Pro One Modifications

Title link takes you to more details, pics, and samples. Do listen to the samples. That Sample and Hold one is absolutely sick.

"Modification Summary:

Replaced the white noise source with a new circuit that provides white, pink, red, and infra-red noise. A rotary switch selects the noise colour.
The new noise source can act as a modulation source in addition to its role as an audio signal. A pot sets the noise level fed to the buses. A rotary switch selects whether the noise signal feeds the Direct or Wheel modulation buses.
Added a Sample & Hold circuit. The new noise source is the signal input to the Sample & Hold. The LFO square wave is the clock. The Sample & Hold output can be used as a modulation source.
The pulse width of the LFO signal can be adjusted from 0% to 100% with a pot.
The LFO signal can be inverted. A rotary switch selects LFO non-inverted, LFO inverted, or Sample & Hold as a modulation source.
Added a triangle wave for oscillator A. A pot allows manually mixing between the triangle and sawtooth waves.
Filter resonance can now be used as a modulation destination. A rotary switch selects from either the Direct or Wheel modulation buses as a source.
The filter envelope can be inverted. Inverted and non-inverted envelopes can be applied to filter frequency and the Direct or Wheel modulation buses via two slide switches.
The filter frequency signal from the Kenton MIDI interface can be assigned to the Direct modulation bus. A pot sets the signal level fed to the bus."

Guess the Synth on Sunrise.de

This one sent my way via Dr. Georg Muller. I remember this back in 2002. Title link takes you to a page with 33 samples of the same type of sound playing the same thing. Warning: if you click on the answer for a given sample you will be taken to all the answers. Forget about the challenge unless you are into that sort of thing. Instead, just check out how these synths compare to eachother for a given sound. Synths include Andromeda, CS-50, CZ-1000, D-550, DW-8000, EHX Mini Synth, JV-1080, K1r, K3m, Luna Blue Synth, Luna Miniscope, Luna Modular, Luna Pro One, Luna Saturn, Luna uknow 007, Matrix-1000, micro Q, MKS-70, MS 20, MicroWave, MicroWave II, Pro 52, Pulse, Rack Attack, Reason Substractor, Sid Station, Soundforum Synth, TG77, VL-1, VZ-1 into 4 Pole.

Racked Juno 106

Title link takes you to shots pulled from this auction.

MEK Arpeggiator

Interesting. According to this post on VSE the manual for the MEK includes a section on an Arpeggiator. The PEK and Evolver do not have this.

"Arpeggiator

As a last-minute addition, a simple arpeggiator was included as a hidden function. As
a hidden function, the operation is a little less than obvious, but the assumption is that
it’s nice to have anyway.

Note: The Arpeggiator settings are not saved as part of the Program.

Basic operation is simple: while holding the RESET switch, simply hit the Sequencer 1
switch for an Up direction arpeggio, Sequencer 2 for Down, 3 for Up/Down, and 4 for
Assign, which remembers the order the keys are held. The sequencer switch LED
will blink indicating which mode is currently selected.

Note: You can change modes at any time while playing, or while the keys are
latched.

The Sequencer clock determines the speed, which means it also takes into account
the Clock Divide value. This gives a very wide range of speed, and also enables
swing timing on the arpeggio. And, it can sync to MIDI.
To latch an arpeggio, simple hit the WRITE switch, and the notes will be held when
you remove your fingers from the keyboard. If you then hit another key, it will also be
latched. Hit the WRITE switch again to un-latch.

Note: You can hit the WRITE switch with no keys held, and then just start hitting
the keys you want in the arpeggio, and they will be latched.

Hit the RESET switch to clear the latched notes.

Note: You can only have any specific key played one time in the arpeggio; ie if
you are latching keys, and hit the same note twice, it will only latch the most
recent hit.

To stop the Arpeggiator, simply hit the START/STOP switch."

Elka Synthex Shots

Title link takes you to shots pulled from this auction.

1100 Little Phattys Sold

Title link takes you to the news post on Sonic State.

“We expected our core customers to be very excited about owning a new Moog synth that is also a tribute to Bob. Our Moog Authorized dealers anticipated this as well and have absorbed 90% of our planned limited edition model. We are very pleased with the market’s reaction to the Little Phatty, and I am confident musicians will be thrilled with the product when they hear it. It’s definitely a Moog.”

KinkyBeep

Modular synth for the Mac that's been around for years according to this thread on VSE. Make sure to check out the post for some samples.

Thomas Dolby Video Blogs

Title link takes you there.

"Hey, I’m thinking it might be nice to add an occasional vidblog/podcast to the site. I dashed this one off as a trial. It’s a clip from my song The Flat Earth at last February’s TED Conference (Technology, Entertainment and Design) and I’ve added a voiceover explaining what I’m doing–a bit like a ‘Director’s Cut.’"

HCGPF on Analog Industries

It's a synth one. Title link takes you there.

New Waldorf Products to be Announced Winter NAMM 2007

Click here for a Google translated interview of Joachim Flor of Waldorf. Replace "Whale Village" with "Waldorf" when you get there. : ) Here's a link to the original in German. This one sent my way via Dr. Georg Müller.

"AMAZONA.de:
What might we expect from the new Waldorf?

JOACHIM FLOR:
Of course there will be new Waldorf products... the future developments will be characterised by innovation, unmistakable sound, optimal ergonomics, excellent design, user friendliness and all that the name Waldorf stood for, stands and will continue to stand. But we'll let you be surprised. Our first goal is the winters NAMM 2007 in Anaheim!"

I can't wait. Something tells me Winter NAMM 2007 will be the most hyped NAMM in a long, long time. : ) Thanks for sending this one in Georg!

Update via Mr. Array in the comments:

"Wheee!

Here is another message, this time from Stefan Stenzel where he more or less confirms that there will be paid OS updates for legacy Waldorf products:

http://lists.waldorf.synth.net/pipermail/user-forum/2006-April/004774.html"

"Since we are not a legal successor of the preceeding waldorf companies,
we cannot provide further upgrades for free. However, rest assured that
the price we will charge for future upgrades will be reasonable."