It’s a Christmas miracle as the SFC-8 is finally produced and ready to ship! Customers from the USA are welcome to shop at Perfect Circuit and in the Canada at Cicada Sound. All other customers can order directly from the webshop.

The SoundForce SFC-8 is a boutique class-compliant USB-MIDI controller dedicated to Jupiter-8 plugin emulations. It is usable with any MIDI-mappable software or hardware but the panel layout has been designed especially for Arturia’s Jup-8 V and the TAL’s J-8. Considering the differences in the plugins front panels, 2 modes have been programmed to suit the control panel layouts of the 2 plugins perfectly.

Features
The controller has a USB connector for power and USB-MIDI. But it also has 5-pin DIN-MIDI input and ouput. All the messages received at the DIN-MIDI input are merged with the controller messages and sent out to both the USB-MIDI and DIN-MIDI output. So you can plug your keyboard or sequencer to the SFC-8 and use it as a USB-MIDI interface, or use the DIN-MIDI output to go to the next MIDI device in your setup. The DIN-MIDI connectivity allows direct connection with modern and vintage hardware synths and thanks to the control panel app, the user can setup their own MIDI maps and change CC numbers for each control. In the future, support for different hardware synths will be built in the control panel app.

Build quality
The controller is assembled in The Netherlands with parts from Europe and Asia. The enclosure is made of 100% sheet metal and is manufactured by Grawart (http://www.grawart.pl). The case is made of bent steel and powder coated in black. The front panel is aluminum, also powder coated and screen printed with scratch-proof white and orange inks. Walnut wood side panels of 8mm thickness are fitted to both sides of the controller.

Pricing and Availability
The SFC-8 is available on the SoundForce webshop for 499 euros incl VAT (exact price will depend on your local VAT %) in the EU and 412 euros for customers outside the EU. In the US, Perfect Circuit will be distributing the SFC-8. Please get in touch with Perfect Circuit for pre-ordering and ordering information. In Canada, Cicada Sound will be distribute the SFC-8.

There are a few SFC-1 Rev B back in stock. Those are the very last ones. Some will go to my webshop, some will go to the dealers. After the last units, the controller will be discontinued. I really love the SFC-1 but it’s a really big controller to build which makes manufacturing complex. Also I need to make time and room for new things.

Eurorack specialist Bries (https://www.youtube.com/BRiESY) made a demo video of the S-LD module. On the 6th June and 7th July, alternative firmwares have been posted in the support section of the website. They are compatible with the S-LD hardware, also recognizable by the Rev C marking on the back PCB. Please note Rev B (Samples and S-909 purchased in 2022) firmware were also posted but I cannot guarantee 100% that the update will work because of an issue with the USB bootloader of a batch of STM32 used in that batch. You still can give it a try.

Both modules are now in stock and shipping from my webshop on this site. There are also modules being dispatched to all my awesome dealers/shops this week. So if you are outside of the EU, watch the stock at your “local” dealer. If they don’t stock it yet, a little email request goes a long way!

It was an intense week! Now back to work with fully energized. Here are some highlights:

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Bries from Belgium has made 2 other videos about the Dual LFO module. There is one full tutorial with very in-depth overview of the module and then another video with some extra patches. I am very pleased with the way the module is presented, it’s very complete and well explained. Check it out!

I am happy to announce the release of the Dual LFO module, a dual tap/sync-able LFO (that can also operate as a free running LFO) with plenty of options and CV inputs. The module can track the tempo/frequency of the incoming tap signal very accurately and it has a built-in divider/multiplier with different ratios that allows for interesting synced modulation and even polyrhythmic drum patterns using the square or pulse waveform.

This design originated pre-covid and I pushed it back a few times to focus on other things. I am happy I took the time and revised the hardware and firmware a couple of times since its inception and made it the best I could. It’s very satisfying and liberating to have this module finally coming out and I am looking forward to see and hear what people will do with it.

Find more information on the product page. The module is available in my webshop for EU/Europe and at my dealers.

You can learn about the module and its features in the demo video from Quincas, aka the “Synth DIY guy”:

Next week on tuesday I am leaving to build up for SuperBooth in Berlin! If you are joining the event, here is my location: https://www.superbooth.com/en/floorplan.html?location=Z245
Great spot in the outside tents area, right next to Moog and other friends.

This is a great timing to announce 2 new(ish) modules: the 2021 version DCO with added built-in MIDI interface (shipping October 2021) and the uVCF 6, a compact Juno lowpass only version of my VCF/VCA 6 (shipping November 2021). Both modules will be on display at SuperBooth and you are most welcome to come by, have a try and have a chat!

The whole MIDI controller line will be on display as well and I will bring the arcade cabinet as usual!

There is a piece about SoundForce in the August/September edition of the German magazine SynMag with an interview and reviews of some products. Perfect for your summer holiday seaside read! Mega geil.

After 8 months of absence, the SFC-Mini is back in stock with a new updated case design and beautiful hardwood side panels. It was quite a challenge to build this during the pandemic as the supply chain is affected greatly and electronic components are harder to get by. More information on the product page.