Sound Blaster Crowdfunds Linux-Powered Audio Hub 'Re:Imagine' For Creators and Gamers (nerds.xyz) 49
Slashdot reader BrianFagioli summarizes some news from Nerds.xyz: Creative Technology has launched Sound Blaster Re:Imagine, a modular, Linux-powered audio hub that reimagines the classic PC sound card for the modern age. The device acts as both a high-end digital-to-analog converter (DAC) and a customizable control deck that connects PCs, consoles, phones, and tablets in one setup.
Users can instantly switch inputs and outputs, while developers get full hardware access through an SDK for creating their own apps. It even supports AI-driven features like an on-device DJ, a revived "Dr. Sbaitso" speech synthesizer, and a built-in DOS emulator for retro gaming.
The Kickstarter campaign has already raised more than $150,000, far surpassing its initial goal of $15,000 with over 50 days remaining. Each unit ships with a modular "Horizon" base and swappable knobs, sliders, and buttons, while a larger "Vertex" version will unlock at a higher funding milestone.
Running an unspecified Linux build, Re:Imagine positions itself as both a nostalgic nod to Sound Blaster's roots and a new open platform for creators, gamers, and tinkerers.
Users can instantly switch inputs and outputs, while developers get full hardware access through an SDK for creating their own apps. It even supports AI-driven features like an on-device DJ, a revived "Dr. Sbaitso" speech synthesizer, and a built-in DOS emulator for retro gaming.
The Kickstarter campaign has already raised more than $150,000, far surpassing its initial goal of $15,000 with over 50 days remaining. Each unit ships with a modular "Horizon" base and swappable knobs, sliders, and buttons, while a larger "Vertex" version will unlock at a higher funding milestone.
Running an unspecified Linux build, Re:Imagine positions itself as both a nostalgic nod to Sound Blaster's roots and a new open platform for creators, gamers, and tinkerers.
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I just watched the video. Seems that this is another one of those products providing a solution to a problem that does not exist, and on Kickstarter no less. I got burned on Kickstarter about 8 years ago. Never again.
Re:"reimagines" (Score:5, Informative)
I think think the very reason an established company like them would go for a Kickstarter is exactly that it's a very niche product that they don't think will sell more than couple thousand. That's maybe what you mean with "solved a problem that does not exist" = the problem it solves only exists for few people. Creative Labs makes other sound mixers https://en.creative.com/p/soun... [creative.com] and the difference is this one is modular (more parts, more expensive to manufacture), features a (kind of useless yet costly) full-color LCD and is sold as somewhat hacker-friendly. Very soon someone will make it run Doom.
I'm personally interested as it does solve a problem for me (a stable console for controlling sound separately of my computer keyboard), but it's a bit too much money for not such a big problem to me.
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Very soon someone will make it run Doom.
/me starts paying attention
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Re: "reimagines" (Score:2)
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By all the gods, that's exactly the opposite of "nostalgia" for me. I did Win95 phone support when it was new, I would guess about 25% or so of our calls originated in Creative Labs hardware and the miserable driver support they supplied. There were thousands of people who had bought the SoundBlaster card with the IDE output to add a CD drive to their computer, Creative Labs refused to write a driver for it for Win95. These poor folks put the CD in, the Win95 install would start, the computer would resta
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You could buy a Soundblaster card with a CD drive for the same price as just buying a standalone CD drive. The 'wonderful' thing about that combo was that the drive would ONLY work plugged into the Soundblaster card, there was no Master/Slave jumper on the drive which would allow it to be plugged into a regular IDE controller or allow another drive to be chained with the CD drive. When Creative Labs refused to provide a Win95 driver for it they condemned all of those customers to throw away that drive (an
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"I take it you don't do much on your PC?" - I switched over to the PC platform in 1988. In all that time I've done damn near everything there is to do on a PC. Much more so back when the PC was still a tinkerer's instrument. Nothing new or exciting here in my opinion. They seem to be relying on nostalgia to sell these more than anything. Also, did you see the price. Wowsers.
