Spectralis

Title link takes you to a jpg of a bunch of shots pulled from this auction. There are some nice close-ups.

Doepfer A-100 Modular Synth MP3s

Title link takes you to a site with quite a few mp3s including a couple by Florian Schneider of Kraftwerk. Via frederic.

Peter Gabriel and Fairlight CMI

Remember this post? Here it is embedded via YouTube via Artmuzz. Sent my way via frederic.

Zebranalogic Updates

via Darren in Singapore:

"The Zebranalogic updated their website.... now with more new gear (new VCF and new LFO). It has now added more pix, more examples, a video, zebrablog, radioblog, etc... cool stuffs. Amazingly, Zebranalogic's blog has two mentions of Singapore's site... One special site to note is Mr MISSE site which has an interview with Zebranalogic in the feature site... Mr Misse belongs to my friend, an online store that carries mainly stomp boxes and effects from major brands including Korg and Moog... nice web site I must say... check out the short interview with Zebranalogic if you have the time to grace :) URL

cheers,
d a r r e n
sonicbrat"

Thanks darren!

Korg Polysix Demo

Title link takes you to a 6M mp3 of the Korg Polysix by konvert. Via this VSE thread:

" started tweaking my Polysix (thanks to morbius! ) and thought to share this, uhh, 5 min sequence showing something I found out Polysix is capable.
Not too extreme but there's surprising range of timbres available with only one oscillator + sub-osc.

I used Logic to send trigger signal to the arpeggiator of Polysix.
I added a touch of reverb/delay to liven it up a little. Ooh I want Space-echo!

'Enjoy'"

And yes, konvert gave me the thumbs up to put this up and host the sample.

Elektron Machinedrum

flickr by der_schnorz.

Title link takes you to the set.

Seaweed

Get this video and more at MySpace.com

By Barbara Buchholz.

Custom PAIA Theremin

Click here for more shots via this auction

PPG Wave Differences

This one in via Nikos:

"PPG front panel differences:

In the picture, the 2 upper photos are the PPG Wave 2.0: as you examine the front panels you'll find differences:

The upper one (which I call the first version because it was used for the original brochure) has no space between top legending and top flat panel. Also the legending around the LCD screen has a different configuration, compare with the second version. That usually had Moog type- chrome topped knobs, here in the pic has the standard PPG type. The second version which is more common, has a space between top flat panel and upper legend. To be more confusing, I've seen sec. ver. Wave 2.0's with chrome topped knobs! Also in the second the legending around the screen has the same configuration with the later Waves (2.2 , 2.3). Also, the top writing 'Multiple digital/analog control panel' has different placement and font size in all versions (2.0a, 2.0b) and in the 2.2/2.3 is on it's final placement. The later versions (2.2 / 2.3) had no differences between them anyway, and both had standard pitch/mod wheels, compared with the wave 2.0 single wheel with it's strange ergonomic angle - I can't tell if it's more comfortable than the usual placement - better ask a wave 2.0 owner!

A curious thing is that in almost every Wave 2.0 I've seen, the front panel paint is worn, mostly in the volume knob area and the programmer's numerical switches area. This problem is not common in later waves -maybe they improved the front's panel paint quality/sturdiness. It is reported that only 200 2.0's were made (both versions).

The main internal difference, apart from the single oscillator per voice in the 2.0, is that the filter chip was the CEM 3320 -in the Wave 2.2/2.3's used the SSM 2044 of course. As for the VCA's, in the 2.0 used the CEM 3330 (dual VCA) and in the 2.2/2.3 the VCA chip was the CEM 3360 dual VCA as well.This info is backed by service literature. Sound wise, the 2.0 was more rawer and primitive than the 2.2/2.3's, although the INTERNAL wavetable resolution in ALL Waves, was 8-bit. Things were different in 2.3's, where it had SRAM of 12-bit and thus you could play samples from Waveterm B loaded into the 2.3.

