Portland electronic music producer Alexander Gaddis, known as RedtailWorks, has shared concept designs for OPEN-1, an open, entry-level synthesizer designed to run multiple firmware options that users could swap on the fly, according to Synthtopia.
The concept hardware would use a 480 MHz Cortex-M7 processor, 32 MB of working memory and 16 MB of firmware flash plus microSD storage, allowing several firmwares to remain installed and be switched from a menu, Synthtopia reports. Launch firmware would be ported from existing options for the M-Vave FM-1 family, including HYP-1, LOF-1, ECO-1 and GRAV-1.
Reported preliminary specifications include 24-bit stereo audio in and out, MIDI in and out via 3.5 mm TRS, USB-C device and host ports, 37 RGB-lit silicone keys, eight velocity pads, eight endless encoders, a thumbstick, two spring levers, a 4-inch IPS screen, built-in speaker and a 3000 mAh battery. The target price is under $200.
The platform would include an open SDK and a browser emulator so developers could build firmware before hardware ships. Synthtopia notes that OPEN-1 is currently only a design concept and is not yet a shipping product available to dealers or retailers.
For more information, visit synthtopia.com.
