Inside the OBERHEIM MATRIX 12 & UK UPS is USELESS ! (photos & chips) UPPED

[Artesia]

regarding the dac question:

the dac of choice in the matrix 12 appears to be an exar mp7523; there's one on each voice.

the exar mp7523 is a 15v, 8 bit cmos chip.

http://pdf1.alldatasheet.com/datasheet-pdf/view/120012/EXAR/MP7523.html

[a7thson]

audio in poly evolver can be routed any manner of ways depending on the patch configuration.

Simpler question: how similar/dissimilar are the audio input path/modulation options in comparison to the standard Evolver?  Can audio path be directed to one or a multitude of the 4 evolvers essentially inside the poly?  I know, I know, I could just download the manual :-)

well, on the possible m1000 upgrade ..a number is all that most people would need, and they would use a pc editor / interface with full readout to

ammend this issue for programming.

Some might try and make a full-fledged control surface update (thinking more of the M6R here than the 1000 rack) of some sort.  The M1000 stores its patch names internally, they just aren't displayed (of course) due to the obvious display limitations.  Again, just another possible option.

i dont generally get a hum issue ...make sure your audio gear is on the same mains feed and you dont have any ground loops thus.

Yes, it's all on the same AC outlet, all the gear is plugged into one of those Monster home theater "line conditioner" / glorified surge protector things.  But even with nothing other than the Matrix 1k itself plugged in, it still hums.  I managed to dig up the reference, it's the Analogue-Heaven list archives:

(http://elists.resynthesize.com/analogue-heaven/2002/07/323573/-Matrix-1000-hum-suggestions....html).

the m12 is plenty fast enough for most mods, and mods in real time.

however all of them could be a smidge (milliseconds) faster on attack of the envelopes ..which makes highly percussive sounds a little soft & lends these synths to being best at bass, horns, pads & effects.

cool... I would have to do some research to find out if the 'slow envelopes' are a CPU-related issue or a hardware one... again probably the limitations of the processor they used, and I'd doubt it's the fault/limitation of the CEM voice chip itself.  but definitely that would be an area to focus effort on as well.  so... sysex response time and faster envelopes or replacement envelopes (depending on the nature of the problem) as the 2 major priorities so far in our vaporware retrofit/firmware upgrade :D

the keyboard response could be better & it is a little finicky to get it 'tuned' right to the desired velocity response... it does work, but it could be better and could be changed for another.

however its not the sort of handicap that'd impair the typical demands of playing live or for non taxing studio stuff.. it could of course have no velocity response at all; like the roland jupiter ..and that would really suck ;) ..however for critical performance, using another keyboard / a dedicated controller maybe advantageous.

One of the complaints I read suggested in the commentary that the guy was intending to replace it with a K2500's keyboard, I hope that worked out for him!

(see his description at http://machines.hyperreal.org/manufacturers/Oberheim/Xpander.Matrix-12/mods/matrix12.mods.txt)

That would definitely make for one sweet performance instrument.  I hear what you're saying about the Jupiter, luckily it's not such a hindrance thanks to MIDI controllers of course, but not the most compact solution (then again the Jupiter is not exactly travel-friendly in the first place, I'm sure!)