Edgar Froese of Tangerine Dream and Klaus Schulze both had the first version of Wave 2.0 and used them 'till 1983 as far as I know. In fact, E. Froese's is visible in his rig in the 'Poland' video (1983 - left) and Klaus Schulze had his own Wave 2.0 with him, when he toured Poland in 1983. You can have a very good idea how well the Wave 2.0 by listening to track 'Remote Viewing' by Tangerine Dream, from the 'Exit' LP, from the middle and on there some melodies played by Froese on the Wave 2.0 with a voice-like patch,gritty, beautiful and majestic.

PPG photos credits: top photo from ebay auction, second by Laurent Prot from Paul Maddox PPG CD-ROM, the 3d by a 'Matrixsynth' link and Edgar Froese's pic is a capture from the 'Poland' video.

That's about now,
Long live the Wave.
Nick-Greece"

Tweaking Inertia

YouTube via morbius001.

SSB Syntec Banana

via this VSE Post.

inVrs: "i recently bought this very rare german synthesizer called "banana". it was manufactured by SSB (Synthesiezr Studio Bonn) and only about 100 were built as far as i know."

Analog Crazy: "The Banana is basically an Oberheim OB Polyphonic made only in Germany. Its flat top reminds me of the OB-SX but apparently it sounds more like an OB-8. You are lucky to have one because only 200 units were ever made."

dougt: "Supposedly they were trying to get Oberheim to market it that's why they copied the OB look..."

My question: Was it really called the banana? What's up with that?

Update via Dirk Matten in the comments:
"The price for the OB-Xa was DM 14.230 - the Banana sold for DM 5.350. Tschak!
It is not a Oberheim copy and the sound can be compared to Moog. We made it look like the Oberheims, because we sold the Oberheim line exclusiv in Germany, did all the advertising and marketing without any support, made the name Oberheim big in Germany - and planed to offer the Banana to Oberheim as a competetive item for the international market. Received quite a lot of requests from internation distributers. Even without having seen the product, Tom Oberheim told me that he would never produce or sell something from outside his company. This was a big mistake - that's what Russ Jones, marketing & sales for Oberheim, told me some years later. "Dirk, we both know that this would have been a big business."

Dirk Matten"

Update regarding the name:
"We also planned a drummachine "Coconut" and had the idea for an ad: my business partner and me as apes eathing bananas throwing with coconuts.

I asked several people over a long period and Conny Plank, most important producer in Germany, told me: Dirk, very simple "Harras" or "Hasso" like the german shepherd dog. That's what he thought would be fine for international success. We kept it national with "Banana".

harrharr"

Funny! : ) There would just something funny about owning a synth called the banana. I'd get a kick out of that.

Another Update from Dirk. Fascinating stuff:
"To be a little bit more precise on the historical aspect, which might be intersting to someone:

When Tom came to our company we asked him: "What do you think about a hot product from outside?" His answer was: "Every day I get a lot of letters and telephone calls from all over the world by no name people, who want to offer their ideas to me. Did Roger Linn call me? No. He did it himself."

We stopped that discussion, did not show the prototype to him, had a nice lunch in an italian restaurant in Cologne and decided to go the Roger Linn way."

Analogue Miniature 4

flickr danmcp.

More Little Phatty Samples by Stefan Trippler

Remember this post? Title link takes you to more.

New Gold Dream...part one

"A stack of new film soundtracks, a six-album boxed set, a new line-up, and Tangerine Dream are on the road again. But what's the future for the world's best-known electronic music group?
Interview Annabel Scott
Photography Matthew Vosburgh"

Title link takes you to the post on The Archive Plus.

