MOOG The Source

Click here for shots via this auction. Be sure to check out Matrixsynth-b for more.
"The Moog Source was notably used by New Order to create all the bass parts for their hit 'Blue Monday' and was the replacement to the Minimoog and has the classic moog lead and bass sounds. The Moog Source is a monophonic microprocessor-controlled analog synthesizer manufactured by Moog Music from 1981 to 1985. The Source was Moog's first synthesizer to offer patch memory storage. The design was also the first (and only) Moog synthesizer to feature a flat-panel membrane keyboard to replace the standard buttons, knobs and sliders. In addition to the memory capable of holding 16 presets, the Source features a 37-note keyboard, and two VCOs that can be selected between three waveforms and three octaves. Programmed presets can be saved to a cassette interface to free up the onboard memory for additional new patches. The 24dB/octave VCF has parameters for keyboard tracking, cutoff frequency, resonance, and envelope amount. There are two ADSR envelope generators that can be set in single or multi trigger modes, one for the VCF and one for the VCA. For modulation, the Source features LFO and sample and hold. The Moog Source is a 2-VCO, micro-processor-controlled, programmable monophonic synthesizer, with 16 memory locations, and a 3-octave, 37-note (C-C) keyboard. It features an arpeggiator and a digital sequencer with memory for two seqences of up to 64 notes. The Source was one of the first to use digital parameter access for programming, a method now commonly found in today's synthesizers, using membrane switches, a two-digit LED display and a single data knob. Both VCOs have three available waveforms (sawtooth, triangle, and pulse; with pulse width modulation) and three available octaves (32', 16', and 8'). VCO2 can be detuned at fixed intervals and it can be also synced to VCO1. The mixer section features levels for VCO1, VCO2 and Noise. The VCF (24dB/octave) has parameters for keyboard tracking (off, 1/2, and full), cutoff frequency, resonance, and contour (Moog's word for envelope) amount. There are two ADSR envelope generators, one for the VCF and one for the VCA. The envelopes can be set in single or multi trigger modes. The LFO (triangle and square waveforms) can be routed to the VCOs and the VCF. The Source also features a sample-and-hold which can be routed to the VCF. To the left of the keyboard is the pitch bend and the modulation wheel, along with two octave-switching buttons. These and a volume knob are the only dedicated controls. On the back panel are the audio out, cassette interface, a recessed pitch knob (for fine tuning), and CV and S-trigger inputs and outputs."

Oberheim OB-Xa

Title link takes you to shots via this auction.

ARP 2600

Title link takes you to shots via this auction.

ARP 2600 model 2600P, serial number 26846, and matching keyboard model 3604P, serial number 36846.

Yamaha CS15

via this auction.

Yamaha CS80 Vids

cs-80 history


"a small history video about the old yamaha cs-80 synth, made by arturia upon the releaso of the cs-80v vst synth"

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Synths in TV and Film Added to Sticky Posts Section

Just a heads up that I added the Synths in TV and Film post to the Sticky Posts section on the right.

MicroKorg

flickr by Jim on the Wall.

click here for the full size shot.

Steiner Synthacon VCF

Peng recently posted a Steiner Synthacon VCF for sale on AH. I asked him if he wanted me to put up a post and if so how long the images and samples would remain on the page. He gave me the go ahead to back everything up and put up a post, so here it is. You can find his contact info if you are interested in picking it up on his page. If the page is gone it's probably sold. Images saved here.

Stiener / Synthacon VCF
Built using a CGS35 pcb and a pcb designed and etched by me. This extra pcb adds an AP input with Wet / Dry control,
Bipolar FM input, and normal / inverting LP, BP, and HP input attenuators
Front Panel Express MOTM size and layout panel
Bourns and Spectrol pots
Sheilded cable for audio inputs

This VCF has a lot of charactor and many faces
Responses range from sweet coloring to extreme distortion
Using the AP input and Dry/Wet knob it can produce phaser-like sounds
Price: $250.00

Controls
FREQ - manual cutoff frequency
RES - Resonance control (sometimes called Emphasis). Turned fully clockwise the filter will oscillate
AP MIX - This control mixes between the Dry signal presented at the AP IN jack and the filtered signal. At the right settings you get phasing sounds.
HP IN, BP IN, and LP IN - controls the level and polarity of the input signal(s).
FM1 - bipolar (level and polarity) control for FM1 signal,
FM2 - level control for FM2 signal.

