Archive of the former Yahoo!Groups mailing list: MOTM

I usually sit on the sidelines, but I think I'll speak up now. My
vote is for the VCA.

A 1U VCO is nice, but doesn't everyone already have at least one or
two VCOs? Another VCO will only dilute sales of the 300. Yes, a 1U
VCO will allow one to "stretch" their cabinet but at the expense of
other waveform outputs. What's next then, a 1U wave-shaper to get
the waveforms not present in the Micro-VCO? Oh, but then you can use
the 1U Micro-VCO to drive a 2U Mini-Wave. Well there went the real
estate you were trying to save. If another VCO were to be designed,
I'd vote for a 2U DUAL-VCO like on the Oberheim SEM. A 3046
transistor array handles both expo converters and the VCOs will track
like magic. Sawtooth and variable duty cycle pulse from each and no
more. A 1U VCO at probably 70% the cost of the 300? I'll pass.

The divider: Isn't that what a sub-octave mux already does? (Take
two sub-octave muxes and call me in the morning.) Maybe I missed a
key point, but sonically isn't the 'divider' gonna sound a lot like a
sub-octave mux? Why would someone want both modules?

For me, the dual VCA is the cat's pajamas. (My opinion is selfishly
based on what I already have and what I think I want.) I've got 6,
300 VCOs and don't really need more. Got a sub-octave mux; not
certain what else a divider would do for me sonically. But I don't
have any exponential response VCAs. If the VCA comes in last place,
I'll have to dust off that copy of the David Blackmer patent on VCAs
and do it myself. I'll pass on the 1U VCO and the divider ad
infinitum because I think those bases are already covered. At
present, a MOTM-Dual VCA does not yet exist (for sale). I must vote
for something "new" rather than a rehash of existing functionality.
To me, a lin/exp VCA is a basic building block and am quite surprised
it does not already exist. I am even more surprised by the number of
people that would put it last on the list of wanted modules.

Lastly, I think I'd prefer to vote with more information in-hand. I
would like to know probable prices because that will influence, to
some degree, the order in which I buy modules (and consequently, what
I would vote for as 1st, 2nd, and 3rd choices). Suggestion: Once a
person buys say a minimum of 8 or so MOTM modules, he/she should have
private access to a "new products" page on the SynthTech website
(that is not available to competitors or the general Internet
public). There, product ideas could be previewed with full
descriptions, probable selling prices, and perhaps development
durations. In other words, this would be a virtualized glossy
brochure. Then when we vote for a given new module, we'd do so being
fully informed rather squealing for something that may not be fully
described or described across many group postings over a period of
many days.

I must confess that the apparent novelty of a 1U VCO or "divider"
escapes me. My vote for a dual-VCA is mostly based on my lack of a
lin/exp VCA coupled with only sketchy information on what the other
modules will do differently than what I already have. Does Paul
factor in the complement of MOTM modules already owned by the
respondents? Will the winning module choice be purely based on this
group's straw poll?

Cheers!
Tom Farrand