MATRIXSYNTH

Clangerous dangerous (Dark Energy + Boss SYB-5 + EHX Freq. Analyzer)

YouTube via GruithuisenCityMan — May 20, 2010 — "Hello ! My name is Frederic Gerchambeau. I have made this movie and this music. The music has been made with a Doepfer Dark Energy, a Boss Bass Synthesizer SYB-5, an Electro-Harmonix Frequency Analyzer, and also with a Boss Digital Delay DD-2 and a Behringer Digital Delay DD600 effect pedals. The all thing has been made in one take and has not been edited. Enjoy !"

Chicago Modular Musickal Extemporization Klinic June 19 2010

"The XART Studio + TRASHAUDIO.COM will be hosting more fun for 2010. Charles Cohen + hair_loss (Color Is Luxury) will be in Chicago to do a modular synthesizer/ electronics based improv workshop/clinic!

- a talk and demo of the architecture of the Buchla Easel
- a Performance + discussing and working up patches suitable for free improv + small group jams / improv games
- try ideas out, collaborate (and listen!) + plenty of time for give and take all along the way!

Seating/Spots will be limited. This is a RSVP workshop with a modest donation.

If you are interested get on our list: email: kultbox@gmail.com please put Chicago Modular Musickal Extemporization Klinic in the subject! We will forward information.

the Color Is Luxury sound is always improvisational, changing and evolving, ranging from very dense and harsh to minimal and ambient, beats to spacey, based on their mood at the time and the atmosphere of the space they're playing in. Regardless of the situation, they manage to come up with something special.

Charles plays a Buchla Music Easel, a rare analog performance instrument he acquired from master synth maker Don Buchla in 1976. he performs regularly in Philly with various folks on the techno, noise, jazz and new music scenes.

hair_loss plays a variety of esoteric and mainstream effects pedals and devices, which he wires up differently for each show, thus always keeping Charles guessing. hair_loss is also involved with SNOWSTORM & Jive Nation, and collaborates frequently with other Philadelphia artists.

----COLOR IS LUXURY (CHARLES COHEN and hair_loss, philly. deep listening/ruby red) master of the buchla music easel, the legendary and prolific electronic improviser teams up with hair_loss (electronics). noisy, hypnotic, chaotic, bubbling. anyone with even a passing interest in analogue synthesis or jazz improv will not want to miss this.!"

image credit: jbachman01 (click for more) "Live in concert at the Rotunda in west Philadelphia on 12/18/2009 as a part of the Gate series, produced by Bowerbird"

Klee sequencer driving a Hertz Donut that's chased by the Anti oscilator

YouTube via jenamu6 — May 20, 2010 — "Home coming of the Klee sequencer. First ride with the Klee, it's driving a Hertz Donut and an Antiosc, all into the QMMG.
Shot with crappy phonecam."

Vintage 1978 Jen SX1000 Synthetone Analog Synth

via this auction

"Specifications
* Polyphony - Monophonic
* Oscillators - One DCO (sawtooth, square, pulse-width modulation); 4-octave range (32', 16', 8', 4'); white and pink noise generators
* LFO - 1 LFO; Vibrato
* Filter - 1 Low-pass filter, 12dB/octave, with ADSR
* VCA - 1 ADSR
* Keyboard - 37 keys
* Memory - None
* Control - None (Kenton Midi Retrofits available)
* Date Produced - 1978 - 1982"

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Akaï S950 replacement LCD display

flickr set by dipching

"About how to replace the genuine S950 LCD dipslay by a new one coming from CrystalFonts"

OBERHEIM MATRIX-6 - “AUDIOPHILE VERSION”

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this auction

"Ever wonder what would happen if one applied the same upgrade principles we commonly use in high-end audio applications and apply it to ONE of our favorite vintage synths?

The result is what I am listing here as the Matrix 6 –“Audiophile Version” and the sonic results are amazing!!

I repair vintage synths on the side and acquired this Matrix 6 last year in non-working condition. We all know how awesome the classic Oberheim synth circuits are, there’s no questioning that! But many of us engineers know that a circuit is only as good as the quality of parts it is comprised of. Furthermore, many synth manufacturers cannot afford to use the very finest components in manufacturing due to cost constraints in efforts to try and keep the sales MSRP’s down as low as possible. But we don’t have to be limited to that thinking any longer in the 2nd hand market! Therefore, I decided to apply the “audiophile concept” to this Matrix 6 and see what we’d end up with. Below is an outline of the improvements:

* Power Supply Rebuild – pcb cleaned and all critical solder joints re-soldered with special audiophile-grade lead-free solder. Yes, the solder does make a difference folks in the timbre of the circuit! Next, High-end Nichicon Muse Gold series capacitors were used throughout the power supply. (See photo). This greatly enhances the resolution and clarity of the synth and also enhances the “smoothness” and reserve power of the Bass response of the synth since the power supply is responsible for powering all the circuits in the entire synth. Amazing smooth, Fat, rich, Bass now! Power supplies are a very critical component in any synth, just as they are in a tube preamp or any other electronic audio device. This really is no amazing breakthrough knowledge, just smart application of known wisdom.

