That CME controller keyboard you're sporting sure looks fancy, what with its brushed-aluminum chassis and quasi-retro looking controls -- it's like the DeLorean of controller keyboards. If you agree with that analogy, than the new CME NeoSynth24 expansion board is like the Flux Capacitor.

NeoSynth24 adds on-board sound banks and DSP processing to your UF- or VX-series keyboard for up to 124 voice polyphony. The sound banks can be updated from CME (in partnership with WaveIdea) via the SD card reader slot. Order libraries from CME, pop them into the back of the NeoSynth24 and you've got a whole new bank of instruments and voices to play with. Just like when you used to playback non-proprietary audio cassette tapes with Teddy Ruxpin!

The NeoSynth board also adds S/PDIF, L/R main, L/R/ aux and headphones outputs, and L/R inputs and USB jack. The board also expands MIDI functionality of the existing MIDI ins and outs on the UF and VX keyboards.

What specific expanded functionality? We'll have to wait and find out, as this is as specific as the CME press release got:

• MIDI / USB expander
• Up to 124 voices of polyphony
• Built-in FX engines
• Up to 64 MB sound bank
• Updatable sound banks from SD Card
• Various music styles available
• USB MIDI class compliant (no driver)
• 24 bits / 48 kHz audio paths
• Main stereo audio output (24bits D/A)
• Auxiliary stereo audio output (24bits D/A)
• Headphones output
• Analog stereo audio input (24bits A/D)
• S/PDIF stereo audio input/output
• Available for both UF & VX keyboards
• Large MIDI implementation