CRUMAR PERFORMER COMPARISON - BOTH FILTER VERSIONS

video upload by Vintage Audio Institute Italia

"This is a dry - very dry - comparison video of the two iterations of the first model of the Crumar Performer - a string and brass machine.

There was also a second model Performer, the Performer 2, with a slightly different look, but I've never played that one - it's quite rare.

What makes the biggest difference between the early and late production run of the first model Crumar Performer is the architecture and components of the Brass filter section.

So we'll focus on that in this video, after a quick String Section comparison.

Crumar initially used the Moog Ladder filter for the Performer, and later modified the brass circuitry and switched to a SSM2040 filter.

Not only the components changed - the sound and behaviour of the Brass section itself changed.

There are quite a few opinions out there regarding the two filter sections so let's do some myth busting right away. There's no fool proof indicator of what filter version Crumar Performer you have in your hands just looking at it.

We initially thought the octave switch on the front panel was added together with the SSM filter - incorrect- we've had a Performer without octave switch that still mounted the SSM filter.

Some people say B in the serial number on the back indicates later production run units with SSM filters - also incorrect - these are both marked B but one is equipped with the Moog ladder filter.

Very low serial numbers should generally have the Moog Ladder filter but there's no rule of thumb - you just have to plug in your Performer and listen - or open it up and see which components are on board.

These were just serviced and calibrated according to specs - there's an official procedure for this - the SSM filter model had the SSM2040 switched to a new SSM2140 - without it making any difference on the behaviour or sound of the filter - we tried both."