owner: The New England Synthesizer Museum, David Hillel Wilson, Curator
other synths in the New England Synthesizer Museum Collection
"Hey, what do you know? I actually have the schematics for this
thing. With all the pretty controls and lights, you might be
fooled in to thinking that this gadget is a synthesizer.
The truth is, it doesn't make any sound at all! No VCOs, VCFs,
VCAs, ADSRs, etc. All it is is a sequencer. Similar in many ways
to the famous Oberheim DS-2 and DS-2a sequencers, this device can
store up to 4 (short) sequences as entered from its built-in
keyboard. Of course, there is a switch that lets you use it as
one big sequencer rather than 4 little ones. It has two outputs;
one for Exponential (Volts/Oct) synths, and one for Linear (Hz/Volt)
synths. (If you can read the panel, you'll notice that it says
Linear for Octaves/Volt; This refers to the sequencer output
rather than the synthesizer; you must drive a linear synthesizer
with the exponential output and an exponential synthesizer with
linear output, thus achieving the all important exponentiation
exactly once).
"This thing does about the same thing as a MIDI sequencer does
today, only it has a comparably small memory which forgets everything
when the power is shut off. If you have a MIDI-CV box then you don't
really need this piece. It really is a museum piece, offering little
if any advantage over a portable computer and MIDI-CV box."------ Dave Wilson