electrix warpfactory vocoder

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video upload by TallmanJosh- Aug 24, 2012

"Vocoder" The higher number of bands the clearer the vocoding. Similar to bit reduction but different of course. Vocoding deals with harmonic bands while bit reduction deals with the number of digital bits sampling a sound.



via this auction


"Here's a bit of a review from sound on sound explaining all of the units functions:
The front panel is divided into three main sections, the first of which is Formant Input. Here there's a variable-gain mic amp with XLR input, basic 3-LED level metering, and a Select button that scrolls around Mic, Line (Ess On), Line (Ess Off), and Auto. The Ess On setting is designed to help vocals remain clear after processing, while the other setting is used for instruments. I suspect that Ess On routes vocal fricatives (sibilant 'S' and 'T' sounds) directly to the output, though no technical explanation is given. The Auto setting vocodes the Source input with itself, so any peaks and dips in the frequency response are exaggerated.

Next is the Formant Warp section, whose controls include:

Band, which optimises performance for low- or high-frequency sounds, with the lower setting designed for use with drums, bass instruments, and so on. Once again, no explanation of exactly how this works is given, but it's my guess that it changes the frequencies of the vocoder filter bands. Gender, which moves the formant of the sound feeding the Formant input (usually a voice) up or down without changing the musical pitch.

Q and Order, which affect the Q (bandwidth) and resolution of the digital filters. Playing with these brings about some very noticeable timbral changes: as Q is advanced, the sound quality becomes more resonant, as you'd expect, but it also seems more granular and electronic. Order reduces the intelligibility of the voice and rounds the sound out more, so for clearer enunciation lower settings are best. Noise Mix, for adding noise into the Source signal path, which can help make vocal effects more intelligible, not to mention more hissy and menacing.

Formant Freeze, which allows the filter shape to be frozen at any instant in time, for static filtering.

An oscillator is also included, to allow users to generate the familiar budget sci-fi robot voice effect. This is variable from 92Hz to 241Hz, or it may be switched off. As in the case of the FilterFactory, all the controls output and receive MIDI controller data, so sequencer automation of any function is possible, and a MIDI dump of the current settings can be made.

In the Output section you'll find a Mix control, but this mixes only between the Source input and the treated signal. It isn't possible to mix any of the Formant input directly into the output to improve intelligibility, unless you use an external mixer. The Source Kill button, however, is quite useful. When this is switched on there is no audio output from the WarpFactory unless both inputs are present, while if it is switched off the Source signal will continue to sound even if the Formant input stops."

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Seekers Voice Spectra 12 band analog vocoder

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YouTube Published on Aug 22, 2012 by TallmanJosh

"For sale on Ebay" Be sure to see the very bottom of this post for a note on Seekers.


via this auction

"This has a very clear sound for an analogue vocoder, a big part of why it makes voices so intelligible is the syllable function which inserts noise bursts into the signal for “s” and “sh” syllables. This is a pretty rare feature on an analogue vocoder, and it really helps with intelligiblity. The syllable function is also really cool for creating rhythms.

Here’s some info on it pulled of the interwebs [appears to be via Analogue.org]:

The Voice Spectra has good reputations in Japan for clear extent, high timbre, and for Speech Tracking Function (STF). STF is basically a pitch- to-voltage converter which functions by reading the glottal pulses of the speech signal. The control voltages from the output of the pitch extractor are fed to the VCO, so that this follow the cadences of the speech signaI. STF is an interesting additional facilities only to be found on more expensive vocoders like EMS.

Everyone familiar with vocoding will appreciate the Voice spectras compressor and Voiced/Unvoiced detector*.

The Voice spectra is a high quality studio-vocoder, appreciated by the staff at music studios, professional musicians, etc. in Japan. The articulation of the output signal is extremely good, being distinguished by remarkable clarity and distinctiveness. This quality of articulation, among other things, is what distinguishes SKY soundlab from other less sophisticated vocoders like the MAM VF11. The Voice spectra comes with an inbuilt power supply as well.

*If the air from the lungs is not forced through the vocal chords, but simply expelled through the mouth, then so ralled UNVOICED sounds are produced, such as `f' or `h'. These are basically similar to the type of sounds which can be produced by a noise generator. Most excitation signals do not have a sufficiently wide dynamic spectrum to synthesise the sound of sibilants (`s', `h', etc.). For this reason the voiced/unvoiced detector ensures that the noise generator provides the synthesiser section with the appropriate `raw material' whenever the excitation signal cannot do so.

The voice can be seen as a complex sound generating instrument, consisting of a frequency and amplitude-controlled oscillator (the vocal chords and lungs), a noise generator (the lungs) and a set of tone filters (the mouth and nasal cavities).

Technical specifications

Mic-line inputs: MIC -40dBm / 47K Line: 0dBm / 20K

Synthesis/Instrument Input: 0dBm / 100K
Output: +0dBm

Filterbank:12 Analysing filters and 12 Synthesizing filters

#01 90 - 130 (Hz)
#02 130 - 190
#03 190 - 280
#04 280 - 410
#05 410 - 610
#06 610 - 900
#07 900 - 1340
#08 1340 - 1950
#09 1950 - 2800
#10 2800 - 4100
#11 4100 - 6070
#12 6070 - 8900

Internal excitation sources: white noise generator and sawtooth oscillator (20-900Hz). Both may be gated by the voiced/unvoiced detector. Oscillator frequency fixed or tracking mode.

Metering: LED for speech and excitation levels"

So, regarding Seekers, some of you might remember this beauty. See the Seekers label below for more. There was a real Seekers manufacturer that made this vocoder and then there was Elhardt.

Ensoniq Fizmo Rackmount Transwave Synthesizer SN 069977049

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YouTube Published on Aug 22, 2012 by TallmanJosh

"for sale on ebay"

Note this demo doesn't do the best job demoing the synth, but it's purpose of course is to show it is working. The Fizmo is a Transwave synthesizer which was Ensoniqs implementation of Wavetable Synthesis. When it was released Virtual Analog synthesis was all the rage and people were disappointed with the Fizmo because although it was knob laden like the new hardware VAs, it definitely was not a VA synth. It excels in digital morphing sounds and that is a good thing. It is a unique synth and sonically, always reminded me as sitting somewhere between the Waldorf uWave/XT series and a Hartmann Neuron. The Neuron of course employed a whole different method of synthesis termed neuronal synthesis along with I beleive methods of re-synthesis.


via this auction

"Up for sale is a used Ensoniq Fizmo Rack, and non-original nintendo gaming console power supply. There was an issue with the orginal power supplies damaging Fizmos, so I never used the supply that came with it."

I heard changing the power supply actually doesn't solve the problem. See The Fizmo Fix on Carbon111's site for the hardware fix.

The auction also pointed to Fizmotropolis, what looks to be a great resource for the Fizmo. I haven't seen it before. I'll put a separate post on it next.

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Studio Electronics ATC-1 SN C 2049 with MINI Filter

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YouTube Published on Aug 21, 2012 by TallmanJosh


via this auction

"Both the oscillators and the filter on this synth are totally discrete. To my ear the oscillators are noticeably wider and richer than analogues with integrated circuits. I owned the ATC-1 and the Minimoog Voyager rack at the same time, and when I needed to scale back the Voyager went... The synth has an externalimput so you can run audio through the filter, as well the control voltage outs allows the ATC to control your other analogue gear through midi."

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