Rhodes Chroma Polaris

Just got my mitts on a Chroma Polaris. I also have an Oberheim Xpander.
Understanding that they both use the CEM3374 Dual VCO, the CEM3372
Signal Processor and the CEM3372 Filter/Mix/VCA,
I am wondering how much they will sound alike.

I was kind of hoping that there would be enough other variables that
one is going to sound "ARPish" and the other a bit more "Oberheimy" by
some other means.
Obviously, I'd expect simple patches to sound pretty similar between
the two, but overall, what would you say??

Thanks,


Dylan

> From: dgadwa
>
> Just got my mitts on a Chroma Polaris. I also have an
> Oberheim Xpander. Understanding that they both use the
> CEM3374 Dual VCO, the CEM3372 Signal Processor and the
> CEM3372 Filter/Mix/VCA, I am wondering how much they will
> sound alike.
>
> I was kind of hoping that there would be enough other
> variables that one is going to sound "ARPish" and the other a
> bit more "Oberheimy" by some other means. Obviously, I'd
> expect simple patches to sound pretty similar between the
> two, but overall, what would you say??

I've never used the Xpander, but the Polaris has an ADSDR envelope shape
which allows a family of sounds you can't easily get with most other synths.
Also, selective pitch bend is pretty unique, although Ensoniq later copied
it. There are a few other goodies, like the linear Hertz detune. These
features will probably have more to do with the overall sound than the kind
of filter chips used.

--

Ciao, Paul D. DeRocco
Paul mailto:pderocco@...