Jaicen

Seconded, I'll buy one but only if it's worth organising a group buy.

Well, i'd say it's pretty bloody far from the pic, but I actually think the real shots look even better!! That is the display i've been waiting for, I want one now!

Lemme get this straight, you WANT the sound of 24 detuned oscillators?? I heard if you play a high E the world will end....

In that case, maybe we should just order ourselves?? Looks like i'll be buying one though!

Haha, that's brilliant! Doc, the idea about the replaceable filter modules is spot on, it's exactly what i'm planning. I made a start on the Moog VCF last night, using SMT components, so it's very small!! The pinout matches the 80017 IC's so it should be plug and play, more or less, in a Juno. All the adjustment trimmers are on the main pcb in this case, which makes things much simpler. I'm trying to get all the VCF stuff on one side, so the other side can be reserved for the VCA if needed (as in the Juno). However, i'm not sure my layout skills are quite up to the task, so it might have to be double sided to fit it all in. It would be very easy to integrate some SM2044's into the juno in place of the original filter, just the chip and a handful of caps and resistors would do it.

I tend to agree, that pic sets off all kinds of alarm bells! Just look at the aliasing.... That said, if they're willing to provide a sample, and it turns out alright, then i'm sold!

Perhaps you're right Stryd, but I was thinking that rather than just clone the SSM2044, maybe it would be interesting to build a VCF and VCA onto a single chip like the Analogue Solutions jobbie, that can be used for Midiboxing. I was thinking that a clone of the TB's VCA and ladder filter, on-chip would be awesome! Also, if the pinouts were compatible, it would then be a drop-in replacement for old Juno chips. Imagine a Juno with a discrete moog-style filter! I don't know how much height there is available inside the 106, but you could easily fit a 2" PCB into the Juno 6. That said, I wouldn't mind a (or a even a pair) of SSM2044's if anybody was interested in selling some. I can't really afford to fork out for those 12 on fleabay right now, (MB6582 is bankrupting me!).

Ok, this I think is looking possible. The 80017 contains a pair of BA662's, which are essentially just op-amps that make up the VCA. It's the same chip used in the 303, and it is available, but there are cheaper alternatives like the BA6110. Basically, it's an amp whose gain is dependant on the current fed into it's control input, but that's not really important to know, the basic design can be ripped straight from the 303! With regards to the IR3109, that is in fact a complete on-chip filter. Just the caps and a few resistors are external, which allow you to tune it to a specific range. Basically, I wouldn't be surprised if it's similar to the CEM chips used in the Jupiter6. If you were happy to use a work-a-like VCF/VCA combo, you could easily sub in any number of designs in there. How about if it were possible to find som SMT transistors and stick in a Moog filter and BA6110 VCA ;) EDIT: After a little more searching, I had time to check out the link that Playb0$$ posted. It seems that it would be possible to make a very cheap discrete version of the SSM2044 chip using this schem: http://jhaible.heim.at/tonline_stuff/jh2040.gif It would need something like 4 3086's for a four pole filter, but that would give matched transistors so it would be very easy to build. My guess is that the Analogue Reneissance design uses something like this.

That's an interesting idea actually. I guess if you only wanted a mono sound, you could do something approaching additive synthesis. You could even use the ring mod feature to get some FM style algorithms. EDIT: After thinking about this a little more, it occurs to me that a stereo pair of SID's will allow for 6 oscillators (assuming fixed filter and VCA settings), so the MB6582 with 8 sids would easily be able to produce a half decent 4xpoly organ sound with each of the triangle oscs set at octave intervals from say 32' to 1'. I'm thinking something like the Poly800 sound, though that uses pulse waves. However, to get more interesting additive tones would require the intervals of all the triangle oscs to be much closer. If you take something like a typical DX7 6-op algorithm, that will have six sine oscillators, some possibly modulating others, but all at a fixed frequency ratio of say 1:1.5. I guess if you had a look-up table, you could program those intervals into the patch manually, but it's perhaps an idea for a future update. The only problems I can foresee with this particular idea would be the lack of FM style feedback, and the limited frequency range of the SID.

You may have better luck over on lemon64.com or prophet64-forum.com From what I recall though, it doesn't allow you to write to the virtual disks yet, just read them, which in my view is a major drawback.

