images via this auction" One of the rarest and most unique instruments from Soviet Union, produced in Katchkanar factory (of Polivoks fame) - ANALOGUE DRUM SYNTH WITH BUILT-IN BEATBOX, 7 TRIGGER INPUTS (FOR PADS OR OTHER TRIGGERING DEVICE). MADE IN 1987! EXCELLENT CONDITION!
FORMANTA (OTHER NAME ROKTON) - RARE SOCIALIST VERSION OF ROLAND TR-909! IT SOUNDS BETTER THAN TR-909 AND THIS MACHINE IS ALSO MUCH MORE RARE. Seven editable generators: kickbass, three tomtoms, snare, hihat and cymbal. All inputs / outputs are 1/4" jack. Editable parameters: sensitivity to the triggering signal, tone, decay time, octave (range), balance, lowpass filter, accent and volume. Built-in beatbox with 16 patterns. The beatbox and the synthesizer are independent modules so they can work at the same time freely. And you can tweak the generators of the beatbox patterns. Full freedom. This is an armoured antitank piece of gear and the sounds it produces is very unique. I've heard many rhythmic tracks in about 15 years of hearing music... including detroit techno, chicago house, drum n bass.. etc.. and i didn't heard tracks in which a drum synth like this was used.It's fat, original freq response are very authentic and pleasing to an ear, including Bass drum, cymbal, hihats, etc. It sounds like a flawest drum synth i ever heard.Again, every piece of that hardware i used, sounded different, i think it's a common thing to soviet synths. So every piece of hardware has it's own face.You CAN tune it to sound like famous Roland drumboxes but you cannot tune a Roland drumbox to sound like this device. THE DRUM SYNTH WAS MANUFACTURED BY FORMANTA, A SOVIET MILLITARY RADIO PLANT AT KACHKANAR CITY, NEAR SVERDLOVSK CITY. The same one which manufactured now legendary POLIVOKS synth. It is built like a rock, pure military technology. The body is solid and the knobs feel nice. There is an original soviet factory structure - i.e. method of synthesis, knob resistors, parts, connections, voltage etc. It runs on 220V AC (US customers will need an adaptor). NO MIDI OR SYNC ARE INSTALLED in FORMANTA."
I checked on ruskeys.net, it doesn't sound anywhere near like a 909. Fun analog, but TR like.
ReplyDelete*NOT TR like I mean ;-)
ReplyDeleteSomething I've never thought about before: The panel appears to be labeled in English. Was this common for Soviet-era synths?
ReplyDeletei can remember only two more synths labeled in English: opus and estradin 230.
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ReplyDeleteThis a great machine! I have one in my hands. The bass sounds are really bassy and boomy. The output is noisy but gating is your friend here. My version is with russian texts but a friend of mine has one with english texts. The drum pads that come with the box are crap to put it mildly. But it can be triggered using external audio trigger signals, a short hh or rim kind of sound works best.o
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