Plan B Newz
2007-01-01 by (i think you can figure that out)
All - Now that a new year is upon us, I felt it was as good a time as any to give you an update on things. First things first...Namm: We will be showing an all-Plan B system at the Namm show this year which will be fitted into one of Sean Price's super-hip Space Cases. There will be a little of everything in this system, including FIVE NEW MODULES (the Model 16 Spectral Processor, the long-awaited MILTON VENTI and three others which you don't (and won't!) know about until the show begins. My only hesitation on mentioning all this is the Model 16. The PCBs are currently on order. If they arrive in time for a fully functional unit to be assembled, then it will be on display at Namm. If not, the unit which will be presented will only have four of the 12 filters active. As limiting as they may sound, it will still make for one hell of a demo as even with but a third of it's matrix, the Spectral Processor justifies it's existence. Again, we're hoping to have the boards in time for visitors to experience the full effect. If that doesn't happen however, it's not worth stressing over and the show must go on ... and we've got a back up plan. Milton news Had to make some hard decisions recently regarding the functionality of the Milton. Our limiting factor was not our imagination or technical dexterity, but more space in which to utilize all that. The basic problem being that even at 84 HP wide, everything we had originally planned to cram into this unit was not fitting. To that end, we have removed the vertical sequencing from the base unit, using the space previously taken by the vertical pulse outs to fan the bank pots a bit further from one another. That alone was a paramount change as the previous spacing introduced serious ergonomic challenges. Further, the real estate previously used for the vertical clock in and vertical sequencing out jacks has been replaced by an internal clock and VC clock freq input. With this new configuration, one will be able to drive their Milton on it's own. The external clock input will remain and using that input will disconnect the unit's internal clock. Further cuts (or better put, postponements - see below) are the skip step buttons. They are also being removed from the base unit. Fear not, there's something in the works - an add on module - which brings skip step, vertical sequencing and some other new features into play, including full midi control. Basically put, we are not willing to sacrifice Milton's functionality due to 19 inch wide real estate limitations - we just have to design another interface to house those controls. What's coming in 2007 I think it's been obvious over the last few months by our product development cycle that we're moving in the direction of a self-contained Plan B system. While this will be become more apparent once the new modules slated for the Namm Show are formally announced, I am willing to say that by the end of the year this will be a reality - Plan B will have a the necessary component selection to construct a modular system which will ellipse the functionality of the Synth, Steiner Synthasystem and ARP 2600. It promises to be be a big year in many ways. Along those lines....we're moving Finally, I wanted to let you guys in on some other news that has had the folks around the 10870 Camarillo St. address pretty damn excited (no one more than me, let me tell you). Over the past few months we have been scouting industrial space to take Plan B ops out of the cottage and into it's very own manufacturing facility. I see this going down sometime in the next couple of months. We will remain in the Los Angeles area for now....just no longer in my living room! More info on that as it's available. - P ______________ Peter Grenader e: peter@ear-group.net p: 866-755-4468 (818 761-9906) w: http://www.ear-group.net