What’s shaped like a disc, got sixteen knobs, thirty banana plugs, a bunch of wires and makes all sort of strange noises? The answer: this funky portable synthesizer called the Chimera.
The Chimera bC16 is a miniature patch synthesizer that can crank out a cacophony of analog beeps, blips and bleets. Each of the sixteen rainbow-colored knobs controls a key sound function and up to thirty hand-placed wires interconnect the various synthesizer sections to complete the circuit.
The portable bC16 synth offers up a broad range of sound generators including VCO, LFO, ADSR envelope generator, VCA, VCF, noise source & ring modulator circuits. It’s even got a built-in headphone amp so you can get your electronic groove on without any extra gear. It’s all packed into a case that’s roughly the diameter of a compact disc.
The $229 synthesizer can operate on a pair of 9-volt batteries or using an optional AC adapter. Chimera is taking pre-orders now and expects to start shipping the bC16 in January 2008.
[via Music Thing]