SSL Soleil

SSL Soleil Lo-Fi MIDI String Synth Pod

Inspired by the early vintage string synths of the ‘70s such as the Elka Rhapsody and ARP Solina, the Soleil POD is a tiny low-cost Lo-Fi MIDI String Synth table-top box.

Capable of playing 4 paraphonic notes with 2 oscillator ranks per note.  Waveforms are continuously variable from thick sawtooth thru variable pulse widths for more reedy sounds.  The second rank is detunable for lush pads and honky-tonk riffs.

The Soleil contains built-in modulation / vibrato LFO, the depth of which can be controlled by MIDI.  Attack and release envelope times are individually adjustable and share a single VCA making this a “paraphonic” instrument.  A gate output jack allows convenient triggering of external effects and synth equipment, and its state is displayed by an LED.

MIDI is input via a 3.5mm TRS Type “A” jack, and responds to keyboard running status as well as pitch bend and modulation.  An LED MIDI displays MIDI activity.

MIDI channel defaults to channel 1 but can be easily reset to other channels using a unique sequence from your controller keyboard at power-up, which is retained in non-volatile memory.

A fine tune control allows accurate tuning to other instruments, and an output volume control is provided.  MIDI, Gate Out and Audio Out are standard 3.5mm (1/8”) jacks.

Its also available as an easy DIY (Do It Yourself) Kit. The kit comes with the SMT parts pre-soldered to the PCB. It also includes the enclosure, the programmed IC, the thru-hole parts that need to be soldered, the panel and the TRS-MIDI cable. We have also included the recommended 500ma 12V Wall Wart Adapter in the kit!

Specs

Controls 

Fine Tune - (Approx. +/- 1 semitone)
Detune - (Approx. +1 semitone)
Wave - (Sawtooth thru variable Pulse Width)
Modulation Rate
Attack Rate
Decay Rate
Volume

Inputs 

3.5mm MIDI TRS Type “A” Standard wiring
2.1mm Co-axial 2.1mm Power - Center Positive - NOT included

Outputs 

Audio Out - ~2V peak-to-peak
Gate Out – 0 to +5V

Indicator LEDs 

MIDI Activity (Orange)
Gate Active (Orange)

MIDI Implementation 

Note On, Note Off, Running Status
Mod Wheel: 176 (B0 hex)
Pitch Bend: 224 (E0 hex)

Power 

2.1mm Coaxial, +8 to +18V DC Center positive, reverse polarity protected
(User supplied adapter)

Size 

4.5” W x 2.4” H x 1.25” D (not including pot shafts)