New analog synth poll.

[inman at interpath.com]

I don't want to discourage any great minds from building new
synthesizers (as if my opinion matters), but I am trying to
figure out what cannot already be had for $1,500.  In the 
realm of analog-simulators, there's the Nord and the Roland
stuff, both which allow a great deal of editing and have
the sliders to twiddle.  In the DIY area, hasn't CSOUND finally
been built into a DSP chip, already?  If not, it must be out soon.
Besides, a 266 MHZ Pentium without the chip ought to compile 
that code at a decent speed.  You can get such a computer 
for well under $1,500. 

As for analog, it seems to me there is already a great deal on
the market.  For $1,500 one could buy (already assembled)
Paul S's system as follows:

300 VCO    $319
420 VCF    $219
Evel. Gen  $129
Noise S/H  $175
Ring MOD   $185
Power Sup. $170
Total     $1197 
    
with $300 left over for a MIDI / CV converter.

...or John Simenton's new 9700 series which looks like it will be
a MIDI/CV, VCO, VCA, and VCF for about $425 unassembled.  Add
$200 for casing and someone to put it together and you are still
under the $700 mark.  Not to mention other designs from John
Blacet and Tom G and assorted fun stuff from Thomas Henry.  I even 
saw recently a webpage for a pre-assembled MICROCON analog 
synthesizer that has a VCO, VCF, LFO, and VCA for $265:  
http://www.drummachine.com/newpages/microcon.html  

And forget about sampled analog replication.  I saw an Oberhiem 
Matrix 1000 in a local shop.  It sat on the self for weeks, 
but finally went at $300.  Even Roland's old M-VS1 can now be had 
for a little cash.  With a KEYFAX PHATBOY ($200), you've got all the 
knobs you ever wanted.  (Of course, still only two hands... for now,
at least). 

What can't be had for $1,500 -- except a very unusual kind of 
synth that only a few people would want to buy?  And that 
would mean it would have to cost more than $1,500.

On the other hand, I have often wondered what would happen if
some of the Great Names of Synthesizers starting to sell what
they really have that no one else has -- knowledge and stories
about their own careers.  I would love to see a "Dr. Moog Explains
Synthesis" video or CD-ROM (check out MACROMEDIA).  "Here's a
schematic of a VCO.  Here's what it looks like being built.  Here's
what it sounds like."  Moog is a great writer and explainer.  
The video could be sold to DIYers like me for $50 and to electronics 
and music departments at the educational discount price of $219.  
Or, what about a Master Class series?  For $200 tuition and $50 in 
parts, spend a Saturday afternoon with Dr. Moog in his lab, building 
a discrete transistor synthesizer.  Or, for $200, Don Buchla lets 
you play with his toys.  Lighting!  Thunder!  The WHOLE DAMN STORM!  
Why not, Max Matthews teaches "C Sound for Dummies:  If you cannot 
build an orchestra by the lunch break, your entire tuition will 
be refunded!"  That kind of thing.  For that matter, when is Tom G 
going to write his own TAB Electronics book?  (Tom, just download 
the whole web site into Word for Windows, put you name on the cover, 
and tell us where to send the $30.)

But, I'm just daydreaming...  

It has been a long week at the office where I crunch many, many numbers, 
but not one of them ever makes a sound...

Best of luck,

Elliot