We have started seeing more and more hardware synths being emulated as software so I was wondering - if you could have a rack of 5 virtual emulations of any hardware synth - what would be in your rack?

Of course we already have some that may appear in your list (Oddity, ImpOSCar, MoogV, MiniMoog, ABL, V-Station, Bass Station, CS-80V, PPG Wave 2V, Pro-53) but I was just wondering what would be your perfect rack??

Rhodes Chroma
Oberheim Matrix12
MoogV
CS-80V
FM7

in order for it to be a perfect rack, it would have to include only perfect synths.

and perfection in the synth realm is quite arguable.. and nothing is ever perfect (that again is arguable hehe!) therefore as a whole it is not possible.



soo maybe 5 Access Remedys (Perfection editions with O/S version 'perfect')

V-station
Microwave XT
Alesis Andromeda
Access Virus C (flame on)
A Theramin

I'd like to see a Korg DW8000 in there. Some sort of bass synth would be good. I don't know what there is apart from Moog and I like the sound of that.

Minimonster
Oddity
Imposcar
Yamaha CS80
Yamaha VL-1

Hi


1) An EMU S&S streaming module with all the ROMS; in
sample form of course!
2) A YAMAHA SY85 S&S streaming module yes....with all the ROMS!
3) SUPERNOVA II.
4) SHERMAN FILTER!!!!!
5) BX100.
That should do it!
Flipper.

Oddity
Imposcar
Yamaha CS80v
Stylus w/RMX
Tera-2

Roland D50
Yamaha CS80V
ENSONIQ VFX
Moog V
Yamaha DX7

PPG Wave 2V
Pro-53
M-Tron
-
Jupiter 8
and a VSTi version of:
Pro One

...but since there are eight slots in my Cubase why
not fill the rest with:
Oberheim OB-8
Juno-106
and
ARP Odyssey

Are Stylus, Sherman Filters, and M-Tron synths?

Assuming updates for modern cpu speeds and the volume of memory available,I would configure my hypothetical rack as follows:
ASR10 (with streaming from disk,Giga,SoundFont and other modern format import,and the Ensoniq effects)
VFX (with Ensoniq effects)
Matrix 12 (I had a 6,and loved it more than any other analog I ever owned)
V-Synth (the only new hardware I want bad)
Roland XV architecture synth (Rompler with the full XV/JV expansion library)
The DX7 and the Prophet 5 don't make my list due to FM7 and Pro 53,and I wanted to purely speculate about peices current and vintage that haven't been emulated.same for the Wavestation,though the Ensoniq TS10 might be a better choice for a virtual instrument than the VFX in terms of the potential for updating its wavesequencing feature.Honorable mention must go to the Prophet VS as a target for straight up copying in software.
This is a fun fantasy thread,but I doubt I'll see any of this happen.The soft synths and samplers in my real virtual rack are fantastic,so the list here reflects some old friends I'd like to invite to the party.So as a corallary to the main thread question,what old pieces would you like to have back to team with your current software instruments?

Rhodes Chroma
Oberheim 8 voice
MemoryMoog
Roland Jupiter 8
Kurzweil 2600


Rhodes Chroma was my favorite synth ever and my mid-80's rig included the Chroma topped off with a MemoryMoog. It was a dark day when the music store my band practiced in burned to the ground and took my rig with it.

The four analogs I listed all have unique sounds with the Chroma providing the Arp sound. Why a ROMpler as my fifth choice when I can use something like Kontakt with Gigs of samples? So far no software sampler comes close to the programming depth of the Kurzweil 2600 or even the Roland XV/Fantom series.

Robert

Several people are saying CS80V. That one tempts. Is anyone really using it?

i dunno about instruments, but if i had a rack i'd certainly bung the current government of both the uk and the us right on it... certainly wouldn't need much processing power...

aww, ok... it'd be...

mc202 (with step sequencer)
sy-85 (great sounds and amazing sequencer)
supernova
virus c
nord modular

:d

Matrix 12
Oddity
impOSCar
Pro-53
PPG

And a Minimoog clone would be just outside my top five. A Jupiter 8 would also be nice, I guess. Then there's Korg's legacy collection (shit, I forgot about those...)
Nothing designed since the eighties though......except perhaps a Nord Lead 3.....or a Waldorf Q+.....or a Virus!

