Shruthi Synthesizer Lives On

shruthi-synthesizerLaurentide Synthworks has announced that the Mutable Instruments Shruthi synthesizer will live on as a DIY project.

Mutable Instruments announced last year that it was phasing out most of its DIY products to focus on its growing Eurorack business.

Here’s Laurentide Synthworks has to say about their Shruthi:

This is a resurrection of the classic and highly loved Mutable Instruments Shruthi-1. Initially I will be offering the Control PCB, preprogrammed chips and the 4PM (4 Pole Mission) filter board. Eventually I will begin putting kits together for each of the boards as well as the other discontinued filter’s.

When the Shruthi line was discontinued (with the exception of the SMR-4 kit & case, which is still available from Mutable Instruments) I began discussions with Olivier (mad code scientist behind Shruthi and all things Mutable) on continuing it’s legacy. Along with TubeOhm in Europe, we will be supplying Shruthi PCB’s back to the DIY community under our company names respectively.

On 3/11/2015 I will begin selling the Shruthi Control PCB, pre-programmed chips, 4PM filter and custom dark grey translucent plexi-case. The PCB’s are manufactured by the same company Mutable Instruments used and the cases are manufactured by MI forum member fcd72, who also makes the official clear plexi-cases.

41 thoughts on “Shruthi Synthesizer Lives On

  1. Long live open hardware! Huge props to Olivier for licensing his designs in a way that allows others to carry the torch when he moves on to other things.

    1. Mutable Instruments/Olivier is top notch all the way.

      Any time I have ever had a question, whether through email or the forum Olivier or someone in the community has answered within hours, sometimes minutes.

      Not only do they have a great community around them, but produce some of the best DIY and Eurorack options on the market today.

      Props Olivier.

  2. It hurts every time I read about the Ambika being discontinued. Saw Olivier giving a demo at the 2013 Synth DIY event in Cambridge prior to release…to say that he left us with our jaws on the floor is an understatement!

    Now I unsuccessfully run around eBay looking for someone who can sell me the full blown 6 voice card version – can’t blame anyone for not selling it…

    1. I was literally about to buy an Anrushi when the MI store page went dead and now I can’t buy one (really wanted to build it myself.)

      1. I still offer Ambika. My stock is currently really low, but I have more Motherboards on order. I have a bunch of SVF and 4P Voice Cards. I’m also going to replenish my SMR stock soon. I wanted to get Shruthi rolled out first before selling Ambika PCB’s.

          1. I am, although stock is reeeaaaallly low, so it may be a couple of months before stock is replenished.

      2. I did buy and build an anushri just in time, then sold it a month later for the price of the kit.

        It does sound amazing, but some of the design choices were baffling. Despite MI’s track record, it really didn’t seem like he’d tried to use it with other hardware. As a midi sound module it might make sense, but I found it didn’t interface with my modular or other gear at all.

        It left me a little leery of the brand in general, a lot of ideas packed into a tiny synth with a great filter, but ultimately not useful as a musical instrument (for me).

        1. Interesting. What gear did you attempt to interface the Anrushi with? Just curious as it was a big selling point for me…

  3. I love the sound of the Shruthi-1, it’s one of the best & most distinctive sounding mono-synths out there.

    I could only dream of an Ambika – and now that’s history too 🙁

    1. Shruthi is a girl’s name that means “musical tune.” Not sure what religious symbols you see on the device, but mine says ??????, which is literally ‘shruti’ in Sanskrit.

    1. Its our logo. If you read the disclaimer on our website, it explains that the Mutable name and logos had to be removed. In discussions with Olivier we felt it best to remove his logo and replace it with the LSW logo. Of course, if you don’t like the logo, you can grab the pcb files and have them made yourself.

      1. Why is it your logo though? Why do you feel compelled to evangelize your faith in such a prominent way? There are no synth companies I know of that have the star of david, bible verses/crosses, or crescent moon on them. We know, with 100% surety, that any company that did such a thing would get a lot of criticism here and elsewhere, and reasonably so. But people ask about the pentagram and get downvoted to oblivion. Asking about this seems pretty reasonable.