Inputs and Output
The four audio IN jacks (LP,BP,HP,and AP) can be used simultaneously. A spectral mixer. That is one of a handful of things that make this filter special.
AP IN - the signal presented here is routed to four places after it is buffered: The Dry side of the AP MIX pot, and the normalled lug of the LP, BP, and HP IN jacks.
Plugging into any of these jacks will disconnect the AP IN signal from getting to that input. A huge variety of sounds can be produced by plugging different VCOs into the seperate filter input stages.
LP IN - audio input for LP stage of filter.
BP IN - audio input for BP stage of filter.
HP IN - audio input for HP stage of filter.
1V/OCT - CV input for control of cutoff frequency. Commonly used for keyboard tracking. This is not exactly 1V/OCT! the filter will oscillate with the RES cranked but will not acurately track the keyboard. See the sound sample below.
FM1 IN - CV input for control of cutoff frequency.
FM2 IN - CV input for control of cutoff frequency.
OUT - Final output.

Important Notes
I could have ironed out some more of this filter's quirks, but I find that these quirks contribute a lot to the VCF's charactor.
I wanted to keep it as pure to the original design as possible.
Be forewarned, this design behaves very different than most VCFs you may be familiar with.
There's nothing else like it.

The output signal range is huge. Cranking up the input attenuators and RES level results in a large signal (I measured a little over +/-10V!). At certain mixes of the AP MIX pot and phase reversed input levels, the signal is well below +/-5V (assuming +/-5V input signals are used). You'll have to whip or tame this beast with an external mixer. Most times this is a nonissue since a VCA and/or mixer will commonly follow a VCF in the signal chain.

In the original design, turning the RES control would result in audible scratchiness. Once set the scatchiness disappears but using it a performance control was a no go. This has been improved greatly by adding a cap across the RES pot. Now it can be used while playing but the scatchiness is not completely gone. It is lessened by maybe 90% from how it used to be but, in some cases, can still be detected. This is not from a bad pot (I tried a half dozen different types)! It is a product of the circuit itself. It's nearly a nonissue but still, you should know.

High settings of inputs and RES will lead to unusual and downright unpredictable behavior. Not a bad thing IMO.

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Youscope (oscilloscope demo)

video upload by tejeez

"a demo using an oscilloscope to display something. It was third in assembly 2007 shortfilm compo, and won altparty's most original demo prize. The oscilloscope is connected to PC soundcard and is in X/Y-mode, with right channel connected to X and left to Y input."
Title link takes you to more info. Via HarriL "There's a link to a youtube video in that page.
The video was made by a 16-year Finnish boy (tejeez), for a demoparty called 'Assembly' (www.assembly.org). It's basically an audiofile(available for download from the koodaa.mine.nu-page) being played from the computer into the oscilloscope. the soundtrack was obviously added later."

MDCB60 Midi kit for JUNO60

Remember the Dtronics MDM60? It looks like it is now available.

"This unit fits inside your JUNO60 and replaces the DCB plug with a MIDI-in and MIDI-out plug.
Installation is simple:
Open the Juno, disconnect the DCB plug, connect the MDCB60 plug
Replace the DCB-plug with the MDCB-bracket and your done!!

So, What does it do?

It converts the Juno DCB signal to a midi signal, So you can use the Juno midi-out to control other midi devices.
It only sends out midi-on and midi-off messages.

It also converts midi to DCB, now you can use the Juno as a sound module and play the Juno with your sequencer.
It only converts midi-on and midi-off messages, no other things as control messages or program-change and pitch control.

You can select the midi channel (IN and OUT) with a simple dip-switch.

We designed this internal interface as a simple and cheap midi-dcb converter.
If you need more features than only playing notes than you should find another (more expensive) midi-dcb converter.
For more information, please visit this products webpage."

via Dennis.

DSC01484

flickr by dj_metronome.

click here for the full size shot.

