVP for having the sense to use
the Commodore Installer, and besides, I like their install icon better
anyway. 

	The hardware and software installs easily, and I was up and running
in about five minutes, taking my time. 

OVERVIEW

	The DSS8+ package is a clear polycarbonite casing showing the
internals of the circuit board.  It has a non-pass-through parallel port
connector, two RCA mini phono plugs, and a standard mini DIN microphone
connector between them.

	The included software, DSS8+ Digital Sound Studio V2.01, looks very
similar to the previous version which was included in the original DSS8.
Included are two double density floppy disks, the first marked Install, has
the Program, utilities, and player. The second disk contains several very
nice samples of high quality. 

REVIEW

	The software's interface, while reminiscent of other programs for
music mods and meds, is unique in having single display.  It can be changed
by selecting the operating mode, like sampler, editor, or tracker.  This
makes for easy transition from one functional aspect of the program to
another.  The VCR style controls make the program intuitive to use and give
instant feedback.  As they claim, the screen is designed to resemble a
mixing and editing console like in a sound studio.

	Features abound in this inexpensive digital sampler -- not a bad
little unit -- with real time echo, reverb, oscilloscopes, and spectrum
analysis.  Just about everything is mouse editable, including sample
amplitude levels, waveform functions, and supports cut and paste type work.
I'm not sure if it uses the clipboard, but it would be a natural extension
of the editor.  There are effects (F/X) and processing for echo, mixing,
filters, and resampling.  Currently only the IFF, Sonix, and Raw file
formats are supported; however, it is compatible with most sound tracker and
noise tracker modules, so this really isn't a problem unless you use OctaMED
(currently not supported).

	A key feature I like is the ability to create self-playing music
modules for demo purposes.  This allows others to hear your work without
having to use a separate player program!  Nice touch, in my opinion.
Although I'm not a professional musician, I have found the tracker module up
to par for creating some pretty impressive mods.  It can create sampled
instruments with 1, 3, and 5 octaves, and supports MIDI triggered note
inscription.  You can also add multiple effects for each note, so its a lot
like OctaMED in this regard.  
	
	The tutorial is excellent, and except for the glib and cryptic
explanation of creating a real time sample, it is pretty straightforward.
It states only that the "microphone jack is also available for input when
the Mixer is selected."  This is simply done by clicking on the STEREO
gadget, so this is just a small complaint about semantics.

	When setting the gain for sampling, I recommend using the Autogain
to get a feeling for where to start, then dropping back and resampling until
you're at the bottom edge of clipping on the oscilloscope.  This produces
the best sound without added distortion from clipping.  Speaking of
distortion, my A1960 monitor emits a really bad whine that is picked up by
the DSS8+ as a frequency modulated tone that sounds like a 1000 Hz tone
riding the sample.  I have to turn off my monitor every time I record, as
I've not found a satisfactory manner to shield the unit from the apparent
RFI.  In HiFi mode the screen blanks out, yet the whine persists, so be
alert to this as a possibility in your system.

	While some will feel that the ability to have 31 samples in memory
simultaneously is insufficient, that alone takes approximately 3 MB, not
including free RAM for editing nor the program itself.  So, for all intents
and purposes, even though it will work on one megabyte machines, it really
shines with at least four, and definitely more, especially chip RAM, where
samples are generated before being buffered off to fast RAM.

DOCUMENTATION

	The documentation comes in an 82-page, spiral bound booklet that can
lie flat or be propped up on the keyboard for easy reference.  The layout is
logical and easily followed.  First is the overview, followed by the
installation procedures, which are very well documented, leaving nothing to
guesswork. The tutorial follows, and is basically a quick look at the
different modules and their functional layout and control subsystems.

	After the brief basics are addressed, a very succinct reference
section follows, covering in detail all aspects of the DSS8+ and giving
lavish examples throughout.  First rate explanations of all features, and
examples of each one, make for easy reading and reference.