        1. It’s not a religious symbol. It’s circuit board traces and a TL072 laid out in the pattern of a star. the logo has personal significance. I grew up in the early 90’s and listened to a lot of metal, hence the nod to bands like Slayer and Deicide with the inverted 5-point star. Then there are the pcb traces and op amp. This is where I’m at today. It’s a nod to the DIY community. I chose the star as a reminder of where my roots are in music. TBH, since I designed the logo, this is the first time I’ve received any flack for it. I have received a lot of compliments on it though. At the end of the day it really doesn’t matter. If someone doesn’t like the logo, they don’t have to buy it. It’s not like the Shruthi is unobtainable any other way. I’m just offering a service to the DIY community and I happen to like metal a lot.

  4. I have two Mutable Instruments synthesizers made by Laurentide Synthworks: Ambika and Anushri. The one thing I can say about it is that not only the instruments are great, but also the guy behind the curtain. Adam is a very nice guy and offers full support via email. I love my little monster synths and I’m thankful for having them made by Adam.
    Cheers! Igor

    1. It’s interesting at how offended people are with a star. It’s not a religious symbol. It’s a star. Additionally is a reminder to me of where my roots are. The logo as a whole is representation of where I came from and where I’m at now. Nonetheless, it’s not changing.

      1. I like the logo, but it isn’t a star. I five pointed star is just that – a ‘star’, if you join the points up with intersecting lines then it becomes a ‘pentagram’, if you further encircle that star at the 5 points it becomes a ‘pentacle’, which is what you have as a logo. A ‘pentacle’ is an ancient symbol, a talisman – it is not a religious symbol as some simpletons have suggested. In modern times the ‘pentacle’ became associated with magic. Considering that both religion and magic are contrived bullshit, we can see how some are easily confused on this understanding. It is a good strong logo, and makes a statement in this age.

        1. TIL I am a simpleton and the pentacle of Baphomet is never a religious symbol, and those who think so are big dummies like me. Thanks a bunch buddy, you’re the best. It’s great now that I know, maybe I can get disability payments now that I’m confirmed to be retarded.

          1. I didn’t define you as a retard, I defined a shape as an ancient symbol that is older than religion and Gods. I did suggest that people who can’t see that are simpletons, and I’d stand by that – it is basic and isn’t a hard thing to grasp.

  5. I didn’t notice anyone saying they were offended. People are asking about it since it’s unusual to have religious symbols. You say here it’s just a star. It’s true stars are used both generically, outside of cultural and traditional contexts, and also have been used in numerous cultures and traditions throughout history, including traditional roman religion, judaism, catholicism, islam, etc. However, you publicly refer to your logo as a Baphomet logo. This is a specific term relating to a religious symbol and is not a generic plain star. Consider the case if someone were to use a six sided star in a design and specifically referred to it as a star of david. It would be curious if they later said it was nothing more than an ordinary six sided star and had no particular connotation given that they had referred to it as a star of david. In such a scenario, attempts to say it is just a six sided star would be seen by many as disingenuous, don’t you agree?

    1. The pentacle is older then the invention of religious – it isn’t a religious symbol, or by shape can be defined as a star. It isn’t worthy of these enforced definitions or stereotypes. And is an ancient symbol that can be freely used without discrimination, its use is beyond such simple notions.

  6. You are missing the point. You are reading way too deep into something stupid and I’m not going to get into a useless masturbatorial religious debate over it. I do not refer to it as “Baphomet”. It’s PCBaphomet. It’s a play on words, nothing more. There is absolutely no reason for us to have this discussion other than you took some offense to it. If you didn’t you wouldn’t have felt compelled to question it. I mean really, I’m just a guy with a basement and a passion for music and DIY synths, nothing more. Please step aside and let me do my job. I will not question yours I swear.

  7. So, the symbol is taken from Magick and Metal bands and your synths were invented by another company?

    Outstanding originality!

  8. Astounding that anyone has an issue with a bunch of lines in a circle. Me and the fiancee had a good laugh about it, thanks for that. I’m glad this project is being kept alive.

  9. Wow, First off, thank you Laurentide for your contributions & keeping the Shruthi alive for people who want to make, develop & hack this rad little marvel. I just got my 1st one. Second, to the haters, isn’t fun still living at home in your late 30’s, oh yeah it sucks, but that explains why you have to troll & comment on the arbitrary, come off it, you don’t have time for these shenanigans, burgers need to be flipped & lawns need to be mowed. When you get around to carrying on a synth legacy you can put white Jesus on a cross & have the points meet the ADSHR knobs, the hold knob would be right over his knob… & you never have to let go. Until then, ????????

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