Final Look

[RichardKC6]

Racktop!

No, I'm not just babbling words.

The problem with a desktop is you gotta fit the synth in it. You can probably fit it all in a deep 2U rack, but then where's the interface?

So what about a small-but-deep rack module, and a lightweight controller module for the desktop? I know it's two cases... but it's less of a compromise than choosing a desktop that will fit on a desk or other synth, or a rack module that will potentially sit in a less-than-accessible place and either have to choose between sensible rackspace consumption and a crippled UI, or serious rack dimensions.

FWIW, my other justification for that suggestion is that Vector Synthesis really doesn't work for me without a joystick that "just works" with the synth - I've tried in the past to "work with" external controllers, and it's a mess, depending on your MIDI interfacing (not much even has a joystick these days). So a desktop module that provides the Joystick (wheels, unlike sticks, seem well handled by controllers), the ribbon, the large display (I don't necessarily want to edit sounds, but I might want access to the step sequencer and obviously patch changing) and some "to be decided" quick editing controls for performance edits rather than creation.

For a really crazy vision of how to do a rack synth... I had a car radio with a 7" monitor in it. It was 1 DIN slot high; when powered up the screen slid forward and up. If there were height available on a 2U rackmount to house sufficient knobs for editing, they could be mapped to a slide-and-tilt module with the four LCD displays, giving the editing interface of say, a 4U module in a 2U space.

Probably a bit OTT, though. How often do you need to use up that rackspace for those editing functions, though?

EDIT: Just in case people think I've just popped in here to give daft suggestions - I'm working on a 2U rackmounted Commodore C64 with dual SIDs, pop out keyboard and LCD (I'm thinking that the keyboard will be under the screen, so you pull the setup out of the rack and lift the display, and there's a flat keyboard underneath), mini joystick. For storage it'll have a built in Serial to MMC/SD adaptor and it'll run the MIDI-enabled followup to Prophet64. My main problem is deciding how to do the PSU since C64s need some odd voltages, and making the audio output as good as possible, a problem solved many times by people previously. And of course, finding time to actually assemble it all.

[John Bowen]

Hey, that gives me an idea! I still have my SX-64 in the closet - maybe we'll make the Solaris Editor work solely on that?

john b.

[RichardKC6]

Hey, that gives me an idea! I still have my SX-64 in the closet - maybe we'll make the Solaris Editor work solely on that?

john b.

Now that's thinking outside the box!

I'd have used an SX64 for the SID/MSSIAH setup but they're really very expensive now - also, it would be sacrilege.

Seriously, if a rack or desktop model is produced, a remote joystick and ribbon would be essential in my opinion. The migration from a Wavestation keyboard to A/D was spoiled by having to set up Logic (or hardware, MEP4...) to remap controls and so forth. In the end I stopped using it as much, which was a shame because the Wavestation was a really nice synth.

Of course, I'll say this and then someone else will say they'd only want the controller if they could use it as a MIDI controller away from the synth...

[seamonkey]

John I have a question regarding the wood side panels. In the early prototype how were you attaching the wood panels to the side of Solaris?
The reason I ask this is in looking at the pictures James took at WNAMM09, one in particular http://www.carbon111.com/solaris/namm09/P1010922.jpg shows the panels attached with screws. To be truthful I find it rather distracting, I understand the reasons for this but the wood panels without the screws in the prototype looked beautiful and highlighted the elegant design of Solaris.

If this is a rather simple process for the user to attach non drilled woodpanels I would much rather do it myself if possible. This would of course only be available for the Limited Edition preorder customers.

[John Bowen]

Yes, we had to change the way the side panels are attached, which required adding the screw holes. I'm afraid there's no possibility to have it without the holes, although I suppose one could manage some kind of 'covering' over each hole if it were done correctly.
I agree, the previous design was nicer - but just not a practical approach to the construction of the case, especially where stability was concerned.
-john b.

[RichardKC6]

This would of course only be available for the Limited Edition preorder customers.

Surely the process of productionising the synth would allow refinements to the mechanical engineering.

IME, if you want screwless end-cheeks, you need to support the top internally - so what would be essentially a 2-dimensional folded top panel becomes a complex 3D object. Then you have to ensure those supports don't catch on any internal components, and you have to secure them to the pressing (which in a crude way, means screws on the front, in a non-crude way means glue - modern glues can hold a car together so I'm sure a synth would be fine - or welding, which means finishing the surface above).

A folded panel can be supported either with thicker wooden end cheeks screwed through the top, which usually means you're screwing into wood (which unless you want to get really fussy and put threaded bushings in) and has a finite number of times before the attachments are weak, or you can put screws through into welded nuts or even just a threaded section of the panel from the side, which tensions the flat panel and requires minimal hardware.

Also, what I'm not considering is that some of these approaches may be covered by patents. Seems unlikely, but not impossible.

Whilst it's a drag from a service point of view, I like using small, anodized hex capped bolts - if I'm going to have visible screws, I'll make sure they look nice.

From the position of those screws, either the case is folded a long way in, or they're attaching to an internal support, in which case I'd use very, very thin screws, very thin bushings, and screw them on from the inside.

But John's suggesting that they affect the structure.