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Oh awesome. What's your twitch link so I can follow your stream. You are a professional streamer right? That's what you said, you do everything, and therefore know everything. Let's see it. Post the link. (Hint: streamers are precisely the kind of people who this is for, and I even know one who contributed to this kickstarter).
But I'm guessing you won't reply, no one likes being caught out on their bullshit or admitting they don't know everything.
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Perhaps a little less sugar in your morning coffee will help?
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Zombie Economics.
Re:"reimagines" (Score:4, Informative)
They're not dead, they even seem to be doing well. Creative Technology employs 800 people, revenue 61 million USD, net income 11 million USD (2022) (Wikipedia). They make DACs, headphones, sound mixers. https://en.creative.com/p/soun... [creative.com]
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They're not dead, they even seem to be doing well. Creative Technology employs 800 people, revenue 61 million USD, net income 11 million USD (2022) (Wikipedia). They make DACs, headphones, sound mixers. https://en.creative.com/p/soun... [creative.com]
Cool.
So when did marketing become against their religion and business mantra?
Sound Blaster was the name back in the day. They appear to be still bowling product down the exact same lane we left them in back in '95. Are they aware people think they died, or is business that much on cruise control?
Re:"reimagines" (Score:5, Insightful)
Why does it matter? Success does not necessarily mean becoming a MegaCorp or a monopoly. Success does not mean being constantly in the news. They stayed in their line and produce products that their loyal customers enjoy, and provide high-quality jobs to engineers from their country. We need more companies like that, and fewer MegaCorps that actively play against the interests of their customers.
Florists still sell tulips, even though the craze is long gone.
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Are they aware people think they died
None of the people in the industry that would be interested in their product think they died. You think they died because you're not the target market and therefore you're not marketed to. There's a lot of products out there from companies you've never heard of and never will.
On the flip side I've seen their speakers at the local computer store along with big flashy advertisements for an RGB soundbar to go with those people who are into unicorn vomit. Beyond that they fill a niche between wanting good sound
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So you are complaining about not seeing enough Creative Labs ads online?
Or anywhere for that matter?
Hey, not my company to run. Cool to hear they’re still around and doing well. I’m just an old head who remembers their brand of branding back in the day. I wasn’t the only one here thinking they simply died off at some point. Hell, I thought audio cards went the way of the ISA bus outside of highly specialized applications. And we didn’t exactly have audiophiles lining up to rent studio time on Soundblaster-enabled PCs back in the day, so their hardwa
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Seriously though, I kind of agree. I forget they are still around. They do still make sound cards and a bunch of other audio gear (speakers, headphones, DACs, etc) but it's a name you almost never hear anyone talk about, at least in the present tense.
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Reviving a once household dead name in hopes of profit.
Let's see... Just looking around me I see desktop speakers (directly in front), a usb mixer (parallel to my right hand), wired headphones (lower right), bluetooth headphones (upper left), and a soundbar (directly behind me) all with a Creative logo. I must be a card-carrying necrophiliac
Here's an anecdote: I still have Creative's competitor to the original iPod. The battery doesn't charge, but if you plug it in it still plays music. Try finding an an original iPod that still has a working HD (hell, most
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...but why? (Score:3)
I'm looking at this thing, and honestly I can't see what the point is. An external keyboard with macros? How does that have anything to do with sound? Why does it take inputs and outputs for sound even? I don't get it. Why would I buy this thing for $400 when I can just plug my speakers into my PC and be done with it? There are plenty of software tools to reroute sound around from different sources to different output devices. Why would I need this cluttering up my desk?
Re:...but why? (Score:5, Interesting)
Why would I buy this thing for $400 when I can just plug my speakers into my PC and be done with it?
If your only devices that produces sound is a PC then you don't need this product. If you own multiple devices (legacy stereo, gaming console, mobile phone, etc.) then you might want a mixer, such that you centrally control the volume or switch from one to another, while keeping your favourite headphones wired connected or wirelessly paired to just 1 device.
There are several mixers on the market that perform this function, including under the Sound Blaster brand. This one only has the particularity of being modular and having a screen.
