ELKA EK-44 + Full Expansion Set (5 Cards)

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"Superb ELKA EK-44 in near mint conditions. The synth comes with all the 5 expansion cartridge featuring 32 patches each, for a total of 224 sounds (including the 64 internal ones). Here you will get 5 ROM card (expansions 1->4) and 1 RAM card (expansion 5). The machine is in perfect working conditions and just looks great. Professional packing and UPS Express Saver shipping guarantee.

History

The 80s saw Yamaha dominate the synthesizer industry with its groundbreaking FM synthesis. The release of the DX7 in 1983 caused a deep crisis for manufacturers specialized in analog synthesizers. Yamaha not only patented the new synthesis model but also produced cost-effective and reliable chips for digital sound generation making these new keyboards more powerful and reliable, more cost-effective and easily industrialized. The blow to Italian companies was severe, even for those that had long invested and innovated by introducing digital systems into their projects. They faced significant challenges because the 'core' of their equipment remained anchored to traditional analog generation, which was no longer competitive.

Italian FM

But some companies, despite suffering a setback, managed to reorganize and respond with some interesting proposals after a few years of hardship. Specifically, ELKA, the company that designed and marketed the glorious ELKA SYNTEX just a few years earlier, successfully acquired a series of ICs capable of generating sounds and waveforms using FM technology. With these components, ELKA created a range of highly interesting products for that era. Although the chips used (the YM2203) were manufactured by Yamaha and primarily intended for the video game and arcade console sector, ELKA's creative engineers successfully integrated them into their musical instruments, creating a new FM product line.

EK-44 : The flagship FM Synth

The top-of-the-line synthesizer created with these new chips was the EK-44, a multi-timbral 4-OP FM synthesizer with 18 voices of polyphony and 8 oscillators. Inside, it houses two identical sound generators named DCG1 and DCG2, each employing 6 YM2203 chips (4 operators with 8 different FM algorithms), making it capable of generating multiple sounds simultaneously — a remarkable feat for its time. The 2 voice processors can be split, layered or played as 8 independent parts with own Midi channels and mix volume.

Usability

The EK-44 operates in a similar manner to the Yamaha DX7, except that the its LCD display is a little more informative, although some information (the equivalent of the DX7's algorithm charts) is hidden from the user so you don't have to worry about it. So, when we go through the basic parameters, keep in mind that most of them are represented in the LCD display by an eight-section bar chart. Whether we're talking about oscillator volumes, frequencies, envelope levels or whatever, eight little columns in the display give you a good visual indication of the current state of affairs, while the first eight of the sixteen Performance Registration buttons directly beneath the display allow you to choose which of the available levels you're editing.


Specifications

Polyphony : 18 voices (9+9)
Multitimbral : 8 Parts
8 Oscillators (4+4)
8 Algorithms (Osc Combinations)
Analog Chorus based on BBD MN
64 Presets + 32 User Patches
Semitone Transpose
Detune
Vibrato (4 waveforms with Speed, Depth, Delay)
4 FM ADSR
1 Pitch Envelope Generator
Arabian Scale
Portamento
Fine tuning
Basic sequencer
Hidden features

An intriguing aspect was that, despite using an FM synthesis method quite similar to Yamaha's, ELKA tried to keep it as concealed as possible and not entirely publicized. For instance, the chips were sandblasted and rebranded, and even during the sound editing, many of the typical features of FM sound programming were 'masked' and not made directly accessible. For example, the detailed explanation of what lay behind the parameter called 'Oscillator Combination' was never provided. However, experimenting with presets and adjusting their settings revealed something akin to the experience of modifying algorithms and operators on a DX7. It's unclear whether this secrecy was driven by commercial reasons or a desire to withhold technological details from competitors."