The Virus Indigo 2 has no visible screws, but the end cheeks are attached from below and have no structural role in the construction of this 37-key model (they also make fitting the keyboard a bit tricky, as the cosmetic front of the key has to go in front of a screw and bolt whilst the AT strip has to go into cutout in the end cheek - very clever). The 61 key models have a different approach.

Either way, I'm sure John & his team have considered all of the ways they could attach this. I think the screws look alright but they are quite visible on the lighter wood. What is unusual is the case "completeness" from front to back with the mod wheels, without a break.

[seamonkey]

Thanks John, I would like to apologize. Later in the evening I realized this could've been done by private email.

Thank you for your thoughts richard.

[ThreeFingersOfLove]

John,

in NAMM 2009 there were two versions of the Solaris. From what I can tell of the photos they said "Limited edition". Will both of these be available for purchase or the mass-produced version will be different?

Also, is there a possibility to purchase the Solaris from somewhere in Europe?

Regards,
Yannis

[Carbon111]

As far as I know, the "limited editions" are just the preorders - they will be signed by John and are available in the light color and the dark color.

The standard production model will be the same as the darker model but without the "limited edition" silkscreen and no signature.

[John Bowen]

Yes, Carbon111 is correct - the Limited Edition silkscreen is only the first 50 units....the only other difference is my signature silkscreened on the back panel. The internals - features, functions, etc., - are all the same as the regular production unit planned. We're not sure if we will continue with the lighter colored panel as well - there's only been 17 ordered out of the first 50.
-john b.

[John Bowen]

Also, is there a possibility to purchase the Solaris from somewhere in Europe?

Yannis,
What we are doing is taking pre-orders from my Web site directly. European customers will have their units shipped directly to them from Germany. Once the online orders have all been fulfilled, we will start to get units to select dealers around the world. Buying directly from the Web site offers you a two week 'try-out' of the product, with a money back guarantee. This is not possible for units that are purchased through a dealer.

John B.

[John Bowen]

Yes, Carbon111 is correct - the Limited Edition silkscreen is only the first 50 units....the only other difference is my signature silkscreened on the back panel. The internals - features, functions, etc., - are all the same as the regular production unit planned. We're not sure if we will continue with the lighter colored panel as well - there's only been 17 ordered out of the first 50.
-john b.

Update - we will continue to offer both light and dark color for the case options. Eventually it may be that one of the two will become a "special order" situation, where we would have to get enough orders of a certain color before it's worthwhile financially to have a group made.
-john b.

[Carbon111]

Cool beans, John! The update is appreciated.

The lighter one looks better anyway...probably sounds better too.

[BF]

I hear the dark version has more presence in the bottom end.

[Neotrope]

Hello Everyone!


I do question some of the design implementation decisions and wonder if there should is a more practical approach to the interface implementation design and layout that would have passed along some cost savings to potential users and consumers though. $4000 is a lot of coin for a synth. Dano

Dano,
keep in mind that most of us buying this (have already bought) are looking for something DIFFERENT than what you can get with a Nord Wave, Prophet 08, Korg M3, etc. Or from a software-only plug-in. Many of us own vintage gear, many of us are not "rich" but successful, and many of us have a variety of things to make noise, but are always interested in somebody else's "vision" of how to make noise from electrical equipment, both noise and music, art and soul, etc. What John has brought to market is *his* vision of how to do that, based on his storied past in the industry, and trying to do something in a new way. Much like a custom suit, it costs more to build 100 of something, than mass produce it like Alesis can do with their own chip foundry (that's why the Andromeda doesn't cost $7K, which it would normally).

For most of us, the feedback to multiple screens on board, the multiple player options (mod wheels, ribbon -and- joystick, all perform different functions in context to the sound and playing style), and the "feedback" of different modules replicate the feedback visually of traditional modular synths where you could "see" a patch cable running from a LFO to a filter or whatever. Most of us decry the concept of a single window, 50 sub menus, as that has been commonplace for nearly two decades. Having multiple "scribble strips" for the user interface is part of its selling points, and NOT a minus for its design or for usability.

We're looking for something that makes sound, but makes that process more fun, intuitive and different than what we already have, or have used before; something to inspire us to create art, not simply admire it. The Solaris will never be competing with Dave Smith's Prophet 08, and it's not competing with any ROMplers (ie., Korg M3, Roland G, Yamaha Motif).

Certainly it's not intended to keep people out of the club based on price, but for this kind of product is simply has inherent costs to deliver the developers vision -- to remove things to make it half the selling price, would make it less than what it is and be too simliar to what's already out there.

Just as there is a market for the Lexus over the matching Toyota model (Camry vs. ES350), or Coby beef over the supermarket special steaks, or a $5 pen vs. the 10 for $1 at Staples, it's not about class or income or how much is in the bank. For this product, it's about what John wanted to create, what he saw in his mind, how he wanted to have a real world interface to his sound engine, and by making such an interface he was able to enhance his original Solaris software engine into further territory directly because of all the interface choices on the keyboard.

All input is valuable and John reads it all, as do many of us, but please understand that the VALUE to the people buying this has to do with what it does that all the rest of the gear out there does not!

Peace and well wishes.