Mutable Instruments Announces Ambika Poly Shruthi

via Mutable Instruments

"Here are some of the key features:

Up to 6 voices, each with an individual output — in addition to a global mix output.
MIDI channels/patches/voices are distinct entities, allowing many different flexible configurations, from 6 independent monophonic parts each on a different MIDI channel, to 1 polysynth, with everything in-between (unison, keyboard split, layering, voice doubling).
Connectors for up to 6 voicecards. In true Mutable Instruments spirit, you can mix and match voicecards with different filters, and in the future with different synthesis engines.
Easy to use sound programming interface with a large 2x40 LCD display, 8 knobs, 8 switches and 15 bicolor LEDs. Each module of the synthesis engine has a page, each page has a direct access button.
Massive patch memory, easy backup/data exchange, fast firmware upgrades with the integrated SD card reader. And there might be other things you’ll load from the SD card in the future…
Patch versioning and undo/compare/redo of editing operations.
Sequencer, arpeggiator and rhythmic chord generator available for each part. 2 step-sequences per part. Each part can be clocked at a different multiple of the MIDI clock.
And of course: DIY friendly, through-hole assembly.

Each voice is on its own circuit board. Yes, it’s huge and it draws a lot of power! The first 3 voicecards that will be released are based on a maxed-out version of the Shruthi-1 sound engine.

All the Shruthi-1 oscillators goodness – classic analog waveforms, FM, wavetables, vowel synthesis, low-fi tones.
More z-family oscillator waveshapes, with digital emulations of analog waveforms sent through resonant LP/BP/HP filters.
“Wavequence” mode for individually addressing the content of the wave memory (wavequence + step sequencer = wave sequencing).
New mixer with adjustable overdrive and bitcrusher effects, independent of the mixing mode.
3 synchronized LFOs shared by all voices in a patch with new waveforms, and 1 desynchronized, per-voice LFO for subtle voice modulation effects.
3 ADSR envelopes with times up to 60s.
Large modulation matrix (14 slots, 4 modifiers), with new modulation sources and destinations.
Improved sound richness/brightness and extended filter range.
3 flavours of voicecards: Warm and classic 4-pole low-pass (OTA-C with Darlington buffers), sweet and liquid 4-pole low-pass (SSM2164), 2-pole multimode (SSM2164).

What will come after that? Voicecards offering a few channels of drum sounds. The following voicecards are in development:


Multi-channel drum samples ROMpler.
Analog drum module (2 instruments per voicecard).

How does it sound? You can listen to many sound clips here [embed below].

Ambika is a DIY project, all the technical choices have been made to make it accessible to DIYers, and it will be sold primarily as kits.

pichenettes's blog"

Mutable Instruments Ambika demo by mutable.instruments