akula81
||||||||||
Joa, vielleicht sind meine Ohren nach 25 Jahren Rave auch schon kaputt. Finde ja auch die 303 nach wie vor gut
Abstrakt Instruments VS-1 Analog Synth - Oberheim OB-X Inspired Rackmount Synth
- Ersteller swissdoc
- Erstellt am
-
- Schlagworte
- abstrakt instruments ob-x oberheim vs-1 analog synth
living sounds
|||||||||
Die (echte) 303 klingt ja auch großartig.Joa, vielleicht sind meine Ohren nach 25 Jahren Rave auch schon kaputt. Finde ja auch die 303 nach wie vor gut
akula81
||||||||||
Ich weiß :)
swissdoc
back on duty
Project Update #52: VS-1 Polyphonic Analog Synthesizer by Abstrakt Instruments
Week 144 update
Posted by Abstrakt Instruments
Mar 4, 2023
I hope you are all doing well and had a good holiday season. The days are flying by fast here, it feels like a week or two since the last update and it’s been over eight weeks. There’s too much going on here to detail everything - and this update will be a little longer - but I will try to keep it short and relevant as to what’s going on and when we will start shipping pledges.
First off, something that has not been addressed in any previous updates - I would like to let everyone know that despite the delays in getting the VS-1 shipped we are in a reasonably good position as a company to be able to weather the delays. The delays can’t continue forever as operating costs pile up without much income but we will be ok. As I’ve mentioned in a few updates it’s in our best interest to get all pledges shipped as soon as possible and we are certainly working as fast as we can. We don’t have as many people working as planned at this stage so it’s taking longer to get work done - but operating leaner at this stage is the best case.
DIY kits are still waiting to ship. It will be at least another 6 weeks with the amount of work left to do. We had a feasible goal of early March but there were some last-minute changes we made after testing a large sample set of units. The most significant (time-sensitive) change was in regard to the output board - specifically the chorus. Yes the chorus…again continued to throw a wrench in things. After thinking we were done and having parts made we ended up with a 7th revision as the production release! After testing a dozen production chorus boards we decided to scrap the first production candidate and make minor changes. There was no way around it - we weren’t going to ship an assembly I was not 100% happy with. Some of the boards had more noise creep in than others. It was really down below signal (>50dB) but still slightly audible if cutoff was adjusted very low. The new assemblies are improved and you can’t hear noise at all. The parts are out being manufactured now and will be shipped by air to save time.
Alongside these other activities, we are also finishing the build documents and working on the owner's manual. The build documents are extremely detailed - there are simply too many intricacies and important steps not to have a very organized and detailed document. In addition to the general Build & Testing Guide the PCB assembly instructions are interactive and browser-based. Builders will be able to reference all of the design documents including the BOM, schematics, PCB & assembly in one place. The assembly guide for each board will guide you through the build process and allow you to easily locate and check off each component as it is installed. If any revisions are made it will all be reflected in one place - so we won’t end up w/ numerous unsynced documents at different links etc.. It has taken countless hours to prepare these tools & documents but it will help greatly. The guides will be uploaded to the website before the day the DIY kits start to ship.
The only other activity left is work on the firmware. There are still some details that have been put off and not be implemented simply because of priority.
Lastly, I would like to sincerely thank everyone for supporting us through all of the delays. I know it’s an industry-wide problem these days but with a situation such as this there is already a very large amount of day-to-day stress and it could be increased ten-fold without your support. I’m fairly tough-skinned from being in the industry for 25 years and having designed many products but it still takes incredible focus, determination & support to see it through.
Brian Castro | Abstrakt Instruments
Week 144 update
Posted by Abstrakt Instruments
Mar 4, 2023
I hope you are all doing well and had a good holiday season. The days are flying by fast here, it feels like a week or two since the last update and it’s been over eight weeks. There’s too much going on here to detail everything - and this update will be a little longer - but I will try to keep it short and relevant as to what’s going on and when we will start shipping pledges.
First off, something that has not been addressed in any previous updates - I would like to let everyone know that despite the delays in getting the VS-1 shipped we are in a reasonably good position as a company to be able to weather the delays. The delays can’t continue forever as operating costs pile up without much income but we will be ok. As I’ve mentioned in a few updates it’s in our best interest to get all pledges shipped as soon as possible and we are certainly working as fast as we can. We don’t have as many people working as planned at this stage so it’s taking longer to get work done - but operating leaner at this stage is the best case.
