MATRIXSYNTH

Steiner Synthacon

images via this auction

"This has 3 VCOs (2 waveforms each), VCF, VCA, 2 Envelope Generators, noise generator and S&H.

From the spec sheet:
WAVEFORMS: Sawtooth, triangle, square wave, pulse, sine wave, and two types of noise (white and pink).
OSCILLATORS: Three Voltage Controlled Oscillators plus a White/Pink Noise Generator.
CONTROLS: 26 knobs, 3 trimmers and 43 switches.
SECTIONS: Ten; KBD/PWR, Sample and Hold, Trigger Generator, Dual Envelope Generator, Voltage Controlled Amplifier, Three Mode Filter, Noise Generator, VCO No. 1, VCO No. 2, VCO No. 3.
OSCILLATOR RANGES: From less than 1/10 cycle per second (Hertz) to greater than 20,000 cycles per second.
DYNAMIC RANGE OF OSCILLATORS: A minimum of 17 1/2 octaves.
FILTER MODES: Low Pass, Band Pass, High Pass.
FILTER CONTROLS: Resonance (Q), Frequency, Mode.
FILTER: The three mode variable Q filter can be switched in or out separately for each sound source.

Inputs/outputs are 1/4" phone jacks and a 6-conductor jones socket on the top as well as a 4-conductor jones socket on the front (for a keyboard I think). There is a trim-pot on the back of the synth which (I think) means this a two-note ("duophonic") synth.

There are color-coded toggle switches in each section that handle the signal routing (yellow switches bring in signal from VCO3, blue from env2, gray from S&H, etc.)

Note that there is no keyboard -- this originally was used with a Guitorgan organ/guitar hybrid."

Moog Sonic 6

images via this auction
"This synth has 2 independent LFOs that can modulate various parts of the signal, and the results may be amazing, strange waveshapes that you can't get from most other synths. Plus there's a ring modulator and you can choose from various sources to mix together or ring-modulate. Both oscillators A&B and the Ring Modulator signals may be sent out the output bypassed from the filter, and you can also use the filter and mix the signals, filtered and unfiltered of these sound sources. You can use the external input with the ring modulator. There are many other things, like "duo-phonic" keyboard (actually Osc A can be switched to be controlled via lower keyboard notes or the same notes as Osc. B. The Oscillators can be controlled by the Keyboard or variously by the X&Y LFOs. There are many other features of this synth. It has a builtin speaker. You can play using the 1/4" monitor jack and/or the speaker and the headphones jack."

Oberheim SEM

images via this auction

bwack's creation with family force 5

YouTube via davecrowd
"bwack's very large sampler being properly operated by the family force 5."

bwack's creation

"bwack's video of the mpc sampler he and his padre, don bwack, constructed for the band family force 5."
via CDM who has the scoop on this one.

Livewire AFG DAY 2

YouTube via cray56. "day 2 of my Livewire AFG, also using The Livewire Vulcan"

3min Cooking Theme

YouTube via denha. Remember these are on Ebay now.

EMS Synthi A with AKS1 touch keyboard

And other EMS rarities here.
"In the museum there are three objects without any documentation. As one of the pictures shows they were probably made by Electric Music Studios te London. Researching the Internet, [EMS] didn't provide clear explanations. The three objects appear to be one musical instrument, but are not in a working condition, so this theory can't be tested. One object bears the name of its former owner, Mr. Lawrence Casserley, London. Melvin Poore, a Britsh composer living in Cologne, Germany, delivered the e-mail address of Mr. Casserley. The following illustrations of the objects were send to Mr. Casserley"

via Matt King Unique

"I found this fascinating page about the VCS1 and two other very early EMS products – and it’s not Don Banks’ VCS1 which I know you’ve covered previously. The comments from the previous owner and assorted EMS personnel/authorities are very informative."

Update via Matt King Unique:
"While we’re on an EMS roll - I found this yesterday too, a website from a 1970s UK computer centre where they developed ‘CASS’ software and an interface to control the VCS3 from one of their computers.

'The CASS (Computer Aided Sound Synthesis) package is provided to make soundtracks synchronised to computer generated films or to generate musical output from the computer. The programs are available on the Atlas PDPI5. The VCS3 synthesizer, further details of which can be found in the User's Guide, is used to realise the sounds.'"