EMS Synthi AKS Mk2, 1975 w/ Docs & 7" Record

Note: links to listings are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this Vemia listing

Click the auction link on top when you get there for additional listings.

"A superb and highly original EMS Synthi AKS Mk2, manufactured in 1975, in full working order and very nice cosmetic condition as shown in the photos. The aluminium front panel is in excellent shape and fitted with the original vernier dials, which have developed a lovely natural patina with age and use. The Spartanite briefcase is also in very good condition and retains the correct EMS London badge.
This is a genuine, unmodified example that retains its original character and components, something that is becoming increasingly difficult to find. It has clearly been a well-loved and carefully maintained instrument. I have owned it for the past 11 years, but it’s now time for it to move on to someone who will give it the use it deserves.

The Synthi A itself has been recently serviced by a professional vintage synth technician, and the KS sequencer was serviced four months ago by Robin Wood at EMS in Cornwall, ensuring everything is functioning exactly as it should.

Included with the synth: • Extra patch pins • Original Synthi–KS sequencer umbilical cable (excellent condition) • UK mains cable • Two keys for the Spartanite case so it can be locked — a great security feature… after all, no one would think of stealing a locked briefcase synth!

Also included is an excellent collection of original EMS documentation and ephemera, which is becoming increasingly difficult to find with surviving instruments: • Original EMS user manual, bound for protection • EMS 7' 33rpm demonstration record with cover • Original guarantee form (unused — unfortunately the manufacturer’s warranty has now expired!) • Several original EMS leaflets for the Synthi, VCS3 and Synthi 100 & Synthi Hi-Fli • Unused patch cards from 1975, in two different formats • Original 1975 EMS price list • An unbound copy of the Synthi Educational Handbook

Overall this is a beautifully preserved and highly original Synthi AKS Mk2, complete with period accessories and documentation — something that is becoming increasingly rare.

If you are looking for an authentic EMS instrument with real provenance and ready to continue making extraordinary sounds for decades to come, this is a wonderful example. Serial Number: 45104KS"

CLICK FOR MORE »

EMS Synthi AKS _vintage 100% serviced

Note: links to listings are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this Vemia listing

Click the auction link on top when you get there for additional listings.

One pic of the inside below.

EMS Synthi AKS!

* Vintage original. Fully serviced and restored! *

Original Synthi from the 70's with KS keyboard sequencer & cables.
The Synthi and KS have been together from new so they have matching serial numbers.

Recently serviced by specialized EMS tech. Ready for another future!

Nice condition. See pictures and make sure to click 'expand' and scroll for full detail.
Just ask if you'd like larger pictures or details.

Here's a list of the mods and extensive work done:

--------------------------------------
Caps replaced
Trimmers replaced
Vernier dials replaced : 3x
Envelope lamp replaced
Filter slew/unslew (push-pull)
Trapezoid polarity switch
VC Waveshape of Osc 1 and 2 via reverb mix column
Osc sync 3x + sync amount pots
Osc3 hi/lo range
Portamento
KS service
Calibrated
--------------------------------------

Fully working and technically great original Synthi AKS. This is a real instrument!
The recap, new trimmers and verniers should keep it going smooth for many years.
The very useful mods like Osc sync, portamento, envelope ±, controlled waveshape make it so much more versatile! Filter slew/unslew also a must on Synthi's. :)"

CLICK FOR MORE »

The Extraordinary EMS Synthi 100

video upload by Alex Ball

"A look at an incrediblY rare synthesizer from 1971.

Enormous thanks to the Townshend Studio and the University of West London for this opportunity.

https://www.uwl.ac.uk/study/study-fac...

