[sdiy] PE Minisonic synthesizer scans

Tue Jun 1 19:26:37 CEST 2010

Just to update this, I tried to email Mr. Shaw but the message was returned 
with 'Delivery Status Notification Failure' - which come to think of it 
isn't very surprising considering that his website has gone. Oh well...

--------------------------------------------------
From: "Steven Cook" <stevenpaulcook at tiscali.co.uk>
Sent: Tuesday, June 01, 2010 1:19 PM
To: "John Alex Hvidlykke" <john at hvidlykke.dk>; "synth-diy" 
<synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl>
Subject: Re: [sdiy] PE Minisonic synthesizer scans

> Aha! Thanks for this John - I didn't look closely enough.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Steven Cook.
> http://www.spcplugins.com/
>
> --------------------------------------------------
> From: "John Alex Hvidlykke" <john at hvidlykke.dk>
> Sent: Tuesday, June 01, 2010 10:55 AM
> To: "synth-diy" <synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl>
> Subject: Re: [sdiy] PE Minisonic synthesizer scans
>
>> The page is down, but not gone.
>>
>> Archive.org is the helper. The Internet Archive contained several almost 
>> identical snapshots of the page, the latest from 2008.
>>
>> http://web.archive.org/web/20080310193553/http://www.shaws-corner.co.uk/
>>
>> Under "New vs. Old Hat" you will find the story of the Minisonic.
>>
>> Also you find his mail address, if you look closely (I recommend exaiming 
>> the "Book Reviews" page for that purpose).
>>
>> Cheers
>>
>> \John
>>
>>
>>
>>> -----Oprindelig meddelelse-----
>>> Fra: synth-diy-bounces at dropmix.xs4all.nl
>>> [mailto:synth-diy-bounces at dropmix.xs4all.nl]På vegne af cheater cheater
>>> Sendt: 1. juni 2010 11:38
>>> Til: Steven Cook
>>> Cc: synth-diy
>>> Emne: Re: [sdiy] PE Minisonic synthesizer scans
>>>
>>>
>>> > I'm not sure that I'd want to 'hack' his email address as
>>> > its' non-appearance on his page (when it was up) suggests that he 
>>> > didn't
>>> > want to be contacted.
>>>
>>> Well, public information is public information. Sometimes people don't
>>> put email addresses on websites because they don't want spam.
>>>
>>> > His website address is on the page about the Minisonic2 you've
>>> linked to;-)
>>> > Unfortunately, it appears to be down which is worrying.
>>>
>>> ah ok, found it :-)
>>>
>>> It's too bad that the registrar only lists a name (Doug Shaw, wonder
>>> where the 'G' came from) and no other details. The domain is still up
>>> and it was last renewed in November 2009, but the web server is down.
>>> I wouldn't worry too much about Doug then :-)
>>>
>>> Too bad we couldn't find any info how to contact him though.
>>>
>>> Cheers,
>>> D.
>>>
>>> On Tue, Jun 1, 2010 at 11:23, Steven Cook
>>> <stevenpaulcook at tiscali.co.uk> wrote:
>>> > Hi,
>>> >
>>> > His website address is on the page about the Minisonic2 you've
>>> linked to;-)
>>> > Unfortunately, it appears to be down which is worrying. I hope
>>> Mr. Shaw is
>>> > still with us. I'm not sure that I'd want to 'hack' his email address 
>>> > as
>>> > its' non-appearance on his page (when it was up) suggests that he 
>>> > didn't
>>> > want to be contacted. Thanks anyway.
>>> >
>>> > Regards,
>>> >
>>> > Steven Cook.
>>> > http://www.spcplugins.com/
>>> >
>>> > --------------------------------------------------
>>> > From: "cheater cheater" <cheater00 at gmail.com>
>>> > Sent: Tuesday, June 01, 2010 1:19 AM
>>> > To: "Steven Cook" <stevenpaulcook at tiscali.co.uk>
>>> > Cc: "synth-diy" <synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl>
>>> > Subject: Re: [sdiy] PE Minisonic synthesizer scans
>>> >
>>> >> Hi Steven,
>>> >> what is the website? Maybe I can extract some contact information 
>>> >> from
>>> >> the server records for you..
>>> >>
>>> >> BTW, I have found a very interesting page about the minisonic:
>>> >>
>>> http://pcbunn.cithep.caltech.edu/jjb/Synthesizers/Minisonic2/default.htm
>>> >>
>>> >> Look at those interference patterns!
>>> >>
>>> >>
>>> >>
>>> http://pcbunn.cithep.caltech.edu/jjb/Synthesizers/Minisonic2/DougV
>>> CF1_3.gif
>>> >>
>>> >> Original description: "Range 'C'. Sweep 1Khz - 100Khz.  Input signal
>>> >> 150mV p-p triangle.  Mid-range resonant frequency.  High 'Q'.  Note
>>> >> interference pattern and peaks caused by changing harmonic
>>> >> relationships at different points of resonance.  The sound is
>>> >> marvellous.  Output 100mV/div"
>>> >>
>>> >> It's the first time I've seen this sort of effect. Where does it come
>>> >> from exactly? Does it happen for all resonant filters? Does the
>>> >> oscilloscope need to have any specific characteristics for this to
