AKAI XR10+XE8

images via this auction

"XR10 Specifications:
Sample sound format: 16 bit PCM tone generator
Drum Section/internal sound: 10 drum kits; 65 drum sounds; 32 user programmable sounds
Programmable sound parameters: Volume Level, Pan, Tune, Decay, Reverse On/Off, Effect Send Level
Polyphony: 8 voice
Pads and knobs: 24 pads (not velocity sensitive); can send on simultaneous MIDI channels
Other pads: numeric keypad (0-9); [<] [>] [^] [v] [-/N] [+/Y] [Enter]; Big Volume and Tempo/Data knobs
Sequencer: 450 preset patterns (50 patterns, 3 variations, 3 fill-ins, 1 intro, 1 break, and 1 ending) and 99 programmable (a max combined total of about 5000 notes a max of 4 bars/pattern); 20 programmable songs (with a max 99 patterns each); 3 variations; 3 fill-ins (nice for standalone performance)
Timing resolution: 96 clocks/quarter note (play)
Tempo: 40 bpm~296bpm
I/O connectors: (1/4 inch phone jacks) L (mono), R, Effect output; Stereo Headphone x1; Footswitch x2 (Start/ Stop, Fill-in); MlDl lN/OUT
Display: 16 characterx2 line LCD
Power: DC 12V in, 200mA (jack: negative on the inside, positive on the outside); On/off button PSU INCLUDED WITH BUY-IT-NOW
Dimensions (mm): 350(W) x 241(D) x 68(H)
Weight: 1,7kg

XR10 Description/coments:
» Akai's first (and only) preset drum machine, launched in the late 80’s (1989).
» Provides drum sounds unlike those found in competing products at the time. As well as 'stock' kit and percussion sounds, the XR10 is packed with many sounds of its time, such as Peter Gabriel-style gated power toms, big Robert Palmer kicks and snares, trashy Jam and Lewis sounds, Simmons kit and others!
» The sounds are very similar to the classic Linn Drum & the electronic kits do a very good 808 impression! Used by Alec Reece, Prince, Larry Heard (Mr. Fingers), Peter Gabriel…
»The XR10 is one of a few 80s machines that doesn't have a filter (like the Yamaha RX5 and the Linn LM-1) which means that when you pitch down the sounds, you get some crunchy clock noise and aliasing artefacts, which can be quite cool.
» The compact XR10 contains 65 of the most impressive collection of 16 bit digital drum sounds you'll ever hear! PLUS! You can create YOUR OWN SOUNDS, using the extensive editing parameters including sweep, reverse decay, (fine) tune, and more.
»The decay parameter is adjustable from 0-1.5 sec in 31 steps. Other parameters such as Hold and Sweep let you select the desired sustain power and the pitch sweep. Reverse opens a whole new set of sounds! Programs you create can be stored in any of the 32 user programmable memory locations.
» The XR10 also gives you the powerful ability to create effect send mixes (fully assignable effect send) which will greatly help free up mixing channels on your recording studio board.
» It wasn't an overwhelming success as a drum machine due to its somewhat 'quirky' pattern/song programming user interface... however… it was very popular as a sound module when driven from an external sequencer (as a drum module triggered from external sources), as it provides a wide range of kit sounds from the era."

Synths in TV and Film

Note: some of the videos below have been pulled from YouTube, but I'm keeping mention of them up as a reference that they are out there.

Let the page load before scrolling - it's a long one.
Be sure to see the Synth Movies list and see the Synth Movies and Synth TV and Film labels for more.

1. Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Synths: ARP 2500 played by Phillip Dodds, head of ARP Engineering, Yamaha CS-?.


2. Fame Synths: ARP 2600, MOOG Minimoog

CLICK FOR MORE »

Vintage Synth Scans

Click here for pdf scans of various synth brochures and articles. I tried to list all models below. Apologies for the long list but if you are searching for this stuff via your favorite search engine, this is the only way it'll come up, and finding that oddball rare scan can be absolute gold.