Anyway, If I had all those - and I've already got a couple - then I can die a happy man.

this kinda reminds me of the Quad-Symphonia from SyntheFellow.

five is more than four, so throw in a Hammond Organ emulator. or at least some kind of cheap, electric organ.

Already got the first 2:

1. Discovery (Nord Lead 2 emu)
2. Oddity

Then, I wouldn't mind having:

3. Sequential Circuits Prophet 10
4. Doepfer A-100
5. Alesis Andromeda

Toughie

Modular Moog
Minimoog
K2600
Matrix 12
Arp 2600 or PPG

Yamaha DX-11
Ensoniq SQ-1
Ensoniq EPS
Roland D10
Alesis HR-16

I think a Jupiter 8 or a Voyetra 8 would make a fantastic VST.

Out of curiosity, has anyone heard of a great Jupiter 8 VST/DX instrument, either in production or available?

I wonder if Arturia takes requests...

Oberheim xpander
roland system 100
Sequential VS
Octave Voyetra 8
Vermona DRM-1 mkII

sigh....

spoonboiler wrote:

Oberheim xpander

In case anyone's unaware, the Oberheim Xpander is a 6-voice Matrix 12 minus the keyboard. I believe the individual voice architecture is identical.
Hmm.. This synth seems pretty popular... If you're curious about how it sounds, then check out this audio demonstration:
Matrix 12 Audio Demo
NOTE: Oh yeah, I should warn you that the audio quality is not what you've probably come to expect these days (it's converted from an old cassette tape, you see...) Still, should give you an idea what the Matrix 12/Xpander is capable of.

I'm really surprised that nobody lists a Waldorf Microwave XT or even a Wave in software.

Other than that I still need an EMS Synthi AKS with a nice controller like the MS20 one
and a Oberheim Matrix emulation that loads SysEx from Matrix12/Xpander as well as from Matrix6/1000!
And Arturia please do the Roland System 700!!

Bassballjg wrote:

This is a fun fantasy thread,but I doubt I'll see any of this happen.

Maybe this thread will be useful for software developers to see what the users crave. Arturia - are you there? What do you guys have planned next?

Bassballjg wrote:

So as a corallary to the main thread question,what old pieces would you like to have back to team with your current software instruments?

My rack would be:

Jupiter8
VirusC
Supernova
Nord Lead
----
Pro53

The thread was intended to mean faithful emulations of the originals. Can I ask, is Discovery supposed to be an emulation - or is it just a nord-lead-type synth? IMO it was just a normal 2 Osc VA that gained a reputation as being 'close' to a Nord Lead partly due to the fact that they have included Lead patch import? Maybe I was wrong, and if I am please let me know because it could fill a space in my 'fantasy rack'

lemmywinks wrote:

Out of curiosity, has anyone heard of a great Jupiter 8 VST/DX instrument, either in production or available?

I do have a Jupiter clone in Reaktor (created by WilliamK) which is pretty good as far as Reaktor clones go. It doesn't satisfy my hunger for a faithful emulation as VSTi but it goes part of the way . I'm not sure if they are still available though. Anyone?


Just looking at the synths in your lists. I don't see any Juno's there?? Does this mean that our craving for Juno emulations has died down (it was all the rage a couple of years back). Or maybe you think JunoX2 or Junatik have filled the gap already (saying that these VSTi's would be in your lists wouldn't they )

Pro-Sounds wrote:

Maybe this thread will be useful for software developers to see what the users crave. Arturia - are you there? What do you guys have planned next?

If the rumours I once read around here were correct....then Arturia wanted to make a Matrix 12 clone, but Gibson (who own the Oberheim name) wouldn't endorse it, so they decided to work on the CS80V instead. I really don't know if this is correct (please tell me if it isn't), but It is noticeable that Arturias emu's are properly licensed. If the rumour is correct, then it would also have implications for them doing any Roland emulations, as Roland seem to have their own ideas about classic hardware/software solutions: VariOS

Zebra (would be cool if this rack could load AU's and run on PC )
Oddity
Absynth
Malström
ImpOSCar

1. Virus C
2. Nord Lead 3
3. JP-8080
4. Q
5. Andromeda

dr.wackler wrote:

I'm really surprised that nobody lists a Waldorf Microwave XT or even a Wave in software.

al_iguana wrote:

V-station Microwave XT Alesis Andromeda Access Virus C (flame on) A Theramin

Banjostar wrote:

Roland D10

are you kidding around, or is that really one of the thins you would want?

