Superbooth 23: Superlative Monolab, a new semi-modular analog Synthesizer that will be part of a new series of analog synths
Another news from the Superbooth 23 floors. Superlative, the developers of the Space Bees (Roland SH-101 replica). For everyone wondering where the Space Bees is, which was introduced three years ago and later funded via Kickstarter. The development is complete, and production has started. According to the developer, the devices will be delivered to the supporters this year.
Back to the news: The Superlative Monolab System 1000 is a new straightforward semi-modular analog Synthesizer that is the beginning of a semi-modular synth series.
Superlative Monolab System 1000
Monolab System 1000 is a new semi-modular analog Synthesizer with an original design, says the developer. For me it has a lot of the charm of classic Roland modular synths. Everything is hands-on and no menus. It has a single multi-wave oscillator with PWM.
Then, you get a filter section with cutoff and resonance control. It lets you also bring in noise and a sub-oscillator which is then normalled to the VCA.
There is a single LFO with delay control, an envelope with some extras like gate and loop options, and noise + sample& hold. Cool is that you can power the synth with a simple USB-C cable and your power bank. Plus, any upcoming Space Bees users can also power it within the unit.
The full details about the Monolab System 1000 will arrive in June. Availability and price are TBA
More information here: Superlative
Looks rather inspired on Roland’s System 100M
Stop deleting comments and covering for this conman whom has yet to deliver on nearly $200K he received via Kickstarter, and still 4 years later he promises another summer season in need prior to delivery!
I don’t delete comments. Comments need to be unlocked. The thing is ready and production is running. So people get the unit in 2023!
What evidence have you that the SpaceBee ‘is ready and production is running’? The word of Ben Stamas who has had over 3 years to deliver the SB1 and has not done so? Have you seen the mass assembly in progress or are you actually just helping him continue what looks like a Ponzi scheme? You really should check the integrity of your sources instead of giving free publicity to probable fraudsters. So now he’s hoping to start another KS Campaign to fund production on more vapourware and has taken a nice holiday in Berlin -all on the original backers investment! You should not be complicit in this Company’s PR, because there are a lot of people who have lost a lot of money to fund this guy’s vanity project and ego.
I’m at Superbooth, He displays 2-3 units there and they are working and they look excellent. And better from what we saw at Superbooth 23.
He said to me that he will ship this year. There are other reasons that caused these delays. But these are personal things that I don’t want to write about. I’m not “The Sun”
so basically the same speech he had for the past 3 or 4 years. ok…
Synth Anatomy:
What’s written above is a legitimate concern. If you’re aware of other reasons why this developer is taking years and still not able to fulfill its promises then it would be responsible for you to mention these issues as part of the spotlight on the product.
Of course you’re not The Sun, however, you are admitting you knew about the issues with this particular developer. Not saying anything about it — without taking anything away from the technological merit of this specific unit — is not correct either.
We do read your articles and they do play a role and do have an influence in purchase making decisions.
Regardless of the circumstances — not mentioning the info about the serious issues with purchase fulfillment by this developer is misleading. Especially to new buyers — unaware of this mess — thinking to purchase or support this unit.
Just my 2 cents….
We talk here about gear and not about people and their possible health or mental problems that maybe delayed the development or productes. Or even chip sortages. . It’s none of my business and no one else’s. Everyone has a right to a prive life. Backing someone on Kickstarter doesn’t mean you’re underwriting a sale contract, it’s a development you are supporting. Like an investment where you “could” get something out. You have to be aware that this can take a long time. I recently spent 1k on the Anyma Omega Synthesizer without knowing for sure when it’s coming. Same situation. That what I can say is what he said to me on Superbooth in person: it goes into production and ships this year. That’s all. And announcing a new product while the other is not out, is not ideal. He wrote a pretty good update in April about it in the Kickstarter “update” page.
Seven months have gone by and even the most optimistic backers of the SB 01 have realised it’s now never going to appear. There have been no updates since July and the creator has disengaged from any dialogue. If Ben Stamas has the gall to actually launch the Monolab it would be rubbing a lot of salt in the wounds of people who have lost so much money through his incompetence and dishonesty. There was patently nothing ‘running and production ready’ back in May nor is there now.
No excuses nor misguided sympathy can change the facts: Superlative have ripped people off for $178K.
It’s something people often forget with Kickstarters. You support the development, the project, the developer etc. As an exchange you get a product when it’s ready. The Osmose took over 3 years and was delivered then. I wait now a 1+ for the Aodyo Anyma Omega. With the big different: Ben is alone doing all this, while Expressive E is a brand with a dev team, marketing, etc. They have manpower while Ben is a solo company. I don’t have any details but I have still the good feeling that he will deliver it.
If you are reporting on the Kickstarters (and by proxy giving them free publicity) then in good conscience you should also publish a ‘Kickstarter Disclaimer’ that outlines the risks involved in these sorts of things so people can at least make an informed choice. Not following up on the ones who don’t fulfill the promises of their KS campaign (for *whatever reason*) also does a disservice to the synth community. As a content publisher you have a responsibility that goes beyond ‘getting the clicks’ that drives traffic to your website.
At this point it’s pretty clear that Ben Stamas was being untruthful about the SB-01 being ‘in production’ back in May of 2023 and is now making a new round of promises to deliver sometime in 2024. But first he’s redesigned parts of it again and still working out the tooling for injection moulding. So, he was never ready.
I’m not sure there’s enough ‘good feelings’ out there to counteract the five years he’s either been out of his depth (and wont admit it) or he’s just outright a scammer and a liar.