Roland
JX-8P and PG-800, JX-3P and PG-200, Jupiter-6, Juno-106, Synth Plus-60 (HS-60), SH-101 and MGS-1, EP-50, MPU-101, MPU-103, TR-707. TR-909, TR-606, TB-303, CR-8000, CR-5000, SBX-80, MSQ-100, MSQ-700, JSQ-60, BOSS Dr. Rhythm DR220A and DR-220E, Alpha-DRUM DDR-30/PD-10/PD-20, Alpha Juno-1 and Alpha Juno-2, DEP-5, DG CMU-810 Compu Synth, Juno-106, Juno-6, Super JX JX-10, MKS-100, MKS-50, MKS-7, MKS-70, SBX-80, SDE-3000/1000/2000, TR-505, Octapad PAD-8, TR-727, Jupiter-8, MC-8, System 700, CPE-800, VCA-800, System 100M, System 100, Jupiter-4, Promars, SH-2, SH-09, CSQ-600, CSQ-100, SH-1, SH-5, SH-2000, SH-7, SH-3A, SH-1000, VP-330, RS-09, RS-505, SA-09, SIP-300, SIP-301, SPA-240, SPA-120, SPV-355, SVC-350, SBF-325, SDD-320, SPH-323, SMX-880, SRE-555, RE-502, DC-30, DC-20, CR-78, CR-68, TR-66, MKB-1000, MKS-30, MKB-300, MKS-10, MKS-80, MPG-80, JX-3P, MC-4, MM-4, MC-202, MIDI-DCB, MTR-100, CV Interface, Piano Plus-400 HP-400, Piano Plus-300 HP-300, RE-150, RE-501, RT-1L, MPU-104, MPU-105, Cube-100 (CK-100), Cube-60 (CK-60), Cube-40 (CK-40), KS-2, KS05, KS-6, KS-11, KS-1000, TB Series Carrying cases, PSA AC Adapters, KS-1100, SC series soft cases, AB series resin-molded cases, MR-1, RH-10, DP-2/6, FS-1/2/3, M-16C/64C, BR-2/3, RD-1000, MKS-20, MKB-200

Yamaha (note the documentation adds the - in the descriptions. So you CS70M in the title, but CS-70M in the body). I thought that was interesting.
CP-30, CP-20, GS-1, CP-10, CP-11, CS-70M, CS-40M, CS-20M, MQ802, CP-80, SK-50D, SK-15, CS-15D, CE-20, CS-01, CS-15, CS-5, SK-30, SK-20, SK-15, SK-10, GS-2, CE-20, MA-10, MM-10, MH-10, KS-50, KS-100, E1005, E1010, MQ802, CP-80, CP-70B, CP-35, CP-25.

Korg
PS-3300, PS-3200, PS-3100, PS-3010, PS-3040, PS-3050, PS-3001, VC-10, MS-10, MS-20, MS-50, SQ-10, MS-03, MS-02, MS-01, 800DV, 700S, 900PS, M-500SP, PE-2000, PE-1000, KA-180, FK-3, FK-1, V-C-F, Mr. Multi, SE-500, SE-300, EM-570, SP-2035, SM-20, Mini Pops 120W 120P, Mini Pops 7, Mini Pops 45, Mini Pops 35, Mini Pops Junior, Korg Quartz, WT-10A, GT-6, RT-10,

