The Cyndustries List

Howdy all,

I received my MOTM ZO a couple days ago and am reporting in with my
initial impressions.

Appearance/build: 
This thing is big and beautiful. It is a perfect cosmetic match for
the factory MOTM modules (something not always achieved by others -
for example, the Encore Freq Shifter). The sandwiched system of 3 main
boards and multiple panel control boards is elegant and completely
eliminates hookup wire for the panel controls. This is an interesting
solution to the problem of offering multiple formats at a relatively
low volume.

The jacks are switchcraft, but not the 112As that MOTM users are used
to. They look much the same, but have different lugs to mount to the
PCB. They have a heavier engagement feel than the 112As. The pots are
smooth feeling with a slightly more damped feel than standard bourns
pots. The multiturn tuning control is smooth and light feeling. You
can spin it around with a single finger. I found precise tuning to be
easy and quick.

Features/functionality:
Well, it's simply the most full-featured VCO I've ever seen! Linear
through zero FM with built in VCA, 5 basic output waveforms, 4 aux
outputs in quadrature with wave shapers, etc. Everything works as
advertised. The only tiny complaint I have is that the waveform
morphing doesn't match the pot positions with the panel graphics. Just
use your ears and you'll find where it hits the sine wave sweet spot. 

The variable strength sync works very well, and allows you to achieve
effects from stepping harmonics to a severe "tearing" from one
harmonic to the next, to an even more severe octave jump effect I had
never heard before. Very musical.

Having a built in VCA to control the FM modulation amount is very
handy. It makes it easy to achieve enveloped modulations for struck
metallic sounds using only an external EG.

I've had great fun using it as a LFO with the quadrature outputs
driving 4 separate VCOs. Using rectified square waveforms I can get
swooping trills in 4 part harmony, very cool!

Sound:
The basic sound is very clear and pure. I put a scope on all the basic
output waveforms, and they are pristine. This module has that
characteristic very pure sine wave output that you cannot get with a
sawtooth core VCO. This of course is the perfect starting point for
linear FM. Until now, the only way I could get that sound is by using
an oscillating VCF, which typically doesn't track the keyboard as well
as a real VCO.

I'm still exploring the huge palette available for FM. It's going to
take a lot of playing to get my head around all the modulation
capabilities of this oscillator. Suffice it to say that the pure
inherent waveforms coupled with the extreme amount of modulation
possible make this sound different and more radical than anything else
in my system.

Major kudos to Cynthia and crew for taking the gamble and succeeding
in bringing a premium module like this to synth lovers everywhere!

Moe
http://www.stoogeindustries.com