Don’t just call it a Second City to Berlin: Chicago’s epic KnobCon has become a major stop on the world’s synth and modular circuit. DivKid gives us the feel of the place, and here are a few highlights of what was introduced earlier this month.
I’m not quite sure I get the GI JOE branding, but here you go, down to details like what it’s like to land in O’Hare after Leeds. (Look, there were certainly times transferring in ORD where I forgot what reality I was in, so maybe those US flags are needed.)
What was on offer? Just a few picks from here and elsewhere:
The electromagnetic Demon Box is an up and coming crowd-funded wonder to watch:
Drift, a portable DJ system / looper is something I’ve fantasized about, honestly, just to not always be boring and play on :
The triumphant return of Synthesis Technology is great news, too – more on that, which will be particularly welcome to Moog filter fans (though I’m even more excited about the SEM filter coming):
It appears my retirement was short-lived. I have been nudged by Shawn at Analogue Haven to get back into Eurorack modules design and LIMITED production. Today, we are announcing the E490 Ladder VCF, a design I first did on the MOTM-490, then the Frac 1490, and now for Euro. This new implementation is based on new dual and quad matched transistors and WIMA polypropylene capacitors. Even though new, careful attention was given to matching all the quirks of the original Moog 904A
It’s also nice to see Point and Click Systems, combining Eurorack and computer, which last year Richard Devine put to nice use with Reaktor 6. (Maybe Reaktor could just get sold to a modular maker since NI seems not to be doing anything with it?)
More –
Oh hell yeah, let’s trip with video synths, please!
Details from SonicState (who did some excellent vids from this one – all in the ultra-quiet, so-much-not-NAMM acoustic environment of Schaumburg):
The device supports 1080p output and incorporates algorithms Gene has been fine-tuning for two decades. With a semi-modular architecture, it offers extensive interoperability, featuring eight 0-10 volt CV jacks that can be mapped to various internal numerical parameters, MIDI input (USB and 5-pin), and a suite of onboard processing modules and parameters. The synth includes Wi-Fi for easy updates and is compatible with audio analysis, offering frequency analysis, beat detection, and tempo synchronization. Additionally, it hosts multiple visual instruments such as a 3D oscilloscope and CRT simulation. The unit, priced at $1,200, aims to provide a versatile visual tool for VJs and live performers. http://entropyandsons.com
Wow, oh wow, the Dreadbox Murmux is gorgeous, if aggressively regressive (in a nice way):
The Swap Flux Biggest Foot is satisfyingly bonkers – a marriage of Eurorack, CV, and gaming balance boards. Wii Fit meets modular, at last.
Rain City Modular, as DivKid notes, is a brand to watch – nice system here:
Percussion, kicks, a ducking mixer, and some nice prototyping tools – it’s Hive Mind Synthesis; love this:
Wildwood Soundworks is building these cute handheld synth/sequencer/sampler gadgets, which see some updates this year – super nerdy, built-in browsers for connectivity, just the kind of fruits you’d expect to see with the mobile/embedded computation revolution:
The GS bree6 (joining the E7 flagship) is a six-voice analog polyphonic synth:
These adorable little gadgets I need to revisit in more detail, too:
And yes, someone has taken breaks and made a module. Ectocore deserves some separate attention; stay tuned – my God this is insane:
My only gripe here is simple: there is not enough eating in this documentation, which is what I’d be doing in Chicago’s northwest suburbs, my one-time home. Oh, wait – no, Chicago food does not leave any hands free. Never mind.
Drag that modular through the garden!