via this auction
"Akai EWI3020M Analog Synth Sound Module A classic analogue synthesizer optimized for the expressive control capabilities of the EWI. Akai has been pioneering wind synthesis since 1987 with the introduction of the EWI (Electronic Wind Instrument) and the EVI (Electronic Valve Instrument). In the years that have followed, the EWI has been refined to offer probably the most expressive electronic musical instrument in the world. If you have not seen an EWI in use, you have it's almost certainly heard it as it is used by leading session players the world over and has been featured on numerous film and TV soundtracks. What makes the EWI unique in these digital days where everything is quantised into discrete steps is that the EWI uses good old fashioned control voltages.
What this means in practice is that as you blow harder to open up the filter, increase amplitude or whatever, the control is completely smooth and not 'zippered' with quantized control level steps as on competing wind controllers. What this means in performance is that every nuance of your expressiveness is captured with exceptional subtlety.
The fingering of the EWI will immediately be familiar to sax players but even if you've never played a woodwind instrument before, you'll enjoy Akai EWI wind synthesizers. The EWI3020 is a wind controller that lets you play naturally and with feeling. The EWI3020m is an analogue synthesizer module featuring a warm and expressive sound. The EWI3030m is a digital synthesizer module providing high-quality, realistic sound from PCM samples. No keyboard instrument can match the flexibility and sheer expressiveness of these unique instruments.
Features Two VCOs, VCF, two envelope generators, LFO and VCA Extensive modulation routing (7 sources, 10 destinations)
100 presets: 50 factory programs, 50 user-programmable
Footswitch control of program chains
Audio input for EWI-controlled processing of other instruments
Can also be controlled by a MIDI keyboard and the optional X335i Breath Controller
MIDI OUT to control external sound modules
AKAI ewi3020M Specs Specifications: Type: Special Sensor-Compatible Programmable Analog Synthesizer
Voices: Monophonic
Sound Source: 2 VCO's (Waveforms: Triangle, Saw Tooth, Pulse, Triangle + Saw Tooth, Triangle + Pulse, Saw Tooth + Pulse, External, FM ON/OFF, Sync ON/OFF)
Sound Capacity: 100 (Including 50 user programmable sounds)
Display: 16 character LCD with back light
LEDs: BREATH, GLIDE, BEND
Connections:
Instrument IN/OUT (Multi-Pin connector for EWI3020 Controller)
Program UP/DOWN (1/4-inch stereo phone jack)
Headphone ( 1/4-inch stereo phone jack)
Line Out ( 1/4-inch phone jack)
Ext. In ( 1/4-inch phone jack)
MIDI IN/OUT/THRU (5-pin DIN)
Power Consumption: 120VAC 60Hz 15W for U.S. and Canada
Dimensions: 483 (W) x 90.6 (H) x 434 (D) (Unit=mm)
Weight: 5.8kg
Accessories: Operator's Manual, AC Power Cable"
A very nice unit (I have one) but it's not a pure analog signal path.
ReplyDeleteThe CV's from the controller _are_ digitized at a very fast rate and with high resolution (14bit?), then processed, then reconverted to analog control signals for the CEM VCO/VCF/VCAs on board.
So, no stepping/zipper, but not true analog. Does it matter? Up to folks' ears, I guess.