This seems pretty nice (Score:4, Insightful)
I have a personal machine and my work machine hooked up to a KVM and a small audio mixer. The mixer is hooked up to my speakers, but I also need a place to plug in my headphones so I can do remote meetings. Headphones are USB, so they can really only plug into one thing at a time, because the mixer is for pure audio input/output only, and they don't have a mic jack.
Like, all this stuff is fixable with money, but these little components look nice and would probably make my life easier. I have a Loupedeck Mini that I configured with keybindings for the various applications that I use (including Visual Studio; I never need to look up the obscure key combinations for various useful things that I've discovered over time), and this seems very much like that, but just for audio.
That said, I'd rather wait for the product to come out and pay full price, even though it looks expensive. I'd rather pay for a not-vaporware unit that's had some manufacturing iteration time than potentially pay for something that I never get, or that has generation 1 problems.
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IT's expensive, around $400 expensive.
But it's basically you hook it to everything that produces sound, and it routes audio any which way you want to things that take in sound. Your PC would connect the output and input, you'd hook your console outputs to it, and other things. Then you can have it output to your speakers, your headphones, your PC etc. Add in mic ability so you can do game chat or streaming chat.
It's basically so you don't have to plug and unplug devices to get your audio routed your way - y
Time to patent it and don't use it at all (Score:2)
Just like creative did with aureal A3D and the john carmack shadows somehow.
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/... [wikipedia.org]
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Not that it really matters now, CPUs are more than fast enough for the audio processing overhead to not be an issue.
It still kinda stings though. I loved EAX, and MS just ripped it away to make the music industry happy.
Is it actually Creative Labs? (Score:3)
With so many examples out there like Radio Shack, the first thing I always wonder is . . . does it actually have anything to do with Creative Labs?
Or did someone just buy the brand for pennies and this is what they're doing now?
The product does look kind of interesting. My desk is kind of a mess when it comes to speakers and microphones.
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It seems to be.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/... [wikipedia.org]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/... [wikipedia.org]
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With so many examples out there like Radio Shack, the first thing I always wonder is . . . does it actually have anything to do with Creative Labs?
It appears so since the Creative Labs page advertises the Kickstarter campaign. In addition, they use the Creative SoundBlaster logo and I suspect CL's lawyers would be on them if they weren't associated with CL in some way.
I could use this (Score:2)
IOW, something to lash together a hairball of audio components I've acquired over the years.
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Creative actually already makes something like this, just add two xlr. But desktop not rack
They're SUPER cheap and handy. I bought a spare because co-workers keep borrowing mine and keeping them extended periods of time
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IOW, something to lash together a hairball of audio components I've acquired over the years.
Surprised something like that doesn't exist in many formats within the professional recording realm. Sweetwater techs might have a recommendation or seven in mind.
Some might say I name drop just for Schitts and giggles, but cool names are cool. I'd suggest a rummage through their catalog just to see what might come close.
https://www.schiit.com/ [schiit.com]
No (Score:2)
I'm going to date myself but I remember all of the struggles of getting my creative sound blaster working with linux in the early 2000s. Creative did not offer any support or care about the linux community then, so it's hard to care about them now.
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Not to mention the whole driver fiasco complete with lawfare.
And now you come, hat in hand, asking for money?
Fuck you, you fucking fuck; fuck fuck.
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I owned (technically still do, probably) an Audigy 4 Pro in the mid-to-late 2000s and remember the fiasco over the driver support. The Daniel_K cease-and-desist, and the need to switch to the KX drivers to have something that actually worked (mostly). This was on Windows, mind you.
Never bought a Creative Labs product since that day, and never will. They are 1 of very few companies on my lifetime boycott list (along with the likes of Sony - Bleem, Root Kits, LikSang etc.).
So yeah.
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By all the gods, they barely offered support for Win95. About a quarter of all our support calls were associated with Creative Labs issues one way or another, some of them tragically (lost years of important data, formatted hard drive, that level of tragic). The company could fall into the Stygian Pit and I would wave it goodbye.
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My thoughts exactly. Most manufacturers just ignored Linux in those days. Creative Labs, like Microsoft and the SCO Group, often seemed to go above and beyond in attempting to kill it. Now they're embracing Linux? Forgive me for being dubious.
Commodore Amiga 500, why? (Score:1)