DIY kits are still waiting to ship. It will be at least another 6 weeks with the amount of work left to do. We had a feasible goal of early March but there were some last-minute changes we made after testing a large sample set of units. The most significant (time-sensitive) change was in regard to the output board - specifically the chorus. Yes the chorus…again continued to throw a wrench in things. After thinking we were done and having parts made we ended up with a 7th revision as the production release! After testing a dozen production chorus boards we decided to scrap the first production candidate and make minor changes. There was no way around it - we weren’t going to ship an assembly I was not 100% happy with. Some of the boards had more noise creep in than others. It was really down below signal (>50dB) but still slightly audible if cutoff was adjusted very low. The new assemblies are improved and you can’t hear noise at all. The parts are out being manufactured now and will be shipped by air to save time.
Alongside these other activities, we are also finishing the build documents and working on the owner's manual. The build documents are extremely detailed - there are simply too many intricacies and important steps not to have a very organized and detailed document. In addition to the general Build & Testing Guide the PCB assembly instructions are interactive and browser-based. Builders will be able to reference all of the design documents including the BOM, schematics, PCB & assembly in one place. The assembly guide for each board will guide you through the build process and allow you to easily locate and check off each component as it is installed. If any revisions are made it will all be reflected in one place - so we won’t end up w/ numerous unsynced documents at different links etc.. It has taken countless hours to prepare these tools & documents but it will help greatly. The guides will be uploaded to the website before the day the DIY kits start to ship.
The only other activity left is work on the firmware. There are still some details that have been put off and not be implemented simply because of priority.
Lastly, I would like to sincerely thank everyone for supporting us through all of the delays. I know it’s an industry-wide problem these days but with a situation such as this there is already a very large amount of day-to-day stress and it could be increased ten-fold without your support. I’m fairly tough-skinned from being in the industry for 25 years and having designed many products but it still takes incredible focus, determination & support to see it through.
Brian Castro | Abstrakt Instruments
Lauflicht
TR4ever
micromoog
Heute nicht
Mir kommen die Tränen…natürlich stauen sich Betriebskosten auf wenn nicht geliefert wird…aber die hatten ja immerhin die Founder.
Andere Firmen finanzieren auf eigene Kappe vor, evtl. ist das der Anreiz Projekte zu beschleunigen.
Und es ist ja auch „nur“ irgendwie ein Clone.
Andere Firmen finanzieren auf eigene Kappe vor, evtl. ist das der Anreiz Projekte zu beschleunigen.
Und es ist ja auch „nur“ irgendwie ein Clone.
Zuletzt bearbeitet:
Lauflicht
TR4ever
living sounds
|||||||||
war ein stretch goal
swissdoc
back on duty
Project Update #53: VS-1 Polyphonic Analog Synthesizer by Abstrakt Instruments
Week 157 Update coming soon!
Posted by Abstrakt Instruments
Jun 2, 2023
Just a quick note that we have received several requests for update. An update w/ video will be posted on June 6.
Brian Castro | Abstrakt Instruments
Week 157 Update coming soon!
Posted by Abstrakt Instruments
Jun 2, 2023
Just a quick note that we have received several requests for update. An update w/ video will be posted on June 6.
Brian Castro | Abstrakt Instruments
swissdoc
back on duty
swissdoc
back on duty
Project Update #55: VS-1 Polyphonic Analog Synthesizer by Abstrakt Instruments
Week 158 Update
Posted by Abstrakt Instruments
Jun 16, 2023
Due to backer request and the fact that things are moving fast we will now be posting weekly updates until further notice. Generally, this will be at the end of each week. If there's a lot to say it will usually be a video update. If there are only a few details to share it will be text.
There's been a lot going on this week as usual.
1. We are preparing the DIY kits to ship. We are still waiting on a few details before this happens:
a) We are waiting on output boards. As mentioned we scrapped some parts towards the beginning of the year and revised it again. It has to be right. There is no risk here. It's just a matter of waiting for them to arrive.
b) We will start contacting backers over the next several weeks to confirm current address. To be able to get pledges out as fast as possible we will first be shipping DIY kits w/o parts kits, followed by DIY kits w/ parts kit. This is due to the fact that some parts bag need to be re-done. It is a crazy amount of busy work to do this so it’ll take some time. Retail versions will ship after all DIY kits. This means that items won’t necessarily be shipped in the order of pledge. We apologize for this - but it will get everyone their synth faster.
c) We still have to update the PCB build docs. It’s not a crazy amount of work but a good bit nonetheless getting everything synced up. This will be completed before anything ships.
d) The build manual for the kits is not completed yet. A good portion of it is done - but there are still some details left. It’s very detailed, there are lots of instructions, pics & renderings. We will not wait for the manual to be 100% complete before shipping kits, as the current state of the manual will get you through all the pcb assemblies, assembly of the casing and other internal components, and initial testing.
