Chimera Synthesis

Here’s a sneak preview of some Throbbing Gristle 2009 action, via Chris Carter in the Synthtopia Flickr Pool.

Carter explains:

Trying out different synth & effects combinations for TG 2009 shows.

Korg Kaossilator, Bugbrand Postcard Weevils, Korg Kaoss Pad 2, Korg Kaoss Pad 3, Zoom PFX9003, Chimera Synthesis bc8 & bc16.

Slightly weedy mono sound.

You can find out more about Throbbing Gristle, and their 2009 tour, at their site.

Chimera has announced that it’s ready to ship the tiny BC8 sub-miniature synthesizer & simple sequencer:

Development & production engineering of the bC8 sub-miniature synthesizer (with simple internal sequencer) has now been completed; full product launch will take place on-line this Friday 18th July 2008 at around 1800hrs (GMT) with the first production units leaving the UK factory on Wednesday 23rd July 2008.

The initial ‘numbered’ batch is limited to 100 pieces worldwide and orders will be on a first-come first-served basis.

The bC8 will sell for £75 ($150) + delivery.

More info at the Chimera site.

Via MusicThing

Music Thing’s Tom Whitwell has posted a short review of the Chimera BC16 mini-synth, a tiny semi-modular synthesizer.

The Chimera BC16 is a $269 miniature patch synthesizer, offering a VCO, LFO, 24dB VCF, VCA, envelope generator, noise source, ring modulator and headphone amplifier – all in a crisp, white, round, CNC machined acrylic housing the same diameter as compact disc.

Here’s Tom’s take on the “pros” of the BC16:

The good bits:

1. Looks great, and feels fantastically well made.
2. Intuitive, fun, educational interface. You’ll learn more about how synths work in a few hours with this than with years of VST plugins. My 5 yr-old sonimmeditately fell in love with it, making helicopters and sirens and turning the sound down, randomly turning knobs, then turning it up to see what came out. Nothing is labelled, so you have to listen.
3. It makes a huge range of noises. The digital multi-waveform oscillator will annoy purists, but it’s versatile. A reasonably effective two-oscs-in-one system can sound pretty fat.
4. It’s a quirky, unique synth, hand made in Britain and absolutely in the lineage of EMS, EDP,OSCar.
5. The sound is immediate, ballsy and gritty. Huge bass, huge brightness.
6. It’s absolutely a real synth, not a toy. Compared with the Tenori On, this is a real (if simple) instrument. It makes any sound you can patch, not a bunch of presets.
6. It has no blue LEDs, but several red and green ones.
7. It’s totally self contained – 6xAAA batteries last a few evenings. There is a power supply on the way (soon). 
8. In theory, they can make these in any colour, including clear. That will be hot. 
9. It’s £136 shipped – the price of a Squier strat or an effects pedal, cheaper than many soft synths. The price is crucial, because it makes most of the other issues irrelevant.

Get the bad bits in the full review at Tom’s site. 

First videos of the Chimera Synthesis BC16 miniature synth in action.

The bC16 miniature patch synthesizer wraps up a VCO, LFO, 24dB VCF, VCA, envelope generator, noise source, ring modulator and headphone amplifier all in a round, white acrylic housing the same diameter as compact disc.

Powered by six AAA batteries, the bC16 can be used on it’s own, with the in-built MIDI converter, driven from the SM16 (sequencer) or attached to other bC16’s.

Note, there have been complaints about this company not being able to deliver the synths, so buyer beware.

Chimera BC16 Demo Part 2

Chimera BC16 Demo Part 3

Chimera BC16 Demo Part 4

Chimera has introduced the bC16, a tiny modular synthesizer.

The bC16 miniature patch synthesizer packs a fully featured analog VCO, LFO, ADSR envelope generator, VCA, VCF, noise source & ring modulator all in a CD sized case CNC machined from 10mm high-grade acrylic plastic.

Sixteen color coded potentiometers control key functions, connections between synthesizer sections is done using thirty 2mm mini-banana sockets.Powered by either two 9v batteries or by an external (not supplied) +/- 8 to 12v source, the bC16 can be used free standing (internal headphone amplifier), linked to an external sequencer or MIDI-CV converters, combined with other bC16’s, etc.

A low cost optical interface kit is due-out shortly and the bC16 can be used with their upcoming SM16 analog sequencer/MIDI-CV and pH303 acid bass line synthesizer.