MISC Synth Demos

Title link takes you to demos of:

Yamaha VL1 VL1m VL7
Yamaha VL70m et PLG150VL
Yamaha VP1
Korg Prophecy
Korg Z1
Korg Oasys PCI
Korg Wavedrum
Technics sx-WSA1 et sx-WSA1r
GEM Promega 1, 2 et 3
Roland VG8, VG8ex, VG88, VGA7, VGA3

I always wonderd what the Technics WSA1 was like. Anyone know how deep it's synth editing is?

EAR BUZZ - News from EAR

Plan B Model 10 Polyphonic Envelope released

The first shipments of Model 10's will be delivered and shipped to our dealers Monday. US customers will have them available as early as the day after that. Please leave more time for international shipping to our European dealers.

Major announcement forthcoming on EAR-GROUP.NET

In the next few days Electro-Acoustic Research will announce the first of two new partners into the consortium which will expand it's products and services into an entirely new direction. Keep your browsers here for the official announcement...soon!

Plan B Model 24 Heisenberg Generator progress report

The Model 24 PCBs and faceplates have arrived. Some initial units have been built, but we've determined some slight tweeks required to the firmware. We just felt that your entire system bursting into flames may be a bit too severe for some users. Just kidding - it's only a software interrupt issue, nothing major. Shipments will commence very shortly.

Plan B Model 16 Spectral Multiplexer progress report

The M16 design has been finaliized and with that effort a few new features have been added to what already was a robust set of control options. Go here for details. The board layout process is now in full swing, faceplates are on order and we should be seeing the first of these within a month or so.

Module Statistics added

We have added module statistics (width, maximum current draw) to all released products on the site. They follow directly after the mdule's descriptions.

EAR featured in the Computer Music Journal

The Summer 2006 issue of the prestigious Computer Music Journal features a nice column or two on Electro-Acoustic Research. We'd like to thank our friends Elainie Lillios and Colby Leider for making this happen.

Model 15 ~ a great sine wave just got greater

The Plan B Model 15 Rev. 1.5 boards have arrived. Aside from some minor component placement changes, these new boards have an improved sinewave shaper which reduces the total harmonic distortion by approx. 1/2% (that's one half of one percent). As the photo indicates, the M15 sine has always been real good...but now it's real real good! Instructions for updating your rev. 1.1 to 1.4 boards will be posted in a few days, keep an eye out on this site for updates. For a photo of the resultant waveforms from this change, go here

Model 12 MARK II

The Plan B Model 12 has had a bit of a makeover, adding a Q Low/Q High switch which throws the filter into super high resonance response. It's completely sick, but we think you'll like it Go here All Shipments forom here on in will include the Mark II artwork and functionality.

Model 14 Released

The Model 14 Dual Proocessor has been released at a limited introductionary price of $225 Click here for more info and photos

Model 13 Redux

Like the Model 17, the Dual TImbral Gate has gone through a bit of a facelift with a redesigned board which ellnimates point to point wiring. It's now all done with a single flat cable and the addtion of a second PCB . Go here

New Gallery Section

The homepage was taking too long to load, so we moved our fotos to their very own section. Use the Navbar GALLERY tab to check them out or go here

Plan B Mystery Meat

the following link is a soundbyte of an all-Plan B patch which along with a single Model 10, Model 13 and Model 15, incorporate three new modules you've not seen nor heard before...but you will real real soon One hint: that's NOT a model 12 filter you're hearing. . Go here

Moog

flickr by judsonian.

Moog is the title of the shot.

The synth is obviously a Korg MicroKorg.

Ableton Live 6 is Live

Title link takes you there. I'm looking forward to Sampler.

Soundtower Software

This is another case of where the heck have I been. Carbon111 posted about the Soundtower Evolver editor in the comments of this post. I knew about the editor, but I never realized how many editors they had. According to Carbon111, "The Soundtower one was easy to use, graphically nice, robust and has excellent support - not to mention its free with the Polyevolver and has Dave Smith's endorsement. Soundtower's editor for the Microwave XT is my favorite software editor ever. These guys do good work."

http://www.soundtower.com/

White Minimoog

Title link takes you to shots pulled from this auction.