Malcolm Clarke demonstrates the Synthi 100 sequencer as discussed in the video: [below]

0:00 Intro Performance
2:31 History of EMS
12:22 Music Interlude 1
13:46 Guided Tour of the Synthi 100
19:16 Music Interlude 2
21:48 The Vocoder 5000
24:59 The Digital Sequencer
25:49 The Townshend Studio
26:48 Summary & Thanks
27:36 Patreon Outro Performance"

The New Sound Of Music - 1979 - (Full Documentary) (BEATS T.V)

video upload by BEATS TV

EMS Synthi 100 Reapir Part 3

video upload by Really Nice Audio

Really Nice Audio EMS Synthi 100 Repair

"Sorry I could not film too much as there were student rehearsals taking place and an interview about to take place in the Pete Townshend Studio at the University of West London
https://www.uwl.ac.uk/study/study-fac...

Music from my ATMOS album Height Supremacy, a track called 'Miles From Cornwell'
I thought a very apt track to play as EMS is based in Cornwell."

EMS Synthi 100 Repair Part 2 Belt and Braces Approach to bring back to life a beautiful linear PSU

video upload by Really Nice Audio

Part 1 here

"Join me in this second video to repair a classic EMS Synthi 100.

This synth is part of the Pete Townshend collection at the University of West London
https://www.uwl.ac.uk/study/study-fac..."

EMS Synthi 100 Diagnosis. What could be causing this poor synthesiser to sound poorly?

video upload by Really Nice Audio

1974 EMS SYNTHI 100 Up For Sale

Note: links to listings are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this Reverb listing

"Up for sale is an original 1974 EMS Synthi 100 Synthesizer. I am the second owner of this amazing instrument. It is in incredible condition for an item of its age and size. Very few of these were produced in the early 1970s and most of them were sold to institutions, private studios and musicians - these almost never turn up for sale on the open market.

This particular Synthi 100 was one of the last produced by EMS (London) and has all of the standard factory updates including newer scope, sequencer memory display and patchable multimeter. below is a list of what is included with the auction:

CLICK FOR MORE »

EMS Documentary Clips & Interviews

video uploads by Ektoplasmic Interzone

Update: video 8. w/ Liz Parker added.

Playlist:

1. Zinovieff featured on "Tomorrows World" (1968) - Clip from BBC Program
2. Zinovieff from BBC's "New Horizons" (1971)
3. Rise and Fall of EMS London - Zinovieff interview
4. EMS Studio London - Peter describes the challenges of the electronic studio
5. Peter and Robin at EMS Oxfordshire Studio
6. Malcolm Clarke demonstrates Synthi 100
7. VCS3 Waves and Harmonics
8. Liz Parker demonstrates Synthi 100 Radiophonic

And a massive playlist from Ektoplasmic Interzone featuring additional videos:

Electronic Music Studios (EMS) London Ltd Synthi


You can use the player controls to skip around. Click the drop down on the trop right of the player to scroll through titles.

Maciek Polak "Remaining exercises For Synthi AKS Solo" - Master 31

video upload by analogia pl

"In 2016 and 2017, while working on the debut album for my band Pin Park, I recorded a few hundred tracks. Around 200 survived the first cut, and that number was eventually trimmed down to 50. These recordings were literally rescued by Marcin Bociński from legatomastering.pl after I had forgotten about them for quite some time.

The setup I used was extremely limited: an EMS Synthi AKS (occasionally a VCS3), an EMS Vocoder 100, and three Boss pedals (looper, reverb, and distortion). Everything was recorded onto a low-quality Zoom device running through a substandard mixer. Each track was captured in a single take with no overdubs, which meant there was no real possibility for mixing. Marcin’s mastering work was nothing short of amazing, bringing these raw recordings to life.

In 2018, Apekwolf Records released 14 of these tracks. The remaining 36 were never made available—until now. Enjoy!"

EMS Synthi 100

Note: links to listings are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.


via this Vemia listing

Click the auction link on top when you get there for additional listings.

"This is my EMS 100, serial number 007, clearly licensed to thrill. Arguably, one of the most iconic if not the most iconic modular synth ever built. This is the unit formerly owned by TC media composer Bruno Spoeri. It came to me in a very good state and I enjoyed it for a long time.
I have owned several VCS3s and AKS over the years as well and I would describe the EMS 100 as sounding substantially more organic. It can of course do all the weird and wonderful stuff an EMS synth is known for and take this to extremes. But it also excels at playing it melodically (yes it can do that) which is much helped by the dual manual keyboard which is velocity sensitive (!) and very expressive.

