Roberto D Jordan is funding the production of the Hell Synth -a palm-sized experimental synth – via a Kickstarter project.
It’s already reached more than double its funding target, with several weeks left in the campaign.
Here’s what Jordan has to say about the Hell Synth:
Little noise synths are often limited in the scope of their sound, either they grind aggressively like dive-bombing aeroplanes, or drone in massive arrays of humming square-waves.
THIS HELL SYNTH IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT! The range of sounds that come out of this little box will keep you twiddling for hours. There are oceans of glass, lightening fast arpeggios, swarming notes that dance in and out of phase.
Here’s a video demo of Hell Synth in action, using the “From Hell!!!!” program:
Here’s another example, using the ARP BOX1 program:
The Hell Synth is available to backers, starting at $45 AUD for a DIY kit and $75 pre-built. See the project site for details.
is it me or most DIY occur outside US
Broad generalizations ahead: If anything I’ve noticed the opposite. I see a lot of kits being made and sold outside the US, but full-on DIY seems less common than in the US. If I had to guess why, I’d say it’s because the US culture has more of the “DIY spirit” and the prices and availability of parts are better than say, Australia or the UK. Not saying that it’s true or anything, just something I’ve noticed.
I like it. I like it a lot. A proper litte noisebox that doesnt just make white noise. I might have to get one of those kits. Think I will have a go on the DIY one. Take it as a training for soldering electronics.
You might want to try a couple other cheap little kits just to get a little practice before you work on this one.
You want to get really good at soldering those little components on. There’s a right way to do it so you don’t damage it.
I highly recommend getting a Drawdio kit. Pretty easy to build and super fun to play with. Endless fun for the kids. I made mine several years ago, and I still get a kick out of it.
This.
It is a very disappointing feeling the first time you finish a kit and it doesn’t work. It is better to spend only a few bucks on this feeling then a bunch of money.
I started my soldering with REALLY small little kits, little 555 noise makers and circuit bending. Then moved on to x0xb0x and Shruthi-1.
Also, get a super small tip. I’ve tried doing too many kits with too large of a tip and it is a nightmare to touch up or get pins that are close together done (like lcd screens). I’m using a Weller ST6 right now.
Personally, I wouldn’t buy anything without hearing at least one demo recorded direct. But, it’s pretty well sold out anyway – I guess I’m just not in the target customer base!
I discovered early on that if I pulled cartridges out of my Atari 2600 while it was playing, It would make cool sounds. This sounds just like it.
Why is it we have all these little “kits” never accompanied with a proper finished case? Maybe I’m a minority, but I like the look of a complete product, imo, it’s lacking appeal aestheticly and this particular unit has been funded beyond double the asking point so surely cost isn’t an issue when people are throwing money at it. Again, it’s probably just me but I cannot get into something that looks half-assed and incomplete.
I see a lot of poor soldering and design here and I’m not quite shure, is it a final product or just “proof of concept”. Lack of good demo is also not very helpful.
Just want to add that this is in no way dissing the sound of these or the circuit design in any way, simply stating that I hate the idea of having the circuits all exposed to the elements. I also don’t want to put time into fabricating a case as a one off run which would hike the cost up significantly.
A custom case is expensive. You can use an off-the-shelf plastic box, but it’ll end up looking like a cheap Radio Shack product from 1982 (and machining holes in plastic or metal is tricky). And that’s before you get into silk-screening, pad printing or applying a lexan overlay.