Polysics - Domoarigato Mr.Robot

Embedding is dissabled for this video. Title link takes you there. Features a Novation K-Station, Nord Lead 2, Korg Polysix and more.

MOTM Modules

http://www.synthtech.com

MOTM-450 Fixed Filter Bank
MOTM-510 WaveWarper
MOTM-520 Cloud Generator
MOTM-600 MicroSequencer (uSeq)
MOTM-650 4 Channel MIDI-CV Converter
MOTM-950 Triple Output Power Supply (ECC version also available)
MOTM-990 Connector Board

Aliens Project Toy of the Month - Korg MS50

Title link takes you there. Samples online.

via sequencer.de.

Formanta UDS (aka Rokton) soviet analog drum synthesizer

flickr by polaranta.

WC Olo Garb home studio, Poland.

flickr by polaranta.

Another of WC Olo Garb. BTW, I'm noticing that the site search uses Google sitesearch and pretty much sucks. More results come up when I use the internal blogger search. If anyone knows how to use that for the site's search engine, please post a comment.

PAiA's New Website

Looks like a new website is in the works. Title link takes you there. The old site is curretly still up on http://paia.com/.

Vocoder im Vergleich

Title link takes you to a page listing a ton of vocoders with samples, images and links to more info for each.

EMS 1000 Vocoder pictured.

Haken Continuum Voltage Converter (CVC)

From the makers of the Haken Continuum Fingerboard.

"Even though the Continuum will work adequately with a standard Midi to Control Voltage device, Haken Audio has developed a high resolution converter to fully exploit the fast data rates and ranges of the Continuum. The Continuum Voltage Converter (CVC) generates control voltage signals that are perfectly suited for interfacing with legacy and modern day analog synthesizer systems." Title link takes you there.

Question on Quantity and Quality of Posts

Hi everyone. Believe it or not I've slowly upped the bar as far as what I post. Previously I posted every single thing I came across because you never know who might find value in what. Now there is so much stuff coming in that I think it would be overwhelming and even rude to put it all up. I know I get annoyed when other blogs post too much - I simply can't keep up and it actually pisses me off when more comes in. Sometimes I end up giving up. I don't want that to happen here. Typically I post between five and twenty posts a day. Is this too much? Annone annoyed with how much I post? One thing that concerns me is putting up new posts when people are engaging in the comments of another post, as that post gets pushed down. Is that annoying or not a biggie as you can just scroll down? Also, I only show three days worth of posts on the page, so scrolling is limited to that and then it's the archives.

So I'm just curious what you all think? Should I leave things as is or up the bar a little? A lot of what goes up is obviously personal taste, so upping the bar for me might not necessarily be upping the bar for you, but, what it would result in is possibly fewer posts. Let me know what you think. If no one comments I'll assume no one cares and/or whatever I do is fine.

Homemade Cathode Ray Tube Oscilloscope by Nyle Steiner

YouTube via nylesteiner. Nyle Steiner, of steiner-parker/synthacon fame.
Via Seth Nemec of bananalogue.com.

Roland 100m Sequencer Project

Via ryktnk:

"Here is a link to a Flick set documenting my construction of a new improved version of the Roland 100m analogue sequencer. The circuits are based on the excellent sequencer design by Ray at Music From Outer Space. The hardest bit was sourcing the original Roland knobs!"

Gorgeous. Title takes you to the flickr set.

Wood for Your Soft Synths

Custom wood cases for your PC by Howard Suissa. Title link takes you there.

Doepfer A100 Modular Synth

Peripheral MIDI Controller

"This is a software program that intends to act as a MIDI controller by using various peripheral devices. The initial release(s) will be focused on using a webcam as a MIDI controller with 3 dimensions (XYZ)."

Title link takes you there.
Via Music Thing.

