Doepfer / 3340

[Fraser, Colin J]

After further discussion with Dieter Dopefer I'd like to mention a couple of
things.

Doepfer has told me that they designed the CEM3340 based module in 1996, and
at that time Doepfer believed the 3340 to be in regular supply from OnChip.
I bought 3340s myself from OnChip around that time, and shortly afterward,
heard that they were no longer available.

This seems a bit odd to me.
Not making any accusation - merely thinking out loud...
Say OnChip had a few thousand 3340s left. They knew they would be unlikely
ever to be producing another batch.
The chips would probably take a very long time to sell in small numbers to
technicians or synth owners.
Only a synthesizer manufacturer would be likely to buy a large part of the
remaining stock (remember - holding stock costs money), but a manufacturer
thinking of basing a new device on the chips would be reluctant to do so if
it seemed likely that the supply would dry up soon.
Doepfer told me that he would think it 'total nonsense from the commercial
point of view' to do this.

Maybe Doepfer are not entirely to blame for their being in a position of
trying to produce a VCO with obsolete chips.


Also, Doepfer has responded very quickly to the concerns raised by myself
and others about their plans to use old parts in new modules, stripped from
classic synths or otherwise.
For this, he certainly gets my respect.

Of course, he'll lose it again if I hear he's been smashing up
memorymoogs...


Colin f