2. While kits are being prepared and shipped it gives us more time to refine the software. There are a lot more features than initially planned, and there are still changes and improvements to be made. There are some aspects that have not been prioritized and not fully implemented yet. This includes the routines for the fan controller, MPE support, alternate tuning support, & compatibility for legacy SD cards. We’ve also been flailing around with the display deciding exactly how much we want to use it and what information is best displayed for each function or mode. We don’t want it to be a detriment but to display useful information. Lastly, something I haven’t mentioned through the months but some may be wondering. The original functions or algorithms and CV routines for the classic OB-X behavior have not been touched or ‘improved’ with the new CPU, so the VS-1 is just as raw and rowdy as the original demos. The behavior of the machine is saved with each patch (i.e. different levels of accuracy). I believe it’s been mentioned a few times but the original demos were done all in the OG OB-X mode as it’s the most relevant and the other modes were not complete at the time.
Brian Castro | Abstrakt Instruments
Week 158 Update
Posted by Abstrakt Instruments
Jun 16, 2023
Due to backer request and the fact that things are moving fast we will now be posting weekly updates until further notice. Generally, this will be at the end of each week. If there's a lot to say it will usually be a video update. If there are only a few details to share it will be text.
There's been a lot going on this week as usual.
1. We are preparing the DIY kits to ship. We are still waiting on a few details before this happens:
a) We are waiting on output boards. As mentioned we scrapped some parts towards the beginning of the year and revised it again. It has to be right. There is no risk here. It's just a matter of waiting for them to arrive.
b) We will start contacting backers over the next several weeks to confirm current address. To be able to get pledges out as fast as possible we will first be shipping DIY kits w/o parts kits, followed by DIY kits w/ parts kit. This is due to the fact that some parts bag need to be re-done. It is a crazy amount of busy work to do this so it’ll take some time. Retail versions will ship after all DIY kits. This means that items won’t necessarily be shipped in the order of pledge. We apologize for this - but it will get everyone their synth faster.
c) We still have to update the PCB build docs. It’s not a crazy amount of work but a good bit nonetheless getting everything synced up. This will be completed before anything ships.
d) The build manual for the kits is not completed yet. A good portion of it is done - but there are still some details left. It’s very detailed, there are lots of instructions, pics & renderings. We will not wait for the manual to be 100% complete before shipping kits, as the current state of the manual will get you through all the pcb assemblies, assembly of the casing and other internal components, and initial testing.
2. While kits are being prepared and shipped it gives us more time to refine the software. There are a lot more features than initially planned, and there are still changes and improvements to be made. There are some aspects that have not been prioritized and not fully implemented yet. This includes the routines for the fan controller, MPE support, alternate tuning support, & compatibility for legacy SD cards. We’ve also been flailing around with the display deciding exactly how much we want to use it and what information is best displayed for each function or mode. We don’t want it to be a detriment but to display useful information. Lastly, something I haven’t mentioned through the months but some may be wondering. The original functions or algorithms and CV routines for the classic OB-X behavior have not been touched or ‘improved’ with the new CPU, so the VS-1 is just as raw and rowdy as the original demos. The behavior of the machine is saved with each patch (i.e. different levels of accuracy). I believe it’s been mentioned a few times but the original demos were done all in the OG OB-X mode as it’s the most relevant and the other modes were not complete at the time.
Brian Castro | Abstrakt Instruments
Lauflicht
TR4ever
wellental
||||||||
Lauflicht
TR4ever
swissdoc
back on duty
Es ist wohl Feature Creep meets Perfectionism, mal schauen, was am Ende dabei herauskommt.
swissdoc
back on duty
Project Update #56: VS-1 Polyphonic Analog Synthesizer by Abstrakt Instruments
Week 159 Update
Posted by Abstrakt Instruments
Jun 23, 2023
Another busy week.... we prioritized some lingering tasks including the fan control and OLED implementation. We use a large robust graphics library called LVGL for all display elements and it's a never-ending sea of options to what we can do but we're just trying to simplify the implementation and get it right now so who don't end up changing things forever and ever. We didn't make any progress on documentation or kitting, we still have two weeks before the output boards show up.
I think next week we may do a video showing close up what everything looks like now that the production parts are all here. Most aspects look like the original prototypes (many parts/assemblies have been here for two years), but there are also some changes. All PCB's, PCB Assemblies and any other parts that are prone to the environment have been left in their individually wrapped airtight bags and stored in the temperature-controlled office - so with the foresight there is nothing to worry about there. A crazy thought to put the delays into perspective.. the retail version voice cards have been in the office since 2020... before the Kickstarter was even launched!