Splice Synth Samples

"Welcome to Splice. We would say welcome to the future of music, but modesty and serious self-restraint prevent us from it... either way it's nice you showed up. So what's the big deal? Splice gives anyone, anywhere the ability to collaborate on music right through a web browser. Users can upload or record sounds, make songs, listen to other user's songs, make remixes, make friends and a whole lot more."

Think of it as MySpace with samples that you can mix and match. What's cool is you can also download individual samples. Think of it as a sample bank. For fun I did a search on Moog. Zero hits. I did a search on synth. 59 sounds, 4 songs, and 11 people came up. Title link takes you to the results. I particularly liked this sample, myself. Via MusicThing.

Research Interview with Synth Engineer Dave Smith

Update via Anon in the comments: There is more info here: link.

ANALOG-SYNTH FLASHBACK MP3

"Earlier this month, Charles Amirkhanian uploaded another of his archival nuggets: a 1971 radio broadcast focused on analog synthesizers. According to the write-up at archive.org, where the file is housed (MP3), the Mills College Electronic Tape Music Center hosted an event that year inviting San Francisco Bay area residents to drop by and play with various synthesizers, among them Moogs and Buchlas. Don Buchla himself brought some of his inventions, and Amirkhanian reports live from the event, in between what sound like field recordings from the sets of science fiction films. The event, organized by Tom Zahuranec, is titled 'Bucket-Ful Mercury Walk.'"

Title link takes you there. Via Steve.

Wiard Modular

Update: Please read the comments of this post if you are considering purchasing this Wiard. As always be careful on the 'bay. I'm just grabbing the shots and info for the interesting listings.

No title link, just two shots pulled from this auction. According to the auction 300 series Wiard will no longer be built.

"Seven module Wiard Synthesizer with Classic VCO, Waveform City, Dual Envelator, Borg & Omni Filters, Dual Joystick controller and a Wogglebug in an original Wiard blonde hardwood cabinet. Excellent condition! Manual available as a download on the Wiard site. Patch cables are also included! No Paypal. All shipping/packing/insurance is the buyer's expense. Buy this quick before I change my mind! There will not be any more 300 series Wiard stuff built."

chromals Gear

Title link takes you to chromals Gear a synth site info and samples on a number of synths.

via sequencer.de

EML Polybox

Title link takes you to shots pulled via this auction.

Details:
"The Poly-Box is an odd piece of synthesizer technology. It's basically a small-remote keyboard controller for ancient analog synths, but with a twist. It takes control of your analog synthesizer and, even though they're monophonic, the Poly-Box will create polyphony by programmable chord memory presets. Designed for use via CV/Gate with these Related synths. Here is how EML describes it:

'Poly-Box is a pitch following variable chord generator controlled by your synthesizer and Poly-Box's own keyboard with built-in memory. Poly-Box takes a single pitch from your synthesizer and creates two banks of pitch sources. Each pitch bank contains 13 simultaneously available pitch sources at precise semitone intervals - covering an entire chromatic octave. The pitch banks may be in the same or different octaves, and can cover the range from one above to three octaves below the synthesizer oscillator.'

Also look up these links for more info: link 1, link 2."

Previous posts on the EML Polybox.
via DK (aka gentle bakemono).

Original EMS Distance to Voltage Contverter Prototpye

Title link takes you to shots pulled from this auction.

Details:
"This is an auction for an original EMS Distance to Voltage Converter prototype. The item is in mint condition and is fully functional, looked over by a service tech. This item belonged to the EMS Canadian distributor Otto Joachim, therefore it has no serial number. The item comes with the original DTV brochure and a signed letter from Robin Wood to Otto Joachim describing how to use the unit and a couple of patch ideas. The letters have crease marks due to being folded for an envelope. Here is a brief description from the brochure.

