A new prototype percussion synth has been in the works for some time now and it has finally emerged.

The prototype features:

• White noise, ‘metal’ and external sound sources
• A Polivoks style filter with switchable bandpass/lowpass modes
• Sweep for subtle to sci-fi sounds
• Adjustable decay and tails contour generator
• CV controllable filter cutoff & Gate Input

The Prototype

Initially we went through a few filter circuits before we settled on a polivoks style filter (think abusing op amps). The unit is able to create classic synthesised metallic sounds, hi-hats, cymbals and even an approximation to a snare.Just like our drum synth, you can coax interesting and useful sounds out of the unit, but as you dial it up you get all sorts of crazy. As an added bonus the filter works as a third voice for sci-fi laser sounds.

The white noise and ‘metal’ sound sources are produced by an 8 pin attiny. The VCA is a long tail BJT pair, which on the final unit will contain a matched NPN transistors pair soldered on by us. We thought about matching pairs by hand but we don’t have the time and its unfair to make the customer do this themselves.

A lot of mods have been made to get the unit working so another prototype run will be made before a product can be launched. But I’m hopeful it will only take one more board spin.

Currently we are pretty pleased with the sound palette and fitting any more components would be near to impossible, but any feedback will be considered.

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The first prototype, breadboard, protoboard and a heap of wires

Closer...

A densely populated first try

Closer....

Populated and working*

Not my best artwork