We tried to keep everything through-hole as much as possible - just like the prototype. The Voice Mobo, Voice Cards, & Panelboard are all through-hole (except for one pre-installed SMD part on the back of the voice cards). I struggled mightily with the output board through the ten revisions to keep everything through-hole. I made it through nine revisions w/ no SMD while working on it on and off for over 20 months, but finally had to use a couple surface mount components for the final revision to get it right. The surface mount parts for DIY kits are pre-installed - hence why we are still waiting for the output boards for both DIY and fully assembled units. The DAC and IO boards really haven't changed much. They are almost all surface mount and come pre-assembled as noted in the original campaign. The mainboard is almost identical to the original prototype with the exception of most of the LM13700 being changed to surface mount versions. Several months back we made this change due to the fact that Texas Instruments discontinued the last of the through-hole version. The V13700D is also not available from Cool Audio.
Until next week, have a good weekend.
Brian Castro | Abstrakt Instruments
Week 159 Update
Posted by Abstrakt Instruments
Jun 23, 2023
Another busy week.... we prioritized some lingering tasks including the fan control and OLED implementation. We use a large robust graphics library called LVGL for all display elements and it's a never-ending sea of options to what we can do but we're just trying to simplify the implementation and get it right now so who don't end up changing things forever and ever. We didn't make any progress on documentation or kitting, we still have two weeks before the output boards show up.
I think next week we may do a video showing close up what everything looks like now that the production parts are all here. Most aspects look like the original prototypes (many parts/assemblies have been here for two years), but there are also some changes. All PCB's, PCB Assemblies and any other parts that are prone to the environment have been left in their individually wrapped airtight bags and stored in the temperature-controlled office - so with the foresight there is nothing to worry about there. A crazy thought to put the delays into perspective.. the retail version voice cards have been in the office since 2020... before the Kickstarter was even launched!
We tried to keep everything through-hole as much as possible - just like the prototype. The Voice Mobo, Voice Cards, & Panelboard are all through-hole (except for one pre-installed SMD part on the back of the voice cards). I struggled mightily with the output board through the ten revisions to keep everything through-hole. I made it through nine revisions w/ no SMD while working on it on and off for over 20 months, but finally had to use a couple surface mount components for the final revision to get it right. The surface mount parts for DIY kits are pre-installed - hence why we are still waiting for the output boards for both DIY and fully assembled units. The DAC and IO boards really haven't changed much. They are almost all surface mount and come pre-assembled as noted in the original campaign. The mainboard is almost identical to the original prototype with the exception of most of the LM13700 being changed to surface mount versions. Several months back we made this change due to the fact that Texas Instruments discontinued the last of the through-hole version. The V13700D is also not available from Cool Audio.
Until next week, have a good weekend.
Brian Castro | Abstrakt Instruments
swissdoc
back on duty
Project Update #57: VS-1 Polyphonic Analog Synthesizer by Abstrakt Instruments
Week 60 Update
Posted by Abstrakt Instruments
Jul 1, 2023
Checking in with a short update this week. There has been significant progress in updating the parts kits for the production spec output board (boring but essential and good to be done).
More interesting and somewhat of a major milestone is that the schematics & pcb assembly docs will be released to production RevA in the coming week or two. Next week is a short week week so it may be the following week of July 10th that it goes live. It will be available via link from the website for anyone to access.
Brian Castro | Abstrakt Instruments
Week 60 Update
Posted by Abstrakt Instruments
Jul 1, 2023
Checking in with a short update this week. There has been significant progress in updating the parts kits for the production spec output board (boring but essential and good to be done).
More interesting and somewhat of a major milestone is that the schematics & pcb assembly docs will be released to production RevA in the coming week or two. Next week is a short week week so it may be the following week of July 10th that it goes live. It will be available via link from the website for anyone to access.
Brian Castro | Abstrakt Instruments
swissdoc
back on duty
Project Update #58: VS-1 Polyphonic Analog Synthesizer by Abstrakt Instruments
Week '160' Update
Posted by Abstrakt Instruments
Jul 1, 2023
…wishful thinking :) Obviously the two most recent updates are week 159 & 160. We can’t update the titles so we will get back to correct number next week..
Have a good weekend!
Week '160' Update
Posted by Abstrakt Instruments
Jul 1, 2023
…wishful thinking :) Obviously the two most recent updates are week 159 & 160. We can’t update the titles so we will get back to correct number next week..
Have a good weekend!
swissdoc
back on duty
Project Update #59: VS-1 Polyphonic Analog Synthesizer by Abstrakt Instruments
Week 161 Update
Posted by Abstrakt Instruments
Jul 11, 2023
The office ended up being closed all of last week due to family obligations - today was the first day we are open since the previous update. It was a bit difficult to get back in the groove today after the somewhat long break. I will be scrambling to get the schematics ready and published. There will be another update at the end of the week.
Brian Castro | Abstrakt Instruments
Week 161 Update
Posted by Abstrakt Instruments
Jul 11, 2023
The office ended up being closed all of last week due to family obligations - today was the first day we are open since the previous update. It was a bit difficult to get back in the groove today after the somewhat long break. I will be scrambling to get the schematics ready and published. There will be another update at the end of the week.
