Befaco BF-20 vs Korg MS-20

YouTube Uploaded by jorditalleda on Jun 25, 2011

"Two weeks ago, at our workshop in Barcelona, we started assembling the first units of our latest module: a very faithful replica of the legendary LP/HP filter of the MS 20.

The most demanding part of the design was reproducing the Korg 35, a dedicated IC found at the heart of the original filter. To be able to clone the filter, we first had to clone the IC! It consists of a mini PCB, so small we had to use SMD components for the first time (the people that attended our workshop had a blast! )

The clone of the chip is 100% compatible with the original filter, so it can be used as a part for repairing real MS-20′s!"

Via Befaco:

"Our friend Jordi made a video of these two analog titans challenging each other, face to face… he does get the Befaco modular, although with a very different architecture from the MS-20, to reproduce some of its most characteristic sounds quite faithfully.

Here’s what Jordi told us about the patch:

-BF-20 volume almost at maximum (the horizontal pot’s level line pointing to the right);
-HPF up, LPF down;
-From the Envelope Generator I sent an env. to two attenuators. They then go to the CV control inputs of the LPF and HPF. This way I can simulate the function of the MS-20 that allows you to adjust the amount of ADSR that affects each of the filters;
-I used a separate envelope for the VCA, and gave it more Decay than the filters;
-I used a VCO + sub-oscilator, to get a good squarewave;
-The other VCO went directly to the filter input, summing a sawtooth to the squarewave. This way I can get the two VCO’s to sound a bit detubned, as is often the case with the MS-20. If I use only one VCO, the result isn’t as fat as the MS-20."

And a video from Nov 20, 2010:

BEFACO - Taller de construcción de sintes Modulares.

Uploaded by jorditalleda on Nov 20, 2010

"Puesta en marcha de sintetizadores Modulares Befaco realizados en los talleres organizados por Befaco.
Noviembre 2010.

www.befaco.org."