This may sound like a stupid question I know, but I was wondering how people are using their MBSID's. I'm in the process of building a fully stacked MB6582, as are many people, but I never actually thought about how i'd use it once it's built. The MB6582 for example, is going to have 4x Stereo SID's. That means that you've got four stereo channels, with three oscillators per channel. Great, so that's your big fat pads and things sorted, as long as you only want four part poly (or 8x Mono). However, if you're going over to Mono, how would that work? I see it as being 4x part multitimbral in stereo, otherwise, the remaining SID's are wasted really, would there be any advantage to having 24 oscillators in unison?!! Obviously, i'm thinking of this as a performance synth. In the studio each core can be running a different engine for multiple sounds. I'm wondering how many people actually need all 8 SID's stuffed? What's your opinion??

The early MKS-30's did indeed use the IR3109, also used in the venerable GR-300), and Juno 6 and 60. However when Roland re-used the architecture and indeed boards for the GR-700 and GR-77b they switched over to the same chips as used in the Juno 106, HS106 and related racks. I think it can be found in some other less well known products like the VK's, but I can't be sure. Those are the only ones that I know feature this chip for sure. EDIT: Check out this page, you can see that the IR3109 is in a heap of old roland stuff: http://analog.no/rolandcustom.htm

For those of us not in the midst of a postal strike that is... ::)

Excellent, though I didn't see any 20x4's in that colour on their website. If they do make them, i'll buy one for sure! Stryd, can you direct me to that discussion??

STN Red is not really suitable, the contrast ratios are too low (due to the human eyes low sensitivity to red spectrum *geek fact*). I think FSTN would be the way forward for red displays, or something similar. That said, the standard STN is perfectly readable in any conditions but bright light, so it's worth looking at if nothing else is available. EDIT: Something like this would be nice, but obviously in the correct size.

I'm with the Rabbit on that one. Every time i've been zapped, it's because i've been doing something stupid, plain and simple. Like the time I had a vintage synth arcing to from it's power switch to the case, and was poking around inside! Now I make sure everything is unplugged before I get anything open!

I don't want to be a ballache, but is there any possibility of getting a red on black screen in the group buy? I don't know what the price break will be, but i'm sure we can get at least ten people together that want a red one. I've spent too much money on this thing to just go with a standard green LCD that doesn't fit the colour scheme.

True, but not quite good enough. There are no markings on the IC's, and the board is double sided...

That's awesome man, what hardware have you got it running on? Is it just a core and minimal control surface??

So do we have any idea when the baseboard kit will be ready?? I'm not trying to rush anyone i'd just like a timeframe to work to, (plus, I want to place an order for some other stuff, and don't want to pay the postage twice!).

Sounds like a plan to me! As long as the panels aren't stupidly expensive, I think they'll sell just fine. At that price, It would be an acceptable for those that don't actually want the sequencer as well, just a MIDI capable x0x. Put me down for two ;D EDIT: Sorry, any chance you could confirm which of the rare parts are being shipped with the PCB's? Since it's effectively a x0x kit, is there a BOM that can be followed from Ladyada? I'd be happy to help organise a group buy for europe if someone tells me exactly what we need.

I don't know if it's important, but the Juno filter chips were used in a few of Roland's products. Essentially, it's based on the Moog filter design, using diodes instead of a transistor ladder. Personally, I find Roland filters to be more musically useful than Moogs anyway. You can make a Jupiter or SH09 (discrete filter I know) sit much easier in a mix than something like a Minimoog.

Actually yeah you're right, DOH!! I thought it was the earlier on (MSQ80 perhaps?). Either way, it's still pretty cool if only for a MIDI -> DIN Sync converter. If you get yourself a Juno60 it would suddenly become very very useful. Speaking of which, I know a guy that might be interested in it....

I guess we can't complain too loudly, however they have delivered a product that is significantly off-spec. Have you checked that the milling has been done correctly? ie, everything fits! Personally I think that 'the best they can do' is to get it right in the first place!! Accepting them back for re-screening goes without question.

You could stick it on ebay and make a fair wodge. Failing that, send it to me and i'll make use of it sequencing an SH09 ;) Don't gut it though, they didn't make many!