Vintage Synth Story - magazine scans
Crumar DS2, Sequential Circuits Pro-One, RSF Kobol, Roland TB-303 and TR-606, TR-808, PPG Wave Computer, PPG Wave 2, Oxford Synthesizer Company OSCar, EMS Polyvoks, Oberheim OB-X, Octave-Plateau Voyetra Eight, EMS Polysynthi, Moog Minimoog, LinnDrum, Korg PS-3100, Korg MS20, EMS Synthi AKS, ELKA Synthex, ARP Sequencer, ARP Quadra, Korg Polysix, Korg PS-3200, Moog System 3P, Korg Trident mkII, Moog Liberation, Memormoog, Mutron Bi-phase, Oberheim 2 Voix, Oberheim Xpander, PPG Wave 2.3, Roland CR-78, Roland VP-330, RSF PolyKobol, Moog 960 and 961, Sequential Circuits Prophet 10, Vox Super Continental, Yamaha CS-15, ARP, Chroma, Sequential Circuits Drumtraks, EMS Vocoder 5000, E-MU Drumulator, Korg Story, Yamaha CS70M, Korg, Synton Syrinx, Roland MC-4, Oberheim 6 voix, Simmons SDS V, Simmons SDS.3, PolyKobol RSF, Keyboards Synthe Story Part 1 and Part 2.

Ultravox Synths Take 2

Title link takes you to a previous post I put up on Ultravox Synths. Micke just posted the following on this VSE thread.

Did you know:

1) that the fat bass line on Ultravox' song "Slow Motion" (off of Systems of romance, 1978) was actually played by Chris Cross on his EMS-Synthi?

2) that the EMS synthi, Arp Odyssey (and Elka Rhapsody) were the only synths used for U-Vox' 2nd album "Ha, Ha, Ha" (1977)?

3) that the Elka Rhapsody 610 was used for the string sounds on U-vox' first three albums?

4) that Brian Eno programmed the Minimoog (his own synth) on the early U-vox songs "My way" and "Slip Away"?

5) that the kick drum, snare and hi-hat on U'vox' cues "Dislocation" were done on Billy Currie's Arp Odyssey with lots of fx added?

6) that the Minimoog is responsible for the bassline on "Quite Man"

7) that the Oberheim OB-X was used mainly for solos on U-vox album "Rage in Eden"?

8) that Billy Currie bought a Yamaha CS-80 in late 1979 and used it on songs like "Mr.X" (Vienna), "Western promise" (Vienna") "I Remember" (Rage In Eden), "Hymn" (Quartet)?

9) that U-vox' main string-machine between 1980-1984 was the Yamaha SS-30?

10) that the Yamaha GS-1 FM synthesizer was used for the solo in "Mine for life"?

11) that the EMS-Synthi was U-vox's very first synth back in early '77 or thereabouts?
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Also see Midge Ure on the Minimoog used for the bassline in Viena.

Yamaha Gear List and Timeline

Via GetLoFi. Kick ass find by Circuit Master. The list also includes key technology introductions like PASS (Pulse Analog Synthesizer System for the CS series). Wow! I never knew they refered it to PASS. Some key points below just in case they delete the list on us (have fun spotting your favorites : ).

1962 Fist product on their list
D-2

1966 Silicon transistor
E-2, A-3

1970 IC (Integrated Circuit)
EX-42, B-6E, B12, B-12R, E-3R, YC-20, YC-30

1975 LSI (Large Scale IC)
VCO, VCF, VCA (Voltage Control Technology)
GX-1, CSY-2, BK-2

1977 PASS(Pulse Analog Synthesizer System)
E-30, E-50, E-70, EX-1, EX-2, A-40, A-60, B-40, B-60, B-45, C-40, C-60, D-80, CS-50, CS-60, CS-80, CP20, CS-10, CS-30, CS-30L, SS30

1981 FM Tone Generator (Frequency Modulation System)
E-75, E-45, 6000, PS-10, PS-20, PS-30, GS1, GS2, CS-70M, CP11, CP25, CP35, SK15

1982 CD
A-505, B-205, B-405, B-605, B-805, C-405, C-605, 7000, HS-200, HS-500, PS-30B, PS-3(I),(S), PC-100, PSS-30, MP-1, HS-400, HS-501, PS-300, CE20, CS01, SY20, CE25, CP11W, CP7

1983 VLSI (Very Large Scale IC) MIDI
FX-1, FX-3, FX-10, FX-20, FS-100, FS-200, FS-300, FS-500, MR-1, PC-50, PS-35, PS-35S, PS-55, PS-55S, PC-1000, MK-100, YP-10, YP-20, YP-30, YP-40 · DX7, DX9, PF12, KX1, DX1, PF10, PF15