Pro-Sounds wrote:

is Discovery supposed to be an emulation

Yes, with some extras. I'm always raving about this one too, it's got to be my favorite

Casio VL-tone
Melodica
Bontempi Organ
A toy piano
Yamaha DD-11 (with big virtual pads!)

If we were talking effects I'd be asking for a VST version of one of those plastic kids microphones with a spring inside that makes your voice all 'spacey'...

my perfect rack (a bigger one!)

ppg wave
ni fm7
pro 53
oberheim xpander
rhodes chroma
roland fantom xr
korg karma
ni kontakt
ni absynth
sherman filterbank

Here's what a perfect virtual rack might have looked like a few decades ago:

juice harp
kazoo
handbone
washboard
washtub bass

What am I forgetting?

1. Access Virus C
2. Nord Modular G2
3. Korg MS20
4. Novation Supernova II
5. Alesis Andromeda

But My fav soft synths that I could not be without
1. Vanguard
2. Z3TA+
3. impOSCar
4. Albino

I hope I'm not too far off topic, but I'd love a software Triton or Motif. I know that VSTis like Sample Tank and Sonic Synth have far larger samples, but Motifs (or Tritons, etc.)have a personality. I know electronics and AD converters are a big part of the, but I believe that VSTis can mature into something similar.

For me:
Roland JD-800
Roland JD-800
Roland JD-800
Roland JD-800
Roland JD-800

I'm with you on that. A JD-800/990 would be fabulous, but I honestly don't think that a pure emulation of the synth engine would truly live up to the original. One of the things that contributes to the characteristic sound is the various gain stages, effects buses, amplifier, D/A converters etc... I have found that with many hardware synths, they are more than the sum of their parts and this has a big impact on the resultant sound. Whenever a company has tried to transplant the synth engine from one unit to another, the sound always seems to suffer or change in ways. It's usually a disappointment.

-Tronam

I agree with you, but I have hope that in the not too far future....

TaoManna Don wrote:

Here's what a perfect virtual rack might have looked like a few decades ago: juice harp kazoo handbone washboard washtub bass What am I forgetting?

saw? glass harp?

clueless wrote:

TaoManna Don wrote: Here's what a perfect virtual rack might have looked like a few decades ago: juice harp kazoo handbone washboard washtub bass What am I forgetting? saw? glass harp?

Saw -- of course. Glass harp -- to sophisticated for me.
What do you call that thing where you wrap a comb in a piece of paper?

TaoManna Don wrote:

Here's what a perfect virtual rack might have looked like a few decades ago: juice harp kazoo handbone washboard washtub bass What am I forgetting?

spoons

The sound of a squashed rat
Rolf Harris's Stylophone (another sound like a squashed rat)
The casio VL-Tone (A japanese squashed rat)
The original linn-drum pompom noise (A disco dancing squashed rat)
A complete set of additive analog synthesized formant squashed rats

TaoManna Don wrote:

What do you call that thing where you wrap a comb in a piece of paper?

1)a cheap present for a hairy friend
2)a cheap kazoo

...
it's mine (dreaming...) on hardware:

Nord Modular G2
Korg Triton (rack?)
Yamaha EX5R
Novation Supernova II
...it's hard...
Roland JD800

o virtual...
Synth1
Loopazoid
Shisaku Synth
MVM (okay it's mine but rokx)... Synthedit.
NI Kontakt

stefancrs wrote:

For me: Roland JD-800 Roland JD-800 Roland JD-800 Roland JD-800 Roland JD-800

Huh, five in one rack

...I thought it was 6 part multitimbral

Hardware stuff I'd like in a Virtual rack.. lemme think...

• Nord Lead 3 (mmmm....)
  
• Virus C (aye...)
  
• MS2000R/MS20/MS10 Korg... (woop bleep)
  
• Supernova 2 (classic)
  
• Obie Xpander (phat as you like...)
  

what no Waldorf?... virtual thing's I'd like to add to my hard-drive at some point -

• Discovery (only just found out about this one...)
  
• Virtual Virus (Powercore plugin or UAD-1? either wat it ain't gonna happen on a laptop...)
  
• Modular V (wait until I can get a dual CPU first...)
  
