Oberheim Matrix 6 (and fixes)

[Tony Clark]

   Um, as far as I know, the M6 and M12 are NOT the same.  The only thing 
that they share are the basic name, but the M12 is definately 2 Xpanders 
with a keyboard.  That's why they (M12/Xpander) sell for astronomical 
prices and why the M6/M1000 are quite affordable.

   Tony

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I can't drive (my Moog) 55!         |     The E-Music DIY Archive
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Tony Clark -- clark at andrews.edu     | aupe.phys.andrews.edu/diy_archive
http://aupe.phys.andrews.edu/~clark |     Contributions welcomed!
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On Sun, 28 Nov 1999, Harry Bissell wrote:

> The Matrix 6 and 12 are the same or very similar. The Xpander is a very different
> beast with 15 or so filter modes etc. Though I have heard that the Xpanders env
> gens were a little slow...
> 
> I wanted the Xpander but couldn't afford it. I've had the Matrix 6 and it was
> good sounding, but tended to go off into the weeds on power problems. If it was
> for live use I'd get an uninteruptable power supply for it.
> 
> The problem is the memory voltage system... the processor runs on 5V but the
> memory is a diode drop below (4.3V) so as the voltage goes down there is a good
> chance the memory will get corrupt before the processor knows its time to go
> "nitenite".
> 
> A simple improvement is to use a low drop shottkey diode (In5817) which have a
> much lower forward drop (at the expense of higher rebverse leakage at high
> temps...) so the memory gets about 4.7 volts...
> 
> The Right FIX is to boost the 5V supply to 5.7 volts (usually a diode added to
> the voltage reg will do this, then add a diode in series with the out of the
> regulator to drop the volts back to 5V. Then add a similar diode to supply the
> memory. This way while running the supplies are both 5V and the memory backup
> voltage is isolated. Why didn't they do this at the factory I'll never know...
> its only two more diodes...
> This is major surgery... not for the faint of heart. I did the easy mod above and
> it made an 80% improvement.
> 
> I have the Matrix 1000... Its great and never flaked out. With software you can
> edit it... or load programs from a Matrix 6.  I'd go for this one !!!
> 
> :^) Harry
> 
> 
> Hallgeir Helland wrote:
> 
> > Rob wrote:
> > >
> > > Both sound really good though. Matrix 6 goes for about 450, and the matrix
> > > 1000s are still being sold in limited quantities last time I tried to get
> > > one.. they go for about 300-400 used.. I will eventually get off of my duff
> > > and get one.
> >
> > Hi,
> >
> > Does the Matrix 6 do the same (and sound the same) as
> > the Matrix 12 and the Xpander? If so, I'm getting mine!
> >
> > thanks,
> > Hallgeir
> >
> > btw: any Lowther owners onlist?
> >
> > --
> > .,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.
> >  Hallgeir Helland   hhelland at mailandnews.com
> >     Evlogia          http://fly.to/evlogia
> > '¨'¨'¨'¨'¨'¨'¨'¨'¨'¨'¨'¨'¨'¨'¨'¨'¨'¨'¨'¨'¨'¨'
>