Octave Voyetra 8 Analog Polyphonic Synth Module with VPK-5 Keyboard SN FJ4813

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"Very rare Octave Plateau Voyetra 8 analog synthesizer, with the accompanying VPK-5 keyboard, with Version 4 boards. If you've been looking to add one to your studio, this is the one you want.

One of, if not the best polyphonic analog synthesizer out there. The V8 combines two CEM3340 oscillators (each with a sub-oscillator) and a SSM 2044 filter per voice with a huge amount of modulation abilities. The end result is a wonderful sounding synth that can easily go from subtle to HUGE. This particular unit is a green card rev. 4 machine, which is the final and most stable version of the Voyetra. It can accept MIDI sysex and can be controlled by external software and programmers.

Included is a VPK-5 controller keyboard. You can either use this controller or midi to control the Voyetra (but not at the same time).

Also included is the necessary XLR to MIDI cable, the operation manual, and other documentation. You are literally getting the "complete" package for the Voyetra.

Because this is a vintage piece of electronic equipment (and a sensitive one at that), there are some things to mention.

• The machine is currently fully calibrated, but trimmers inside the unit (for the voice card volumes and filters) may shift during shipping. If this happens, it's straight forward to re-calibrate them as long as you are able to turn a knob and use a tuner.

• Voyetras were always somewhat temperamental in terms of autotuning. The machine autotunes exactly as it should - however, like any vintage analog synth it needs time to warm up and will sometimes require a few autotunes for all voice cards to pass. This is normal, and just requires hitting the autotune button a few more times. As it is, it is stable enough that it usually turns on with almost all voices already in tune.

• All Voyetras are very sensitive to ground loops and this can create unwanted noise in the audio signal. This can usually be solved by switching to a filtered power supply, or simply a different wall socket (as in my case). Or by using insulated washers in your rack.

Specs:

Polyphony - 8 voice
Modes - Split (responds to two separate MIDI channels), layer (2 MIDI channels), unison
LFO - 2 LFOs (Sine, saw, triangle, sample & hold)
VCF - 24 dB/oct low pass resonant filter with separate ADSR
VCA - 2 ADSR envelope generators - can be switched to ADR for percussive sounds.
VCO - 2 VCOs per voice (saw, sine, sqr, pw - combinable). Cross modulation and sync
Keyboard - 61 note remote keyboard (velocity + aftertouch) - (included if Buy Now is used)
Memory - 100 patches
Sequencer - Built in
Control - MIDI with XLR connectors (MIDI cable included), Arpeggiator sync input (trigger), responds to various MIDI controllers.

Date Produced - 1983 - 1986
Condition: Excellent condition. Very minor rack wear to the white paint on the rack ears, but the face is clean. Despite its size, this is a very heavy synth with a thick metal chassis.
Functionality: All buttons, switches, jacks, and knobs function perfectly, with no crackly pots. Everything functions perfectly. MIDI functions perfectly. Arpeggiator sync input functions perfectly.

Accessories: Comes with a photocopy of the operating manual and other documentation (but not schematics), XLR to MIDI cable, and US power cable.

Originally shown at the 1981 NAMM (as a Prototype named "Voyager Eight"), the Octave-Plateau Voyetra Eight was not in production until 1983. It was an 8-voice polyphonic, rackmountable, MIDI module (One of the first MIDI rack modules). It was sold with the VPK-5 Polyphonic Keyboard Controller, which controlled the Voyetra Eight through through the "keyboard input" interface (via an XLR cable). When hooked up to the VPK-5 there were variable settings for pressure sensitivity, pitch-bend, and keyboard mode. Modes include whole, split, and layer. Unison mode was available in whole and split, but not in layer mode.

Each voice had two VCOs with four available waveforms: sawtooth, triangle, pulse, and a sub-octave square-wave. The waveforms could be selected individually or combined and cross-modulation and syncing of the two VCOs was possible. There was also a white noise generator. The filter was a 24dB (4-pole) VCF with voltage controlled resonance. There were two envelope generators, both ADSR. The ADSRs could track the keyboard, modulating the decay and release times and could be switched to ADR mode for percusive sounds. The Voyetra Eight also featured two LFOs, switchable between sine, sawtooth, and triangle waveforms, or sample-and-hold.

The Voyetra 8 represented a new way of thinking in synthesizer technology, but it had limited success. The Voyetra is a great synthesizer, it creates rather striking sounds. At first glance it looks like an old computer system. It is composed of two pieces, the VPK-5 remote 61 note keyboard with joystick,m aftertouch and velocity. And then there is the main synthesizer module itself. The synth is analog with 8 voices of polyphony.

Up front and very hands on are some knobs for basic but essential controls like cutoff, attack, LFO rate, de-tune and more. Much more in-depth programming and modulation routing can be done using the computer-like interface. There's a great 24dB/oct low pass filter, a very flexible and routable pair of LFOs for creating really weird or sweeping sounds and effects. There are 100 patches for storing your settings. There is even a simple arpeggiator, a 1700 note sequencer and a ring modulator."