KORG MS20 minus keys

Hispasonic Nebula Reverb (and More) - Free

"Nebula is a wonderful "FX gear emulator" VST plugin for Windows from Acustica Audio, based on Volterra Kernels Series. It emulates different types of vintage gear: equalisers, filters, microphones, preamps, compressors, reverb and generic time-variant processors (chorus, flangers, phasers).

Nebula HS Reverb (Hispasonic Edition) is a free version of Nebula with 18 exclusive reverb presets made by Jorge Ruiz, commemorating the new look of Hispasonic.com, the biggest website and community around musical creation & production in spanish. Here you can download it for free!

We have also published a quick tutorial in spanish for Nebula HS Reverb. Here you have the Google-translated version."

Title link takes you there. via CDM.

Suzanne Ciani on YouTube

Looks like Suzanne Ciani has a YouTube account. The following are some vids she posted. Note some of the equipment (notably the rack with vocoder) is the same as what she had in this Letterman appearance. Click here for all Suzanne Ciani posts on Matrixsynth. The following are a bit long. If you do not make it through them, do check out the last two videos, one of her recording a bit for a GE commercial and a more recent video of what she is doing now.

Fifth Wave Recording Session Part 1 of 3


Fifth Wave Recording Session Part 2 of 3


Fifth Wave Recording Session Part 3 of 3


"My recording session of the fifth wave song called, Water Lullaby. It appeared on my first album, Seven Waves. You can buy my first album at link"

GE Dishwasher Production Session


"This video was filmed by Julio Cintron as a documentary about the GE "2800 Dishwasher" at my small studio in 1984."

VH1 - A Summer's Day


YouTubes via SuzanneCiani. "This was from my Neverland album"
via U.S.O. Project via AudioLemon.

Korg Kaoss Pad KP3

flickr by fischek.

Click here for the full size shot.

my other child

flickr by mtritter.

click here for the full size shot.

Doepfer in stroller

Analog Solutions TB-X

via A.

Nyle Steiner on IMDB and Philip Dodds of ARP

Peter Grenader of Plan B sent this one into AH. Title link takes you to Nyle Steiner's (of Steiner Parker fame) IMDB page. The following is the list of credits. Click here for previous posts on Steiner Parker.

Miscellaneous Crew:
* 1990s
1. Merry Christmas, George Bailey (1997) (TV) (musician: E.V.I.)
* 1980s
2. Mississippi Masala (1991) (musician: ewi)
* 1970s
3. No Way Out (1987) (musician) (as Nyle A. Steiner)
4. The Mosquito Coast (1986) (musician: synthesizers)
5. Enemy Mine (1985) (musician: electronic ensemble)
6. Apocalypse Now (1979) (musician: synthesizer)
... aka Apocalypse Now Redux (International: English title: longer version)

Self:
1. One Voice (1986) (TV) .... Synthesizer

For fun I checked on Philip Dodds of ARP. He has a page as well.

Filmography
Actor:
1. Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) .... Jean Claude
... aka CE3K (USA: informal short title)
... aka Close Encounters of the Third Kind: Special Edition (USA: reissue title)

Additional Details
Genres:
Adventure / Drama / Sci-Fi
STARmeter: ?
^ 4% since last week why?

ARP Pro/DGX

Title link takes you to shots via this auction.

Roland SH-101

Title link takes you to shots via this auction. Be sure to click on the All Sizes link for the full size shot. There is a short video at the auction while it's up.

Roland RS-202

Title link takes you to shots via this auction.

"This synth is a rare beauty, the fatter version of the roland RS-09. capable of the most warm strings you will ever here." Anyone confirm this?

E-Mu Drumulator

Title link takes you to shots via this auction. Anyone know what the mod on the side is?

Casio DM-100

Click here for shots via this auction.

"The Casio DM-100 is basically a Casio SK-5 and a MT series keyboard in one housing. I believe it was the only mini-keyed keyboard to have dual keyboards on it.