I want the buyer of this wonderful item to be as happy with it as I was. The EMS is therefore currently being refurbished by a world leading specialist with huge experience in servicing and building modular synths and commercial studios all over the world. State of refurbishment The EMS has undergone a complete overhaul. The refurbishment also includes the woodwork and the dual keyboard.

As reported by my tech, the sound generation and the keyboards are fully functional. We haven't managed to fix the sequencer in time for the auction. We also need to fix one of the two spring reverbs. If these two issues haven't been fixed before the auction end I will contribute 5k Euro to the repair as a lump sum reduction of the purchase price. It will be in the buyer's discretion to decide on the further course of action.

Shipping: The EMS 100 main unit is a substantial item. It is currently sitting at my tech's premises. It can be delivered by him with a lorry to most parts of central Europe (within reason). This is to be arranged between the buyer and my tech and will have to be compensated on terms agreed between the buyer and my tech. My tech will also be happy to help setting it up after the journey.

If overseas shipping is required, the EMS main unit can be divided into two parts, the lower pedestal and the console (i.e. the synth itself) which is sitting on the pedestal. Along with the dual manual keyboard this will result in three parts for the shipping. It is no problem to build a crate. This will be have to be arranged by the buyer with my tech.

Important: All shipping arrangements must be made by the buyer with my tech. The ownership of the EMS will pass to the buyer upon receipt of the auction price while the EMS is still sitting at my tech's place. It will be shipped directly from him at the buyers instruction, arrangements and risk. My tech is of course happy to assist with shipping and he has experience with shipping. He has shipped large format consoles over the Atlantic, so he knows what he is doing. As always, the buyer is of course responsible for all import duties and taxes as normal. (Within the EU that is zero!)

Bidding: I kindly ask bidders to only bid with serious intent. Please do not bid if you cannot follow up on your bid. Please keep in mind that the bid constitutes a binding contract and not following up can cause substantial damage to me and/or other bidders. I trust that you understand.

VEMIA note: on reflection, given the pretty remarkable condition of most of the Synthi, we think 'very good' is a more accurate cosmetic score. Please look at the photos to decide for yourself."

Listed for 159950 EUR / 139304 GBP

CLICK FOR MORE »

The Florian Schneider Collection to Be Auctioned at JULIEN*S November 19

Note: links to listings are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via JULIEN*S

"THE FLORIAN SCHNEIDER COLLECTION

Auction to be held at Musician's Hall of Fame & Museum, Nashville, on November 19

An incredible collection of more than 450 artifacts from the life and career of Florian Schneider, co-founder of the pioneer electronic band Kraftwerk."

Pics and videos featuring some of the gear below, and his Lederhosen for good measure (thanks greg!).

Update: the post has been fully updated with all the synth related gear. This may just well be the longest post to be featured on the site. I wanted to capture all the pics for all of the details including notes, scuffs, and of course serial numbers. It's an interesting look into what he used, the condition he keped his gear, in some cases, how he actually used his gear. Note the phonetics on the keys of the Casio CZ-101 and DX-100. Note the Midi Switch Box with a built-in speaker? What's that about? Note the camouflage key strap on the Korg RK-100 Remote Keyboard. Did he pick it out himself or did the keytar just come with it? Note the repeat midi controllers and the MIDI saxaphones. Wind was his primary instrument. You'll find a ton of the acoustic gear he used in the other listings. This is a fascinating insight into both what and how he used his gear.

Side note: there is no affiliate compensation for this post. The note at the top automatically shows for all posts with the Auction label.


