"A rather nice piece of synthesizer history from the now defunkt Manufacturer powertran. An english company selling many electronic devices as kits. Most of these designs were posted in the ETI electronics magazines as complete projects. The synth could be purchased ready made or in kit form. The kits were complete right down to the last nut and bolt (including the wood case). The synth was designed by tim orr, an ex synth designer at EMS. The Synth circuits were designed on a single circuitboard, all discreet components. The synth is highly bendable, if you so desire!. This unit has had several modifications, one of which should be apparent in the photo's. The keybed has been shortened slightly to accommodate a pitch and modulation wheel. The modulation wheel controls the LFO rate. Synth has an indicator light giving a visual indication of LFO frequency. The pitch wheel performance is good (but not fantastic). 2000s original pitchbend control was mounted on top of the synth... terrible place to put a pitch bend!!. Now it's more hands on and in easy reach. This is certainly a great synth for those classic analogue squelchy bass lines and effects. The filter has switchable Band Pass and Low Pass settings, comes close to moogs ladder designs for warmth and response. Very rare in this sort of condition and has become a desirable collectable piece of history that has true analogue circuits, nothing virtual......looks great too!"
"This is a classic old mono synth designed by Tim Orr of EMS in the early 1980's and was sold as a kit. Not too many of these left in good working order now and they are highly sought after by those wanting real analogue sound with knobs and buttons to play with! THis example has had a couple of mods to improve the signal to noise ratio on the outputs and the addition of an LFO LED light on the front panel that flashes in time with the LFO rate. I had one of these as a teenager and got hold of this one again recently with a view to making some mods of my own but time is not with me so I have to let it go now. The key contacts can be temperamental on these but this one is pretty good and currently they all work.
Also included is a paper and CD (.pdf) copy of the original Electronics Today magazine articles that describe all the processes as well as construction details. Very useful - I learnt more about how it works for these than I ever knew back in the 80's!"
"Powertran Transcendent 2000 - rare British vintage mono synth. Designed by Tim Orr of EMS. This is powerful little mono synth, with a rather raw filter, akin to an MS20. Unit is in good condition, with the exception of the two problems listed below. I'm selling this item as spare or repairs because it is not 100% working, and I'm erring on the side of caution. I see no reason why, with a little TLC this unit wouldn't be perfectly serviceable. Cosmetically it is fine for a unit of its age. There's the odd scratch on the wood. These were self build units, and this one has been built well, as it has never suffered from any of the common problems the units do suffer from (eg. pots unable to move, woodwork wobbly). I've owned this since 1996, before that it had at least 2 owners afaik. It's been stored well, and only ever used in a smoke free environment.
The faults are:
(1) A fair number of keys are not fully working. Either they don't reliably trigger, or don't trigger at all. This is just a case of cleaning or replacing the contacts.
(2) The the unit can suffer from RF interference depending on its location. I'm not sure if that is a design flaw, or a problem with this particular unit as it has always done it. You just need to find the right place to put it!
Controls:
Portamento, Pitch bend (on a pot, not a lever)
1 Oscillator (Saw, Triangle, 2x Square waves)
Pitch Mod (from ADSR, S&H)
Noise, LFO speed
Filter: Cutoff, Resonance, LFO mod, AD Modulation
Filter Envelop: Attack, Decay
Envelope: ADSR
Filter input, CV/Gate input, Foot pedal. (NO MIDI)"
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via this auction
"In the old days of Maplin/ETI you could build your own monosynth/modular/echo unit/vocoder, this is a little monosynth designed by Tim Orr (of EMS fame) and it sounds lovely. Has been restored and is in great condition, a really fantastic little monosynth that has very good build quality (not always the way with self builds)
This unit will be set-up and tested by James at Synth Repair Services before being shipped"
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via this auction
SYNTH-E Saves the Day comic strip and pics of the inside below.
