New analog synth poll.

[Jim Johnson]

>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.

A new prepatched analog synth, for starters.

>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.

No offense to Paul, but that package is not much of a synth. A minimal
modular of this sort can't really do much. It's too small for the true
modular afficianado, and too complicated for  the average numbskull
keyboard player.

>...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.  

Once again, not much of a synth. Both this and the MOTM package mentioned
above are great starting points for a modular, but are pretty wimpy in and
of themselves.

> 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  

At the risk of repeating myself: not much of a synth. Are you familiar with
synths like the 2600, Odyssey, Crumar Spirit, etc.? Nobody is making
anything like those today.

>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). 

The Matrix 100 is a great preset sound player, and nothing else. The MVS-1
- that's like a ROMpler, isn't it? Not even a musical instrument, IMHO. And
13 knobs is all the knobs I ever wanted?

Thanks for giving me a chance to get upset. This whole thread has reached
some pretty interesting heights in absurdity.


Jim Johnson 
Metaphoric Software
-------------------
Makers of Techno Toys
Software for Electronic Music
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