SOMA Laboratory has released the MESSEIVER, described as “an irrational device for exploring the world of primal, wild radio reception – the way it was first experienced by the pioneers of radio communication.”
MESSEIVER is a shortwave receiver that is capable of receiving different stations from all around the Earth. Its peculiarity is that it doesn’t have the classic input tuning circuit, which lets you select a single station. Instead, it captures “a big part of radio ether as it is”.
It’s designed to let you listen to many radio stations at once from around the globe. The set of stations that you can hear, their loudness and sound are defined by numbers of constantly changing global natural parameters. Weather, solar activity, cosmic particles, clouds and dozens of other phenomena define radio waves propagation.
Here’s the official intro video:
MESSEIVER has a luxury vintage handmade build, with brass inlay, wide range old school speaker, custom coil, NOS germanium diodes, and vintage neon bulb.
Pricing and Availability:
The MESSEIVER is now available to order for 560 Euros.
via Andreas
ok, this really *is* cool. shortwave exploration can be pretty wacky. this is best off the wall idea this year.
A germanium diode, attached at one end to a lengthy wire and at the other to a solid ground, will do much the same. Listen in with a pair of high-impedence headphones attached across the diode. Save yourself about €555.
yeah, i built a crystal radio from radio shack kit too.
Very cool, though I think some built-in effects could make this a more unique, more SOMA-esque creation. Particularly a built-in Lyra8-FX circuit (delay going into distortion) at the end of the chain.
Having said that, I think this would ultimately be better as a DIY kit. I understand the retro theme but IMO the design & materials are too much for what this sonically delivers.