"For your consideration is this vintage 1979 Electronic Music Studios (EMS) Synthi-E analog synthesizer. Experts have estimated that this incredibly rare synth was produced in limited numbers, in fact, most approximate that less than 200 were manufactured. Of those that have been documented, it is difficult to find a better example, especially such a fine specimen with the original matching DKE keyboard (serial number 7137) and original patch cables. While highly collectible Synthi-A versions are somewhat accessible, the Synthi-E is virtually E-xtinct. Do not miss this opportunity own one of the coolest and rarest synths ever made, because it is possible another will not appear available on eBay for years to come.
The Synthi-E was designed by Tim Orr as an educational version of the Synthi that had a complete teaching course built around it for use in schools. It was intended as a teaching aid into the principles of sound synthesis and electronic music. Small, housed in a brief-case and D-battery powered, the Synthi E was perfect for the student or teacher on the go! Simple as it may appear, it actually has some sophisticated features:
-Input Amplifier with low (Microphone) and high (line) level inputs
-Envelope Follower providing a voltage proportional to the amplitude of the input
-Oscillator 1 with true exponential voltage control of frequency and three simultaneous output waveforms (sine, triangle and voltage controlled pulse)
-Oscillator 2 for slow control voltages such as glissando or vibrato
-Filter/Oscillator 3 with v.c. low, high and band pass filter or pure sine wave
-Modulator for envelope shaping or ring modulation
-Noise Generator
-Trapezoid Generator for multiple simultaneous trapezoid waveforms. These may be used for envelope shaping (trigger mode) or for low frequency waveforms (free run mode)
-Manual-Slide tape Controllers (2) for obtaining control voltages. One slide-tape is stepped and may be used as a keyboard and the other for variable control. One provides a trigger pulse. Both may be temporarily marked or written on
-Inverter to invert control voltages or signals
-Monitor Amplifier and Loudspeaker with two input mixer faders
-The optional 3-octave keyboard for controlling the Synthi E. This unit is a mechanical keyboard which plugs into the Synthi E. It provides the correct pitch voltage and trigger signal for the Trapezoid Generator. A switch on the Synthi E selects internal or external keyboard operation.
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via this auction (UK)
"The Powertran Transcendent 2000 was an English synthesizer designed by Tim Orr, also notable for his work at EMS and Akai... It's been un-modified and still has the original CV spec and you need a Kenton midi/cv converter as it runs at an odd cv."
Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.
via this auction (click through for the larger pics - see this post for why)
"You probably already know what this synth is all about, but for those that don't here's a little background. Designed by Tim Orr in the early 80's (formally EMS). The Synthesizer was sold ready made or in kit form. Buying the kit meant that you got the synth for £100 less than the ready made price. This made the synth desirable for musicians on a budget wanting access to a synthesizer and had a few weeks spare to put the thing together. Most of the kits are badly put together with loose keyboards and casework. Tim Orr was also responsible for the transcendent poly synth also available as a kit. This kit was very complex and finished units are hens teeth!. Late 80's saw the demise of powertran and all of it's kits but the legacy lives on. The synth we have here has had a full service with everything functioning as it should. Keys are clean, everything is tight and built well. All analogue electronic single circuitboard design. This synth has a great sounding filter with real warmth, similar to the ladder designs used in the moogs. The filter has sweep controls with band pass and low pass filtering. A VCF Envelope control with single shot and hold facility. The filter has a characteristic all of it's own!. The synthesizer is capable of some amazing squelchy bass type sounds and effects. I could probably go on all day describing the facilities so i think it best to google 'transcendent 2000' to get a full run down of it's features. I will include the original schematic on CDROM, it's not a great copy but still readable. One control knob has a scratch on it (pictured), The octave switch does not have the tactile ident like all the other but is still fully working."
