Dedicated 5U Arpeggiator modules?

[PrimateSynthesis]

If you have 13 years of opportunity and fail to exploit it, then whine about it, sure I'll call you a sucker.

Except neither of those premises are true.

My only point regarding the 650, which you don't seem to grasp, is discontinuing utility modules that already were in production doesn't look good as far as the viability of the format.

So I said please be patient. This is because we've been promised that the new modules will appear in the 5U format. If you can wait just a little longer, you should see that happen.

Not that I asked your advice, but there were dozens of modules, that were "promised" over a decade ago, that never happened. So I gave up putting stock in vaporware a long time ago...

[nerdware]

I'm gonna say this as a devil's advocate...

Are you calling those who would be interested in such a product, but didn't even know about it, or were new to modular synthesis after the announcement suckers as well?

No.

I can say that I sure didn't spend any in other Yahoo groups when I was doing the initial research on a modular synth - if the info wasn't on the manufacturer's website (and the website states no indication of a yahoo support group (that I could find in a quick sweep), nor does it even say that the 650 is discontinued (it just says $499 Assembled and Tested)), I didn't pay much attention to such. It's not in the store, but I doubt many people when doing research will check the actual store since the information is right there on the main page for the module.

The Synthtech website is out of date and incomplete. E.g. the news page was last modified two years ago. That at least should've been updated! I don't like it either, but see my earlier comments about available time.

[nerdware]

My only point regarding the 650, which you don't seem to grasp, is discontinuing utility modules that already were in production doesn't look good as far as the viability of the format.

Ok, it looks like I need to explain a little about how this business works. I'm not the best person to do this, having never run a business myself, but I've learned a few things over the years by watching and listening to those who do. That includes a few people in the modular synth business.

I'll remind you that the 650 was a low sales rate module. There was no factory line churning them out in large numbers. The Synthtech modules are mostly hand-built, as the digital modules are board-stuffed by machine because they use SMT. It's done in batches to reduce cost, and that makes it expensive.

The panels are other parts specific to a module must still be sourced, and that's done in batches. When the current batch runs out, a new one must be ordered, and that costs significant money too.

Again I'll remind you that this is a low sales rate module. Low sales rate, high cost...rough times...rising costs in general...So this is one of those brutal business decisions. Get it wrong and you can go out of business. Would you rather lose one module than the whole company?

Never mind, it's not your choice to make. Nor is it mine. Our choice, as customers, is simply whether to buy a module on offer, or not. When that offer ends, as all offers will someday, we have to deal with it. We can trust that it wasn't done lightly or at random. This business is too small and precarious to mess about like that.

Anyway, I've said all that I wanted to on this subject hours ago. It was just a rant. It wasn't directed at you or any individual. You simply set me off with some small, but uncalled for criticisms of a very small company that is struggling - like so many are, these days - to satisfy customers.

So if you have any more questions/criticisms/etc then I suggest directing them to someone else. I don't work for Synthtech, so I don't have to say anything (more) on this subject.