Rack Mount Sennheiser VSM-201 Vocoder

Starting Bid $5,000

Estimate $20,000 - $40,000 USD

A late 1970s Sennheiser VSM 201 Vocoder with no serial number from the personal studio and collection of Florian Schneider of Kraftwerk (see images). While it’s said that only a few dozen of these Vocoders were produced, a few examples made it into the hands of forward-thinking musical artists including Herbie Hancock, Daft Punk, and of course, Kraftwerk, who used a VSM-201 like this on their albums Man Machine (1978) and Computerworld (1981). The VSM-201 has an intelligible sound that has not yet been bested by modern gear. Includes power cable. This VSM-201 has been removed from its wooden enclosure (which bears the serial number plate) and modified with a metal rack mount casing, presumably for live use. Requires 240v, IEC power cable not included.

Dimensions: 19 x 9 x 9 inches

Category: Kraftwerk, Equipment

Provenance: PROVENANCE From the Estate of Florian Schneider

CLICK FOR MORE »

Maciek Polak "Remaining exercises For Synthi AKS Solo"

video uploads by analogia pl

"In 2016 and 2017, while working on the debut album for my band Pin Park, I recorded a few hundred tracks. Around 200 survived the first cut, and that number was eventually trimmed down to 50. These recordings were literally rescued by Marcin Bociński from legatomastering.pl after I had forgotten about them for quite some time.

The setup I used was extremely limited: an EMS Synthi AKS (occasionally a VCS3), an EMS Vocoder 100, and three Boss pedals (looper, reverb, and distortion). Everything was recorded onto a low-quality Zoom device running through a substandard mixer. Each track was captured in a single take with no overdubs, which meant there was no real possibility for mixing. Marcin’s mastering work was nothing short of amazing, bringing these raw recordings to life.

In 2018, Apekwolf Records released 14 of these tracks. The remaining 36 were never made available—until now. Enjoy!"

EMS Synthi A & Prestopatch Battle

Note: links to listings are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

Two separate listings.

Prestopatch Battle via this Reverb listing

"Original EMS Battle Prestopatch.

This thing is very rare and cool as heck."

EMS SYNTHI via via this Reverb listing

"This is a beautiful cream faced EMS Synthi A in fantastic condition. The case hardware shows some age and there is some mild scuffing on the bottom back of the ABS plastic part of the case but nothing that stands out. All mods built and installed by Robin Wood at EMS. Since I have owned it, it’s been kept in a padded case (included, see photos) in my climate controlled studio. The panel, pins, jacks, pots, guts, etc. are as good as new.

Aesthetics: There are labels applied by EMS that indicate the mods/expansions. As mentioned above, the metal case hardware shows some age, I took pictures of everything to be clear on aesthetics.

The mild scuffing on the ABS is not really noticeable to the eye but you can feel it if you run your hand over it.

I have included images of the pages in the manual that explain all of the mods and how they function. This is an amazing Synthi A that is 100% functional and clean with extras that add new dimensions to this classic beast."

CLICK FOR MORE »

How do you feel about modifying vintage synths?

video upload by Soundgas

"How do you feel about modifying vintage synths?

Just got my EMS Synthi AKS back from a thorough overhaul and with a stack of mods added (it’d already had some historic and less than pretty ones installed).

People often ask whether modifying a synth like this affects value. While there’s no denying it can feel sacrilegious when you’re talking about an exceptionally well preserved example, I am 100% for anything that means old gear will get used more.

One of the worst things you can do with old gear is put it on a shelf and not use it. We regularly get contacted by collectors (or people who no longer use their now valuable vintage synths) expecting top prices for their precious instruments which come ‘serviced’ and ‘working perfectly - last time I used it’. A little digging usually reveals this to have been a decade or more ago and the service work is ancient history.

So if modding that classic synth means you’ll play it more and enjoy it, that to me is a no brainer.

I understand that this puts us at odds with many vintage synth collectors, but the majority of our customers - who want to use them (shock horror) for making music - seem to agree.

What do you think? Modify old gear or not?"