via this auction
"Originally sold in kit form through a company called 'POWERTRAN CYBERNETICS' in the 80's. Cheif designer of the transcendent was 'tim orr' and was responsible for many high quality kits allowing anyone with some soldering skills and a little electrical knowledge to build an instrument that was a fraction of the cost of commercial instruments, moogs for example. Although the transcendent may have been cheap at the time, it was still a very capable unit and is still used by musicians today. The synth was also available ready built. The 2000 was a success for powertran, 99% were sold as kits and some have not been put together very well, this unit however is solid and well finished. Powertran sunk in the late 80's so many of these synths are becoming highly desirable and collectable. Amazing sounding single board synth design with a filter similar to moogs ladder filter in response. Warm squelchy bass lines and capable of an infinite number of sounds and effects. Highly bendable design (if you feel you want to modify a classic further)...
ynthesizer has had a complete overhall with all rotary pots cleaned so no crackling controls. Switches have all the undercase covers to block dirt and debris from entering the switches. All switches respond as they should. All control knobs are present, one has a scratch of which is hardely noticable. Lid has some scratches, what you would expect with age but still in good order. This synthesizer has had two modifications which have been carried out to a very high standard. Mod one is an LFO rate indicator led mounted on the front plate giving a visual indication of the LFO rate, and the second mod is within the synth itself, an improvemant to the signal to noise on the output. Wood case is in splendid condition, keys are good with one or two scratches, still clean though..."
via this auction
"Rare and collectable classic Analogue Synth.
The same model as used in early Joy Division recordings, amongst others
Desighned by Tim Orr of EMS as used by the Floyd.
Sound Characteristics are said to be similar to that of the KORG MS-20
Far more versatile than many monophonic synth of it's time
-Made in about 1978
-Size 56cm X 30cm X 12cm
Features include:
• 3 octave keyboard
• Portamento control
• Pitch bend
• Wave shape selection
• Triangle and square waves
• Wave shape adj - triangle - sawtooth - square pulse width
• VCO level control
• Sample and hold amount
• ADSR to pitch adj
• Various pitch shape controls
• Tune control
• White noise level
• VCF filter
• Filter sweep amount
• Sweep shape - Normal - 0 - Inverted
• BP and LP filter selection switch
• VCF attack and decay
• VCF AD single shot or hold
• ADSR envelope
• Keyboard gate / norm and repeat trigger
• ADSR bypass - on or adsr
• Hi and low outputs
• Ausio in - Feeds external signal through the filter
• VCF freq pedal input
• CV and gate inputs"
"EMS Universal Sequencer. Very few of these super cool and extremely useful radical units were built. This one is serial #5. These were designed by the great Tim Orr for EMS and only a handful were produced in 1977. Upgraded KS with Control Voltage and Gate interface. CURRENTLY WORKING. Pick up or inspection is possible in Los Angeles."
"Built around 1979 This fantastic British Mono synth was designed by Tim Orr of EMS. He was the chap behind some of the most classic and sought after early synths like the EMS synthi used by Pink Floyd This was the first synth used by Joy Division / New Order and appears on there early tracks.."
via this auction "Powertran Transcendent 2000 Rare Vintage Analogue Synth with original schematics
A single oscillator,fully analogue, British monosynth designed by Tim Orr (EMS) circa 1978, As used by Joy Division and Thomas Dolby etc
Wave Shapes - Pulse / Saw / Triangle / Noise 1 Oscillator / Sub Oscillator 1 Filter LPF / BPF / Self-Reso 2 Pole 2 Envelope Generators - ADSR / AD 2 Envelope Generators - ADSR / AD
Some things you may not know about this surprising synth 1 The ADSR envelope generator can be set to repeat mode, turning the envelopes into a second (low range) LFO.
2 The ADSR envelope generator can be bypassed, allowing the oscillator to sound indefinitely, perfect for drones, wind noises etc.
3 The triangle wave shape is adjustable from a ramp to a sawtooth allowing some rather subtle, delicate timbres to be created."
via this auction "It is an unusual single-oscillator fully analogue monosynth produced in kit form by Powertran, UK in the late 1970s. It was used by legendary producer Martin "Zero" Hannett on Joy Division's "Unknown Pleasures" album - mostobviously on the track "Insight" where it can be heard wibbling away over Peter Hook's bassline.
