MATRIXSYNTH

at 4/30/2006 12:22:00 AM

Another via Brian Comnes. "The Breadboard Band is a performing band that uses breadboards made of freely constructed electronic circuits to play music. We produce audio and visual expression through the most minimal, fundamental elements in the form of showing the electronic components of an instrument while directly touching and forming the electronic circuit by hand." Title link takes you there.

at 4/30/2006 12:03:00 AM

Just a shot of the Siel DK600 sent my way via Brian Comnes. I always wanted one of these for some reason. Brian also pulled the following from the sale details. "The DK-600 is Siel's unique Italian take on the mid-eighties programmable polysynth with MIDI implementation (badged as the Opera-6 in the UK). Just like the Juno-106 and Poly-61 of the time, the Siel is a 6 voice synthesizer with straight forward programming, simple effects and digitally controlled analog oscillators (DCO's). However, the Siel, having dual oscillators per voice sounds thicker than the Juno or Matrix because it's got 12 oscillators! And because they're DCO's, you know they'll always remain stable and in-tune even though they are analog in nature.

The DK-600 has many other nice features such as complete MIDI implementation. There are 3 LFO's for extreme modulation. Both the filter and amplifier have standard ADSR envelope sections. And like similar synths, all the sliders and buttons are intuitively placed on the front panel for hands-on real-time programming."

Sounds thicker because it has 12 oscillators? Um... Yeah... It's still only two per voice. The Matrix also has 12, two per voice, and the 106 has a sub osc, although you can't detune the sub osc.

at 4/30/2006 12:02:00 AM

Title link takes you to a page with a ton of samples of the Microwave I by Dr. Georg Müller. You can find the manuals courtesy of Georg here.

Shot of the limited green Microwave

Shot via this post via sequencer.de.

at 4/30/2006 12:01:00 AM

Title link takes you to more details, pics, and samples. Do listen to the samples. That Sample and Hold one is absolutely sick.

"Modification Summary:

Replaced the white noise source with a new circuit that provides white, pink, red, and infra-red noise. A rotary switch selects the noise colour.
The new noise source can act as a modulation source in addition to its role as an audio signal. A pot sets the noise level fed to the buses. A rotary switch selects whether the noise signal feeds the Direct or Wheel modulation buses.
Added a Sample & Hold circuit. The new noise source is the signal input to the Sample & Hold. The LFO square wave is the clock. The Sample & Hold output can be used as a modulation source.
The pulse width of the LFO signal can be adjusted from 0% to 100% with a pot.
The LFO signal can be inverted. A rotary switch selects LFO non-inverted, LFO inverted, or Sample & Hold as a modulation source.
Added a triangle wave for oscillator A. A pot allows manually mixing between the triangle and sawtooth waves.
Filter resonance can now be used as a modulation destination. A rotary switch selects from either the Direct or Wheel modulation buses as a source.
The filter envelope can be inverted. Inverted and non-inverted envelopes can be applied to filter frequency and the Direct or Wheel modulation buses via two slide switches.
The filter frequency signal from the Kenton MIDI interface can be assigned to the Direct modulation bus. A pot sets the signal level fed to the bus."

at 4/30/2006 12:00:00 AM

This one sent my way via Dr. Georg Muller. I remember this back in 2002. Title link takes you to a page with 33 samples of the same type of sound playing the same thing. Warning: if you click on the answer for a given sample you will be taken to all the answers. Forget about the challenge unless you are into that sort of thing. Instead, just check out how these synths compare to eachother for a given sound. Synths include Andromeda, CS-50, CZ-1000, D-550, DW-8000, EHX Mini Synth, JV-1080, K1r, K3m, Luna Blue Synth, Luna Miniscope, Luna Modular, Luna Pro One, Luna Saturn, Luna uknow 007, Matrix-1000, micro Q, MKS-70, MS 20, MicroWave, MicroWave II, Pro 52, Pulse, Rack Attack, Reason Substractor, Sid Station, Soundforum Synth, TG77, VL-1, VZ-1 into 4 Pole.

at 4/29/2006 09:16:00 AM

Title link takes you to shots pulled from this auction.

at 4/29/2006 09:06:00 AM

Interesting. According to this post on VSE the manual for the MEK includes a section on an Arpeggiator. The PEK and Evolver do not have this.

"Arpeggiator

As a last-minute addition, a simple arpeggiator was included as a hidden function. As
a hidden function, the operation is a little less than obvious, but the assumption is that
it’s nice to have anyway.

Note: The Arpeggiator settings are not saved as part of the Program.

Basic operation is simple: while holding the RESET switch, simply hit the Sequencer 1
switch for an Up direction arpeggio, Sequencer 2 for Down, 3 for Up/Down, and 4 for
Assign, which remembers the order the keys are held. The sequencer switch LED
will blink indicating which mode is currently selected.

Note: You can change modes at any time while playing, or while the keys are
latched.

The Sequencer clock determines the speed, which means it also takes into account
the Clock Divide value. This gives a very wide range of speed, and also enables
swing timing on the arpeggio. And, it can sync to MIDI.
To latch an arpeggio, simple hit the WRITE switch, and the notes will be held when
you remove your fingers from the keyboard. If you then hit another key, it will also be
latched. Hit the WRITE switch again to un-latch.

Note: You can hit the WRITE switch with no keys held, and then just start hitting
the keys you want in the arpeggio, and they will be latched.

Hit the RESET switch to clear the latched notes.

Note: You can only have any specific key played one time in the arpeggio; ie if
you are latching keys, and hit the same note twice, it will only latch the most
recent hit.

To stop the Arpeggiator, simply hit the START/STOP switch."

at 4/29/2006 01:47:00 AM

Title link takes you to shots pulled from this auction.

at 4/29/2006 01:46:00 AM

Title link takes you to the news post on Sonic State.

“We expected our core customers to be very excited about owning a new Moog synth that is also a tribute to Bob. Our Moog Authorized dealers anticipated this as well and have absorbed 90% of our planned limited edition model. We are very pleased with the market’s reaction to the Little Phatty, and I am confident musicians will be thrilled with the product when they hear it. It’s definitely a Moog.”