Strangely though, not all of the SK-5 features are present (or at least brought to the control surface). Absent is the ever-useful lions roar, laser gun, dog, and surf sounds, but it features a few others instead. It does keep up to four samples and retains the useful sample tune, reverse, loop, and amp envelopes. The samples are stored in the memory after power off as long as batteries or AC adapter are present. I never cracked it open to see, but I imagine that some of the other SK-5 features are still there on the circuit board and accessible to hardware hackers and circuit benders. It has a built-in microphone as well as a 1/8" line-in jack for the sampler. The larger speakers on the DM-100 make it sound better than any SK-5 ever did.

The bottom keyboard has a PCM sampled soundset with the ability to layer any two of the 20 sounds together for a total of 210 possible combinations.

It also has rhythm accompaniment as well as Casio's auto chord accompaniment feature. It has a mixer section to balance the sound output of the top and bottom keyboards with the accompaniment and a 1/4" headphone jack on the front. On the back are RCA outputs, a 9V DC-in (AC adaptor not included) and individual tuning knobs for each of the keyboards so you can get detuned chorus-style effects out of this thing if you play both boards at once."

via devetron

Update via Alex in the comments: "Hate to break it to you, but the sampler is not based on the SK-5. I've owned two of these and had a good, long look inside them. The sampler is basically a stripped down SK-8 with the same instrument set and sampling capabilities.

So, you won't find any lion's roar or laser gun in this keyboard, I'm afraid. Neither will you find the oriental features or even any of the ROM related features."

Santuaries Makes the Associate Press

Remember Sanctuaries? Title link takes you to a write up via the AP.

"It was one of the more unusual summer concert tours veteran composer Gary Chang had undertaken, performing futuristic, electronic music in centuries-old sacred cathedrals.

Chang, who has composed dozens of soundtracks and scores for movies and television, recently returned from Italy, where he brought modern surround-sound-type compositions to some of the country's most venerable landmarks.

'It was kind of a monumental idea,' Chang said with a laugh. 'Let's send 500 pounds worth of gear halfway around the world and drag it around to churches.'

But he'd been fascinated for decades by the acoustics of the ancient cathedrals and always wondered how they might sound when filled with electronic compositions that were filtered through a state-of-the-art 5.1 theatrical sound system."

Roland SH-101, Doepfer, Sherman and More on SoNiCbRaT

Title link takes you to more shots. Some demos might be coming as well.

Victorian Synth

YouTube via emutronic. Via Sonic State.
"Demonstration of how to construct a basic Victorian synth."

atari punk bug

YouTube via stamperadam1. via Sendling.

Sal Mar Performances

YouTubes via ZanterM

"I took this video in April of 2004 at "New Directions in the Study of Musical Improvsation: An Interdisciplinary and Intercultural Conference" hosted by the UIUC Musicology division. It features David Rosenboom, dean CAL Arts [Music School], playing the SAL MAR for the first time in 20 years ; the culmination of the efforts to revive this amazing instrument! Viva la Sal! Viva la SAL MAR! MZ"


picture of David Rosenboom with the Sal-Mar Construction as restored by engineer Greg Danner, University of Illinois, April, 2004. via AudioLemon.

You can find additional posts featuring the Sal-Mar here.

Briand, Daddio and Metasonix

Via brian comnes:
"he [daddio] and I recorded a TM3 VCO into a TM6 filter and then into series of Moogerfoogers....we really like what the Murf did to the metasonix things, (melodic drums?) we also used the Moog Analog delay external looped into the Murf while receiving TM-2 sound bursts gated by a Korg ER-1 ...we were also getting CV from a CP251 to liven things up a bit. We also ran the TM3, no envelope, just sweeping CVs for pitch into a Moog Freqbox and couldn't get much out interesting by themselves, but when gated by the ER-1 it made for some tasty drum hits"

mp3s via daddio of tapewarm:
raw recordings:
http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j119/tapewarm/dance.gif

no, these:
http://www.tapewarm.com/Bri/201Rezoswing.mp3
http://www.tapewarm.com/Bri/204Ticker.mp3
http://www.tapewarm.com/Bri/205ratAtat.mp3
http://www.tapewarm.com/Bri/208progsnake.mp3
http://www.tapewarm.com/Bri/210Horny.mp3
http://www.tapewarm.com/Bri/211bugs.mp3
http://www.tapewarm.com/Bri/212quacker.mp3
http://www.tapewarm.com/Bri/213Banjo.mp3"

Pixelh8 - Chocolate Milk

YouTube via Hiddenfortress.
"Pixelh8 demonstrates the practical use for the gameboy music tech synth. This video was very hard to do without a metronome :)"

Catch the end of the following video for a clip of Chocolate Milk with a much fuller sound.