As befitting a synthesiser designed by Tim Orr, the man behind the extraordinary EMS Synthi, the Transcendent 2000 has a couple of little surprises up its sleeve, namely: 1. The ADSR envelope generator can be set to repeat mode, turning the envelopes into a second (low-range) LFO 2. The ADSR envelope generator can be bypassed, allowing the oscillator to sound indefinitely, perfect for drones, wind noises etc 3. The oscillator has 2 waveforms, a variable square and a triangle. Somewhat unusually, the later's shape is adjustable from a ramp to a sawtooth allowing some rather subtle, delicate timbres to be created. 4. There is also VCF input that takes the supplied expression pedal, allowing the filter's cutoff to be played like a wah-wah. Talking of which, the filter can self-resonate with the best of them and can be switched between bp and lp modes.
Sound-wise, this synth excels at abstract drones and soundscapes, random machine noises, flowing leads and rather haunting solo violin type sounds. It's certainly no Synthi but it capable of far more sonic goodness than its simple architecture might suggest!"
The Transcendent 2000 was an English single oscillator monosynth produced in kit form in the late 1970s. Designed by Tim Orr of EMS, the synth was used by Joy Division on their debut album "Unknown Pleasures". Examples are now extremely rare."
via this auction "Powertran Transcendent 2000, rare british vintage analog synthesizer.
Designed by Tim Orr, of EMS marketed by POWERTRAN of Andover, Hampishire
Very powerful and raw dynamic filter, with external input, switchable between Low pass and Band Pass can be modulated by Lfo and by its own AD envelope
As used by: Thomas Dolby, New Order, Joy Division, etc"
"This analog monophonic synthesizer was designed in the UK in 1978 by Tim Orr of EMS and made by Powertran, Hampshire in the early 1980s, either as a fully built synth or as a self assembly kit through the publication Electronics Today International. The synthesizer produces a distinctive sound and is believed to have been used by Thomas Dolby, New Order, Joy Division. The Transcendent seems to be quite rare and collectable now.
The synth features CEM chips (as used in Prophet 5, Pro-1, Korg polysynths etc) and has been described as "the kit-builder's Jupiter 8 without the memories".
"This monophonic synthesizer was designed by Tim Orr and made by Powertran, Hampshire in the early 1980s either as a fully built synth or as a self assembly kit. The synthesizer produces a distinctive sound and is known to have been used by Thomas Dolby, New Order, Joy Division."
via Inverse Room, via Muff's:
"You guys will dig this.
Some of you probably know Trevor Pinch from his book Analog Days [Amazon hardcover & paperback, preview on Google books], about the history of the Moog synthesizer. Trevor's a friend of mine--we both teach at Cornell U.--and he recently restored his moribund DIY modular that he built in the seventies. Last night he and our friend James Spitznagel (together they are Electric Golem) played a show here in Ithaca, with Trevor on his synth and Jim using a Mopho, Evolver, Orb, Nintendo DS and various iPhone apps.
Oh BTW sorry these are not better photos. I should have brought a DSLR for this but I had a digital rangefinder camera with me that is not so hot at high ISO. Full set is here (for now): http://inverseroom.creotia.com/golem/"
I contacted Trevor Pinch and he had the following to share:
"Hey Matrix:
I built that synth in London in 1973. I used it til 1975/6 in a collective band/scene in London and then in Manchester - we also had a VCS3 and various gizmos from EMS as one of our band knew Tristram Cary, one of the founders of EMS. By the way anyone interested in EMS should check out the half hour documentary Matt Bates made for Australian TV - 'What the Future Sounded Like'. I was a talking head for that movie. It's got tons of info in it and great clips of Hawkwind, music of early Floyd etc [below].
My synth was kinda in storage before being shipped to the States in 1990. It was smashed up badly in the move and I only started work on it again a few months ago when Park Doing here in Ithaca persuaded me to get it going to jam with Johnny Dowd, Richie Stearns, Brian Wilson, and others for a 'Requiem for Analog TV' show we did at Cornell. Since then I've played out with it a couple of times with Park's band, the Atomic Forces, and once with The Electric Golem with Jim Spitznagel.
