AudioCubes Demo at New Media Meeting, Sweden

YouTube via Percussa.
"Tobias von Hofsten (aka ONE) giving an overview of the Percussa AudioCubes at the recent New Media Meeting in Sweden."

Thomas Dolby on the tube - She Blinded me With Science

YouTube via BrusselZuid. via DVDBorn. Spot the synths.
"Thomas Dolby performing 'She Blinded me with Science' on the tube circa 1984."

Update: One more sent my way via Jared.
Thomas Dolby Hyperactive

YouTube via parkhill62.

Oberheim OB-12 Review on Cellular Structures

click here for the review in Spanish or here for the Google translated version.

Take The Time Keyboard Solo

YouTube via jd800er. KORG DW8000. Via kitsunexus.
"Here's some more info on the DW-8000: http://www.dw8000.com/index.html

And here's some more sound demos: http://homepage.mac.com/synth_seal/html/dw8000b.html

IMO the DWGS waveforms on the MicroKorg don't sound nearly as good as they do on the DW-8000."

Kawai K5000 *Advanced Additive Synthesizer*

YouTube via retrosound72.
"Additive Synthesis + special PCM samples; some typical factory sounds from the Kawai K5000R. more info: www.retrosound.de"

Performing with the TouchBox

YouTube via raidersofthelostarp.
"The TouchBox is running two step sequencers controlled with two onscreen keyboards, a monosynth controlled via MIDI, and a guitar fx... Filmed during a performance with a low quality photocamera :( More info at... link"

Something I have been working on today with Gazdatronik

YouTube via Gazdatronik. Name of the video, not actually me.
"A nice chilled out piece, sorta. I show little bits of the setup in action
Moog on bass
Matrix 6 on angry bass
e6400 on drums
korg dw-8000 on choral
TX81z on 'rhodes'"

DACS FwS FREQue II

via this auction. via philip

"Produce pumping tracks that stand out from the crowd with the FwS FREQue II, a genuinely new and inspirational analogue effects processor. In a world filled with plug-ins that do everything, the FREQue II is a processor that few, if any, plug-ins can emulate. The FREQue II is truly a sound designer’s dream. It’ll chew up program material like nothing else out there!

The Effects:
With low frequency modulation inputs:
Simple to complex autopan effects, gating, amplitude modulation, flanging, spatialising

With mid frequency modulation inputs:
Vocoding type effects, adding tunable harmonics, both lower down to subsonic, and up to supersonic, second harmonic distortion (like valves/tubes), harmonising, retuning percussion, gating, general rich distortion, Sci-Fi voices (eg a Dalek)

With high frequency modulation inputs:
Transposition with distortion, adding glitter, air, sparkle etc when mixed back into original

With music or sounds into both inputs:
Vocoding effects, gating effects, fattening/thickening effects, spatial effects, weird transformations

Internal FM:
Frequency Modulation of modulation oscillator at all frequencies, giving effects ranging from slow pulsation to the classic FM generation of complex waveforms

External voltage control of oscillators:
Envelope follower effects, FM effects as above, randomised autopanning

Frequency shift:
Up and down shift of frequency with change in harmonic structure, with FM for sliding effects, using feedback loop to create filter type sweeps

Paul White from Sound on Sound said:
'I’ve used numerous ring modulators over the years, but none have felt either as musical or as natural to use as this one.'"

Previously posted

EML Poly-Box

via this auction. via phillip.
"The Poly-Box is an odd piece of synthesizer technology. It's basically a small-remote keyboard controller for ancient analog synths, but with a twist. It takes control of your analog synthesizer and, even though they're monophonic, the Poly-Box will create polyphony by programmable chord memory presets. Designed for use via CV/Gate with these Related synths. Here is how EML describes it: 'Poly-Box is a pitch following variable chord generator controlled by your synthesizer and Poly-Box's own keyboard with built-in memory. Poly-Box takes a single pitch from your synthesizer and creates two banks of pitch sources. Each pitch bank contains 13 simultaneously available pitch sources at precise semitone intervals - covering an entire chromatic octave. The pitch banks may be in the same or different octaves, and can cover the range from one above to three octaves below the synthesizer oscillator.'"

Latronic Notron

images via this auction. via philip.
"This is probably the best step sequencer ever made, its very sought after and very rare. Only about 100 of these were made. This one is in great condition. I'm the original owner, bought it new back in 1998. Has MIDI inputs and outputs. I have a US power suply for the unit and also comes with the owners manual. It fits very nicely in a standard guitar stand (like shown in the photo's), or can sit flat on a table. I will Ship the item with UPS. No PO boxes. Paypal payment prefered.

Some well known Notron user's are Goldie, The Orb, Jeff Mills, The Advent, Joey Beltram, Bjork, Claude Young, etc. Its great for making techno, electro and some incredibly unique basslines.

If you want to know what this machine does and how it works, you can read Paul Nagle's review from 'Sound on Sound' here

Also, some info from Wikipedia, here"

Synth Testbench

flickr by wooster_synth

click here for the full size shot

2007 Disco Keytar

via Dave

"It's a monophonic, monotambric (same note every time) sound module, employing not a VCO but an ACB (air-controlled blister). I don't see any inputs or outputs on it, but I'm sure we'll figure out a way to sample it eventually. It's not technically a synthesizer, since it creats not artificial, but only natural sounds. But I strongly believe that when in the right hands (or paws), it shall prove to be a surprisingly expressive instrument."

