RS060 Dr Böhm Dynamic 12/24 (Orla DSE): German EFF EHM

video upload by rejected synths

"Talking synths from Germany, quite a few companies come to mind: Waldorf, Doepfer or Vermona are popular ones still around and there are a lot more, some of them long gone like pioneering PPG. One company that hardly ever makes the list is Dr Böhm Organ. This might be down to the fact that Böhm weren’t exactly a company focused on synths at all but rather one that offered DIY kits for people to build themselves electronic organs.

Strictly speaking these organs were ‘synths’ too and when the 80s arrived, Böhm, just like companies like Sequential, Roland or Yamaha, started to utilize digital control and later digital synthesis in their ‘synths’ too, albeit utilizing interfaces more akin to traditional organs.

One other similarity to ‘real’ synth companies was that they also started to offer expander modules, that could be controlled by midi, expanding the variety of sounds while at the same time saving on space (no keyboard) and costs.

This is where today’s synth comes from. The Dynamic 12/24 was meant as an affordable way for Böhm’s customers of home owners and entertainers to expand their setup with some more organ but also other sounds like strings, e-pianos and some 80s-ish synth staples.

The technology used was taken from one of it’s electronic organs and while clearly trying to hide it (even going as far as filing the markings off the ICs) it was Yamaha FM Chips doing Yamaha sounding 4OP FM. The good thing is of course, that this is actually a great basis for a very wide range of sounds, especially as Böhm was kind enough to add user memory to enable creation and saving of your own patches. Also, editing can be done via midi and there are editors available too. What makes the 12/24 stand out from the crowd of 4 OP modules most though is the unique Böhm analog bucket brigade delay style ensemble effect, that ‘warms’ the FM sound.

Last but not least, the Dynamic 12/24s seem to be widely available and dirt cheap too, at least here in and around Germany. So grab one before they become cool, or anyone finds out they are actually the same as the Orla DSE, a synth that has been used by a guy that goes by the name of Richard David James…"

Böhm Dynamic 12/24 Vintage 4OP FM Synthesizer with 12 Voices and Ensemble Effect w/ Brochure

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

via this auction

CLICK FOR MORE »

Böhm Dynamic 4x9 Vintage FM Synth with Analogue Phaser + Ensemble

Note: links to listings are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.
RS051.1 Dr Böhm Dynamic 4x9 'No Talking Edition' video upload by rejected synths

"This is a shorter 'No Talking' edit of my video about the Dr Böhm Dynamic 4x9 for those who prefer 'pure' demos without comments. If you like it, go watch the full video, it features additional information about the machine:"

You can find additional demos and a brochure of the 12/24 model in previous posts here.

RS051 Dr Böhm Dynamic 4x9: FM Tank

video upload by rejected synths

Dopfer gets a mention at 2:17.

"Japanese manufacturers today are the big players in the synth world and they have been so for quite a while. But just like there are today, there have always been other choices too. Small manufacturers from many different countries add their own distinctive ‚flavors‘ and always have.

Take for example today‘s synth, the Dr Böhm Dynamic 4x9. It‘s a very German fully programmable 4OP FM-Synth monster. Big and heavy (and some might say over-engineered) like a German sedan. Stuffed to the brim with the latest technology (from the mid 80s) it clearly exceeds the capabilities of most of it’s contemporary peers. Featuring a whooping 36 voices (and 36 part multitimbrality), it is equipped with dual midi ports, lots of outputs, two analog effects boards and abundance of memory for patches and takes up a LOT of parking, ehm, rack space.

The biggest difference of course is, that you don’t have to built you Mercedes or BMW yourself, (and didn’t have to back in the 80s). A Doctor Böhm however was a DIY affair, to own one, you had to built one yourself. It’s no surprise then, that the 4x9 never became too popular or even widely known outside of it’s native country. So it’s actually much less a Beamer and more like a Bitter SC Sedan… or a German tank, if you go by its impressive weight or the thickness of the metal used for the casing ;)"

via this auction

Pic of the inside below.

"This one‘s a real hidden gem.

Developed in 1987 by the german organ factory Böhm (formerly known as Dr. Böhm) the Dynamic 4x9 is a 9 voice multitimbral 4 Operator FM Synthesizer with Bucket Brigade Effects Phaser and Ensemble. And it‘s got Yamaha (YM2203) ICs.

4x9 means you can route 4 Midi Channels, each with 9 Voices, separately. You got a stereo out and you got four single outs to mix each of the four channels separately.

Dynamic means you got aftertouch and velocity.

The attached video shows all functions and what the 4x9 sounds like.

Device works flawless, some scratches on top, no leaked battery. Looks fine inside.

220 Volt.

For 110 Volts you need a voltage converter"

CLICK FOR MORE »

Böhm Bohm Boehm Dynamic 12/24 - 4 Operator FM-Synthesizer Made in Germany 1985

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

via this auction

Advert on the left.
Pics of the inside below.

