Wave Idea Bitstream Pro Reviews 
5 / 5 based on 1 reviewsorder from manufacturer
529 Euros
All the features
looks great
unique LFO
cheap price
too small sliders
excelent
Bit Stream Pro is addressed to musicians (professional or not) who need a large number of controls for managing a complete home studio, as well as the new generation of software synthesizers that require a lot of knobs, sliders and buttons.
We all know that a mouse is not enough to control all of the potentiometers and buttons on the software.
For that reason, Bit Stream Pro has been developed in order to transform the software controls into physical controls, featuring knobs, sliders and buttons.
Bit Stream Pro is very well suited for that purpose, since it features 32 knobs, 8 sliders and 8 on/off buttons. All 48 controls are real-time, fully programmable, and manufactured with high-quality components.
These 48 controls are mapped on 3 different user setups, offering a total of 144 assignable controls accessible via a single slider switch that allows you to select one of the 3 user-defined setups (groups).
Bit Stream Pro is enclosed in a rack 19 4-U metallic case, featuring a professional front panel design.
Bit Stream Pro Features 2 Operating Modes
The first operating mode is used to cover all 128 CCs. This mode is pre-programmed and doesn't need to be configured. All 128 CCs are mapped on all 48 controls with the help of the 3 groups. Group 1 sends CC#0 to 47, group 2 sends CC#40 to 87, and group 3 sends CC#80 to 127. This mode matches the requirements of all software synthesizers that respond to MIDI (Rebirth, Reason, Vaz, FruityLoops, and so on).
Operating mode 2 is the programmable mode. All 48 controls can be programmed to send specific MIDI events and messages, defined as Sysexs, RPNs, NRPNs, or exotic MIDI strings.
The 3 different built-in groups (or user setups) allow you to assign 3 different MIDI events to each control, as well as 3 different alphanumeric strings that will be displayed on the backlight LCD as soon as the control is tweaked.
This feature is very useful, since the user is able to instantly know what instrument and parameter are being assigned.
Each user-defined MIDI event can be programmed via Sysex, or, more easily, with a dedicated user-friendly configuration software delivered with the unit.
Programming Bit Stream Pro mode 2 with the help of Sysex allows you to dynamically re-configure the unit by simply inserting programmed Sysex in any sequencer, such as Cubase, Cakewalk, etc., while playing music.
User defined MIDI events (mode 2) can be programmed with the following features:
- Selectable templates to facilitate MIDI event programming
- User-defined alphanumeric string assignagle to each control (to be displayed on LCD)
- Programmable Min and Max value on each control
- Checksum management for Sysex messages
- Programmable delay between MIDI messages
- MIDI channel insertion
- Programmable crossfaders and linked controls (without limit)
All these features are programmable with the help of the intuitive configuration software (for PCs), downloadable for free from the Wave Idea web site.
Bit Stream Pro also covers all 16 MIDI channels for both operating modes, selectable by 2 pushbuttons (up-down).
The First MIDI Controller To Feature Built-in Programmable LFO
In order to "automate" the control of connected software and instruments, Bit Stream Pro features a programmable Low Frequency Oscillator, able to generate Square, Triangle and Sine waves.
Three additional potentiometers are used to control frequency, offset and amplitude.
These waveforms can be inserted in any user-defined MIDI event, allowing the user to easily create amplitude modulations, cutoff variations, and so on.
nylsoft rated this unit
on
2001-09-10.