>>> >> show up?
>>> >>
>>> >> Cheers,
>>> >> D.
>>> >>
>>> >> On Mon, May 31, 2010 at 14:07, Steven Cook
>>> <stevenpaulcook at tiscali.co.uk>
>>> >> wrote:
>>> >>>
>>> >>> Hi Tim,
>>> >>>
>>> >>> Cheers for this - I've not seen these articles in years. I built a 
>>> >>> PE
>>> >>> Minisonic when the magazines were published back in '74/5 which took 
>>> >>> a
>>> >>> full
>>> >>> year's worth of Ł1 a week pocket money. A pattern maker
>>> friend of my Dad
>>> >>> made a beautiful hardwood case for it with a black plastic
>>> covered wooden
>>> >>> front panel, which was about 1/2 inch thick so had to be milled out
>>> >>> around
>>> >>> all the pot holes. I used black knobs with silver tops to get a more
>>> >>> 'Moogy'
>>> >>> look, white Letraset for all the control legends and
>>> 'Letraline' (I think
>>> >>> it
>>> >>> was called) to divide the panel sections up. It had a mains
>>> PSU built on
>>> >>> a
>>> >>> PCB (dangerous for a 13 year old), everything else was Veroboard. I
>>> >>> bought a
>>> >>> PCB from some sort of 'Stylophone' organ project from another 
>>> >>> magazine
>>> >>> and
>>> >>> cut off the keyboard bit to use in the Minisonic. When it was
>>> finally all
>>> >>> working, the VCOs drifted so badly with temperature changes that 
>>> >>> they
>>> >>> would
>>> >>> go up half an octave from breathing on the board! I still remember 
>>> >>> my
>>> >>> excitement at hearing a VCF for the first time and spending about 
>>> >>> two
>>> >>> weeks
>>> >>> just fiddling with different settings - I've felt a bit bored with
>>> >>> filters
>>> >>> ever since then...
>>> >>>
>>> >>> About a year and a half later my 15 year old brain decided
>>> that it would
>>> >>> be
>>> >>> a brilliant idea to dismantle the Minisonic and use the parts
>>> for other
>>> >>> projects. How could I have been so stupid!? All that's left
>>> of it now are
>>> >>> a
>>> >>> few 741s, an SG3402N, a pair of 35ohm speakers and a noise diode.
>>> >>>
>>> >>> Sorry, started to ramble a bit there. It's that nostalgia factor.
>>> >>>
>>> >>> While I'm here, does anyone know if G.D. Shaw (Minisonic designer) 
>>> >>> is
>>> >>> still
>>> >>> around? His website was still up the last time I looked but it must 
>>> >>> be
>>> >>> the
>>> >>> only site I've ever seen with no contact email address and I'd like 
>>> >>> to
>>> >>> send
>>> >>> him a message.
>>> >>>
>>> >>> Steve Cook.
>>> >>> http://www.spcplugins.com/
>>> >>>
>>> >>> --------------------------------------------------
>>> >>> From: "Tim Stinchcombe" <tim102 at tstinchcombe.freeserve.co.uk>
>>> >>> Sent: Friday, May 28, 2010 7:49 PM
>>> >>> To: "'analog heaven'" <analogue at hyperreal.org>;
>>> >>> <synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl>
>>> >>> Subject: [sdiy] PE Minisonic synthesizer scans
>>> >>>
>>> >>>> Hi list(s),
>>> >>>>
>>> >>>> Very recently it was suggested to me that nowhere on the web were
>>> >>>> there scans of the Practical Electronics 'Minisonic'
>>> synthesizer, from
>>> >>>> 1974/5 (as opposed to the 'Minisonic 2' which *are* to be found in
>>> >>>> several
>>> >>>> places), so if true, I have just rectified this:
>>> >>>>
>>> >>>> http://www.timstinchcombe.co.uk/synth/pe_mini/pe_mini.html
>>> >>>>
>>> >>>> Enjoy!
>>> >>>>
>>> >>>> Tim
>>> >>>> __________________________________________________________
>>> >>>> Tim Stinchcombe
>>> >>>>
>>> >>>> Cheltenham, Glos, UK
>>> >>>> email: tim102 at tstinchcombe.freeserve.co.uk
>>> >>>> www.timstinchcombe.co.uk
>>> >>>>
>>> >>>>
>>> >>>>
>>> >>>>
>>> >>>>
>>> >>>>
>>> >>>> _______________________________________________
>>> >>>> Synth-diy mailing list
>>> >>>> Synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl
>>> >>>> http://dropmix.xs4all.nl/mailman/listinfo/synth-diy
>>> >>>
>>> >>> _______________________________________________
>>> >>> Synth-diy mailing list
>>> >>> Synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl
>>> >>> http://dropmix.xs4all.nl/mailman/listinfo/synth-diy
>>> >>>
>>> >
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Synth-diy mailing list
>>> Synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl
>>> http://dropmix.xs4all.nl/mailman/listinfo/synth-diy
>>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Synth-diy mailing list
>> Synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl
>> http://dropmix.xs4all.nl/mailman/listinfo/synth-diy
>>
> _______________________________________________
> Synth-diy mailing list
> Synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl
> http://dropmix.xs4all.nl/mailman/listinfo/synth-diy
> 