Ksoloti - Core v0.7

Axoloti may have disappeared from production, but the idea lives on. The Ksoloti Core v0.7 picks up where the original left off: same concept, renewed hardware, and a few small upgrades. It’s a digital sound environment wrapped in a small PCB — one that can act as a modular synthesizer, polysynth, sequencer, sampler, multi-effect, MIDI processor, or whatever hybrid instrument you decide to patch together.

If you ever dabbled with the Nord Modular G1 software (or any visual programming language for that matter, Reaktor, Max, etc...), the patcher interface will feel oddly familiar. It’s a node-based environment where you drop in oscillators, filters, sequencers, logic objects, and connect them graphically. You can build something as simple as a two-oscillator subtractive patch or as strange as a MIDI-controlled granular looper. The community around Axoloti left behind a large patch library, so you don’t need to start from zero — you can learn by tweaking existing designs, then dive deeper into object creation once you’re ready.

Once a patch is built, it runs directly on the Ksoloti Core without your computer. You can store multiple patches on an SD card and make the board behave like a self-contained instrument. Things get especially interesting when you wire up your own controls: pots, buttons, LEDs, displays, or even sensors can be connected to turn it into a playable piece of hardware, tailored to your needs.

Version 0.7 brings a small but useful hardware change: proper MIDI in/out circuitry is now built into the board. That means you only need to solder on your preferred connectors (DIN or TRS), and you’re set. For builders and DIY-leaning musicians, this is a nice upgrade — less hassle, more music!

All SMD parts (Surface-Mount Devices) come pre-soldered, so you don’t need advanced soldering skills to get going. What you get is a blank canvas for sound and interaction design. A small board that can become a polysynth, an effect, a sequencer, or something unclassifiable, defined by your own imagination. Call it a gateway drug into the world of DIY digital instruments.

For tutorials, patch ideas, and deeper insight, the official Ksoloti page is worth a visit — it’s a rich source of inspiration for what this board can turn into!

Features

• Rework of the discontinued Axoloti Core board, v0.7 hardware revision
• Runs the open-source Ksoloti environment for digital sound generation and processing
• Graphical, node-based patcher interface
• Can function as modular synth, polysynth, sequencer, sampler, looper, multi-effect, MIDI processor, CV/trigger generator, and more (up to your imagination!)
• Patches run standalone once uploaded, with SD card storage for patch collections
• Connect pots, buttons, LEDs, displays, and sensors for hands-on control
• Built-in MIDI in/out circuitry (DIN or TRS jacks to be soldered by user) [v.07]
• SMD parts pre-soldered on PCB
• Aims for maximum compatibility with the original Axoloti, with some layout changes and added features.