A Caladan update from Brad

Caladan
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Caladan Update

Alright folks, here it is. I hate giving updates like this, but saying nothing is worse, so I’m just gonna lay it out straight.

First off, life’s been a bit of a shitshow. My family and I are staying at a friend’s place right now, and I’ve cobbled together a makeshift dev station in the corner of his workshop. Most of my personal life and business is sitting in a storage unit. Not the way I wanted things to be, but that’s the reality.

The real reason you haven’t seen a big flashy progress video with me waffling bollocks for hours on end is that no UI code has been developed.
The hardware has been sitting ready, waiting, for 6 months or so at this point, however, I haven’t had anything handed to me. I don’t have any reasons why and cannot offer any explanations.
The relationship has been dissolved in terms of fw development and I have now taken over sole responsibilty of the UI. I should’ve stepped in sooner but haven’t, hoping something would change but also not being able to do much about it anyway because of the situation I have currently been in. That’s on me. I own that, Let’s move on…

I’ve taken over, and despite being crammed into this little setup, I’ve already made up a lot of ground. Thanks to the work that went into the S2400 DSP card, all the underlying engine code and Linux subsystems that Caladan runs on are basically done. Firmwares for both the stock 3DCO card and the OPL3 FM hybrid card are already finished and working. What’s left is pretty much just the UI. That’s what I’m hammering on now.

I won’t lie, I’ve been suffering serious burnout this past year. Took on too much, tried to keep too many plates spinning, and it’s chewed me up. But Caladan is not something I’m willing to let slip. Pre-orders didn’t bring in enough money to cover the first batch, so I’ve been subsidising it out of DSP card sales and selling off my own gear just to keep this moving.

I want you to understand this one thing: if I fuck this up and don’t deliver Caladan, my name and reputation are toast. I won’t have a career left in this industry. That would crush me. So I’m doing everything I can to make sure it does get delivered. and it WILL.

Here’s the current state of play — a lot of the physical hardware for the first 500 units is already produced and on hand:

  • Custom Linux modules (as used on the DSP card)

  • Internal wiring assemblies

  • Internal power supply

  • LED encoder ring illumination PCBs

  • OLED display screens

  • CNC machined aluminium knobs

  • Injection molded screen/LED ring lens (this was a massive headache and wasted a LOT of money)

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  • DCO3 Stock Voicecards (2000 of them)

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  • Aluminum side panels for enclosure

  • Case hardware (feet, screws, misc)

Remaining to mass produce:

  • Main motherboard which holds the encoders and Linux module, I/O ports etc. (there is still some work to be done on noise mitigation)

  • Metal enclosure (this is the last thing to produce as the silkscreen graphics could change at any point up until this goes to manufacture)

So that’s where we are. I’m head down on the UI now, progress is being made, and I just need more time.

My family and I should be in a new place within the next month. My “dev” setup, as you’ve seen in the photo, basically travels with me wherever I go. I’m cramming in as much time as I can on the firmware, and I will start showing you development progress literally as soon as I can.

Thank you for your patience, and for sticking with me.

I am truly sorry.

—Brad

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Brad. I don’t mind kicking in more $ for my Canadian if that helps. Lorne

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I’m also in to that if that’s an option. Or possibly there could be a way for people who preordered to kick in more $ in exchange for credit towards upcoming cards for the Caladan? I’m very open to any options that could help to give this project a boost.

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Don’t be silly. :heart:

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Have not really been following this seasons episodes, but hope you get over the hump.

“The relationship has been dissolved in terms of fw development and I have now taken over sole responsibilty of the UI.”

Does that mean they finished in a good way, or they ran out of development funding for now? Hope the relationship is good for current and future products. It’s only a matter of time before Flux has you building the ISLA/ASM Leviasynth.

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Hey dude, I just kind of stumbled into ownership of an s2400. I had no prior knowledge of the Rossum. Hardly even knew about hardware samplers. Just knew I wanted a drum machine that I could truly perform on.

Your vision, your execution of the s2400 has blown me away. The more I learn about Caladan, the more I hope to see you keep cooking. I plan to buy one. Keep going. When people start to see these two in tandem and people realize how much power you’ve packed into a desktop setup, i’d have to imagine Isla Instruments becomes more and more common in the community.
Similar to how UDO has grown. Their reputation has gone from relatively unknown to sought after and respected in a few years.

Anyway, all the best to you and the fam - just some words of encouragement. Hope you keep at it.

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Have you thought about open-sourcing aspects of the codebase for the Caladan? Kind of like the Synthstrom Deluge? Not sure its a good idea earlier on with development but maybe it’d be a path forward?

