Qu-Bit Electronix is a Eurorack modular synthesizer company based out of New York and California. They build synthesizers that are computers hiding in plain sight, able to do things analogue machines could never accomplish while providing a playable user interface. Instead of trying to replicate or replace older, beloved synthesizers and effects, Qu-Bit aims to bring new sounds to the physical realm by making things like granular synthesis and surround sound panning more accessible and intuitive by putting the power of digital signal processing behind a fun and instinctive instrument. Qu-Bit Electronix started in Boston, in the basement synth labs of Berklee. Co-founders Andrew Ikenberry and Jason Lim spent many nights circuit bending and building modules for themselves, but decided to form a company when they realized they’d created instruments that did things no other instruments could do. They had created the means to a whole new universe of sound; now they want to share it with the world. Qu-Bit loves open source, and posts all their schematics and source code online free of charge.
For more, visit www.QuBitElectronix.com.
REVIEW — Nebulae ($429)
Nebulae is a Eurorack audio file player and granular oscillator, adding playback, pitch shifting, time stretching, and a host of other effects to any Eurorack setup. The synth uses audio files loaded via flash drives to create granular clouds, microtonal drones, loops, and world expanding sounds. You can play files forwards or backwards (or both) as either loops or one-shots, giving users control over speed, pitch, length, grain length, grain size, grain rate, wet/dry mix, and glide. It can also ‘freeze’ a track, stopping at any point and holding the sound. It accepts eight gate inputs and MIDI and can function as a MIDI sampler or drum machine while in one-shot mode. It can save and recall presets, requires no file-naming conventions, and comes with a flash drive loaded with a copyright free sample library.