* The main processor board had a dead battery. This was partly the cause of the original malfunctioning synth. Not only was a fresh battery installed, but a high-quality battery socket was soldered to the pcb so that future battery replacement is very easy if necessary.

* All chips on the processor board were removed and cleaned. Special, non oil-based socket enhancement fluid was used when replacing the IC’s.

* The Processor pcb was then re-loaded with a fresh data dump from the 1100 patch disc included.

* Audio processor pcb was removed and cleaned. All CEM VCO chips were removed and cleaned and replaced with socket enhancement fluid.

* The output pcb on these Matrix synths are very important to the overall sound quality output. The slider potentiometer was rebuilt with Alpha pot parts and re-assembled. Very nice, smooth, action and feel now. Much better than original. The output IC amp is tied to two 10uf caps, which were upgraded to Nichicon Muse Gold caps since this effects the timbre (tone) of the overall output. Small parts, Yes … but very important in the circuit! Again all Solder joints were improved on this pcb as well.

* Keyboard was removed from chassis and disassembled. Rubber boot pcb contact covers were removed and cleaned. This is where we commonly find dried Coke spilled on the keyboard from “who knows what gigs”. This has a tendancy to mess with the contact integrity of the keyboard action, causing misfires of keys etc. The fix is to clean and carefully re-assemble. Keys tops were then polished with plastic polish.

* Entire chassis was cleaned and repainted where possible. The Chassis end pieces were painted with high-quality metallic paint to put a spin on the fact that this synth is “Special Audiophile Edition” now.

* Modulation pots were cleaned and lubed and solder joints re-worked since the headphone output circuit is integrated into this assembly. Headphone output now has increased resolution and clarity.

That about sums it up in the upgrade department for this synth. There are more improvements one could make such as gold-plated female chassis IEC socket and Cryogenically-treated 12 guage power cord etc, but I’ll save that for a future listing or another upgrade project. Warning folks, while all these improvements are awesome and rewarding, they are very time-consuming, as any competent synth tech will tell you. I have about 25 to 30 hours in this one! Will this start a trend? Perhaps...depending upon demand, but your ears will "Hear the Difference"!" Note the side panels on this Matrix-6 are non-standard gray. inside a Matrix-6

EKO Bass Pedals

via this auction

Korg MS-03 Signal Processor

via this auction

"Part of the MS series that includes the MS-10 , MS-20 and MS-50 synths this is a pitch to control voltage interface for use with analogue monosynths, so you can play your synth with a bass, guitar or microphone... you can sing into it! Its a fun unit. Can hook up to 1V/octave and Hz/Volt so should work with just about all mono synths with cv inputs.

Look at the original manual here

You can set the level of the incoming signal, add portamento and offset the CV, and there are sockets for the following :-

In
Instrument in
Portamento pedal
CV hold pedal
CV/Trig hold
Trig cancel

Out
CV - 1V/Octave
CV - Hx/Volt
Trig - Positive
Trig - Negative
Envelope Follower
Direct out

Fully working and serviced by Jim at http://www.singingcatservices.co.uk (ex Moog technician and thoroughly nice person)."

Syntecno TeeBee MK3 TB303 Clone Synthesizer

via this auction
Sound Features:
# TeeBee sounds and feels like the original Roland TB303.
# All original sound knobs (Tuning, Cutoff, Resonance, Filter, Decay) can be controlled from front panel.
# These parameters, if changed, are send as MIDI controllers on the MIDI OUT port.
# Original TB303 waveforms : Square and Saw.
# Original TB303 filter : 18 dB, 2-pole.
# Extra waveform : Korg MS20 ringmodulator.
# TeeBee slide can be switched on/off by means of MIDI controller or AutoGlide.
# TeeBee sound is pitch wheel and velocity sensitive.
# Free selectable MIDI channel.
# Mixable analog input for internal filter.
# Polyphony to monophonic selection algorithm.

CV/Gate Features:
# Four (4) CV/Gate outputs (CV range 0-5 Volt, Gate range 0-5Volt or 0-10Volt).
# Free selectable MIDI channel for each pair CV/Gate outputs.
# Free selectable Volt/Oct or Volt/Hz for each CV output.
# Free selectable polarity for each Gate output.
# Pitch wheel sensitive CV.
# Sound knobs can control CV of all CV/Gates.
# Polyphone to monophonic selection algorithm.

MIDI Features:
* MIDI IN, MIDI OUT, MIDI THRU.
* 2 x MIDI Merge input (also suited as stand-alone 2-channel MIDI merger)
* Roland SYNC24 output for synchronizing original TB303, TR606, TR808.
* Free selectable controller number for each sound knob.
* Free selectable controller number for TeeBee slide.
* All parameters are stored in memory.
* Internal 16 midi channel recorder/player."