• Korg's Legacy collection thing (with the 'fake' but oh so cool MS20)
  
• Pro-53 (by the time I get it NI will be on to Pro-55...)
  

..have to settle for V-Station, microTonic and Reason for now, so not such a bad consolation


benw

1. Jupiter 8 -- btw, since a lot of people don't seem to know... this sounds absolutely nothing like the JP-8000
2. Waldorf Wave ...or whatever that massive one they did was with the price well in the five figures
3. ARP Omni ...not technically a synth, but...
4. Memorymoog
5. Oberheim Matrix 12

KORG 01/W - Proper waveshaping rulez!
KORG Prophecy - My all-time favourite sounding synth
KORG Mono/Poly - A monster
KORG DW8000 - Fattest Unsion sound in the universe
Ensoniq ESQ-1 - Big, clean sound

OK, the last one is a stretch but I needed 5.

in my hardware Rack wood be

NordLead III
Minimoog
Access Virus C
ArpOdyssey
Sequential Prophet 5

and a sherman filter Bank

in my software rack would be

MinimoogV
VirSynTera
Synth1
Oddity
impOscar

and izotope Trash as FX

Oddity
EVD6
Lounge Lizard 2
imposcar
Pro53

lemmywinks wrote:

I wonder if Arturia takes requests...

actually i think they do:
http://forums.arturia.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=343

Oberhiem Matrix,my 1000 died recently(beyond repair),so having a virtual recreation would be nice,but it would have to import the sys ex of all my custom patches or it wouldn't get that much attention.,I already have more interesting virtual/analog now.Nothing else.

Oberheim Matrix 12
Moog Modular V
Roland Jupiter 8
B3
CS-80V

ENSONIQ SQ80 (We are still in love after all these years:-) My best synth EVER!
NOVATION NOVA
ENSONIQ TS12 (The best multi fx in any synth)
MELLOTRON
ROLAND D50

Is there no Oberheim Matrix VSTi? I can't think of one.

obxa
ob8
matrix12
height voices

DKeenum wrote:

Is there no Oberheim Matrix VSTi? I can't think of one.

No, I don't think so.

But you say 'Matrix' as if it's one instrument, or a line of instruments with the same capabilities. They're not..

There's the:
Matrix 6 (keyboard, 6 voices)
6r (rack)
1000 (rack including 1000 presets from 6/6r users, needs external editor to change anything)

Then there's the:
Xpander (module, with much improved features and sound quality over Matrix 6)
Matrix 12 (keyboard, with twice the polyphony of the Xpander)

The Matrix 12/Xpander were much more expensive instruments, and hence much more desirable than their cheaper cousins. Heck, I was even able to afford a brand spanking new Matrix 1000!

Wasn't their synth architecture the same? I know they all different features, but I thought they sounded about the same.

DKeenum wrote:

Wasn't their synth architecture the same? I know they all different features, but I thought they sounded about the same.

You mean Matrix12/Xpander and Matrix6/1000 the same architecture?
Not quite. There are 5 envelopes and 5 LFOs as opposed to 3 envelopes and 2 LFOs, there are a selection of multi mode (hp, bp, etc.) filters as opposed to only a lp-filter, there's a difference in size of modulation matrix, a difference in hardwired mudulation paths etc., etc.
Though, soundwise you could say that Matrix6/1000 is a subset of Matrix12/Xpander, while they do sound slightly different (like e.g. the Microwave1 sounds slightly different to the Wave).

I think a emulation of the Oberheim Matrix synthesizers should be able to reproduce and import via SysEx the sounds of both the Matrix12/Xpander and the Matrix6/1000.
I still have one Matrix-1000, but would be glad to replace it by software and still use the tons of sounds I've programmed for it.

Funny, this topic is going exactly where I was going to take it. My virtual rack would include:

Oberheim Matrix 12 (with ability to read Matrix 1000 patches)
Ensoniq SQ80
Yamaha FS1R (FM7 to the next level)
Emu Audity 2000
Waldorf Microwave XT

Also, I'd like to have a software replication of my
Ensoniq DP2 FX box -- DP fx with 24 bit converters would rule.

Hopefully, a developer will take notice of all the Oberheim requests. Can't believe the Matrix 12 didn't get made before the CS80...

DKeenum wrote:

Wasn't their synth architecture the same? I know they all different features, but I thought they sounded about the same.