Brian Castro | Abstrakt Instruments
swissdoc
back on duty
Project Update #60: VS-1 Polyphonic Analog Synthesizer by Abstrakt Instruments
Week 162 Update
Posted by Abstrakt Instruments
Jul 16, 2023
..obviously I missed the target for publishing the schematics - I'm responsible for this task so apologies for it dragging on another week. I missed more work time this past week due to unforeseen circumstances w/ family (nothing serious but things that need to be dealt with asap) . The office will be closed this upcoming Monday and Tuesday as well. I lost a bit of momentum the past two weeks and it's extremely frustrating so I look forward to getting back to the normal schedule.
Brian Castro | Abstrakt Instruments
Week 162 Update
Posted by Abstrakt Instruments
Jul 16, 2023
..obviously I missed the target for publishing the schematics - I'm responsible for this task so apologies for it dragging on another week. I missed more work time this past week due to unforeseen circumstances w/ family (nothing serious but things that need to be dealt with asap) . The office will be closed this upcoming Monday and Tuesday as well. I lost a bit of momentum the past two weeks and it's extremely frustrating so I look forward to getting back to the normal schedule.
Brian Castro | Abstrakt Instruments
swissdoc
back on duty
Project Update #61: VS-1 Polyphonic Analog Synthesizer by Abstrakt Instruments
Week 163 Update
Posted by Abstrakt Instruments
Jul 24, 2023
Some good news this week. First, we are back at 100%. Second, the long-awaited output boards arrived last week. We are one step closer to shipping the DIY kits. We are no longer waiting for any parts or assemblies. Once we block some time to double-check addresses and manage shipping they will go out.
Also, the schematics will be up this week.... for sure. There was (and still is) quite a bit of cleanup and maintenance to do on the files but we will be working long hours to get it done.
Brian Castro | Abstrakt Instruments
Week 163 Update
Posted by Abstrakt Instruments
Jul 24, 2023
Some good news this week. First, we are back at 100%. Second, the long-awaited output boards arrived last week. We are one step closer to shipping the DIY kits. We are no longer waiting for any parts or assemblies. Once we block some time to double-check addresses and manage shipping they will go out.
Also, the schematics will be up this week.... for sure. There was (and still is) quite a bit of cleanup and maintenance to do on the files but we will be working long hours to get it done.
Brian Castro | Abstrakt Instruments
swissdoc
back on duty
Project Update #62: VS-1 Polyphonic Analog Synthesizer by Abstrakt Instruments
Week 164 Update (Important: Schematics & PCB Assembly Info)
Posted by Abstrakt Instruments
Jul 31, 2023
The schematic & pcb assembly tool is live.
VS-1 DIY Page https://abstraktinstruments.com/vs1-diy/
The primary visual tool for assembling the boards is the Altium 365 Viewer. This is a browser-based interactive tool. See details at the link above. The integration is unprecedented - hence why it took hundreds of hours to prepare. You have access to the interactive PCB, Schematic, & Bill of Materials for each board. You have full control over every component, trace, net & layer to aid in assembly and troubleshooting. For full details see the Altium 365 Documentation https://www.altium.com/documentation/altium-365
For those who would rather use the old-school method of hard-copy schematic & BOM files we also include links to traditional PDF & Excel files. Please note the Excel version BOM is not updated yet. It will be updated to v1.0 by August 4.
Lastly, there will be more info regarding PCB assembly and final assembly in the official Build Manual once it goes live. The manual is still in draft form and there is no link available yet.
Brian Castro | Abstrakt Instruments
Week 164 Update (Important: Schematics & PCB Assembly Info)
Posted by Abstrakt Instruments
Jul 31, 2023
The schematic & pcb assembly tool is live.
VS-1 DIY Page https://abstraktinstruments.com/vs1-diy/
The primary visual tool for assembling the boards is the Altium 365 Viewer. This is a browser-based interactive tool. See details at the link above. The integration is unprecedented - hence why it took hundreds of hours to prepare. You have access to the interactive PCB, Schematic, & Bill of Materials for each board. You have full control over every component, trace, net & layer to aid in assembly and troubleshooting. For full details see the Altium 365 Documentation https://www.altium.com/documentation/altium-365
For those who would rather use the old-school method of hard-copy schematic & BOM files we also include links to traditional PDF & Excel files. Please note the Excel version BOM is not updated yet. It will be updated to v1.0 by August 4.
Lastly, there will be more info regarding PCB assembly and final assembly in the official Build Manual once it goes live. The manual is still in draft form and there is no link available yet.
