I’ve discovered the Shruthi-1 synthesizer project by reading a thread on the Anafrog forum. I’ve then checked the audio samples on Mutable Instruments and I was so impressed by the quality and personality of this little synthesizer that I’ve decided to take the plunge. But there was a unknown part on this decision : this synthesizer is only available as a SDIY (Solder Do It Yourself) kit … and I’ve never built such an electronic kit before !
But here is what I’ve built during three long evening …
The Shruthi-1 is a hybrid digital/analog monosynth. Its hardware design is deceptively simple, but the sonic range is wide: sometimes grungily digital like a PPG-Wave, fat and funky like a SH-101, videogame-y like a Commodore 64, weird and warm like an ESQ-1 ; but more often than not, truly original.
Contrary to the hardware you can purchase at the music shop next door, a Shruthi-1 isn’t designed to be industrially manufactured. Indeed, its assembly doesn’t require any specialized equipment, besides a screwdriver, cutters, a soldering iron and two hands.
Full informations about Mutable Instruments and the Shruthi-1 here.
Many thanks to Olivier Gillet for his amazing work on the Mutable Instruments projects !
Please check below all my building process!
Organisation
Selecting and organizing all the parts (resistors, capacitors, diodes, LEDs, connectors, sockets, ICs, …).
Shruthi-1 digital/control board
Soldering the first resistors and capacitors
The digital/control board has components on both side of the PCB
LEDs on the digital/control board
The LCD screen will be soldered on the top of the board
First test without the LCD screen : everything was still fine 
The ATMega644p : the brain of the Shruthi-1 synth
Connector soldered to the LCD
Soldering the LCD PCB to the digital/control board
Front view of the digital/control board
Shruthi-1 SMR-4 filter board
Working on the SMR-4 filter board
Checking the power supply circuit with a multimeter
Step after step, the PCBs are getting filled
Audio and inter-boards connectors
Flying over the Shruthi-1
Nice work for a beginner !
Connecting the two boards
The 2 boards of the Shruthi-1 are connected first with wires
A second Shruthi-1 is born ! Welcome !
Tuning the filter’s boards
My musical studio mess in Reykjavík
Tuning is now finished …
Assembling the two boards
Screwing spacers
Still lacking some proper enclosures
Shruthi-1 by hpsounds
More pictures here.
How much did the entire project parts and supplies run?
All the prices are available on Mutable Instruments website. Then, you have to add the price of a solder iron, a good small cutter plier and some solder tint. Then solder !
Hédi K.
Hi, I have assembled a shruti me too. I have few moduls of eurorack too. Do you think you’ll use shruthi with eurorack? And if yes only for audio filters or for something else?
Sorry if the question is silly.
Marco italy