"Any Cable Everywhere" is the meaning of the acronym ACE, a virtual realtime semi-modular analog synthesizer created by U-he. A linux beta plugin demo version is available for download at the KVR link below. The limitation of the demo version is a distorted signal at regular intervals. Purchasing ACE will remove the limitation. The audio demos above are of various presets included in the installation package.
The GUI screenshots above show how there is a horizontal section at the top which remains constant through all three pages.
ACE is pre-patched at start-up (see the written indication at the bottom of each section to understand where the routing goes to), but can be over-ridden by using the virtual patchcords. (The cables can be personalized for color, thickness, etc.) Features include: two oscillators, two LFOs, two ADSSR envelopes, two filters (LP 1-4, HP, BP, BR) and two VCAs. Ring modulation, sync control and noise (white and pink) are also included.
A special aspect of ACE is the fact that indiscriminate virtual cable routing can be done between audio and processing signals. This control is done by clicking on one of the various 25 signal sources (the black pins) and dragging the cable to the desired signal input (the grey pins). This will override the source's original destination. Interesting techniques include arrangements such as using the two oscillators as LFO signals, and the LFOs as oscillators (LFO 1 as a waveshaper).
ACE also includes a mixer section, three global effects, straight-forward preset management, as well as a ramp generator and a mapping generator.
If no personalized patching is done, the synth will perform as follows: VCO 1 and the sub-oscillator, and VCO 2 and noise will both route to VCF 1 and then VCA 1. VCO 2 is also routed to VCF 2 and VCA 2. LFO 1 modulates both VCO 1 and VCO 2; LFO 2 modulates the pulse widths of both VCOs, and as well as the cutoff points of VCF 1 and VCF 2. The first envelope (ADSR 1) controls the VCAs. The second envelope (ADSR 2) controls the VCO frequencies, the VCF cutoffs and the output of LFO 2.
Like any synth that provides a significant amount of control features, ACE is not light on CPU usage. As a way to address this, ACE has a "quality" button at the upper top left of the GUI, which allows slower computers to still perform well. Mono/poly settings, voice number and stack also help to make this synth rich in sound while keeping CPU requirements to a minimum. Lastly, in the upper right section is a multicore-single core switch, useful to spread out CPU usage when more than one core is available.
Additional presets for ACE are available at U-he HERE
