I built an XT a while back and I really love it. Planning to do an Ambika some day; I even have a case and OLED for it already. There was an interesting filter mod somebody was testing that I was going to wait out before I had PCB’s made and ordered parts. I never got back to it.
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The sound is very digital but it’s great for tweaking and fun, also pots rather than encoders which I prefer. I also tend to use the iPad to sequence a couple of voices for bass lines and stuff. It’s a cool machine. I’ve never owned a Rytm but have played with one. I prefer the raw sound of the LXR if I’m honest.
LXR looks to share a lot of dna with the Machinedrum if I’m not mistaken.
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Never played with a machinedrum so couldn’t really say.
Yeah! I’m also a big fan of the Ambika (and Shruthi - I’ve had 3ish - a normal one (polyvoks filter), an XT (4pm filter) and the shrolca (moog style filter)… ummm… got an Anushri too) and got mines from another Elektronaut and can’t help but feel I got the best deal out of it. It’s got the YAM firmware and SMR4 filters - different filter type was part of the flimsy justification for it…
The only thing I’m not so keen on is that mine has one of the glossy black cases where the labels are too legible and it’s a magnet for finger prints… Would love to replace it with a metal case but it seems just a bit too spendy. I occasionally take a notion to try and track down one of those frosted matte acrylic ones and some posh nobs…
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You definitely sound like a fan! That’s awesome you’ve got a chance to play with the different voice filters. Which filter would you say you like the most and why? Do you use the Ambika and Shruthi in a lot of your tunes?
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Ha! I’m either a fan or just a bit obsessive! Overall, I’d say the best filter is the 4PM Oberheim style one as it is so flexible (and sounds great as they all do) whether it’s for the Ambika or a Shruthi. However, I do think the Roland-style SMR4 filters that I have in my Ambika work really well in a polysynth - they get into Juno-ish territory so if you stick to the more traditional oscillator shapes/modes it’s more a vintage vibe.
The first Shruthi I had was one of the Red Alert versions that were sold direct by Mutable before they got into eurorack and it’s the one synth I really regret selling - I’d gotten into Eurorack with the EricaSynth PICO VCF that is based on the Polivoks and thought I didn’t really need the Shruthi anymore… but I really miss it for the really growly and aggressive nature of that filter -that works really well with some of the more experimental oscillator modes like when you’re XORing the waves together.
As for using them in tunes, I tend to use a limited set of 2 or 3 pieces of gear for every project I do… so I’ve an old instrumental hiphop(ish) from years ago that had the Red Alert Shruthi on it that I’ve never got around to mastering to upload on my bandcamp. Currently using the Shrolca on an EP I’m working on. Not gottent around to using the Ambika on a release yet… though I’m thinking of using it with my MachineDrum on the next one especially if I take the plunge and get Launchpad Pro Mk.3 for sequencing them.
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I just picked up an Ambika with all SMR4 filters running YAM OS. It does have a nice, vintage tone to it. I’m loving doing Juno style pads with it so far! The CSAW wavetable (based on the cs80) is nice. I believe it works wonders as a poly synth, though I’m considering running 5 voice poly for pads / chords and 1 voice mono for lead / bass. Very flexible unit and seems to play nicely with my Digitone.
Thinking about picking up a multi effect unit for it, maybe a Zoom MS-70cdr as they seem to be good bang for buck.
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Ambika and Shruthi are the only non-Elektron synths I still have (other than my modular ofc). Although they are excellent targets for the OT arp I tend to enjoy using them most when I’m in the mood to ‘play’, rather than sequence. The ease of setting up splits/layers on Ambika is very good for this, as well as the extensive modulation possibilities.
the sonic character of Shruthi/Ambika is often very distinct - when I’ve used them in productions it has usually been as samples that receive heavy processing, rather than using them ‘live’ - for my tastes the MI sonic aesthetic has always been on the ‘polite’ and ‘restrained’ side of things
I was in a big DIY phase when Ambika was released and I built three (eventually sold 2 of them) - a 6xSMR4, a 6x4P, and a 6xSVF - I kept the SVF (somewhat neutral character) because of the flexibility and I love bandpassed pads. I liked the SMR4 a lot (very warm), but 4P Ambika was a bit too ‘smooth’ for me (although I regret parting with my 4PM Shruthi)
have not tried the YAM firmware
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Thanks everybody for chiming in! @defenestration I love the “polite and restrained” sound of the Ambika. It sounds like this synth, as well as the Shruthi, are well respected gear among this community. I’m loving mine so far, it sounds better than I expected. No regrets on this impulse buy. Menus aren’t too confusing, though naming patches takes some time. Here’s a little video I did, running the Ambika through my Quadraverb. Audio is a little low, apologies.
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whats different about them?
SMR4X is a mutation of the original Ambika SMR-4 voice card with an additional mash up of various other design modifications:
- Added programmable 4P/2P filter slope selection (ported from SMR-4-Pi but with added decoupling capacitors for the 4052 and excluding the 1P/3P slopes)
- Added programmable full bandwidth resonance compensation by optional bypass of capacitor in feedback (inspired by Shruthi-1 Sound Designer Edition). NOTE: FOR SOME REASON THIS DOESN’T APPEAR TO MAKE ANY SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE, SEE https://forum.mutable-instruments.net/t/another-modified-ambika-smr-4-voice-card/
- Added 50k trimpot and modified related resistor value (from 150k to 120k) to allow for filter tuning (ported from SMR4-Plus)
Bjarne on the mutable instruments forum added the modifications and I just went over the design to make sure there weren’t any errors (he did fine). I then sent them to PCBway to be manufactured. He’s already been testing them for a while.
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I hope one day some one designs a STM32 version of the Ambika
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So we can have an XT version? 
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or Imagine, an Ambika with a Plaits oscillator!
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To my understanding Ambika and Struthi predate Plaits and would have most of the code for the said oscillators in them. (I have no experience with Plaits so take that with a grain of salt) https://mutable-instruments.net/archive/shruthi/manual/
Hmm, looks like Plaits was a step up from braids and is said to be completely recoded. A few extra synthesis methods as well.
Modal resonator bank and a few others. (Stuff I don’t understand at the moment.)
I have built a Shruthi and an Ambika. I’ve also owned Braids and currently own Plaits. I’ve even loaded up the Plaits code as a User Oscillator on to my Korg Prologue. And while nice, I feel like a lot of the magic of the Mutable Instruments modules is how they are laid out. I’d love to see something like the Analog 4 with the Plaits code/ interface
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Èmiliee posted this a few days back.
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