MOTM

1) MOTM-485 GX-1 VCF is officially "a done deal", R&D-wise. The remaining tweaks
were debated this week and finally implemented today in the 2 prototypes. These
will be shipped Monday to sunny San Diego  CA for demo generation. Here is the
end result of the tweaks:

a) eliminated 2 of the 4 trim pots. Since this VCF does NOT 'self-resonate' like
other MOTM filters, there is no easy way to set 1V/Oct. So it's set 'in
hardware' to within 0.75% of ideal. Which is probably just as accurate as you
can set it with a single-turn trim anyway.

The 2 trims are: CV Zero (sets the cutoff frequency with no CV applied) and Q
PEAK (set the max. resonance).

When the demos are ready, I'll let you know.

b) set the Q PEAK range to closely emulate the original Yamaha sound, plus an
extra 'over-the-top' area if you want extra cross-mod distortion in HP mode.

2) I will be finished this coming week kitting up all the modules that I have
panels for. As a general rule, most modules have around 20 panels in stock. The
'510 and '480 have about 50 panels in stock (and more on order). So, around
Thursday I will start shipping all I can of the "old stuff" based on the panel
stock. I am sending out to pcb fab the '480 and '485 this week. This will give
me time to ship the existing 'old stuff' AND start the '510 first-batch kitting
(44 kits). Some '510 panels are reserved for assembled orders. By the time this
is ready to ship, I can send the '480 pc boards out to be inserted and start the
'485 kitting/shipment. THEN.......the large panel order should arrive just about
the time the 500 Spectrol pots on order arrive. I then 're-kit' up to the
remaining backlog. So, here is the timeline:

finish the current kitting, based on panels in stock
send out the '480/'485 to pcb shop (and order '485 panels)
ship all I can from existing panel/kit stock, start '510 kitting
send documentation CD out to dupe
ship '510s
get the '480/'485 pc boards in, send out the '480 for stuffing (resistors, etc)
kit up the '485
~488 panels arrive :)
restock the kits and ship
Merry Christmas!

and in there, I also

work on the assembled modules
work on the MIDI-CV production layout/panel

OK, back to work!

Paul S.