Brian Castro | Abstrakt Instruments
swissdoc
back on duty
Project Update #63: VS-1 Polyphonic Analog Synthesizer by Abstrakt Instruments
Week 165 Update (updated BOM & Contact Info)
Posted by Abstrakt Instruments
Aug 4, 2023
The DIY BOM has been update to v1.0
VS-1 BOM v1.0 https://emails.kickstarter.com/ss/c/CJoLidFP8hllqA3kGZLAHB37R6h3tuLVVyxGw9ad4A8S5r_h2zlcmW51AhONlZWhqoe2NEs1D3ZMt6nPFI2n145sM3aRjkMCM0TOBvzOTmc/3yg/Cs3cG8_mQQOqFlPr5nMlJw/h4/_Ko-6YyWynkcAm0A8gtaL7OamyjWqutzLcfcX3HUZTY
The most significant changes to the BOM are in the output board and mainboard. The output board was revised numerous times and the parts in the final revision are significantly different than the previous BOM. If you have already purchased parts please see the change log for the parts that have been added. The mainboard design has not changed but some parts were changed from through-hole to surface mount. These parts now come pre-assembled and have been deleted from the BOM.
The Excel BOM and the online (cloud-based) BOM are the same. You can use either BOM, but the Excel BOM contains additional links for vendor carts and rare parts - and may be more useful. Please keep in mind that many of the parts are generic parts, including the resistors & capacitors. The parts numbers for these parts in the BOMs are the exact parts we used in our retail assemblies and parts kits, but there are many alternative parts that can be used as long as the part parameters are matched.
You may notice a new vendor Tayda Electronics has been added to the BOM. This is almost exclusively for 1/8W resistors. Both Mouser & Digikey have been changing vendors and/or changing availability of 1/8W resistors, and many part numbers from the previous BOMs have been updated due to lack of stock. 1/8W resistors can make for a cleaner assembly but are not required for any of the boards. 1/4W resistors can be substituted anywhere, but they will need to mounted in standing orientation.
Lastly, I want to give backers a better way to contact me. I am in contact with many of you directly via phone/text or email but it's difficult to manage. I receive hundreds of emails per day and want to find a better way to manage. If you would like to contact me directly please use briancastro2@gmail.com and add [VS1 backer] in the subject line so I can filter your emails.
Brian Castro | Abstrakt Instruments
Week 165 Update (updated BOM & Contact Info)
Posted by Abstrakt Instruments
Aug 4, 2023
The DIY BOM has been update to v1.0
VS-1 BOM v1.0 https://emails.kickstarter.com/ss/c/CJoLidFP8hllqA3kGZLAHB37R6h3tuLVVyxGw9ad4A8S5r_h2zlcmW51AhONlZWhqoe2NEs1D3ZMt6nPFI2n145sM3aRjkMCM0TOBvzOTmc/3yg/Cs3cG8_mQQOqFlPr5nMlJw/h4/_Ko-6YyWynkcAm0A8gtaL7OamyjWqutzLcfcX3HUZTY
The most significant changes to the BOM are in the output board and mainboard. The output board was revised numerous times and the parts in the final revision are significantly different than the previous BOM. If you have already purchased parts please see the change log for the parts that have been added. The mainboard design has not changed but some parts were changed from through-hole to surface mount. These parts now come pre-assembled and have been deleted from the BOM.
The Excel BOM and the online (cloud-based) BOM are the same. You can use either BOM, but the Excel BOM contains additional links for vendor carts and rare parts - and may be more useful. Please keep in mind that many of the parts are generic parts, including the resistors & capacitors. The parts numbers for these parts in the BOMs are the exact parts we used in our retail assemblies and parts kits, but there are many alternative parts that can be used as long as the part parameters are matched.
You may notice a new vendor Tayda Electronics has been added to the BOM. This is almost exclusively for 1/8W resistors. Both Mouser & Digikey have been changing vendors and/or changing availability of 1/8W resistors, and many part numbers from the previous BOMs have been updated due to lack of stock. 1/8W resistors can make for a cleaner assembly but are not required for any of the boards. 1/4W resistors can be substituted anywhere, but they will need to mounted in standing orientation.
Lastly, I want to give backers a better way to contact me. I am in contact with many of you directly via phone/text or email but it's difficult to manage. I receive hundreds of emails per day and want to find a better way to manage. If you would like to contact me directly please use briancastro2@gmail.com and add [VS1 backer] in the subject line so I can filter your emails.
Brian Castro | Abstrakt Instruments
swissdoc
back on duty
Project Update #64: VS-1 Polyphonic Analog Synthesizer by Abstrakt Instruments
Week 166 Update
Posted by Abstrakt Instruments
Aug 15, 2023
Another busy week. We recorded a video of the VS-1 assembly to go along with the Build Manual. It will help a lot w/ assembly and testing. It's much easier to show specific details on a video rather than trying to capture every little nuance in the Build Manual document. The video needs to be edited but it'll be up when DIY kits start shipping.