	After the splendid reference section are appendices covering
keyboard shortcuts, hexidecimal notation, and basic sound and music theory.
Even then, GVP includes a well-thought-out customer complaint form and
configuration form for trouble shooting, should the need ever arise...
which I doubt, but it is a nice touch.

	The index is actually cross-referenced, so it makes relating various
functional aspects a lot easier.  About the only complaint I have is that
GVP claims to support ARexx, but there's no reference to it anywhere in the
documentation.  There is a drawer titled ARexx, however, which contains
scripts to control right channel gain, left channel amplitude, DC offset,
ARexx start, and ARexx quit.  A little addendum or README file would have
been better than no documentation at all.  At least they are supporting
ARexx and assigning ports.

	The documentation is very straightforward and covers every aspect of
installation, use, and maintenance.  All levels of expertise are covered, and
beginners to experts alike won't be disappointed or confused by the
nomenclature.

LIKES

	I like the ease of use, the intuitive system that is completely
Style Guide compliant, and the use of many of the advanced features found on
the more recent AmigaDOS upgrades.

DISLIKES AND SUGGESTIONS

	About the only dislike I have is that I have to turn off my monitor
in order to sample live properly.  There is probably nothing that GVP can do
about that, but it may be a problem for other users who use the Commodore
A1960 monitor.

	I'd really like to know why I can save my preferences.  The menu
says I can, but the paths I have for different files default back to the
original ones set by GVP.  Perhaps this is a bug, or maybe their use of
nonstandard requestors makes this happen.  My suggestion: make use of the
standard ASL requestors, and allow full use of the AmigaDOS system calls.

	Another small complaint is that even though my virtual memory shows
up in the System Information requestor, according to both DSS8+ and GigaMem,
none of it is utilized.  With applications like these becoming more
commonplace, and upping the RAM requirements, virtual memory should at least
be supported on a very elementary level.  Even AudioMaster III supports
virtual memory allocation, and it is considerably older than DSS8+.

	Some commodities may not be compatible with the DSS8+.  Magic Menus
causes nasty, unrecoverable alerts.  Power Data completely scrambles the
DSS8+ screen to the point of unreadability.  Needless to say, I no longer
run these commodities, as I value the DSS8+ more, but I would like to see
them work together harmoniously.

	I'd like to see support for other screen modes:  at least HIRES LACE
would be nice.  Then again, this could have been omitted because of RAM
considerations, as there are numerous warnings throughout the documentation
about memory usage and the large files that sampling can create.  Maybe
version three will improve this.

COMPARISON TO OTHER SIMILAR PRODUCTS

	The only comparable product I have used is Perfect Sound by Sunrize.
All I can say is that you'd have to go to either a twelve or sixteen bit
unit before you'll find anything in the eight-bit group that will displace
the DSS8+, the current reigning king of sound.  I can think of no better
value for the money in regards to Amiga sound devices.

BUGS

	None noted, except for perhaps the conflicts mentioned above.

VENDOR SUPPORT

	Full addresses, and phone/fax numbers are supplied, but trying to
call a real representative at GVP is difficult at best.  I am not associated
with GVP in any way other than being a satisfied DSS8+ owner.

WARRANTY

	Full one year warranty on parts and the installation software.
Whether the warranty is transferable or not is not mentioned in the
documentation.

CONCLUSIONS

	This is an excellent product at a fair price.  Considering the
performance capabilities exhibited, I would hazard a guess that the faster
your machine, the faster the throughput; and the more RAM (both Chip and
Fast RAM) you have, the larger or more samples you can work with at a time.
All in all, this is a product that every Amiga user shouldn't be without.  I
know I'll keep mine a long time!

COPYRIGHT NOTICE

	Copyright 1994 by Dr. Michel J. Brown.  All rights reserved.

---

   Daniel Barrett, Moderator, comp.sys.amiga.reviews
   Send reviews to:	[email-masked]
   Request information:	[email-masked]
   Moderator mail:	[email-masked]
   Anonymous ftp site:  math.uh.edu, in /pub/Amiga/comp.sys.amiga.reviews