Hi Jimmy,
>I understand that the AN1X uses physical modeling for most of its
>synth functions. What synth did they use for the model? I got a
>chance to hear Reason, a software synth. The filters on it sound very
>realistic, as do the AN1X but different.
When they talk of "physical modeling," they mean it in a different sense: mathematical modeling. Everything that happens in nature -- movement, sound, electron flow -- follows basic laws of physics, and can be described (or very nearly so) by a mathematical formula, plus a set of initial conditions; i.e., the way the item was held, pushed,etc. when the event started.
When I was in engineering college we studied what makes a guitar string vibrate. Using fairly complex math, you can accurately predict how a real string vibrates on a guitar, even predicting things like the sound's increase in high harmonics as one presses closer to the bridge. This process is called 'mathematical modeling,' and is often used to study events that happen in nature, but are difficult to witness.
Once the mathematical model for a guitar string, a saxophone reed, or an analog circuit is known, all that is required to simulate that instrument is a computer with enough processing power to solve the math in real time -- or a set of digital logic that is tuned to solving a few specific mathematical problems at high speed. The first example is what computer programs like Native Instruments' Pro-52 and B-4 use; the second example is what dedicated physical modeling synths are. In fact, analog synths are easier to model than acoustic instruments like pianos and clarinets, because their waveforms are fairly simple and repeatable.
This is not to say that the AN1x wasn't modeled (in the sense of "copied") after some of the classic analog synthesizers of the 70's and 80's. It seems to be a mix of Moog, ARP, and Roland features, with maybe a little Sequential Circuits thrown in. The basic architecture is very Jupiter-line, IMHO.
Regards,
-BW
--
Bruce Wahler
Design Consultant
Ashby Solutions™
http://consult.ashbysolutions.com978.386.7389 voice/fax
bruce@...