Ruins: Mystic Circuits Quad Video Oscillator SB2023

[Kent]

I was trading emails with Eli (Mr. Mystic) regarding the IDUM and then we transitioned into discussing 'the soon to be announced at SuperBooth 2023' "Ruins" Quad Video Oscillator. He said that I could share the info here.

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"We have had this video module in the works for quite a few years now. The parts shortage during the pandemic delayed things as well as various bits of the video standard changing in the Eurorack landscape causing us to need to make a few design changes. Now that parts are starting to show up again we are hoping to make this module happen by the end of the summer.

The module is called "Ruins" and it is a quad video oscillator based around discrete transistor and CMOS based circuits. It's designed to be lofi and affordable so it is definitely not as clean and perfect as most of the LZX modules that are comparable but it has quite a bit of character. Each oscillator has a 4 inputs and 2 outputs, a direct inject input that breaks the feedback loop and allows external signals to be filtered by the channel, an FM input with a terrible transistor-based attenuverter, a "Flip" input which drives an XOR gate in the feedback loop of the oscillator, and a sync input. The two outputs are the "soft" triangle-ish output and the "hard" square-ish output. The module takes RCA sync in the back like most of the new LZX modules and it seems to work fine at the higher resolution sync speeds. This is nice because each oscillator can switch between vertical lines, horizontal lines and a slower unsynced LFO speed without repatching the sync input.

Again, this module is not designed to be clean or predictable: waveshapes change depending on the speed, slow transitions between low and high are noisey, oscillators that are not patched together still cause visual distortion in the other oscillators, the FM input also clips the video output at certain settings. However this module is capable of making some compelling grit that is difficult to achieve with LZX gear while still working competently to provide some extra utility oscillators in spots where maybe you don't want to waste a prismatic ray on boring horizontal lines or slopes.

I'm shooting to have this module out by the end of the summer and would like it to cost around $500. I am debating doing a pre-order when I have a batch of actual, working production prototypes in hand and know that I can push the "go" button on a full production run without any other delays. This is mostly because this would be my first video module and I honestly have no idea what the demand will be like and also with the more expensive video components I imagine that production is going to be much more expensive than what I am used to now. Honestly working on this module was much harder than I expected even though I expected it to be quite difficult and it has discouraged me from continuing to work on video but if it does well I could be convinced to make some other video modules afterwards."

[joem]

Nice! I have a vague recollection of hearing about it a while ago. Glad to see it's finally going to be released.

[jacobroufa]

That's sweet! Looks as the Mainbow function generators but soooo much cleaner. Count me as interested in one, given your time frame!

[Wavtekt]

Wow ... Eli @ mystic circuits always come up sth that looks interesting and fascinating.

[Marizu]

Ruins is definitely a banger!
I got to spend some time with it at Superbooth.
I was able to create images like these by only using the Visual Cortex and Ruins.
That's only two modules. No other manipulation. These forms basically came from feeding a triangle ramp into Ruins (I'm assuming as an FM source).
Ruins is a really powerful module. It feels like more than the sum of its parts.

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[scuto]

Oh man, you're not helping (my wallet)!

I'm very curious about the various inputs, especially the one that undoes oscillator feedback (sic?), since I don't quite understand what that means, visually or otherwise.

[HeWhoWantsJeans]

I'm very excited for RUINS. Eli showed a prototype to us long ago at Knobcon and to see it finally coming into the world is a wonderful thing.