Creative seeks backing for modular ‘Sound Blaster Re:Imagine’ audio hub on Kickstarter

Creative, the legendary name behind the original Sound Blaster that gave PCs their voice back in the 90s, is looking to revolutionise PC audio once again. The company has just announced Sound Blaster Re:Imagine, a next-generation modular audio platform launching via Kickstarter.

The Sound Blaster Re:Imagine is a high-fidelity audio interface that boasts a studio-quality 32-bit/384 kHz DAC and an amplifier capable of driving demanding headphones and speakers. However, its true innovation lies in its modularity and control capabilities. The base unit acts as a central hub, allowing users to connect multiple devices simultaneously and instantly route any input to any output with a simple tap.

The platform is designed to be physically customised using magnetically attached swappable modules. These include add-ons like smart screens, physical sliders, knobs, and shortcut buttons. Every control is fully programmable, allowing users to assign macros, control smart home devices via Matter, and even trigger software actions such as code compiles. Creative is embracing the spirit of its early Sound Blaster days by opening up the platform. Developers will have root access to the hardware, enabling the community to create and share their own custom applications for the Re:Imagine hub.

Out of the box, it will ship with some fun, AI-powered applications, including an AI DJ and reimagined versions of classic Sound Blaster software like Dr. Sbaitso and the Sound Blaster Parrot. The Kickstarter campaign is now live, and those who get the audio hub through it can get it starting at $329 ($299 units are already gone). This includes the Horizon cluster, which comprises the base unit, a smart screen module, a dual-slider module, a buttons module, and a knob module. For the stretch goal, there's the Vertex base unit, which can be purchased as an add-on.

KitGuru says: Did you own the original Sound Blaster sound card? Are you planning to get its successor?

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