Batch of EMS brochures, technical documentation, photographs and advertisements + chrome sticker

Note: links to listings are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this Reverb listing

"Batch of EMS brochures, technical documentation, photographs and advertisements + chrome sticker

EMS Synthi users brochure - The book of sounds by David Stevens

Rare set of 2 reference books - EMS Vocom & Musys documentation by Peter Zinovieff & Peter Grogono

Rare A3 double page EMS Synthi synthesizers range In colour glossy paper

Synthi 100 - Synthi AKS - Synthi VCS3 - Synthi Sequencer - Synthi Hi-fli - Modules...

EMS Synthi Sequencer 256 - Genuine technical documentation

EMS VOCODER Rare advertising postcard in chrome plastic / carte postale chromée"

CLICK FOR MORE »

Fixing a Real EMS SYNTHI 100!! Super Rare Vintage Synth

video upload by THIS MUSEUM IS (NOT) OBSOLETE

"Support the Museum and see more videos and stuff Patreon : / lookmumnocomputer"

EMS Putney s/n 377 and DK.1 s/n 2090

Note: links to listings are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this VEMIA listing

Click the auction link on top when you get there for additional listings.

VEMIA is Peter Forrest's auction house. He is the author of The A-Z of Analogue Synthesizer Books.

"This is the second and sadly last Putney / DK.1 combo to come to VEMIA from Cardiff University Electronic Music Studio - one of the first and biggest electronic music studios in the world, with six VCS3s and then a Synthi 100. Another of the VCS3s from the studio is the featured instrument in the Wikipedia article https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/02/EMS_VCS_3.jpg - note the exact same type of security tag and engraving (E M Studio). The Wikipedia one is s/n 143. This Putney / VCS3 is s/n 377. The DK.1 is s/n 2090. Cosmetic condition is very good for things that are over 50 years old. There is considerable wear to the top panel silk-screening, and a few minor marks in the woodwork, but otherwise everything is lovely. The silk-screening around the matrix is in excellent condition - much better than average - and the matrix itself is very good. As well as looking great, they are in perfect working order, thoroughly serviced in September 2024 by EMS expert Lucid. The servicing includes replacement of all noisy pots and a correct set of matrix pins, all proper spec and sourced from Robin Wood at EMS. (Total invoice just under £1K).
The extra switch on the DK.1 reverses the dynamic voltage from the keyboard - perhaps in response to Carlos' criticism about the voltage as originally designed being negative. Lucid suspects this is an original EMS mod (and is identical to the other Cardiff Uni model we auctioned in April). **Now with one of Robin Wood's excellent padded covers for the VCS3 - money very well spent indeed. ** Packing at VEMIA: 30GBP."

CLICK FOR MORE »

EMS Synthi A with Robin Wood mods, mint

Note: links to listings are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this VEMIA listing

Click the auction link on top when you get there for additional listings.

VEMIA is Peter Forrest's auction house. He is the author of The A-Z of Analogue Synthesizer Books.

CLICK FOR MORE »

Destroying drums for Aphex Twin's - Ventolin, with the Erica Synths Syntrx II and Roland R8

video upload by Bleeps and Boops

"Something no-one asked for but it's here anyway... I was fascinated by the idea of Richard processing drums in things like the MS20, but rather than go down that route I figured I'd have a go at Ventolin using the spiritual ancestor of the EMS Synthi, the Erica Synths Syntrx II.

Chapters below -

0:00 Intro
1:30 Thought process and motivation
3:17 Syntrx II Demos
8:17 Parts for Ventolin
11:00 Track!

It's not 100% (obviously) and I didn't go to the trouble of changing the parts up too much. I think the drums are samples - there are bits in the original that sound like they're being played backwards which gives the game away - but the Syntrx is way more than 'just' a monosynth, and makes some very weird sounds so I sort of went with it."

SWITCHTRIX ELECTRONICS SYNTHE A100 DEMO 3/EMS SYNTHI A/EMS SYNTHI 100

video upload by SWITCHTRIX ELECTRONICS

"A drone patch from the SWITCHTRIX ELECTRONICS A100"