Obsolescence of groovy synth parts

[Paul Maddox]

Rick,

>
>I think the lesson here is: don't use specific application ic's!
>

though its VERY hard these days, they all want you to use their custom 
IC's...
I think the listen here is a simple one, remember they are only in it for 
the money, if ROLAND makes a synth that uses the CEM3340 or a UA726, I bet 
they'd be bought back, of course roland are happy with VLSI/DSP and Up, so 
the companies dont care, they dont make money.

in short, its all about profit, why should ANYONE make stuff that only a 
handful of people want...

You try and buy a 386sx16 now, let alone a 286.... if no-one wants it, dont 
make them, good buisness sense.. whilst people may say "but the 
pentiumIIIIIVX 500Ghz is better", like DSP is better than analog.. in some 
ways yes, but in others no... unfortunatly again, the big boys 
(roland/yamaha/etc) hold all the cards..

>SSM and CEM and uA726 are nice of course, but once production
>ceases you're stuck. If you're designing something that you want
>build again in 20 years you'll have to use parts that are generic.
>Opamps and OTA's will be around, and probably transistor *arrays*.
>

we hope transistor arrays will be around, the way things are looking I cant 
see it happening... seems funny that despite the likes of the UA726 and 
SSM2220 being scrapped in favour of better parts, that the 741 still 
remains... dont flame me, Im all for it, if it works why mess with it?

>What is there you REALLY cannot build with those?
>

not much, but you need a good grounding in electronics to do so, 10 years 
ago, anyone could make a VCO, couple of opamps, one CEM and a few resistors, 
bingo... its not just a question of not being able to make stuff, but 
availibility and skill sets of the people wanting to do it!

>I've always been amazed the industry has produced thousands
>of different types of (discrete) transistors and fets, with
>complete telephone directories as replacement guides. You can
>probably do with a 100 or so different types in total...
>

yes I agree, but then you wouldn't have competition, without competition no 
new developments happen...


Paul Maddox


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