"Böhm Dynamic 12/24 FM Rack Synthesizer. Made in Germany 1985

SUPER RARE FULL VERSION. Completely equipped circuit board - therefore 24 voices instead of the usual 12.

4 Operators.
8 Algorithms.
Velocity, Aftertouch.

Rare FM sounds, 98 presets. Built in original Yamaha ICs. Sounds similar to Yamaha DX21, 27, 100. Comparatively soft sound for a FM synthesizer. Good condition. New backup battery!

For the sake of completeness: Unit lacks cassette Interface (never needed one) and protection button (protection is set off, so you can change settings)

Works perfectly with any MIDI controller. Comes with power cord. 220 Volt"

CLICK FOR MORE »

Dr. BÖHM Dynamic 12/24 Rare German Vintage Digital FM Synthesizer

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

via this auction

Pics of the inside below. You can find a demo of one previously posted here.

"Böhm 12/24 FM Rack Synthesizer. 4 operators. 8 algorithms. velocity, aftertouch. SUPER RARE FULL VERSION. Completely equipped circuit board - therefore 24 voices instead of the usual 12. Rare FM sounds, 98 presets. Yamaha chips. Sounds similar to Yamaha DX21, 27, 100. Comparatively soft sound for an FM synthesizer. https://youtu.be/yHZmApBZyqQ Good condition. The backup battery should be changed as the device hangs from time to time and needs to be resetted. Power supply hums a bit. Works perfectly with any MIDI controller. Comes With power cord. 220 Volt"

CLICK FOR MORE »

Best Ambient Synth Shootout #99: Böhm Dynamic 4x9 - Song 3

Christian's Sonic Spaces

"This is the third song with the Boehm Dynamic 4x9. It's a German FM-synthesizer from mid-80s that were only available as DIY project. It uses 12(!) Yamaha ICs of the type YM2203, which were commonly used in home computers from NEC as well as in arcade games until the early 90s. Each of the ICs has 3 FM-voices for an overall 36 voices 4-part polyphony.

I used for the recording the following FX for the song:

DigiTech Obscura, Pigtronix Echolution 2 Deluxe, GFI System Specular Reverb 2.

Depending on the recorded track some FX are deactivated.The signal went through a Presonus StudioLive 16.0.2 into the PC for recording. To create the complete song I recorded consecutively several stereo tracks. The final song was then mastered with a bit EQ and compression on some tracks and some limiting on the master track."

Christian's Sonic Spaces Böhm demos

Best Ambient Synth Shootout #81: Böhm Dynamic 4x9 - Song 2

Published on Mar 1, 2020 Christian's Sonic Spaces

"This is the second song with the Boehm Dynamic 4x9. It's a German FM-synthesizer from mid-80s that were only available as DIY project. It uses 12(!) Yamaha ICs of the type YM2203, which were commonly used in home computers from NEC as well as in arcade games until the early 90s. Each of the ICs has 3 FM-voices for an overall 36 voices 4-part polyphony.

I used for the recording the following FX for the song:

T-Rex Twister, DigiTech Obscura, Alesis Ampliton, Pigtronix Echolution 2 Deluxe, GFI System Specular Reverb 2.

Depending on the recorded track some FX are deactivated.The signal went through a Presonus StudioLive 16.0.2 into the PC for recording. To create the complete song I recorded consecutively several stereo tracks. The final song was then mastered with a bit EQ and compression on some tracks and some limiting on the master track."

Additional Böhm Dynamic 4x9 posts

DR. Böhm Dynamic 4x9 weird digital synth expander

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

via this auction

"this weird beast is basically 4 FM synths (fully editable !) in one (4*9 voices) + analog chorus and phasing effects. This makes it very analog sounding, nice pads and organs.

each section is programmable with the 4 knobs (volumes + data entry in edit mode) so quite easy to get in touch with

very much possibities and quite punchy sounds, good signal quality,

lots of MIDI connections and 8 outputs !

display is quite dark, all other functions are good !

very rare in this good working condition !

230V model not for US! only with converter"

CLICK FOR MORE »

2019/05 - Bangkok to San Francisco

Published on May 7, 2019 Stereoping

PULSCar sighting. Note the background on it looks red / burgundy not black. Fun track.

"I hope you enjoy listening to this funny composition as i did while arrangeing it. Starting as a stupid solo-entertainer-pattern with Cha-Cha-Trumpets. The arrangement takes a twist into Bhangra at 1:05 with a juicy Synth-solo played by Dreadbox's Nyx, accompanied by a programmed VSTi-Tabla. The journey continues with deep Volksmusik-Horns leading into the contrastive & sweet contra theme at 2:04. The Boehm Dynamic 12x24 Ensemble strings have their solo now, the Nyx is helping out a bit. In the end from 3:03 the chord progression gets somehow jazzy for a final Nyx synthesizer solo.