EMS have developed the DTV-- a controller which provides employs an invisible beam to provide a completely different approach to sound control.The DTV projects a slightly conical ultrasonic beam, whose length can be varied between 2 and 10 meters. Any object cutting the beamcauses 2 separate outputs to be generated. The Distance voltage varies according to how far along the beam the cut occurs, and the Gte voltage is held 'on' for the duration of such cuts. Our gestures can be used to activate and moodulate the process of sound synthesis with literally dramatic effects. Movement and MusicCan be directly linked for the first time.

Range: adjustable from 2 to 10 meters Beam Divergence: 8 degrees Resolution: + or - 1% over entire range Distance voltage swing: + or - 3.5 volts

Gate voltage: +5 volts Power supply 240 or 115 volts AC, 50 - 60 Hz. 15 watts Dimensions: 240 x 250 x 70 mm. Weight: 2 kg"

Note two different EMS SoundBeams posted here. I wonder how many different models there were.

via DK (aka gentle bakemono).

SoundLab by ianbargle

Click here for more shots of ianbargle's SoundLab on the electro-music.com forums. I also saved them here.

Menomena::Moog

flikr by OldKing.

Synthesizers by danmcp

Synthesizers Analogue Miniature 3 Modular Marimba Analogue Miniature 2
The latest flickr shtos by danmcp.

Plan B Custom Modules

Title link takes you there.
Currently listed:
Gary Chang's MIlton Sequencer (pictured above)
John Frusciante's triple LPG
Steve Roach's dual Analog Shift Register
Gino Robair's quad LPG
Frac'd Model 15
NIN's Quad LPG
John Duval's custom panel o'fun
Dennis Verschoor's Serge (ish) VCO panel (posted here)
Dan Levey's Sawtooth Animator
Gary Chang's Frac'd Encore Frequency Shifter

rack close up

flickr by Oyster Rock

Moogerfoogers and Moog Ten Band Graphic EQ

modular synth

flickr by analoghell.

2nd annual Austin Analog Synth Meet

No title link, just the announcement.

"the 2nd annual Austin Analog Synth Meet is here!

Location:
Crystal Mexico Gallery
3208 Grandview St, Austin, TX

When: Sunday, October 15, 3:00pm

Bring an analog synth (or several), some headphones
(or a small amp), and a power strip. If you don't have
a synthesizer, come anyway for a voltage-controlled
mind-warping experience.

please repost as much as you like! also, be aware
that the space is a funky old house/gallery and might
not have enough tables - so i would suggest bringing a
stand or something suitable as well.

see you there!
seth nemec
bananalogue.com"

SHEPITOLOGY Takes On DX7 through Korg Kaoss Pad II

A little A-ha for you. Title link takes you to the post on Shepitology.

Mijn Serge

Title link takes you to the set with supersized shots.

via Dennis Verschoor.

Update: Some background info came in via Peter Grenader on AH:

"We have finally completed one hell of a large custom job done for a gentleman in the Netherlands, who will remain nameless here as a courtesy...unless he wishes to contribute that info himself.

Over a year ago he sent us a four panel Serge system which had two incomplete panels. One with only two NTOs, and one with only a Wilson Delay and Quad Mixer. Both were kits made in the eighties, but in very very good condition internally with metal faceplates.

We redesigned both of these incomplete panels so that Panel 1 included four Serge-fitted Model 15's along with the NTOs, and Panel 2 included a Quad Lowpass Gate, a Dual Processor, a Doepfer ADSR retrofit and two of Ken Stone's ASRs along with the Wilson Delay and Quad Mixer.

The project had many design challenges, most of which involved how to fit all the electronics into the shallow Serge Chassis box. It took much longer than we originally expected and I thank him for remaining calm through many many tests to his patience.

Go here for photos, scroll to Dennis' panels. There is also a second page of pics that gives you a lot more details:

Before you ask...unfortunately we are no longer taking on custom job like this. This one was a monster, enough fun for a lifetime!

Now onto completion of Larry's Milton and Bryan's Milton Expander...finally!

- P"