Pixelh8 - Two Festivals One Day

ReBirth RB-338 (live)

YouTube via Denkitribe.
"Excerpt from streaming live August 5th. In this live I performed improvisation on RB-338. There are no pre-recorded sequences. Propellerhead RB-338 (bassline and drums) Ableton Live (effects) Novation ReMOTE 25 LE and KORG KAOSS PAD KP3 (MIDI remote control)"

Oberheim Matrix-6 w/ Original Manual

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

via this auction

The Matrix-6 - source of my alias and the name of this site. My first synth back in 1986. And no, I would never sell mine.

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DK Synergy II

Title link takes you to shots via this auction.

"Synergy ii + digital keyboard / synth complete system with kaypro-4 computer, set of ten individual sound cartriges with 24 original sounds each and set of 15 - 5" sound discs for kaypro computer and a set of complete original manuals including owner's manual, reference manual, voice library and synergy cartrige manual With kaprio-4 computer you may create or change your own sounds too. Digital keyboards,inc synergy synth was world second digital synth ever to come, after it's mother Gds synth! Synergy cost was $5000 and gds (only few made) was more than $25000 almost 30 years ago!"

MOOG Polymoog Service Manual

Title link takes you to shots via this auction.

"An Original MOOG Polymoog Service Manual. Covers the Synthesizer and Keyboard versions, and the Poly pedal. Not that skimpy this booklet; it's the Big Blue Binder Deluxe edition, loaded with pics, details, and several centerfolds! Schematics - Troubleshooting tips - service letters, w/ factory updates too."

Sequential Circuits Prophet-10 and Remote

Title link takes you to shots via this auction.
"Sequential Circuits PROPHET 10 Synthesizer Rev. 3 , Serial # 007 c. 1981 (Lucky number 7 !!) by Dave Smith
*(This is the last and best version of the Double Manual Prophet 10 series with the Breamer tape drive sequencer)
---Includes Complete Technical Manual with Schematics and Diagrams (purchased from Wine Country Sequential), which also includes technical manual for Remote Prophet Keyboard Controller!
---Includes 2 spare VCA IC chips (again, purchased from Wine Country Sequential)
---Includes Prophet 10 Diagnostics ROM Chip set which resets memory and automatically reinstalls factory presets and tests system for errors. I ran this test late last year and the P10 passed with flying colors. It's also fantastic that I reloaded the original, classic factory sounds. (A Must!!!)."

MOOG Sonic Six

Click here for shots via this auction.

"The Moog Sonic 6 (also Sonic VI and Sonic Six) is a duophonic analog synthesizer that was manufactured by Moog Music from 1974 to 1979. The Sonic 6 is the result of Moog Music's acquisition of the company Musonics, which had previously made a synthesizer called the Sonic V.

The Sonic 6 is mounted in its own briefcase; the upper control panel folds and latches over the keyboard to ease transportation and storage. This feature was used by a number of synthesizer manufacturers of the time, however the Sonic 6 was Moog Music's only product that incorporated this into its design. The Sonic 6 is also the only Moog synthesizer that featured built-in speakers rather than requiring the user to use an external amplifier.

The Sonic 6 features two VCOs with changeable waveform (sawtooth, triangle, square, pulse), one low-pass VCF, a VCA, two multimode LFOs for modulation and a 49-note keyboard.

The Sonic Six is an uncommon Moog of wonderful sound and amazing versatility. It very definitely has a “discrete” analog sound, despite the fact that it is most likely an IC synth like most of the synths of the seventies. It's very warm and buzzy and reminiscent of early seventies monosynths.

The Sonic Six was based on Waytena's Musonics Sonic V. When Musonics bought Moog, they sold the Sonic V as a Moog for awhile, and then redesigned it with some castoff Minimoog case designs, and called it the Sonic Six in 1972. It was intended to be the “educational Moog” which is why everything is labeled so bizarrely. Bob Moog himself used to tote one of these around for demonstrations. It is the first non-modular duophonic synth.

