Arcadia Electronics PLL Organ, a new portable DIY Synthesizer/organ with built-in filter & delay that pays tribute to the 60s Italian organs
Anyone can order a Synthesizer online or buy it in a local shop. Yes easy peasy. It looks a little different when you deal with DIY projects. Here you need utensils, often extra material, but also patience, a stead hand, and soldering experience.
I have two left hands myself and so it is difficult for me to get to certain exciting synths that are only available as DIY kits. I only say the brilliant modules from ST Modular. Yes, it’s a shame. The same applies to the new synth from Arcadia Electronics which you can solder yourself
Arcadia Electronics PLL Organ
The PLL Organ is a DIY Synthesizer and organ in one portable device. The developers describe it as a tribute to the legendary 60’s Italian organs including the Farfisa and Gem Jumbo. Like in the originals, the PLL Organ features a sound generator section that consists of 6 parallel octaves following the divide-down architecture. The six octaves can be mixed in using the sliders on the top left or with the resistive touch pad.
Then, you have functions in the middle of the interface that are very reminiscent of a synth. You get detune, filter cutoff & resonance, LFO wave shape, depth & rate as well as a delay section. The latter has controls, feedback and rate controls. In total there are 9 knobs with which you can further deform the classic organ sound. Thus the organ becomes a Synthesizer voice.
There are also toggles switches for the glide (on/off) +attack (on/off), assignable LFO (vibrato/tremolo) and for engaging the resistive touch pad.
The PLL Organ has a built in 24-keys keyboard as well as a headphone and line outputs on the back.
An interesting little Synthesizer/organ for your next soldering weekend. The first demos sound very good.
Arcadia Electronics PLL Organ is available now for pre-order for an introductory price of $56 USD (regular price). The kit includes the PCB, MCU chip for the LFO, LED LDR OptoCoupler x2, Crystal Oscillator for the MCU…
More information here: Arcadia Electronics
No Midi In. It’s a shame.
So.. its called DIY, so add a midi in (then please tell me how to because i haven’t a clue)