A realtime recording of a FL Studio midi arrangement. Drums: CR-68 (with midi & the missing CR78 voices MetalBeat,Tambourine + Guiro), Bass: Waldorf Pulse, oriental Solosynth: Dreadbox Nyx, Horns & Backing-strings: JV1018, High strings: Böhm Dynamic 12/24

The video itself it not that exciting. The playlist and a headcam-realtime-shot from the gokiburi-studio showing some gear and slight modulation-performance on the Nyx during the soli. At least something to look at.
Hope you like it :-)"

Boehm Dynamic 4x9 FM-Synthesizer - Two Demosongs & Realtime editing

Published on Feb 13, 2019 Stereoping

Neve seen one of these before.

"The Boehm Dynamic 4x9 is a fully editable 4 OP FM-Synthesizer similar to Yamaha's FB-01. It's got 4 'blocks' each supplying 9 voices from rough Yamaha YM2203 FM-chips.The Boehm is always in Multimode making it easy and funny building layersounds or multitrack arrangements. It also houses 2 different analogue BBD-effects called 'Phasing' and 'Ensemble' bringing some sound-modulation and Solina-feeling to the cold FM-world.

The video contains 2 little arrangements making use of several presets. 1st one is pure Boehm Dynamic 4x9 with a bit of reverb, no other gear used. Some photos show the inside of the unit.

The second song - starting with 'german volksmusik' and ending quite jazzy - uses drums from the Nord Drum 2 and displays the midi activity of the 4 blocks together with the Fruity Loops arrangement.

There is also a followup video showing realtime editing of the unit with a Midi-Controller."

Boehm Dynamic 4x9 - Realtime editing

Published on Feb 13, 2019

"Demo for realtime editing of the Böhm Dynamic 4x9 FM-Synthesizer. Session one scrambles a Strings preset. Second session starts with the sound of an E-Tom. The color of the LED dispays which parameters are currently changed. Switching the BBD-effects around 2:24 & 2:45 (should have made that first on the unchanged string preset, i know).
Caution! The sound is partly distorted and aggressive, you might want to turn the volume down before starting the video."

Böhm Dynamic 4x9 Expander, Modul + Böhmat PM1

Note: links to listings are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.
Published on Apr 28, 2014 Synt Hudba

Böhm Dynamic 4x9 synthesizer expander demo

Published on Aug 15, 2015 audio jackstudio

via this auction

CLICK FOR MORE »

SCI Multi-Trak Battery Replacement & Preset Restore from Tape

YouTube Published on Apr 17, 2012 by tubical71

The Multi-Trak has a design flaw that causes the battery to leak quicker than most synths over time.

"This One is covering the replacement of an empty backup battery.

Did you know the model number of the MULTI-TRAK was 615...?
The MT has 6 Voices poly and it´s max. Six times multitimbral, has an build in sequencer with four trax up to 1600 notes total capacity and an arpegiator as well.
Both are syncable to midi-clock but not to be used together.
The MT has also a build in chorus for the main outs.
And futhermore every voice has it´s own output as well.

It respond to midi velocity and aftertouch. The keyboard is doing velocity as well but not aftertouch. It sends midi-clock when using the sequencer or arpegiator.
One can do stacks and splits with equal or 2/4 1/5 and vice-versa voicecount settings.
To do this simply press the Stack-button and hold the Trak-button and type in the voice you wanna have there from the number row buttons.

Way easy and straightforward...

My Multi-Traks´ serial is 02059

It was my very first Synth ever. I´ve bought it, used, a very looong time ago back in 1987, when I was 16 years old, for a huge amount of cash these 850DM looked for me back than.
I put by nearly every amout of money earned that days - and I went to the used-synth & organ shop almost once a week to see if my machine is still there....

And nearly one year later, as I got all needed cash, went to the store with my dad, smashed the cash on the table and said to the saleman....ok - now it´s time for the synth to come home with me....:D

And there it is...and it will remain here, I simply will NOT sale this Synth to anyone...!
Some newer synthies come some went away, some are going to come, but this Model 615 remains...outlives...
May someday i come across a TOM - witch is a fantastic companion to the Multi-Trak as it has the same panel-design..."

SCI Mutli-Trak Oldschool Tape Backup Restoring

Published on Apr 17, 2012 by tubical71

"Restoring my MUTLI-TRAK sounds using the "Old-School" Cassette Interface and a Tape deck with a cassette holding the backup data.

Not very common today - people are using Midi-Dump instead. (like me as well on newer synths)

Another method is to use the cassette-interface in conjunction with a sampler. I´ve done this with the Crumar "BitOne" and the Böhm "Dynamic 12/24"