The Sonic Six is a two-oscillator duophonic synth. You can set it up so that it is duophonic, (two notes at a time... one oscillator takes high-note priority and one oscillator takes low note priority), monophonic (both oscs), or monophonic with a drone (one osc changes pitch, one does not). Available waveshapes are pulse (variable), saw, and triangle. The pitch of each oscillator can be controlled by dual LFO, one by contour, and the other by the other oscillator. You can adjust the temperament of the Sonic Six, to play scales that have less than 12 notes per octave! The Sonic Six has pink or white noise available with level adjustment.

The Dual LFO is AMAZING. You have control over the balance between the two LFOs. Each LFO has saw, reverse saw, triangle, and square waves available, driven by Envelope or the master LFO slider. Having two LFOs makes a lot of modulation and triggering possibilities available.

The Sonic Six has a genuine ring modulator which allows you to choose between OSC1 and the LFO for source. The ring modulator has a mix knob, and a direct out. The ring modulator and can create more than just the standard sound. It can generate surprisingly guitar-like distortion. Audio signals can be routed through the Moog filter and ring modulator via an external input.

Ah, the contour generator. If there was one weaker spot in the Moog Sonic Six design, this is it. It is simply a modified AR envelope generator. Decay is provided by a switch, offering long or short decay. Where the contour generator becomes cool again (and perhaps cooler than most) is when it allows you to choose what triggers the envelope. You can choose between the keyboard, LFO 1, or LFO 2... or any combination. This function allows you to do many cool things... especially when you've set the LFOs to trigger the synth, and have them on different waveforms at different frequencies. If you turn down the oscillators, turn up the noise generator, and get creative with the filter settings, you can create your own analog drum machine/loop generator.

The filter is a delightfully rich Moog filter with filter cutoff, resonance, KYBD switch, Env amount, and dual-LFO amount. Having the dual LFOs control the filter is a great sound.....you can easily generate unique sample and hold type effects.

The Sonic Six has direct oscillator/ring mod out control knobs. Basically, you can add a direct line from the oscillator to the final output, which REALLY fattens up the sound. Sadly, these outputs don't go through the ENV generator, so they are always on if you have them on, but still... it is a very useful tool for effects and fattening.

The Sonic Six has “glissando” which is actually portamento. This can be assigned to both oscillators or just one, depending on the setting. The Sonic Six has a built in speaker, as well as normal output. The speaker sounds great, and has its own distinctive sound. Many mic the built in speakers! It features control voltage inputs for VCO, VCF, and VCA. Of course, it has a pitch wheel, as well."

Synare 3

Title link takes you to shots pulled via this auction.

"basic 2 oscillator synthesizer with an ADSR and white noise. This truly is a two-voice synthesizer. You can get all types of sounds with this drum synthesizer. You can control the pitch, attack, volume, decay, release, etc. It can make do very low frequencies and tones as well as the "disco sound" that it is known for. I have made numerous ring modulation type of sounds as well. It has a drum mount so you can immediately screw it on to a stand and get playing either on your set or ndividually. It is powered by two 9 volt batteries internally."

MOOG Little Phatty and Voyager Demo

"here's a little snippet for you. It's not a finished track yet, but what it is is a demonstration of the raw, dirty bass power of the Moog Little Phatty. The LP has taken over as my main bass synth, so I thought I would turn it loose and see how down and dirty it would get. There is a tasty beat too. Everything is original; patch programming, drum samples and rhythm programming. All synth sounds are Little Phatty (except for one F#-to-D# motif that repeats every other measure; that's Voyager). All sequencing and drum-programming is original."

Via controlvoltage on the Matrixsynth Forum. Title link takes you to the mp3.

My tune on Rebirth and Roland E30 (old stuff)

YouTube via fischek.
"AUDIO ONLY i.e. not much of a video, but I thought I'd upload my tune which has been created on Rebirth and Roland E30 several years ago."

KORG MS2050

via 99.se. Sent my way via Magnus.

