Crosswave is an extensive sample library of sounds from the Ensoniq SQ80, developed for Native Instruments Kontakt 4 and higher. In total, there are 133 instruments made from 1,642 discrete samples. The samples were recorded in 24 bit at 44.1 kHz through an Inward Connections Vac Rac 4000 valve pre-amp into an RME Fireface 800.
The SQ80 was originally manufactured in 1988 and was the successor to the ESQ1. The hardware uses three, wavetable sample oscillators per voice, and digital amplifiers, but what sets it apart from other digital synths of the 80's is the use of analogue 4 pole 24dB/octave filters powered by Curtis chips found in the likes of Oberheim and Sequential Circuits instruments, which gives it a warmer, more organic quality than many of it's contemporaries.
The sounds that we have sampled are not just accurately recorded, but capture the character of the instrument - in all it's 8 bit glory! Adamski's track "Killer", featuring Seal, was made using pretty much just an SQ80 and a 909 and it was subsequently used on many other house/acid house tracks. in different genres, it was also used by Skinny Puppy and on the score of "They Live", by director/composer John Carpenter.
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