No, they were not....

I'm a bit hazy on the actual differences. I think the Matrix 12/Xpander used VCOs rather than DCOs. I'm sure they also feature many extra filter-modes and modulation-routings.

Hang on.. I'll have to check this out in more detail....

I just checked out www.vintagesynth.com and they don't seem to know what they're talking about! Good start....

I'll have to fall back onto my trusty old copy of keyfax then...

Okay, check VCOs versus DCOs..

Matrix 12 can route 27 modulation sources to 47 destinations compared to the Matrix 6 with it's 20 sources to 32 destinations.

I have never found anywhere that says exactly what filters the Matrix 6 has. The Matrix 12 has shed-loads (15 types...), but the only description I've seen is for the Matrix 1000 having both Moog and Oberheim style filters...

Probably the best sign of the differences should be the original prices:

Xpander (new 1985) £3050
Matrix 6r (new 1985) £995

And remember, they're both 6-voice synths with no keyboard..

SecondSkin wrote:

Hopefully, a developer will take notice of all the Oberheim requests. Can't believe the Matrix 12 didn't get made before the CS80...

Well, you know, there's this huge guitar company who owns the Oberheim brand, who doesn't give a shit about software, who bought companies like Opcode just to let them die.

Mad Jack wrote:

I just checked out www.vintagesynth.com and they don't seem to know what they're talking about! Good start....

http://www.sonicstate.com/synth/cfman.cfm?manid=22

OSCar
SID Station
RSF Poly Kobol
Analogue Systems RS8000
ARP Solina string synthesiser

Mad Jack wrote:

DKeenum wrote: Wasn't their synth architecture the same? I know they all different features, but I thought they sounded about the same. No, they were not.... I'm a bit hazy on the actual differences. I think the Matrix 12/Xpander used VCOs rather than DCOs. I'm sure they also feature many extra filter-modes and modulation-routings. Hang on.. I'll have to check this out in more detail.... I just checked out www.vintagesynth.com and they don't seem to know what they're talking about! Good start.... I'll have to fall back onto my trusty old copy of keyfax then... Okay, check VCOs versus DCOs.. Matrix 12 can route 27 modulation sources to 47 destinations compared to the Matrix 6 with it's 20 sources to 32 destinations. I have never found anywhere that says exactly what filters the Matrix 6 has. The Matrix 12 has shed-loads (15 types...), but the only description I've seen is for the Matrix 1000 having both Moog and Oberheim style filters... Probably the best sign of the differences should be the original prices: Xpander (new 1985) £3050 Matrix 6r (new 1985) £995 And remember, they're both 6-voice synths with no keyboard..

OK-the differences...
Filters.As was said the Xpander/Matrix12 has a great multimode filter.The 6/6R/1000 only had a four pole lowpass.
Envelopes and LFOs-5 of each(plus a dedicated vibrato LFO)for the Xpander/Matrix12.Three envelopes and two LFOs(plus the dedicated vibrato LFO)for the 6/6R/1000.
Tracking generators-IIRC,the Xpander/Matrix12 had three vs one for the 6/6R/1000
Ramps-five vs two
Outputs-Xpander had individual outs for each voice(also an option with the Matrix12)Otherwise,the 12 had a really good pan implementation.6/6R had quasi stereo outs(a patch to each out in split/layer mode)while the 1000 was mono.
Xpander had CV ins as well
The one with the combined Moog and Oberheim filters was the OB-MX.A great machine if you can find one
and afford it
ew

oops.

Well, it still would be nice to have one... or two.

DKeenum wrote:

oops. Well, it still would be nice to have one... or two.

Indeed.I still have a Matrix-6,and a 12 or a fully blown out OB-MX(a two voice configuration was standard,and you could put additional voice cards in-the max is either 12 or 16;I forget )is at the absolute top of my list as far as "if I ever have the cash and I can find one".As flexible as a good modular-and it's programmable
ew

ew wrote:

The one with the combined Moog and Oberheim filters was the OB-MX.A great machine if you can find one and afford it ew

Oh, it was the OB-MX.. Sorry, I must have read that in an advert over ten years ago.. I forgot they had that synth out around that time as the Matrix 1000.. I must have got them confused.

BTW: Here's a very interesting story about the OB-MX: The Sordid and True Story of the OB-Mx It gives a rather worrying insight into the workings of Gibson (at the time, at least). If they ever decide to do their own soft-synths, I just hope they don't make such a bloody stupid mess of it!

