New Arduino Synth, Synthino (Sneak Preview)

Synthino

Synthino is a new Arduino-based synthesizer, a collaboration between two Minneapolis-based DIY kit makers (nootropic & GetLoFi) and members of TC Maker, a non-profit Minnesota based organization focused on growing the maker community.

The Synthino is designed to be powerful, compact, low-cost and hacker-friendly.

Features:

  • True 12 Bit DAC ( Digital Analog Converter )
  • MIDI IN standard 5 pin connector
  • 4 Independent channels
  • 4 Note polyphony
  • 8 Analog potentiometer controls
  • True Envelope A-D-S-R
  • LFO with Rate and Depth
  • Upgrades planned
  • Arduino platform built-in
  • Software updates are easy to install
  • FTDI interface compatible
  • Easy to assemble
  • Highest quality components
  • 1/4 and 1/8 Inch audio outputs
  • Over 4000 wave forms available!
  • Low cost synthesizer
  • DIY and Hacker friendly
  • 2.1 mm Boss style connector
  • 9 Volt battery power option
  • Compact customize-able design
  • Available as a kit or assembled
  • Acrylic or wood case options

Here’s an unofficial demo video from Maker Faire 2014:

Details on pricing and availability are to come. See the Synthino site for more info.

11 thoughts on “New Arduino Synth, Synthino (Sneak Preview)

  1. Seriously?? This thing sounds *worse* than a Casiotone! It really shows how much design and thought has gone into the Soulsby atmegatron, considering both this and the atmegatron are built on the same platform? I know where my money’s going.

    1. The Soulsby ATmegatron is also about $430 – that’s for a very small, somewhat limited piece of hardware (looks cool though!). There’s about a minute of audio and you don’t even know how much the Synthino costs yet, but you’re already making assumptions about how much design and thought went into it. I don’t imagine it’ll cost nearly as much as the Soulsby, but even if it does, who cares if it sounds “worse than a Casiotone”? The more hardware synths out there the better, I say.

    2. I’m the developer. Synthino is polyphonic (4 voices) and uses a 12-bit DAC for waveform generation. This is not a monosynth using PWM on one pin to generate sound. The video only demos a few waveforms and envelope settings (sounds like an old organ to me) and we had an old MIDI keyboard without velocity. The Arduino sketch holds about 15 waveforms and there are 4000 to choose from, including real instruments like piano, cello, etc. This actually does sound like a real piano when that waveform is chosen. The price point will be around 1/4 that of the ATmegatron which is a monosynth using PWM to generate sound. Stay tuned for more details in the coming weeks on http://synthino.com

      1. If possible, think about putting a Midi out has well.
        This could then possibly hold sequencers-like sketches and handshaking might be usefull also in some casesb (polychaining, master/slave,…) . This shouldn’t add too much to the price?

      2. Sounds like you’ve put a hell of a lot of effort into this, very cool!

        I love this new crop of hackable hardware, can’t wait to see how I can mod this. Maybe use an SD card to hold more than 15 waveforms?

  2. Met the developer and picked up one of @ Maker Faire/. Not a finished product but well thought out, the developer is highly engaged in its evolution.

    Great feel, Snappy envelopes, pure sine wave, good possibilities for wavetable modulation.

    No filter, but there is a send/receive point on the PCB. For the price point they are discussing, really great for experimenting and hacking into your own audio environment.

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