KORG MS20 and MS50 with keyboard.

Synth Vids via hexfix93

Velvet Acid Christ Studio video demos. Modular, Analog, roland, Jomox, Future Retro.

Modular Plan B OSC ssm filter Evil sweep


malgorithm vc bitcrusher Meets Jomox Meets frequensteiner


malgorithm vc bitcrusher Meets Jomox Meets frequensteiner 2


SH2

Just to show some of my new gear and old. If any of this interests you. please, goto http://www.analoghaven.com/ YouTubes via hexfix93.

FreqBox Demo with Steve Dunnington

YouTube via MoogMusicInc.

Roland Jupiter-6

Title link takes you to shots via this auction.

Acoustyx IS-1 Image Synthesizer

Title link takes you to shots via this auction.

Details:
"Very hard to find and rarely working, Acoustyx IS-1 Image Synthesizer, 100% functional. Its a modulation type effect, most similar to chorus, or a rotating speaker, but unlike any other such effect I've heard, or used in the sense that the effect is useable within all the control ranges. Manufactured by the Highland Corporation of North Springfield Vt, you'll see from the pictures that it operates via 8 c cell batteries!! Extremely rugged construction and uses higher end Allen Bradley potentiometers. I have no idea of its date of manufacture, but would guess at late 70's to early 80's. There is no external power supply input, however there is an unutilized 1/4 jack next to the output that could be used to supply 12vDC. This jack appears to be factory installed, and is identical to the others and its solder lugs appear untouched."

If anyone knows more about this unit please comment.

Oberheim Xpander Faceplate Panel

Title link takes you to shots via this auction.

Oberheim OB-8

Title link takes you to shots via this auction.

Some specs:
Oberheim OB8 1983-1985 (approx)
-8 Voice, 2 VCO per voice.
-VCF switchable from 2-pole and 4 pole lowpass.
-3 LFOs - each with 7 modes - retriggerable or free run.
-1 Filter EG, 1 VCA EG
-120 Programs, 12 Splits, 12 Doubles
-the front panel is switchable to Page 2 Mode, offering: Lfo Ramp generators, Portamento Quantize LFO Quantize amount, LFO Phase invert LFO Retrigger, Trigger point set, Individual Voice Tuning.
-8 Individual Voice Panning Pots, Arpeggiator, Portamento, Unison Mode, Oscillator sync, etc.

Control:
-61 Key Non-Velocity Keyboard,
-Dual Lever Pitch bend/modulation
-Oberheim Serial Interface for DSX
-Midi In/Out/Thru (software rev B3)
-Arpeggio Clock in
-VCA, VCF pedal ins.

Casio CZ-1

Title link takes you to shots via this auction.

"If you don't know anything about Casio professional instruments, the CZ-1 is considered the pinnacle of their synth engineering. Phase distortion synthesis was Casio's twist on FM synthesis. The twist was that instead of operators, they mix waveforms to create harmonic distortion which results in amazing bass and synth tones. Unlike Yamaha's FM synthesizers, the Casio CZ series are extremely easy to program. Instead of layers of menus, all the major functions have dedicated buttons, laid out in the order of the signal path. This makes it very simple to understand this synth and programming is a snap.

As with any musical instrument, you buy it for its sound: The CZ-1 really excels at synth and bass tones. Somewhere between an analog synth and a Yamaha DX-7 is where I would place this. Warm and thick with uniquely characteristic digital harmonics.

Specifications:
Polyphony: 16 voices
Oscillators: 2 per voice (DCO, DCW, DCA)
Keyboard: 61 keys with velocity and aftertouch
Memory: 64 preset, 64 user patches, 64 patch external cartridge (2 included in this auction!)
Effects: Chorus;
Date: 1986"

MOOG The Source

Title link takes you to shots via this auction.

Cwejman VM1

And a Cwejman in the mini-case. Sound on Sound review here.

Circuit Bending In Italy

Title link takes you to an interview on Circuit Bending in Italy on GetLoFi.

Linndrum

Title link takes you to a flickr set by Neil Vance sent my way via E.S. Includes some shots of the inside. LinnDrum, Linn 9000 and LM-1 featured.