[quote="dr.wackler"]

SecondSkin wrote:

Well, you know, there's this huge guitar company who owns the Oberheim brand, who doesn't give a shit about software, who bought companies like Opcode just to let them die.

Yeah, I had completely forgotten about that. I pay as little attention as possible to guitar companies (even though I own a couple of their products).

Maybe Gibson bought out Muzys....

dr.wackler wrote:

Well, you know, there's this huge guitar company who owns the Oberheim brand, who doesn't give a shit about software, who bought companies like Opcode just to let them die.

They did release OB-Tune though
http://www.musicyo.com/brandpos.asp?dept_id=9

nuffink wrote:

Mad Jack wrote: I just checked out www.vintagesynth.com and they don't seem to know what they're talking about! Good start.... http://www.sonicstate.com/synth/cfman.cfm?manid=22

Thanks for that link nuffink. Unfortunately I had trouble easily finding what I wanted there as well (the info's kinda spread out). I was also rushing quite a bit (before dinner), which didn't really help..

Talking about this stuff reminds me of the International Music Show I attended in London in the early nineties.. Some guy was showing off a Matrix 1000 which was plugged into a Matrix 12. He had this amazing base sound coming out of the 1000! (hehe.....within weeks of hearing that, I had my own Matrix 1000).. Unfortunately, that was the only time I ever saw a Matrix 12 in the flesh, so to speak... Interestingly, there was also an OB-Mx there... But it wasn't switched on (presumably unfinished, if that link I posted earlier was anything to go by).

Mad Jack wrote:

BTW: Here's a very interesting story about the OB-MX: The Sordid and True Story of the OB-Mx It gives a rather worrying insight into the workings of Gibson (at the time, at least). If they ever decide to do their own soft-synths, I just hope they don't make such a bloody stupid mess of it!

Interesting piece Jack - thanks for that.

When I was one half of Keyfax I was sounded out for UK distibution of Opcode stuff by the the Gibson UK distributor. They were only interested in selling guitars and didn't know what a sequencer was. But the powers that be in the US had insisted they took all lines if they wanted to keep the guitars.

I never took it further having already heard Tom Oberheim's opinion of Gibson, and soon after Opcode vanished anyway.


Dave

Dave Spiers wrote:

When I was one half of Keyfax I was sounded out for UK distibution of Opcode stuff by the the Gibson UK distributor.

[Mad Jack scrabbles for his well-thumbed copy of keyfax 4...]

Oh yeah, it says: Production assistant: Dave Spiers. And Mr Colbeck picks you out for a special mention in the acknowledgments too! Well, I never noticed that before... That book used to be like my synth bible, you know... Maybe I should be worshiping all you guys at Gmedia?

Dave Spiers wrote:

Interesting piece Jack - thanks for that.

No probs.. Somebody posted that link on www.sonicstate.com in the OB-Mx reviews section. I read it ages ago and found it a cracking read. They should release it as a paperback, make a film or perhaps write a play....it could run and run on Broadway..
Seriously though.. You gotta feel for that poor Lynx guy.. Multiple personality disorder, massive heart attack as well as having all that other 'crap' to deal with....

Mad Jack,

I'm sure you know about the OB6000 editor, but I thought I'd post the link just incase...

nuffink wrote:

Mad Jack, I'm sure you know about the OB6000 editor, but I thought I'd post the link just incase...

There's also a couple good freeware ones out there.
You can get one here.There's also a couple listed at SynthZone,IIRC.
And of course,there's always Unisyn,MidiQuest and SoundDiver for your GP editors.
ew

Dogboy73 wrote:

RSF Poly Kobol

I only know the Kobol Expander. What exactly is the Poly Kobol? Have a link?

EDIT: Found some pics via google. Seems interesting but must be very rare. Do I see a built in tape-recorder on one of the images?

What exactly do you like about it? Is the sound any special?

dr.wackler wrote:

Found some pics via google. Seems interesting but must be very rare. Do I see a built in tape-recorder on one of the images?

Yeah-very rare.If I remember there were maybe 35 or so built-certainly less than 50.
Yeah,the recorder's there for patch storage(thank God we don't have to play around with storing patches to cassette tape anymore ).
ew

ew wrote:

Yeah,the recorder's there for patch storage(thank God we don't have to play around with storing patches to cassette tape anymore ).