The I/O Board PCB and schematic files were finally cleaned up and will be added with the other files soon. The board comes completely assembled, so the files aren't needed for assembly but just reference and troubleshooting.
On the software side new MIDI drivers were completed. Since the second prototype from 2020 with the new NXP ARM Cortex-M7 we have been using some "off-the-shelf" drivers that worked fine but weren't ideal.
I will update on shipping targets soon. I don't want to promise any dates I don't think we can meet - but there's not much left to do so I should be able to give you guys a reasonable target.
Lastly, thanks everyone who has contact via my direct email as noted in the last update. Please continue to do so. It has made it infinitely easier for me to reply to your questions.
Brian Castro | Abstrakt Instruments
Week 166 Update
Posted by Abstrakt Instruments
Aug 15, 2023
Another busy week. We recorded a video of the VS-1 assembly to go along with the Build Manual. It will help a lot w/ assembly and testing. It's much easier to show specific details on a video rather than trying to capture every little nuance in the Build Manual document. The video needs to be edited but it'll be up when DIY kits start shipping.
The I/O Board PCB and schematic files were finally cleaned up and will be added with the other files soon. The board comes completely assembled, so the files aren't needed for assembly but just reference and troubleshooting.
On the software side new MIDI drivers were completed. Since the second prototype from 2020 with the new NXP ARM Cortex-M7 we have been using some "off-the-shelf" drivers that worked fine but weren't ideal.
I will update on shipping targets soon. I don't want to promise any dates I don't think we can meet - but there's not much left to do so I should be able to give you guys a reasonable target.
Lastly, thanks everyone who has contact via my direct email as noted in the last update. Please continue to do so. It has made it infinitely easier for me to reply to your questions.
Brian Castro | Abstrakt Instruments
swissdoc
back on duty
Project Update #65: VS-1 Polyphonic Analog Synthesizer by Abstrakt Instruments
Week 167 Update
Posted by Abstrakt Instruments
Aug 22, 2023
...just a quick update this week. There will be a video update in within the next two weeks. I want to go over the entire project w/ a state-of-the-VS-1 update. This will cover timelines with target dates as well as a financial overview and a review on what's been going on regarding how the project is handled from an overall higher level. As far as daily and weekly activities, the past week has been productive but nothing exciting - I know most of you just want a firm update on when we will be finished and pledges start going out.
I am glad to share that the office made it through the tropical storm. If you are a longtime customer you may remember the catastrophic roof failure and flooding we had a few years back. We're still in the same building and we made it without a drop of water inside the building.
Brian Castro | Abstrakt Instruments
Week 167 Update
Posted by Abstrakt Instruments
Aug 22, 2023
...just a quick update this week. There will be a video update in within the next two weeks. I want to go over the entire project w/ a state-of-the-VS-1 update. This will cover timelines with target dates as well as a financial overview and a review on what's been going on regarding how the project is handled from an overall higher level. As far as daily and weekly activities, the past week has been productive but nothing exciting - I know most of you just want a firm update on when we will be finished and pledges start going out.
I am glad to share that the office made it through the tropical storm. If you are a longtime customer you may remember the catastrophic roof failure and flooding we had a few years back. We're still in the same building and we made it without a drop of water inside the building.
Brian Castro | Abstrakt Instruments
swissdoc
back on duty
Project Update #66: VS-1 Polyphonic Analog Synthesizer by Abstrakt Instruments
Week 168 Update
Posted by Abstrakt Instruments
Aug 30, 2023
Next week will be the video update. It may run a little long but hopefully will give everyone a clear picture of what's going on here day to day and from an overall business perspective. To this point I have not stated any specific dates for shipping pledges. As I have mentioned a few times this is very deliberate. I do not want to promise a date I have no idea that we can meet. I hate that it has taken 3 years (!) to get to this point, but we are now finally at a point that I can give a realistic estimate for shipping.
A few updates back I asked everyone to contact me directly at briancastro2@gmail.com as the preferred method of contact. This has worked very well as the gmail system has much better filtering and spam prevention than our server. It is also better to have messages consolidated in one place. Please continue to contact me at that address if possible, and put [VS-1 Backer] in the subject.
As we prepare to ship DIY kits, I wanted to ask if there is any interest from you guys to meet up at our office one of these upcoming weekends to hang out and help with some of the busy work we have here. You don't have to be a VS-1 backer, any Avalon fans or anyone interested in synths would be welcome. I'm very shorthanded these days and there is still so much busy work to do in getting things organized and prepared to go out. If you are local and are interested please reply at the email above. If we can get a decent group of 5 or 6 people or more it could be fun and help us out at the same time.
