Analog Gear News

[mosc]

By Per Wikstrom

There is no revolutionary news on the modular front this month, seems like most of the new gear was exposed at NAMM fair recently. But there are some things to notice anyhow:

Cyndustries http://www.cyndustries.com/ has raised the price for their new Zeroscillator from USD 650 to USD 750. It makes it the most expensive VCO module in the Frack Rack/Eurorack class. I have thought about ordering one, but am hesitating by the price. Is it really worth three times a Blacet or Doepfer VCO? I am not sure, even though I have listened extensively on their mp3s.

Chaos Computer

EAR has now released some details about their Chaos Computer series. The base is two CPUs that deliver stepped random voltage. A matrix of manual switches determinates the spread and structure of the voltage pattern. The rate of changes can be controlled by external gate signals. To an old gear head like me, it looks extremely cool, with LEDs showing the actual status of the chaos. Two sub units are also in the series, one for random gates and one that calculate more voltages from the four that the chaos computer delivers. On the way are one more module that uses other algorithms for recalculating the out coming CV.

I have used the Buchla “Source of uncertainty” a lot, and have a Doepfer clone of it in my present rig. To me it looks like the Chaos Computer delivers the same type of controlled randomness, but in another manner. No price yet on that gear, but pictures and a description is on http://www.ear-group.com/lw_ccompset.html Under the label Livewire they also presents a new audio and trig divider, copied from the Steiner-Parker Synthasystem.

Doepfer are releasing a new series of suitcase racks with room for the really mighty modular. They are equal to eight normal 3 HU 19 inch racks. Two of them can be connected to a really huge and roadworthy box, twice the size. They can be seen on http://www.doepfer.de/home_e.htm but are of no use for us who already has a pile of racks in the studio. But if I had known from the beginning how my modular should grow, I would have gone for them from the beginning. On NAMM recently they showed a touch plate keyboard, also a Buchla reminiscence, but no facts on that so far.
Modcan are presenting a really impressive 3 x 16 sequenser, the 54B on http://www.modcan.com/bseries/vcseq.htm



It can sum the rows to a 1 x 48 step sequenser, and have extensive CV control. Gate length and many other parameters accept CV, and using sliders instead of rotary pots, it is a big and impressive part of a synth rig.

Synthesizer.com has landed a small bread and butter module: A three in, three out manual switch module. Not so sexy, but can be seen on http://www.synthesizers.com/q149.html

The Blacet contest for best idea on a pre drilled front plate was won by a guy who suggested a variable phase spread module. More of the ideas can be found on http://www.blacet.com/contest.html
I did also participate, and won a small prize: USD 25 off on an order to Blacet. I guess it won’t cover even half of the shipping cost for Europe, but I will order some modules anyhow, just to claim my reward.

The Metaxonix TM-6 multimode tube filter http://metasonix.com/ will be delivered to European market within one or two weeks from now, at least say my German dealer so. I plan to buy one as soon as they are available, the Metasonix gear as a unique sound that no other comes near. But the S-1000 Wretch Machine is not on its way yet, Eric Barbour say there are still developing to do before it hits the market. I keep up with the cables and the modules, but I get a bit tired of the filter fatness madness, and use more and more of unfiltered sounds. I love the sound of the ring modulator, with all its harsh overtones. I'm glad to see there is a new forum dedicated to Metasonix equipment right here on electro-music.com, http://electro-music.com/forum/forum-127.html


I tried the new MiniMoog Voyager recently, and yes, three VCO sounds with sweeping resonance is truly fat. But to me, it just sounds like a cliché, used by too many artists too many times. Analogue is more than just the fat bass, or the smooth saw tooth lead of a MiniMoog. But if the price tag was not that big, I would buy it anyhow, just for the legend.