MATRIXSYNTH

Bit crushed modular drum

YouTube via popitem | January 09, 2011 |

"Testing the doepfer A-189-1 bit crusher on a set of MFB drum modul."

AKAI VX-90

YouTube via synthmaven | January 09, 2011 |

"Akai VX-90 playing back a MIDI track."

Update:

YouTube via TheVoltageControl | January 09, 2011 |

"Doepfer modular filter demonstration. Filters used: A-120 (lowpass filter), A-106-1 Xtreme Filter (MS20 clone low- and highpass filter), A-106-5 (low-, band- and highpass 12dB SEM filter)."

Tiptop Audio Numberz the Z-DSP Programmer

"Numbers digital audio lab for the Z-DSP

So what is Numberz?
Numberz is a USB device that communicates with a software front-end (for PC) and can be used to download DSP programs and display text to blank, non-volatile cartridges for use with the Z-DSP.

This allows us to use a wide variety of DSP programs that are freely available on the Web, many excellent examples of which are available from the Spin Semi website. There are even more on the Spin Semi forum where FV-1 users were kind enough to share their creations.

Some of those programs are very cool and some are not, it really depend on what you are looking for. I really like some of the Reverbs, but not everything appeals to my personal sonic tastes.

How does it work? Before using it for the first time you will have to install drivers, but then just connect the USB cable, place Numberz in front of you, and insert a blank or used cartridge into the Numberz’s cartridge socket. Then, with a few mouse clicks and the help of SpinAsm and Pickit2 software, you can 'burn' a cartridge. You can burn a single program or a complete project with up to eight programs and write your own text that will appear on the Z-DSP display.

(The downloads currently available on the Spin Semi website do not contain the text file for the display, but users can write their own and we’ll talk more about it as Numberz becomes available.)

Numberz can also act as a real-time programmer for the Z-DSP. Just connect the USB cable, insert a cartridge into the Numberz’s cartridge socket, flip the Numberz unit over so the cartridge is facing down and insert Numberz into the cartridge socket of your Z-DSP. The Z-DSP will 'see' Numberz and communicate with it.

This will let you use Numberz to write, test, and debug programs and hear the results in real-time. No need to power cycle, just write your code, click 'Download' and Numberz will do it all for you. The Z-DSP will load the new program and you will hear your changes instantly.

Numberz is intended to be an open source development environment, so anyone out there interested in developing new DSP programs, or even tools for Numberz is invited and encouraged to do so. You are free to do whatever you want: share, sell, no restrictions.

Numberz will be sold with three blank cartridges that are good for approximately 10,000 “burns”.

Additional blank cartridges will be available from our distributors.

I also wanted to talk a little bit about the FV-1 DSP chip and its capabilities and limitations. This is important to me because I want to make sure people know what to expect to avoid any frustration or disappointment.

The FV-1 DSP processor is not intended to match the processing power of your computer or high-end multi-effect boxes, so don't expect intensive DSP vocoder or heavy granular effects like you might find in your plug-ins.

The Z-DSP as a whole is built to do something very different with DSP code. It has CV inputs, program-execution/sample rate clock input, stereo analog VC-Feedbacks, analog VC-Mix, and VC/Gate program switching; all these were made so that digital audio can be bent/stretched/deformed/distorted by interacting with your modules. So, all of a sudden, a digital delay does not sound like a delay but something completely different. That is the concept.

Numberz is designed to help to push this concept to the next level by providing the tools for the talented minds in our vibrant and some time crazy little community to come up and further extend the library of these digital audio algorithms.

Numberz will probably be in the range of $150 and blank cartridges should run for a couple of bucks.

Sorry it took so long and I really appreciate those who were patient and supportive! At the same time, I fully understand those who didn't want to wait any longer. This was a complex project that went through a lot of ups and downs, not the least of which was the sudden death of Keith Barr, the designer of the FV-1 DSP chip and the owner of Spin Semi.

Numberz is dedicated to the memory of Keith Barr."

http://tiptopaudio.com/

New Access Virus TI Polar WhiteOut Special Edition - Back in Black

This one in via othersidesounds.

New Fairlight CMI Will Incorporate an iPod Touch

If you looked at the closely at the keyboard control panel in this post, you would have noticed something a little off. It's an iPod Touch!

via Peter Vogel on Facebook:

"The keypad at the right hand end of the music keyboard is now a general purpose multi-touch controller"

This one in via wheat. Mars caught it in the comments of the previous post.

Anime "Urusei Yatsura/HachaMecha Daikonran 3 part 3

Added to this post.

Digitana Synthi AKS KS Expander Prototype

"via Digitana where you'll find additional details.

'I have completed the prototype of a new module project I have been developing for a while, namely an 'Expansion' unit for the Synthi AKS Keyboard Sequencer (KS). It could work equally with an EMS TKS (the version of the KS EMS made as a standalone unit to be used with a VCS3 mk2). Infact the prototype was tested using a KS connected to my VCS3(mk2). The KS is a great feature of the Synthi AKS and while its no shakes compared to modern hardware sequencers its what makes the Synthi AKS arguably the most desirable of all the portable Synthi's. What the KS offers is 3 channels of CV into the Synthi Matrix: two pitch CV channels via Input Ch1 and the Seq Input (the latter recordable via the sequencer the former real time via the touch sensitive keyboard) in addition to a dynamic envelope CV via Input Ch2 whose amplitude varies with how hard the touch keys are played.'"

Elka X-705 Jean Michel Jarre Organ Synthesizer

via this auction

"The Jean Michel Jarre organ / synth
Elka X-705 organ
m. analog synthesizer
Watkins WEM amplifier PA 100
Allsound Leslie"

Elka X-705 organ, which has incorporated as a special feature a real analog synthesizer. The nature sounds and organ sounds are great. It comes together with the old system, a Allsound Leslie and a WEM 100 PA amp The organ is complete with the bass pedal and a rocker pedal, both original and also there are two chrome-plated legs and a cover, so that it can be transported in a Flighcase."