Brian Castro | Abstrakt Instruments
Week 168 Update
Posted by Abstrakt Instruments
Aug 30, 2023
Next week will be the video update. It may run a little long but hopefully will give everyone a clear picture of what's going on here day to day and from an overall business perspective. To this point I have not stated any specific dates for shipping pledges. As I have mentioned a few times this is very deliberate. I do not want to promise a date I have no idea that we can meet. I hate that it has taken 3 years (!) to get to this point, but we are now finally at a point that I can give a realistic estimate for shipping.
A few updates back I asked everyone to contact me directly at briancastro2@gmail.com as the preferred method of contact. This has worked very well as the gmail system has much better filtering and spam prevention than our server. It is also better to have messages consolidated in one place. Please continue to contact me at that address if possible, and put [VS-1 Backer] in the subject.
As we prepare to ship DIY kits, I wanted to ask if there is any interest from you guys to meet up at our office one of these upcoming weekends to hang out and help with some of the busy work we have here. You don't have to be a VS-1 backer, any Avalon fans or anyone interested in synths would be welcome. I'm very shorthanded these days and there is still so much busy work to do in getting things organized and prepared to go out. If you are local and are interested please reply at the email above. If we can get a decent group of 5 or 6 people or more it could be fun and help us out at the same time.
Brian Castro | Abstrakt Instruments
swissdoc
back on duty
swissdoc
back on duty
Project Update #68: VS-1 Polyphonic Analog Synthesizer by Abstrakt Instruments
Week 170 Update
Posted by Abstrakt Instruments
Sep 15, 2023
Another busy week. Among many tasks, we have continued work on the Build Document so that it is ready to be published when the VS-1's start shipping. We are combining the written document w/ the video guide so that each step has both written description, pictures and video links. Many times video can give many details that are too cumbersome to explain in text. I think this will work very well.
We're likely going to be hiring a few interns to help w/ VS-1 and Avalon assembly. I'm trying to decide the path of least risk. On the one hand, we leaned out as much as possible and didn't want to spend money at this time. On the other hand, there is potentially more risk in spreading out delivery of both products over a longer timeframe. I will update you all when the decision is made.
Lastly, I do read your feedback - including from last week's video update. After uploading and watching the video I realized I was very sensitive about folks questioning the VS-1 legitimacy and viability, and the subsequent integrity concerns of myself and the company in general. Hopefully I was not too sarcastic!
Have a good weekend,
Brain Castro | Abstrakt Instruments
Week 170 Update
Posted by Abstrakt Instruments
Sep 15, 2023
Another busy week. Among many tasks, we have continued work on the Build Document so that it is ready to be published when the VS-1's start shipping. We are combining the written document w/ the video guide so that each step has both written description, pictures and video links. Many times video can give many details that are too cumbersome to explain in text. I think this will work very well.
We're likely going to be hiring a few interns to help w/ VS-1 and Avalon assembly. I'm trying to decide the path of least risk. On the one hand, we leaned out as much as possible and didn't want to spend money at this time. On the other hand, there is potentially more risk in spreading out delivery of both products over a longer timeframe. I will update you all when the decision is made.
Lastly, I do read your feedback - including from last week's video update. After uploading and watching the video I realized I was very sensitive about folks questioning the VS-1 legitimacy and viability, and the subsequent integrity concerns of myself and the company in general. Hopefully I was not too sarcastic!
Have a good weekend,
Brain Castro | Abstrakt Instruments
swissdoc
back on duty
Project Update #69: VS-1 Polyphonic Analog Synthesizer by Abstrakt Instruments
Week 171 Update
Posted by Abstrakt Instruments
Sep 23, 2023
We are still on the schedule outlined in the Week 168 update. A few worthwhile mentions - this week we published the I/O Board files. For those of you with DIY kits, the I/O Board comes completely assembled but we are sharing the file for continuity and to help with testing & troubleshooting. We also completed a lot of work on the Build Manual. If you are curious about the build process you may want to browse the youtube channel, I have been uploading the videos corresponding to some of the build steps. The videos will eventually be placed in a playlist and linked directly from the PDF Build Manual to aid in assembly.
Until next time, have a good weekend.
Brian Castro | Abstrakt Instruments
Week 171 Update
Posted by Abstrakt Instruments
Sep 23, 2023
We are still on the schedule outlined in the Week 168 update. A few worthwhile mentions - this week we published the I/O Board files. For those of you with DIY kits, the I/O Board comes completely assembled but we are sharing the file for continuity and to help with testing & troubleshooting. We also completed a lot of work on the Build Manual. If you are curious about the build process you may want to browse the youtube channel, I have been uploading the videos corresponding to some of the build steps. The videos will eventually be placed in a playlist and linked directly from the PDF Build Manual to aid in assembly.
Until next time, have a good weekend.
Brian Castro | Abstrakt Instruments
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