Crowdfunding — The Good, the Bad & the Ugly

The Lounge General Discussion
#89

Well here’s a good example.

The Filton the dual transistor morphing ladder filter from Modal.

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https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/modal-electronics/filton-eurorack-dual-analogue-transistor-ladder-filter.

The thing sounds great ! Listen to the sound demos rather than the video at the beginning.

This is advertised as an exclusive deal, only from Kickstarter. The video suggests the possibilities of other parts of their high end synths being made.

There is only 8 days left, and the project is only half funded, though i’d say it’s got a decent chance of making the cut.

They are set for a December 2022 delivery and i’d say the likelihood of then hitting this schedule is very good. If they get funded.

ADDED : The Filton failed to fund via KS, but Modal plans to continue this and will be announcing plans, probably in the coming week.

#90

Why does modal need to be crowd funded?

Oh, they don’t…

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#91

They have successfully used KS twice in the past, when money for them was tight.

An explanation could be made that there are internal reasons, and mitigating risk could smooth an internal difference of opinion.

#92

I’ve funded about 70-80 campaigns, 3 or 4 failed to deliver, some were quite disappointing, some had delays even before covid, but overall it’s been a good experience. But you have to be careful and picky. And even that won’t prevent you from backing the offGrid.

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#93
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#94

Often enough there comes along a project that is way outside the norm. Crowdfunding can give a chance for people with unusual product ideas to give it a go.

Very experimental. Hell this thing looks dangerous. Dangerous synths are good in my book.

The Telmatronics Groovetube use radio frequencies and high voltage across a gas plasma in a glass tube, with vacuum tubes, and various other effects to create a sound signal. The sound is, well you describe it ! Animalistic ?

Kickstarter Page

It takes a special sort of person to invest in a prototype like this, and it’s not inexpensive. But they are funded already. Definitely a company to watch, as they develop this into a more regular product later.

Someone want to start a thread for this – have at it.

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A Show of Shows - Superbooth, SFF, NAMM - Spring 23
#95

Sounds like alien beatboxing.

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#96

That’s the most advanced fart machine I’ve ever seen!

I mean, also kind of cool, but I’m curious to see if it gets away from that fundamentally flatulent character.

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#97

Yeah, will be interesting to see where they go. It would be useful if we could get some of the affected squonk of Metasonix gear with less budget, I’ll be curious to see it in use :slight_smile:

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#98

Good advice. Sometimes this is hard to know before hand, and you go with your spidey sense. Plus if it looks too good to be true, then …

There are also factors that cannot be evaluated or prevented, on both sides, by investor and developer both.

So this project and the Birdkids one are the prime examples of the bad.

There is still a good side to crowdfunding, and hopefully that balances this all out.

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#99

Yes, for preorders I ultimately I ask myself-

  • Are you familiar with this company from years of member engagement on the larger sites (Modwiggler, Lines, etc)?
  • Have they released anything in the past?
  • Is their idea for scaling idea to production realistic?
  • How have they adapted to continuing conditions of pandemic-affected supply chain, fabrication, shipping cost?
  • Do I really really need the item?
  • Is it worth a year to support the builder?
  • Would I buy the product if released at 20% more today?

I haven’t supported too much via Kickstarter these days, though I did just back https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/flightofharmony/facehugger-module because I dig flight of harmony and want to see them around, they’ve been around long enough to hopefully have this down and set expectations realistically.

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#100

I’d absolutely buy something like this… if it didn’t literally sound like farts. Cool concept though, I hope they can follow through!

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#101
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#102

Thank you for this, I haven’t thought about homestarrunner in years. NO LOAFING!

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#103

On the Telmatronics Groovetube :

I think the metrics of measure on whether to back this are different. You know right up front that it’s more research than it is development, that some of your money is creating something else in the future. Plus your tolerance for a schedule slip is much greater. There is a purity to that, sort of like on the
Profree 4 ( thread ).

A good question on the Telmatronics Groovetube would be the source of the tubes? If it’s Russia, you might want to think about it.

=-=-=-=-=-=

I keep thinking about the Osmose and how at ease we all were with the expanded schedule, and the relaxed communications.

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#104

Yeah I commented before I actually looked at the page - I had just listened to the demos posted here. I really appreciate how upfront they are on the Kickstarter page - they very clearly mention that this is funding the research, with the larger pledges also (hopefully) guaranteeing a finished unit, assuming things go well. It’s a really cool project and I’m excited to see how it goes in the future.

#105

So three ( likely there are more ) interesting projects to evaluate ( links to the threads ) :

Logue CL-1

Akuto Studio AKT-01 Chord Machine

CHOMPI

Anyone have thoughts about any of these in terms of them being good crowdfunding risks. ? ( Not about whether they’re products you personally want and why, that is more for those threads. )

Another risk factor in my book, are projects that rack up enormous levels of pledges. While having more cash to get things going, it also multiplies the risk, if the cost estimates are off. Plus volume manufacturing can be a nightmare. Many groups while good at electronic, mechanical and software design, lack the management of manufacture experience, that fourth leg. Manufacture engineering, and quality management are not to be ignored iwith quantity.

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#106

I have heard this about kickstarters (not just music projects) that they become a victim of their own success: they simply cannot create enough of the product and ultimately fail.

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#107

Yeah, any benefits of industrial scaling assume you’ve got the headcount, trained assemblers, good contacts for orders that large… and without any established products to provide a float any learning lessons may rob from ability to deliver the entire product.

Indie manufacturers have a perfect space that they want and that they’re capable of reaching and it’s very difficult to know how many of them will adapt to crowdfunding success in ways that they can roll and improve on, there’s definitely going to be pains between moderate success and the need to turn side-gig hobby into full-time job to deliver, and how much the extra logistics fuck with early timelines.

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#108

Two similar venture backed French companies, with similar backgrounds, and similar crowdfunded products.

Expressive E with the Osmose, which they got manufactured for them around the other side of the world in China. They paid dearly for that decision, upfront, though that now developed relationship may pay off for them in the long run, though many other manufacturers are hedging the China bet, and getting out.

Aodyo with the Anyma Omega. Aodyo instead has decided to near-shore the manufacture. They are doing both a keyboard and desktop of the same product. Not sure if the manufacturing is being done under contract like EE did. This is also what i access to be a manufacturing challenge, though perhaps a notch below the challenge taken on by EE.

Both companies had manufactured products before, EE the Touche’, Aodyo, the Sylphyo, and the Anyma Phi. Despite the Anyma Omega growing from an open source software base that they developed for their AP, they still have a lot more software left to do.

Another risk that EE took on was having to depend so much on Haken for their sound engine. This both benefitted them and cost them. An interesting long term question for them is do they expand their relationship with Haken, or do they expand using their cpnsiderable software synth products ?

We shall see how Aodyo does coming up, they are in the hottest part of their development right now !

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