[sdiy] PAiA 2720 (was Fatman and BBD comparison)

[Oren Leavitt]

I had a PAiA 2720 synth a long time ago - found it in a Goodwill thrift store for (US)$10!
Everything worked even though there was alot of corrosion on the module PCBs and face plates.
All that is left of it now is its nice 37 note Pratt-Read keyboard which I have wired up as a mono 1 V/Oct controller for my current synth.  It is date stamped 1973 and still works flawlessly - nothing replaced, just cleaned.

Oren

-----Original Message-----
From: Harry Bissell Jr <harrybissell at prodigy.net>
Sent: Mar 11, 2004 11:27 AM
To: synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl
Subject: [sdiy] Fatman and BBD comparison...

Some people have got the impression that I
dissed the PAiA Fatman by calling it "ok"

I "did" recommend it as a first kit for a
newbie.  My main objection is that the V/Hz
response of the VCOs will limit its use in
an 'eventual' analog studio setup. You can't
use the MIDI/CV converter from the Fatman to
drive other synths... or drive the Fatman with
V/oct synths.

That makes it 'ok' in my book. Be aware of the
limitations and it is no problem... its inexpensive
and well documented - a good first synth

(I rated the Gnome a "wuthless piece of sh!t" just
for comparison sake... to let you know where 'ok'
fits on my scale)

My first synth was the PAiA 2720... which would not
hold a candle to a Minimoog or any other synth of its
time.  At the price I'd call it 'ok' as well...
eventually the V/Hz keyboard had to go... along with
almost every other module... well actually I still use
the 2720 VCA, and Inverter Buffer, and hacksawed the
Noise Source from the Control Oscillator module.
Pretty good for a 1974 unit.

Didn't mean to say that the Fatman was a BBD...  :^P

H^) harry