technics wsa1

YouTube via spunkytoofers
"short one for matrix since there doesn't seem to be much on this synth online.
www.spunkytoofers.com
(under construction)"
You can find some specs on the synth here.

Update via spunkytoofers: "it does physical modelling although it's a different approach. it starts with anywhere up to 4 drivers which are samples. the drivers feed up to 4 resonators and those can be blended, triggered, x-y, modulated, etc in alot of different ways.

the yamaha vl1 actually modelled the driver waveform which took up alot of dsp power so the technics used the sample driver waveforms to cut back on the processing and offer polyphony. whereas the vl1 could only handle 2 notes at a time.

i'm told the vl1 can't be touched in the physical modelling realm for realism but it seems really random and more mathematical then musical to setup it and the editors for it are lots of text boxes. but the technics seems alot more approachable and intutive. and easier to visualize "i want to make a reed vibrate a drum head and cross resonate that in a cello body and do that rather than the vl approach.. so it makes alot of sense to me!!! i'm just getting into it but i love the synth so far.."

Technics SX-WSA1 WSA1

via this auction

two balls and a ton of buttons

"Overview:
64-polyphonic GM synthesizer.
5MB PCM ROM. The samples are mostly GM-based, but there are some interesting waveforms like Roland D-50 / D-110 and KORG M1 as well.
3-OSC architecture.
The filter has resonance but no envelope.

"Distortion" can be added to each oscillator. It's actually fast vibrato - a kind of Roland JV's FXM, but KN2000's modulation frequency is lower, and it sounds more like vibrato. With "Growl" option, the FXM is applied only to the attack portion of the sound.


One "Digital Effect", one reverb and one "DSP effect." The digital effect seems to be non-DSP, oscillator-based chorus/delay like old PCM synths (Kurzweil K1000).

The digital effect includes "Repeat delay", which seems to looping the attack portion of the waveform.
Drum samples are looped to make reverb-like effect - a rare feature first implemented in YAMAHA RX5 / PTX8.
A big 320*240 LCD display with lots of buttons around.
FD drive to store sounds and sequences.
The data can be stored via MIDI SysEx. Unfortunately, it has to be used in the bulk dump mode.
It would be impossible to make a PC editor for this synth"

Update via spunkytoofers: "it does physical modelling although it's a different approach. it starts with anywhere up to 4 drivers which are samples. the drivers feed up to 4 resonators and those can be blended, triggered, x-y, modulated, etc in alot of different ways.

the yamaha vl1 actually modelled the driver waveform which took up alot of dsp power so the technics used the sample driver waveforms to cut back on the processing and offer polyphony. whereas the vl1 could only handle 2 notes at a time.

i'm told the vl1 can't be touched in the physical modelling realm for realism but it seems really random and more mathematical then musical to setup it and the editors for it are lots of text boxes. but the technics seems alot more approachable and intutive. and easier to visualize "i want to make a reed vibrate a drum head and cross resonate that in a cello body and do that rather than the vl approach.. so it makes alot of sense to me!!! i'm just getting into it but i love the synth so far.."

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TECHNICS SX K 700

via this auction

"Heavy duty steel chassis, pcm technology, with efects, drums, 128 patches, aftertouch (a must have), and built in sequencer. Not at all bad for 1985"

I'm guessing there's no extensive synth editing on this one. If anyone knows, feel free to comment or let me know. My contact info is on the bottom right of the site. Note Technics actually did create a couple of full blown synthesizers, the WSA1 and the SY-1010. You can find both in the archives via the Technics label below.

Update via MiK in the comments: "Just added the repair photos to my page about this thing - which is still quite imcomplete."

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Technics WSA1

images via this auction

Tassman

via brian c:
"Tasssman is a sound construction set where you model sounds and then compile the instrument - its quite fun. Version 4 is latest rev. It can be standalone or a VST or Mac plugin. I got roped into it via an Ableton users discount of 45% - good thru July 31. I'm an easy mark for Abeton marketing I guess

The intriguing part to me was the physical modeling part, kind of like my old Technics WSA1 only better cause it is more expandable

Attached is a simple demo of one simple preset for a bass , it starts out with an ultra simple SCI TOM loop, then Tassman bass line and then joined by the old trusty DSI evolver - quick and fun



for more info on Tassman check out
http://www.applied-acoustics.com/tassman.htm
Plenty of better samples than mine there too.

'The Tassman is a tightly integrated environment comprising three interfaces: the Player, the Builder and the Browser. With the Tassman Player you are ready to play any of the synths included in the library. The automatically generated Player interface is inspired by classic analog hardware making it easy to tweak any of the existing factory presets to create and save your own custom sounds.'"

Matrixsynth by Brian

Brian Comnes sent in a few shots including this Matrixsynth shot of a Technics WSA1. Title link takes you to the rest including a Redsound Elevata, Oberheim Matrix-6, and the Technics WSA1, all on Matrixsynth green felt. ; )

Phelios / Stephen Parsick @ Wuppertal 24.11.2006

flickr via Moogulator.

This was previously posted on Moogulator's sequencer.de, but I skipped it at the time. It just keeps coming back so I think it's some sign that I must post it. I just love the color in the shot and the Technics WSA1 always intrigued me. The Prophet VS isn't too shabby either.

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?