Super Audio Cart faithfully reproduces the sound of seven classic video game systems and eight classic computers whose cultural legacy and influence has lasted far beyond their commercial lifespans. When the library was conceived, our goal was superb authenticity by deep-sampling every sound chip. But over time, we expanded our vision to shatter the limitations of the original systems and allow for near-infinite sound design possibilities.

The final, Complete version of Super Audio Cart is the culmination of 2+ years of intense research, development, and sound design. With a massive library of 14,000+ samples meticulously recorded, edited, and looped, we’ve thoroughly captured the raw capabilities of each game system or sound chip. These sounds are loaded into a custom Kontakt Player engine packed with cutting-edge features, along with 2,500+ factory snapshots to inspire both retro music, chiptunes, and modern genres.

To create this instrument, everyone involved needed a passion and deep connection to both video games and their music. That’s why we collaborated with OverClocked ReMix, a website and community dedicated to the appreciation of game music. To us, Super Audio Cart represents the ultimate tribute to that art form, and we know that it will find a place in your music for many years to come!

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Super Audio Cart PC

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Originally released as a separate product with the same engine, Super Audio Cart PC is now included for free in this product, Super Audio Cart Complete

Where the original SAC library focused on home video game systems, Super Audio Cart PC perfectly captures the legendary sounds of classic computer sound sets from the 80s and 90s. In these early days of computing, before multi-gigabyte hard drives and CD-quality audio, a plethora of sound generation and playback methods existed allowing for some truly unique and memorable tones.

From the digital FM synthesis of the AdLib soundcard and MSX computer, to the wonderfully lo-fi multisamples of the Amiga, to the grungy pulse-driven synthesis of the Atari’s POKEY, Super Audio Cart PC faithfully reproduces a wide range of tones.

 

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Legal FAQ about Super Audio Cart

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Q: “Is there a legal issue with using these sounds?”

A: No. Impact Soundworks fully and completely owns the copyright to all sounds in Super Audio Cart, and by purchasing the library, you receive a license to use them.

Q: “Aren’t these sounds from video games? How is that legal?”

A: In a nutshell, retro video game consoles have two ways of generating sound. One is by synthesizing waveforms using oscillators such as the NES 2A03 chip, or the Genesis YM2612. The other is by playing back sound recordings (samples).

Oscillators such as those in the 2A03 and YM2612 are not subject to copyright, any more than a piano or guitar is. Only when a sound recording is made does copyright apply, as with any sound recording of any source. We created, and thus own the rights to, all the recordings of these sound chips, which were edited and transformed into samples in Super Audio Cart.

For sample-based playback, like in the SNES or AMIGA, it’s a slightly different situation with the same end result (no legal issues!). It would not be legal to record and sample the sounds of an existing SNES or AMIGA game, so we did not do this.

Instead, we used our own extensive catalog of recordings used in our other sample libraries, edited & trimmed them, then ran them through processing tools before placing them on a real SNES and AMIGA (etc.). We recorded that output, which became samples in Super Audio Cart.