FreqBox vs Access Virus

YouTube via Analogger.
"I used my EMG equipped Strat thru a Vox distortion into the Moogerfooger FreqBox into the external in of an Access Virus. I wrote a rhythmic pattern into my sequencer which gated the Virus. That same pattern was also converted into control voltages with my MPU-101 which modulated the frequency of the FreqBox oscillator. The osc. was synced to my guitar pitch. I also wrote a basic 8-bar pattern for the sampled drums on the SH-32. I included a snippet of video of my brother-in-law and I setting off a Blockbuster in a ditch. That's my wife screaming "He's so insane!!!" I really can't argue with her."

Fade to grey-Visage and Gazdatronik

YouTube via Gazdatronik

"I play Visage's Fade to grey somehow. Micromoog on Bass, Korg DW-8000 on strings, Oberhiem matrix 6 on the high part, and Emulator SP-12 on drums. I'll clean up the production and re-record it and put it up at my other site"

Roland JD-800 Digital Synthesizer - *Pad Sounds* (part2)

YouTube via retrosound72. Follow up to this video.
"more vangelis like sounds from the Roland JD-800 Digital Synthesizer
more info: www.retrosound.de"

Vintage 1972 PAiA Modules

images via this auction

Modules include:
2720-14 - a Sine Converter/Pulse Width Modulator
2720-12 - an Inverter-Buffer
2720-11 - an Envelope Follower
2720-7 - a Power Supply
2720-5 - a Control Oscillator
2720-4 - a Function Generator
2720-3L - a Low Pass Filter
2720-3B - a Bandpass Filter
2720-2 - a Voltage Control Oscillator
2720-1 - a Voltage Control Amplifier

EOWave Persephone

images via this auction.

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Roland MC-202

images via this auction.

"The modification that was done gives control voltage inputs for
1. Slide
2. CV
3. Gate
4. VCF (filter cutoff)
It also gives an additional output of the PWM waveform.
The original CV ins and outs all work also. The new CV/Gate input is better than the original (there is a lag on all the original 202s) I think most people would prefer to use external controls as the internal sequencer requires thought and time to program. However the internal sequencer affords special results with the use of accents and slides.

While the MC-202 is often compared to the TB-303, I think the sound and filters are closer to the SH-101. When the resonance is set very high the machine becomes very acid. It synchonized via din sync.

There are two wave forms Square (with PWM) and Saw. There is also a square Sub Oscillator that can be shifted one octave down, two octaves down, or down two octaves with PWM.

The MC-202 is obviously a great bass line synthesizer. The Sub can be absolutely devastating. "Watch the bass bins...." The MC-202 also excels in making acid. The combination of solid bass, acid sequencing, and filters that take on a life of their own when you krank the resonance, makes for acid bass lines or great sqeeky acid effects. The MC-202 also makes very nice strings sounds and woodwind sounds."

Elektron Sidstation

images via this auction.

"Elektron laser-etched numbers into the last 200 Sid Stations that they made. This one is laser etched with the number 14. So, it was the 14th to last one ever made!"

Or is it the 187th to the last made?

MOOG Memorymoog

via this auction.

KORG VC-10

images via this auction.

KORG SQ-10

images via this auction.

"Korg Analog Sequencer, the SQ-10 Model. It is in fully working condition. This old school sequencer was designed for the MS series, using CV/Gate Controll. You can make some reall groovy basslines like the TB-303. It has three rows of 12 steps for a total of 24 or multi timberal 3 seperate channels (3 channels of CV control), 1 Pattern, 1 Song, 36 Knobs in all. Cosmetically, I would rate it at 8 out of 10, it has minor scratches, blemishes, which is typical for an instrument that was produced in 1978."

KORG Lambda ES-50

images via this auction.

1970 Maestro Rhythm MRQ 1 Drum Synth

images via this auction.

Sequential Circuits Prophet-5 Rev 2

images via this auction.

Roland MKS-30

images via this auction.

"The MKS-30 is the rack version of the Roland JX-3P keyboard and the GR-700 Guitar Synthesizer. Sounds like a Juno Series Syntheszer, but much better since it has 2 oscillators with sync and ring modulation, as well as PWM. Excellent Filters plus, one of the best features, just like the Juno 60, 106 and MKS-7, is the pitch bends have a very analog, elastic kind of stretching quality to them, sort of like a rubber band being plucked and stretched. Not many DCO based Analog Synths I've heard do this, except for the Juno's. In fact I recently had a MKS-7(rack of Juno106), and I was surprised by how close the oscillators sound to the MKS30 's. Except you get two of them that can sync and be ring modulated. Plus it has a nice analog chorus circuit built-in for stereo effects.

Some people say it's got a digital sound, but I compared this to the MKS-7, which everybody says is effectively a racked Juno-106. The MKS-30 is just as analog sounding with a remarkably punchy, and pure musical character, especially on those pitch-bends. A few years ago, I was planning to buy a Access Virus C, and this MKS-30 was sitting close by in Guitar Center. After trying both of them out side by side, I ended spending my money on this one. The Virus is great, but compared to this, it's sound is clearly digital. At the time I was looking for that deep analog quality. This synth has that. It's also functionally better than it's keyboard counterpart, the JX3P. It has a better implementation of MIDI with velocity. It's easily programmed from the front panel, however their isn't any sysex that can be accessed by an editor. However, the Roland PG-200 programmer/knob box can be plugged into it, or there is a 3rd party ROM upgrade that can be purchased for around $100(last time I checked) that gives you full sysex, CC control over every parameter. Here's a link to that information."