# 359: You Can Never Have Too Many Socks

- Show: [Embedded.fm](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm)
- Published: 2021-01-22
- Length: 1h 05m
- Episode: 359
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2021-01-22-359-you-can-never-have-too-many-socks
- Listen: https://makingembeddedsystems.libsyn.com/359-you-can-never-have-too-many-socks

## Summary

Thea Flowers, founder of Winterbloom, discusses her open-source hardware synthesizer modules, including Castor & Pollux, Sol, and Big Honking Button, which utilize the SAMD21 microcontroller and CircuitPython. She explains the hybrid analog-digital design of Castor & Pollux, which emulates the Roland Juno 106 voice, and details her transition from software engineering to hardware manufacturing. Flowers highlights the challenges of scaling production, such as the difficulty of assembling the Sol module, and her strategy of using contract manufacturers for surface-mount assembly while handling final testing and through-hole assembly in-house.

## Chapters

- [0:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2021-01-22-359-you-can-never-have-too-many-socks#t=6) Introduction: Thea Flowers and Winterbloom
- [4:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2021-01-22-359-you-can-never-have-too-many-socks#t=241) Eurorack Synthesizers and Generative Music
- [10:15](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2021-01-22-359-you-can-never-have-too-many-socks#t=615) Castor & Pollux: Emulating the Roland Juno 106
- [14:35](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2021-01-22-359-you-can-never-have-too-many-socks#t=875) The SAMD21 Microcontroller and CircuitPython
- [23:48](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2021-01-22-359-you-can-never-have-too-many-socks#t=1428) Design Philosophy: Sol and Big Honking Button
- [35:54](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2021-01-22-359-you-can-never-have-too-many-socks#t=2154) Starting Winterbloom and Manufacturing Challenges
- [45:35](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2021-01-22-359-you-can-never-have-too-many-socks#t=2735) Open Source Hardware and Community Marketing
- [58:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2021-01-22-359-you-can-never-have-too-many-socks#t=3481) PCB Panels and Custom Manufacturing

## Topics

- [PCB design & layout](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pcb-design)
- [Microcontrollers & dev platforms](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/microcontrollers-and-platforms)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Design for manufacturing & NPI](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/design-for-manufacturing)
- [Open-source hardware](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/open-source-hardware)
- [Industrial & consumer product design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/industrial-design)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Winterbloom (company)
- Castor & Pollux (product)
- Big Honking Button (product)
- Sol (product)
- SAMD21 (chip)
- Roland Juno 106 (product)
- CircuitPython (tool)
- Adafruit (company)
- Feather M0 (product)
- Teensy (product)
- Arduino (product)
- VCV Rack (product)
- PCBWay (company)
- Royal Circuits (company)
- Sanwa (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Ep. 16 - Open Hardware with Thea Flowers](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/open-hardware-manufacturing-podcast/2024-03-14-ep-16-open-hardware-with-thea-flowers) (Open Hardware Manufacturing Podcast)
- [Secret Squirrel](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2017-10-02-secret-squirrel) (The Amp Hour)
- [An Interview with Ian Lesnet - Bus Buccaneer Builder](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2012-12-11-an-interview-with-ian-lesnet-bus-buccaneer-builder) (The Amp Hour)
- [069 - Canned Cheese and Onion Rings](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/unnamed-reverse-engineering-podcast/2024-04-17-069-canned-cheese-and-onion-rings) (Unnamed Reverse Engineering Podcast)
- [Moving House (And Lab)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2024-09-03-moving-house-and-lab) (The Amp Hour)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2021-01-22-359-you-can-never-have-too-many-socks. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Embedded.fm.