1987 AWM Tone Generator (Sampling System)
HS-4, HS-5, HS-6, HS-7, HS-8, HX-1, HX-3, HX-5, CHX-1, CVP-10, CVP-6, CVP-8, CLP-500, CLP-100, CVP-100MA, CVP-100PE, PSS-130, PSS-470, PSS-570, PSR-22, PSR-32, PSR-12, PSS-370, VSS-30, PSR-80, PSR-90, DSR-1, RX17, DX7S, TX802, ARM1, QX3, DX7-2C, WX7, RX7, V2, PF85, TX16W, TX1P

1991 GM MD
EL-30, EL-50, EL-70, EL-90, CVP-55, CVP-65, CVP-35, CVP-45, CVP-75, YPP-15, YPP-35, PSR-31, PSR-100, PSR-200, PSR-400, PSR-500, PSS-102, PSS-104, DD-11, PSR-6700, RY30, SY99, TG100

1993 VA Tone Generator (Physical Modeling System)
EL-20, EL-27, CVP-25, CVP-83, CVP-85, CVP-87, DD-3, PSR-110, PSR-210, PSR-300, PSR-310, PSR-410, PSR-510, PSR-1700, PSR-2700, TG300, VL1, CBX-K3, CBX-S3, CBX-D5, CBX-302

1996 SoftSynthesizer
CLP-311, CLP-411, CLP-511, CLP-611, CLP-811, CLP-911, DD-50, PSR-190, PSR-220, PSR-230, PSR-78, AR-100 · G1D, G50, P50m, QY700, VL70m, CS1x, CBX-PCC10, MU90, MU90B

1998 FS Tone Generator (FM + Formant Shaping System)
EL-900, CLP-810S, CLP-820, CLP-840, CLP-860, CLP-880, CVP-600, PSR-195, PSR-225, PSR-79, PSR-D1, EX5, P-200, EX5R, EX7, WX5, FS1R, CS2x, EX5S, RM1x, SU700, CBX-K2, MU100B, MU128, MU15, SW1000XG

2004 Internet Direct Connection
ELS-01/01C(STAGEA), CVP-309, CVP-307, CVP-305, CVP-303, CVP-301, PSR-3000, PSR-1500, PSR-450, PSR-295, PSR-293, PSR-175, DGX-505, DGX-305, DGX-205, DGX-203, DD-55C

Virtual Drum Machines Online

In via AH. Wow, check out this list! I can't wait to check these out. There are also a few virtual keyboards including The Rheem Kee Bass, Technosaurus Microcon, and the Mattell Bee Gees Rhythm Machines. Bee Gees. Woot! ; )

List of drum machines:
Boss DR-55
Univox Microrhythmer
Electro-Harmonix Rhyth
Wurlitzer Swing Rhythm 5020
Maestro Rhythm MRQ-1
Oberheim DX
Roland TR-33
Roland TR-330
Seeburg Rhythm Prince
Yamaha MR-10
MXR Computer Rhythm 185
M.P.C. The KIT
Bos CR-110
Korg Mini Pops 35
CONN Min-O-Matic
Electro-Harmonix DRM-16
Electro-Harmonix DRM-15
EMU E-Drum
Rhythm Box Tronix
Rhythm Box Austin
ELI Computer Rhythm CR-7030
Boss DR. PAD (DPR-I)
Boss DR. PAD (DPR-II)
Boss Dr. PAD (DPR-III)
Suzuki RPM-40
Roland TR-66 Rhythm Machine
Siel MDP-40
Seeburg Select-A-Rhythm
Roland PB-3000 Rhythm Plus
Electro-Harmonix Space Drum
Synsonics drums by Mattel
Boss DR-220a
Univox Microrhythmer 8
Boss DR-220e
Yamaha EM-90a
Roland TR-55