e-ther 2 - Announcement and full rundown of features

I'd like to announce the new and improved e-ther 2. This information is available in video form here.

If you're not familiar with e-ther, then it's a small theremin-like instrument with MIDI and audio out.

At first glance the differences aren't obvious and indeed the big changes to the hardware are internal. 

However, I hope you'll find the list of new features as exciting as I do. 

Hardware-wise, I've put the microcontroller and DAC onto the main board. 

Although this increases costs (for me, not for you), there are some big advantages. Besides looking more professional, the audio module is no longer a 'buy separately' optional extra. It's incorporated and the audio jack is just there if you want it. 

The audio module used to fit below the board but with the audio capability now built-in, the profile is more compact.

Most of the new features are down to firmware which means that a large proportion of what I'm calling 'e-ther 2' will be available to existing e-ther owners.

Here's a quick rundown and then I'll talk about some of them in more detail.

• Audio output is no longer an optional extra. Every e-ther (sold as 'e-ther 2') is now compact in height and includes the MIDI and audio output, for the same price as the previous version before you added the audio module. That's a saving of around £15
• Audio output, previously just sinewave, can now be sine / sawtooth / triangle / square wave
• Audio is now a single jack, configurable to one of three output levels 
• MIDI output channel can be configured to 1 - 16 (previously fixed at channel 2)
• MIDI output has a new optional mode of operation, 'CC controller', which suppresses note on/off
• The left and right controls (vertical and horizontal) can be flipped
• What used to be a physical switch for expression / modwheel is now software configurable, meaning that we're no longer limited to those two options
• Standby mode - temporarily produces no audio or MIDI output
• A tripod mount is in the works

All of these features except for the first bullet are in firmware and all existing e-thers can be upgraded.

Standby mode

A simultaneous press of both buttons for around a second (which is easy to do deliberately, but difficult to do accidentally) puts e-ther into standby mode. The LED makes a discreet blink pattern to indicate standby mode. A single tap of either button will 'wake' e-ther. This prevents spurious audio or MIDI messages from being generated while e-ther isn't being actively used. 

CC-only mode

This is a feature requested by multiple users. I hadn't originally forseen e-ther being useful as a MIDI CC controller but it made me very happy to see users using it that way. This means that you play another instrument and use e-ther for expression, as you would use pitch bend or modulation wheels, for example, but with gestures in the air. Using e-ther this way really needs the note on/off messages to be suppressed and so that's what this mode does. Control over e-ther's output channel and the ability to swap the sensors around are also useful here. 

Expression / modwheel switch

e-ther 1 has a physical switch underneath marked 'Vertical control: expression / modwheel', which obviously controls the type of MIDI message that the vertical control sends. This physical switch (more accurately a jumper) will continue to work as before, even with new firmware installed, until the configurator is used for the first time. After that, the configurator is used to determine this setting. The advantage of using the configurator here is that we're no longer limited to just two options. Other types of MIDI message can be added to that menu in future.

Choice of waveforms for audio output

Previously the audio output was a sinewave. (I believe that real theremins generate a sinewave.) Now it's possible to choose from a list of different-sounding waveforms. I will be making a video so that you can hear these. The sinewave is very pure. Triangle has a little more of an edge to it, sawtooth even more so. Square (50% duty cycle) is a different sound again. Other waveforms can be added to the list in future.

Single audio jack

With the audio module fitted to the original e-ther, there were two jacks (line and 'phones) with a gain switch (that works on the 'phones output only). I've done my best to replicate these three output levels, again configurable using the configurator.

The configurator

Many of the options above are accessed using the configurator. e-ther doesn't have very much of a UI - just two buttons, an analogue thumbwheel and two distance sensors - which has made it a challenge to build lots of options.

The browser-based system I've built does seem like a good solution. The data is sent to e-ther in the form of special MIDI sequences, so there are probably other ways to send that information. I'd like to explore that further.

It uses WebMIDI, which means that it works better in some browsers than others (Chrome works best for me) and may require you to authorise a plugin installation. But once set up, it's extremely easy to use. 

Discounted version 1 and availability of version 2

As I write this, I have a stock of e-ther 1 in both classic white and special edition black. From the time of this announcement I'll be selling those at a discounted price until they're gone.

I currently have a a very short run of e-ther 2. A larger run is on its way to me and when those are here I'll make e-ther 2 available on all of the selling platforms. In the mean time, please contact me if you'd like one of the few that I have. 

Visit peacockmedia.software/e-ther for up-to-date information and buying options.

Here are some more comparison shots: (new version on the right)