The schematics come from the hobby magazine Wireless World August 1973. Tim Orr did the design (he was the same guy who designed the EMS Vocoder). I built it 1973. The Voltage Control filter is online [link]
VCO 1 has square, triangle, sine , and variable mark space (I think in the US they call it duty cycle - adjusting the width of the top of a square wave). It turns out the variable mark space is one of the most musically useful controls I know.
It has three frequency ranges from very low to way up there! There are two VCO inputs with 1 K pots to control the voltage in.
VCO 2 has square, triangle, sine, ramp, and pulse outputs. There are two VCO inputs with 1 K pots ditto.
VCO 3 is a six-step sequencer with an incredible frequency range, with each step selectable and tunable. This is the awesome guts of the beast. There are two VCO inputs with one K pots. You feed the sequencer output as an input into the VCO1 and VCO2 and away you go.
There are also the following modules:
2 voltage control amplifiers
2 exponential converters
A keyboard module for operating a resistor chain monophonic keyboard - I abandoned the keyboard as I could never get it in tune and it sounded better out of tune!
I voltage control filter - band pass or low pass output - band pass only is working
I mixer with three channels and two virtual earth mixers for summing and reversal with three channels each,
White noise source and blue and red noise (variable) outputs
Spring reverb.
Envelope shaper. Not yet working
Two preamps. Buggered.
2 very low frequency outputs. Not yet working.
Sample and hold - Never worked!
Joy stick control and circuits with two pots providing variable X and Y voltages.
The joystick is home built by using three pots (design based on the first one that David Cockerell made for VCS3) my killer control for live performance (think Brian Eno and the way he used the joystick on the VCS3 (Putney)). The joystick was beat up terribly in the move and was the hardest single thing to get working and nicely balanced. Read the story of how the pitch and mod wheel were designed for the minimoog in Analog Days! Having a controller that feels right when you play is for me half the battle.
There is an onboard power supply for 240 volts in and 15v plus and minus and 5 volts plus out. Useless in US! So got new power supply built.
The modules are mainly built on plug in breadboards made by a UK company called Electrokit. So when I blow out transistors - happens all the time - I can unplug for easy access. Also I like to leave it open so shaking the instrument shakes the modules and affects the sound and of course the reverb. Opening the black box is my aesthetic.
Housed in hand machined painted aluminium case (wise choice in hindsight as it is sturdy, light and didn't rust!)
Patch bay is banana plugs, wires and sockets (what we used to call banana plugs or Wonder plugs in the UK). US banana plugs are too big - anyone know where I can get the UK banana plugs from as I need more?
If anyone is interested in my early experiences in playing the synth, they are written up in a chapter in a book by Sherry Turkle, Evocative Objects - the reflection is online at a awesome exhibition, "Remix, Rewind and Replay" at Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art which I was on a panel for. http://www.rewindremixreplay.org/pdfs/pinch.pdf
By the way, that essay was written before I got the synth working again. In that essay I said the synth had no name. When I unearthed the old schematics to start soldering work I found I did give it a name, "Stray Capacitance". That's what the synth was like - full of capacitance.
The synth truly has a unique sound : the sonic energy is simply amazing. It can cut through like a chain saw on magic mushrooms - everything sort of feeds back on everything else in various unpredictable ways. Its like a live bucking beast to control. Park Doing says I shouldn't call it a synth and I agree. It's more a sometimes controllable sound and noise maker. John Robert Lennon (aka Inverse Room) on seeing and hearing it in action the other day - said how come it just doesn't explode. It's a miracle that it works at all! Its industrial sound is awesome in a punk band and when playing alongside someone with more varied and sweeter sounds (like Jim Spitznagel can produce) it can cut through and complement and attract attention. With the spring reverb it sends you into space. In the early days we also used to use huge tape loops as well.
