Digital DIY synths?

[Ben Stuyts]

On Wed, 06 Jan 1999, BJ wrote:

> > They use all kinds of chips. I think the Nord's and/or Acces Virus use
> > multiple Moto 563xx parts. My Zoom 1504 effect processes uses a TI TMS320
> > derivative,
>
> Do you know exactly wich one used TMS320c5xx series??
> Iiiiih i have to open upp my ZOOM 1202 to see whats in it!!

I don't know. I just had a cursory look at it when I took it apart to paint  
the back of the case black. (I don;t have it in a 19" rack, so the bare metal  
color was annoying me.)

> The Novation Drumstation uses a 2181/83 DSP for the percussion
> emulation.
> And some people say that the new Superstation uses the same DSP but a
> bounch
> of them!!
> Hmm, would be more apropriate to use a Sharc instead!

Well, we've done some designs where the availability of tools (compilers,  
debuggers, emulators, existing source code) played a bigger part than the cost  
or neatness of the solution. It is all a matter of economics.

>From what I have seen, it is indeed better to use a Sharc or any other  
floating point DSP. It makes the software probably simpler. The AD 2818  
doesn't have a large dynamic range. For example, the Moto 56xxx range has a 56  
bit intermediate accumulator, so although it is fixed point, it has better  
range.

Best regards,
Ben