Rockit 8 Bit Synth Kit Update: We wrote about progress on the Rockit 8-Bit Synth Kit just four days ago – but the project has made tremendous progress, since then, towards getting fully funded.

To recap – self-professed ‘big nerd’ Matt Heins is using Kickstarter – a web-based fundraising platform – to raise the money needed to develop a new DIY synth kit, the Rockit synthesizer.

When we reported on the project last week, he had $1,200 pledged towards the project’s $10,000 fundraising goal. Four days later, backers have pledged $5,549.

Cause and effect? You make the call!

Heins has an August 27th target date for funding the project. At this rate, though, he could have it funded by the end of the week.

If you’re interested in the Rockit 8 Bit Synth, check out Heins’ Kickstarter site. 

Specifications:

• Fully Open Source Hardware and Well-Commented C Software Design
• Digital Analog Hybrid Circuitry
• 2 Digital Oscillators with 16 waveshapes, updateable to more
• 2 Low Frequency Modulation Oscillators with 10 destinations
• Innovative Digitally-Controlled Analog Filter with Low-Pass, Band-Pass, and High-Pass with Envelope Control and External Audio Input
• Analog Voltage-Controlled Amplifier with Envelope Control
• Drone/Loop Mode for Playing by Itself
• 19 Knobs to Twiddle and 8 Switches
• Full MIDI Input and Output
• Sound Patch Save and Recall

What’s in the Kit:

The Rockit kit Includes the circuit board and all the electronic components necessary to build the synth, along with a wall wart power supply. The kit requires soldering, but assembled kits will also be available.

Update: It’s 75% funded:

Watching the backers roll in gives me a sense of obligation to deliver the best possible design that I can. So, I’ve continued working on it. I’ve been tuning the hardware to maximize the signal to noise ratio and may make on last hardware change to substantially reduce noise. I’m working on expanding the sonic offerings by working on the wavetables and their playback. I’ve found bugs in the filter envelope and fine tuned the timing of the filter envelope and the adsr envelope.

I’ve still got some work to do. I’m still working on the case. I’ve got to make a CAD drawing of the location of the holes in the front of the unit along with the silkscreening in order to get a full quote. Honestly, as an electrical guy, I always find a way not to work on the mechanical details. I’m still putting in many, many hours, on top of the hundreds of hours that I’ve already put into this design.

A wise engineer I know says, “At some point, the sales guy has to shoot the engineer.” I could continue to work on this design forever, always refining and tuning, improving and tinkering, but at some point, I’ve got to call it done.

That’s what this Kickstarter project is all about, giving this thing some finality. I’m really excited to see what you do with it when you get it. I think it’ll just get better and better.