That's it!
Trevor"
I'd like to give a huge thanks to Trevor Pinch for taking the time out to share this with us and of course Inverse Room for sending this our way.
YouTube via inverseroom — April 25, 2010 —
"Inverse Room interviews Trevor Pinch, author of "Analog Days" and other books about the history of technology, who demonstrates the DIY modular synth he built in the 1970's.
The thing I find really cool about this design is the step sequencer that can be run at high enough speeds to create, in effect, a new oscillator with primitive custom waveforms. And of course there's the total lack of sides to the case--gotta love that, too!"
"Designed by Tim Orr of the legendry synth company EMS. Products he
designed were used by Pink Floyd, Kraftwerk and many other early electronic
musicians. Also this was joy Divisions/ New Orders first ever synth!
Sold as kits from the late 1970’s into the early 1980’s in an electronics
project magazine. I have all the circuits and set up info to supply should you
have to get this serviced or repaired at any time. All parts are still available
as its just standard uk components throughout the synth
This was recently serviced and had almost all of the op-amp ic’s and transistors
upgraded to a more modern type. Some capacitors were changed and all key
contacts cleaned and lined up. No double triggers or missing key hits at all.
Condition is very good considering its age with just some fading to the black
panel finish but all still looks great! Word of warning as if you turn the
resonance up full it will go into self Oscillation as its ment to but should be
used with caution!
Packed with features for a very wide range of sounds and effects. Nice bubbly
sounds, nice bass lines which remind me of the korg MS synths. Very hard to find
synth and becoming very collectable!
Synth features :-
* Portamento control
* Pitch Bend
* Selectable waveforms
* Wave shaping
* VCO level
* Sample and Hold with various controls
* Octave up and down selection
* Noise generator and control
* LFO speed control
* Resonance
* Cutoff/Frequency
* VCF AD
* VCA ADSR
* Various controls to shape VCF
* Hi out socket
* Low out socket
* VCF audio input
* Gate in
* CV in
* VCF pedal input"
via this auction "vintage synth from around 1980. Sold in kit form through the ETI magazine for a couple of years
Not just any old kit.... Designed by the legendry Tim Orr who was the man behind many of the classic EMS synths from the 1970s as used by Pink Floyd among many (Dark side of the moon)
This model was used by Joy Division and New Order on early tracks and sounds great for the Blue Monday type bouncy basslines as well as very strange and wonderful effects and lead lines. Its one of the simplest units to use and to get great sounds from, you will be at home with it in a matter of a few hours
This does a lot of stuff not possible on Minimoogs or Korg MS synths. Very much all its own character and tone
Has a great sample and hold effect for weird repetative sounds.. very spooky as used in old 1980s horror films (think John Carpenter)
Single osc system with a very full sound, cone destroying bass and resonance with ease"
"A rather nice piece of synthesizer history from the now defunkt Manufacturer powertran. An english company selling many electronic devices as kits. Most of these designs were posted in the ETI electronics magazines as complete projects. The synth could be purchased ready made or in kit form. The kits were complete right down to the last nut and bolt (including the wood case). The synth was designed by tim orr, an ex synth designer at EMS. The Synth circuits were designed on a single circuitboard, all discreet components. The synth is highly bendable, if you so desire!. This unit has had several modifications, one of which should be apparent in the photo's. The keybed has been shortened slightly to accommodate a pitch and modulation wheel. The modulation wheel controls the LFO rate. Synth has an indicator light giving a visual indication of LFO frequency. 
The pitch wheel performance is good (but not fantastic). 2000s original pitchbend control was mounted on top of the synth... terrible place to put a pitch bend!!. Now it's more hands on and in easy reach. This is certainly a great synth for those classic analogue squelchy bass lines and effects. The filter has switchable Band Pass and Low Pass settings, comes close to moogs ladder designs for warmth and response. Very rare in this sort of condition and has become a desirable collectable piece of history that has true analogue circuits, nothing virtual......looks great too!"
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