Laurentide Synthworks – maker of Eurorack DIY modules, the Polysynth Formerly Known As Ambika and the Monosynth Formerly Known As Shruthi – has announced that it is closing.
Here’s what owner Adam Armstrong has to say about it:
I have been thinking on this for quite some time and have finally come to the decision to hang up Laurentide SynthWorks.
The batch of Shruthi/Ambika that was just shipped to Modular Addict is the last batch that I will be doing. I will be putting together one more run of VG2 kits together that will also be available at Modular Addict, after that I will be discontinuing it as well as the PRM2.
I also have an unreleased module with full kits already assembled. Those will be for sale at Knobcon in September.
I did not come to decision easily and it took me about 6 months to finally say I’m done. It wasn’t easy to come to terms with, but the reality of it is that it was getting way to difficult juggling family and a demanding day job. Plus, the passion was fading and it was feeling more like a regular job, which is not at all why I started it in the 1st place.
I want to thank everyone for being supportive and totally awesome. I have met a lot of great people over the years and made a ton of new friends. I’ll still remain active in the scene, just no longer as a manufacturer.
Thanks again and I hope to see you at Knobcon one last time.
finally a compay that goes out of business. that is not good, of course, but i have to say that there are way too many synth manufacturers out there, both soft- and hardware. the market is overblown with products. i mean look at the dsi portfolio. all the different prophets, 8, 12 than 6 from sequential, also from smith. that is ridicoulus. now the new oberheim, made by smith. it´s getting out of control imo.
He isn’t closing shop because of no business.
He’s closing because it was a hobby and he doesn’t enjoy running a company as a hobby anymore.
As far as other synths, since when is a large selection with different prices and features a bad thing. Next you’ll complain Ford or BMW or whoever makes too many different cars that you don’t like.
That’s a sad news. Laurentide Synthworks is a quality builder, driven by real passion.
Sad to see them go.
I have two of their VG2 vactrol gates – nice and easy to build modules.
damn. i hope Adam can find someone to hand over operations.
recovered economy?
Aww man, sad news but I can only hope this frees up some of his time to make music and/or enjoy life more! good luck on your next adventures!
I have an MC202 modded by adam that is my pride and joy synth, great engineer!
re: knobcon – you’ll be back! 😉
i dont’ have any of their products but i’m an ambika user and i love it so much. i would hope that people could have easy access to this synth.
j
0=0
Shruthi/XT/Ambika kits are available from TubeOhm (Germany) for anyone who’s interested. Still the best way to get into DIY 🙂
To be fair we should mention that Ambika and Shruthi, both excellent, were designed by Olivier Gillet from the French company Mutable Instruments. They are not Laurentide’s designs, but are manufactured with Olivier’s permission and blessing.
Thanks for clarifying that.
This is one of those companies that I’ve just followed with admiration and interest. When a designer/developer makes a product that “hits all the right notes” it tends to stay on my radar. I imagine this is a very difficult business to stay in– both in terms of the energy/effort required, and just staying viable against “the biggies” and software instruments. Wishing Adam the very best in his future endeavors.
It would be cool to see his work somehow preserved for future generations.
Adam is a beast! It’s a sad day… really, nobody is getting rich off of this stuff and it’s a lot of work done out of love. Sometimes the love of family outweighs the love for synthesis. Best wishes to Adam!
Hello My name is Rickard Gustafsson and i am a teacher in Bay house school in Gosport Hampshire UK https://kgabayhouse.uk/ I am begging the eurorack community to donate a module or two for the school so I can start doing an after-school club for pupils to get an insight into making music in a different way . I am building a eurorack case in woodwork here in the school, now I just need to fill it so I can start teaching about the wonderful world of modular. The reason i do not use VCV rack is because I want the student to make a connection to the system. I am not asking for a full system, any module will be great Many many thanks Rickard Gustafsson 07880717641 King’s Academy Bay House, Gomer Lane, Gosport, Hampshire PO12 2QP UK