MATRIXSYNTH: Vintage 1980s Synthesizer


Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Vintage 1980s Synthesizer

This one in via Earthnik:

"This morning I woke up and realized I own a synth the likes of which only a few dozen people in the world may have ever seen. I believe this is one of only two that still exist and no 2 are alike. No solder here ... all wire-wrapped boards.

Full patch panel • assignable joystick • 3 oscillators • capable of frequency and amplitude modulation • two wave forms — controls such as: a sample and hold (of sorts) • symmetry • rotation direction • 3 dimensional rotation • DC offset • and the famous FCE effect.

What is it you ask?

It's a Laser Light Show synthesizer, circa early 1980's. It's made to bounce oscillators and waveforms off one another to create those psychedelic, spirographic and dense spiral designs ... the kind gear heads saw while listening to the synths of Pink Floyd while stoned at a Laseruim show. The FCE effect you ask? It was on all equipment this company made. It stood for Floyd's Cool Effect. Each time it was a pot hooked up to nothing ... either a space holder, a place for future expansion or just a conversation piece." Note this is not a video synthesizer itself, but rather a synth "for driving galvanometers with mirrors on them for Laser Light Shows."

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