Project Medway: Development of a range of Digital Signal Processing based technology Guitar Amplifiers that can successfully emulate "Valve" sound quality and tone, whilst at the same time maintaining corresponding sound pressure levels associated with tr

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

Blackstar successfully completed a Research project for Guitar Amplifiers (Ref EMX06825)in April 2011. This follow-on project seeks to use the results to develop a range of DigitalSignal Processing (DSP) based guitar amplifiers that are indistinguishable from valve basedguitar amps in terms of both sound and tone quality, whilst keeping equivalent sonic pressure(loudness) at the same levels of wattage specification. It is a well known fact that digitallybased guitar amps are inherently inferior to their valve based counterparts in terms of soundquality. This innovative project addresses a need within the music and creative industries foramplification technology which allows the benefits of superior sound and tone quality,married with the versatility afforded by digital technology. Phase 1: An Indicative PrototypeUnit used to prove basic functionality. Phase 2: The NAMM (USA show Jan 2012) Prototype.This unit will have fully schematic-designed PCB’s, operational software and GUI (GraphicalUser Interface) fully developed programme algorithms, complete hardware both mechanicallyand cosmetically. The unit is to be shown confidentially to Blackstar’s distributors at theNAMM show. Phase 3: Frankfurt Pre-production units to be shown at Frankfurt Musikmessein Mar 2012. A range of 8 core products are to be developed from 100W down to 1W. Thehigh-powered products share some technological similarities, so these will be developed first.Benefits: 1) Using our existing supply chain and routes to market, success of this project willenable Blackstar to enter the remaining 55% of the market (low price points) that it cannotcurrently address, raising sales from £8m to £15m. To this end Blackstar has been re-investingmost of its profit in R&D, but needs on-going grant support to complete the overall project. 2)Blackstar will create 4 new technical jobs in November to meet the project timetable. Thecompany created 5 new jobs during the research project phase.