I’m a developer but not a hardware dev, if things went that way I’d at least be curious to dip my toes into contributing.

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yes it’s something I am considering for all my projects actually, but it requires a lot of thought.
someone to actually be an admin of it etc.

So many ideas and suggestions for the S2400 but just not enough time..
Could open source be the answer? Maybe.

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It’s all good. Sorry that is all happening. That can be a lot…family …..moving, company building. I can only imagine….Sheeeshh. = keep your head up. It will all fall into place.

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Hi Brad thanks for your detailed explanation.

Its obvious you’ve put a lot of R&D and $$$’s into this project. Sorry things did not fully work out with the other developers for the full duration.

I can only speak for myself don’t stress too much maybe take a break even if its a short one!

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This is not an ideal update, but I think many of us (most, even) are dedicated Isla Instruments fans and know that you are Doing The Thing and we can be patient. It will be worth it.

The S2400 is a cornerstone of my setup and I expect that the Caladan will be an excellent companion when it is finished.

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Open Source would be great, especially in this AI guided age. Alternate firmwares would be a no brainer - so a stripped down SP1200 clone could be possible, as well as all the other extremes.

An example of open source working is the Monome/lines community. Also, O|D’s er301 is still going - even though the developer seems to have stepped away from it. It’d be a gamble, but a good one.

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On ya Brad. Look after yourself.

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Peace, Brad,

I was sorry to hear about the tough news. Don’t stress yourself out too much, especially with the holiday season coming up. It might be a good time to prioritize some moments with your family and loved ones instead of cranking away for hours in front of the screen. Even the simple act of checking work email can bring unneeded stress when everyone else is relaxing over dinner.

You only have one family. I completely understand how much Isla Instruments, your reputation, and fulfilling commitments to your customers means to you. But in 5, 10, or 15 years, you’ll likely look back and be glad you made time for them. Prioritizing your mental health and family isn’t a distraction from your work… it’s what sustains it. If you burn out, it helps no one. Not your family, friends, customers, or the company itself.

Remember, you’ve already proven you’re more than capable of delivering an incredible product. The legendary S2400 you envisioned and shipped is a testament to that, and it solidly proves you’re not a grifter. You have nothing left to prove.

Regarding the idea of open-sourcing your software, I totally understand why protecting your IP is so important. You’ve already generously open-sourced the soundfont to LV2 web browser code. If the community isn’t already actively contributing to that, I wonder if open-sourcing the core S2400 stuff would be as beneficial as it would be risky, essentially giving away the secret sauce. Just my two cents. If you do ever consider it, perhaps a very protective license to stop others from profiting off it would be the way to go. Or maybe starting with something like the Kordbot codebase rather than the S2400 mothership.

Lastly, if it would help to have another pair of eyes on things, I don’t mind putting in an hour or two a week to help with alpha or beta testing/black box, smoke, sanity testing, whatever is useful. Sometimes it just helps to have someone else run through things.

Be well, and thanks for keeping us in the loop.

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Brad,

You have my support. The S2400 has brought back fun to my production, along with it’s wonderful sound. I pray for better days for you and the family :folded_hands:

We all need a break, time to re-focus & re-charge.

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Hey Brad, just wanted to say that your work is incredible, and that we understand that you are a small business so sometimes shit happens. We support you. Take your time, family is the most important. Chin up! we will be here for the future to come. S2400 is the best hardware I’ve ever owned. And caladan will be amazing. If we have to wait more time, we will. Take care of yourself and your loved ones. We will be rolling besides you.

Cheers!

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The s2400 is the best sampler I’ve owned - and I’ve had a LOT of them in the past 30 years. I couldn’t care less if it ever has another firmware update; it’s the machine itself that makes use so enjoyable.

I know you’ll make the Caladan a success; but even without it - your reputation is solid. Case in point: Linndrum company went belly up, and Linn got ripped off by Akai etc. - but isn’t Roger still deeply respected today?

I really appreciate what you did with the 2400. Best of luck.

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Brad baby, its James your Wellington 2400 guy. If you remember, I told you that my friend is willing to help you out programming because he’s super bored. He builds satellites and stuff if you remember, he knows all those codes. It would be good for you and him.. He ran a huge company And when I told him about you’re looking for a programmer, he was super interested because like I said, he’s kind of retired and he’s going out of his mind with nothing to do in a purpose

Let me know if you want make the connection.

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oh yeah, he’s also build satellites on the hardware level not just the programming. The guy is a electronics genius. Really really take the help. He’d probably do it for nothing.

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hiya James,
thanks for that, I’ll certainly consider it if I end up getting stuck.
cheers buddy!

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