I think I still have some Polysix backups somewhere in the basement - along with tapes full of data from my first attempts to learn the Basic programming language.

It's OK,Doc-I've still got the keypunch template cards from back when I was learning IBM assembler in the mid '70s
ew

Mad Jack wrote:

[Mad Jack scrabbles for his well-thumbed copy of keyfax 4...] Oh yeah, it says: Production assistant: Dave Spiers. And Mr Colbeck picks you out for a special mention in the acknowledgments too! Well, I never noticed that before... That book used to be like my synth bible, you know... Maybe I should be worshiping all you guys at Gmedia?

Please, no. One God is enough for now Actually Chris Macleod here is credited for "herculean amounts of tedious research" on Keyfax 3 and I'm pretty sure he did Keyfax 2 also. Keyfax 4 & 5 were fun to do and I was regularly drowning under a pile of freshly delivered synths shouting things like "JD800.....6 part-multi-timbral, 24 voice polyphonic, got these great things called sliders" etc. My fave book though was the Omnibus edition which interviewed all the major synth designers - hence knowing Tom Oberheim's story.

Mad Jack wrote:

No probs.. Somebody posted that link on www.sonicstate.com in the OB-Mx reviews section. I read it ages ago and found it a cracking read. They should release it as a paperback, make a film or perhaps write a play....it could run and run on Broadway.. Seriously though.. You gotta feel for that poor Lynx guy.. Multiple personality disorder, massive heart attack as well as having all that other 'crap' to deal with....

Certainly a mini TV series It's amazing what went on (and still does to some extent). There's a similar(ish) story in Mark Vail's book about a guy called Aaron Newman (the Mu-Tron guy) relating to the Gizmotron - that's pretty scary reading


Dave

dr.wackler wrote:

Dogboy73 wrote: RSF Poly Kobol I only know the Kobol Expander. What exactly is the Poly Kobol? Have a link? EDIT: Found some pics via google. Seems interesting but must be very rare. Do I see a built in tape-recorder on one of the images? What exactly do you like about it? Is the sound any special?

http://site.voila.fr/RSF/index.jhtml

I heard a rumour that Boards of canada had an RSF synth & that was enough to generate my interest. Jean Micheal Jarre used one as well (It's listed on the Concerts in China LP).

The Poly Kobol looks the most impressive of the range & since it's so rare I thought it would make an excellent candidate for a VSTi (If someone could find a real one to pull to pieces & emulate).

ew wrote:

nuffink wrote: Mad Jack, I'm sure you know about the OB6000 editor, but I thought I'd post the link just incase... There's also a couple good freeware ones out there. You can get one here.There's also a couple listed at SynthZone,IIRC. And of course,there's always Unisyn,MidiQuest and SoundDiver for your GP editors. ew

Thanks for the links to Matrix 1000 editors guys Unfortunately it's pointless for me now, as I sold mine within a year of buying it...
I'm not saying I thought it was a bad synth; it wasn't. I just didn't realize how limited it was compared to a Matrix 12/Xpander. And I found it really gruelling going through over 100 almost identical string sounds looking for just the right one! I'd much rather have 10 different ones, then choose the closest and edit till it sounds right. The final result feels more personal that way, too..

Dave Spiers wrote:

Please, no. One God is enough for now

Okay, perhaps I've inflated Jon's ego enough now; time to go back to the old siggy.

Dave Spiers wrote:

Keyfax 4 & 5 were fun to do and I was regularly drowning under a pile of freshly delivered synths shouting things like "JD800.....6 part-multi-timbral, 24 voice polyphonic, got these great things called sliders" etc. My fave book though was the Omnibus edition which interviewed all the major synth designers - hence knowing Tom Oberheim's story.

My mate was listening to a demonstration of the JD800 when I was buying my Matrix 1000. He said: "hey, listen to this sound." the guy played this chord and it sounded like your usual new synth of the nineties type of thing (you know, good, but nothing that special)....but then he used aftertouch on it, and it really soared! It was the kinda sound that catches you off guard when you first hear it (a bit like that 'Drive by' preset on the impOSCar).
Anyway, I'm starting to rabbit on now..
I should add that the Omnibus edition sounds like a damn good read. I'll have to try and track down a copy.