I figured this one deserved its own thread rather than being buried in the modular thread as it can be bought with the skiff and is pretty much a standalone groovebox…a very powerful one at that!
ARK is a compositional system where algorithms, chance, and signal share the same space.
16-track deterministic, stochastic & Euclidean sequencer
Per-track architecture with sound engines, samplers, and CV/Gate generators
16 internal modulation sources
Harmony tools based on chord progressions and scales
MIDI generation, recording, and parameter control
Internal mixer with FX and master dynamics
8 CV/audio outputs and 8 gate outputs with flexible routing
Detachable form factor for physical flexibility
ARK Controller
Where you add and edit musical events, providing access to a wide range of step- and track-related actions, including slides, rolls, divisions, muting and unmuting tracks, etc. The twenty button caps are changable.
ARK Core
All DSP processing is handled here, providing the main interface for operating devices, FX, modulation, and mixing, as well as creating and managing signal routing, and also the interface for editing the parameters of the internal synthesizers, and USB interface for MIDI and for back up and loading samples.
There are two modules sold together so you can rearrange things if placed in a Eurorack system.
I am supposing also that there might be plans for other modules that could added, or replacing parts of this in the future. ( ? )
Its a bugger they do a cased version, kills my ‘no room in the rack’ excuse- looks like there is a spare 2HP in the case as well for some sort of headphone module, if the case is cheap when bundled with the modules it will be hard to resist if you l grooveboax and eurorack!
The Controller is not a standalone sequencer for other modular gear. It depends on the Core for processing, signal generation, and connectivity. It requires the Core’s engine and power/data connection.
On the other hand, the Core can function without the Controller when necessary, but its hands-on compositional workflow is diminished.
They just had a 3 hour live stream launch and I still have no idea what most of this ARK does. It was a very disorganised stream and the audio was not good
I’m really not a fan of live streams for gear. It’s just too long. Thirty minutes straight to the point would be far more effective
Agreed. It’s also a missed opportunity that you cannot actually record audio samples onto the unit itself.
Direct sampling is just so much quicker, rather than having to take time to record everything with another piece of gear, compile or dig through sample libraries, then load them onto card to transfer. By that point, I have usually already lost whatever inspirational flow state I was in.
Ark could have been the perfect modular “groovebox” alternative, if it didn’t need to also rely on having another module for in rack sample recording like Squid Salmple, Assimil8or, Bitbox etc.
I wonder if Ark will have support for hardware expanders, to give it internal sample recording functionality in the future?
will they be releasing a dedicated skiff for it? thought I read they’d be also releasing it with one as a bundle, but can’t find any info on it now. course ye could use another case, just wondering tho.
Just ordered one from Perfect Circuit. Sold most of my other gear as I was going to wait till the end of next year after travelling to get more gear but I couldnt wait!!!
One thing I love about it is the 16 tracks but I can use 4-8 of them for drums/percussion/samples and the other 8 out to my rack. Therefore I dont need a drum or sample module and that saves me money in the long run. I liked the Nerdseq sample tracks and this one has more so more is always better…IMO.
