Chips in Synthesizers
Hardware Chips - Synthesizer
- SSM or
- CEM Chips (List of CEM Models / Alle CEMs hier)
- Discrete Analogue
- digital: DSP -> (Motorola or Sharc) or some custom.
Analog Synths today - based on SSM / CEM
- after the death of Doug Curtis there are a number of clones available by ALFA and Behringer/Music Tribe under the brand of "Cool Audio". There is also: "Sound Semiconductor" OnChip - is the last one remaining after SSM/Curtis as the old one - strangly.
atm it is easy to pick up one of the first 3 right now - ALFA has them for about 7€ per item which makes it totally possibly to make analog (poly)synths again in 2018 and later.
List Synthesizers - Analog + Vintage
MPC2000 (and 3k) 286's running at 16MHz. Simultaneously (they deliver 32 audio tracks, 4 busses of effects and 32 channels of midi)
AX80 8 - CEM3372 24dB/Oct Filter/Mix/VCA "Processor"
AX60 6 CEM3394 uP Voice Akai AX-60 uses 2xMN3101 and 2xMN3009 for it's chorus.
Banana (created by EEH / Syntec, since 1999 the SSB is closed..)
Poly Synth 12 CEM3310 EG 12 CEM3340 VCO 12 CEM3360 Dual VCA 6 SSM2044 VCF - data sheet - http://www.maxmidi.com/diy/ssm/ssm2044.pdf
Cheetah MS6 6 CEM3396 VC Waveshaper
Fairlight II 8 CEM3320 VCF in earlier versions 8 SSM2044 VCF in later versions - data sheet - http://www.maxmidi.com/diy/ssm/ssm2044.pdf fairlight cmi
Spirit 2 CEM3340 VCO 2 CEM3350 Dual VCF 3 CEM3360 Dual VCA
Bit 01 6 CEM3328 VCF Late Models 6 SSM2044 VCF Early Models - data sheet - http://www.maxmidi.com/diy/ssm/ssm2044.pdf
Trilogy 6 CEM3310 EG 6 CEM3320 VCF 6 CEM3330 Dual VCA 1 SSM2020 VCA
DS2: is digitally controlled, not necessarly digitally generated (means: DCOs..) filters: don't know so far.
DSI /SCI see SCI/Sequential
A107 Morph. Filter: CEM3379 A121 Multi Mode Filter: CEM3320 A122 LPFilter: CEM3320 A123 HPFilter: CEM3320
A-109 VC Signal Processor (CEM3379) A-111-1 High End VCO (CEM3340) A-130 VCA (linear)/A-131 VCA (exp.) (früher/earlier: CEM3381/CEM3382, heute/today CA3080) A-134 VC Panning (CEM3381)
Und vermutlich - possibly: A111-2 Dyn. VCO CEM3394.
Synthex 8 CEM3320 VCF
ESQ1 8 CEM3379 VC Signal Processor Filter/Mix/VCA 1 CEM3360 Dual VCA 4 x SSM2300
Mirage 8 CEM3328 VCF
SQ-80 8 CEM3379 VC Signal Processor - Filter/Mix/VCA 1 CEM3360 Dual VCA 4 SSM2300 Analog Processor ensoniq sq80
CTS-2000 1 CEM5530 30ch S/H 8 CEM3389 VC Signal Processor
Kawai K3
SSM 2044 as in the K3m: - data sheet - http://www.maxmidi.com/diy/ssm/ssm2044.pdf
Kawaii SX-240 uses 8xSSM2044 for filter and 1xNM3009 for chorus
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MonoPoly 4 SSM2033 VCO 1 SSM2044 VCF - data sheet - http://www.maxmidi.com/diy/ssm/ssm2044.pdf
Korg Poly6 6 SSM2056 EG 6 SSM2044 VCF - data sheet - http://www.maxmidi.com/diy/ssm/ssm2044.pdf
DSS1 / DSM1 SSM (no?)
Poly 61 6 SSM2056 EG
Korg Oasys (Synthesis/Effects/IO on a PCI card): DSP Processing MIPS: 480 One 80MHz Motorola 56301, with 384k SRAM Four 100MHz Motorola 56303's, each with 384k of SRAM and 6 MB of DRAM
Linndrum 2 CEM3320 VCF 1 CEM3360 Dual VCA
MemoryMoog 19 CEM3340 VCO 26 CEM3360 Dual VCA 12 CEM3310 EG moog memorymoog
Voyager find an opened v'ger here it has a pumped up Z80A abord called Z180, remember ZX81? same, but more power with 1MB memory address capability, Z is for Zilog an AMD am29F010B ambit flash memory. a real biiig board with lots of chips (I mean huuuge, biig monster masses of chips..) the filters are CA3086-based.
more v'ger see my moog page..
ob-x and SEM modules (synthesizer expander module) is dicrete electronics
OB8 & OBX-a // oberheim OB-Xpander (not Xpander!! see below!!) 2 CEM3360 Dual VCA 16 CEM3340 VCO 16 CEM3310 EG 16 CEM3320 VCF oberheim ob-Xa
OB-SX 2 CEM3340 VCO 1 CEM3320 VCF 2 CEM3310 EG 1 CEM3360 Dual VCA
Matrix 6 & 6R /// Matrix 1000 Both Matrix use six CEM3396 'Synth on a Chip', M6 has wide body version (600mils), M1000 the small (300mils) one. Both Matrix synths have DCOs. Master clock is derived from a quartz on the Matrix 1000 and from three free running, software calibrated (voltage controlled) oscillators on the Matrix 6. M6 has a 4 to 2 split mode, the M1000 lacks this hardware, otherwise the voices are (nearly) the same. 6 CEM3396 Dual Wave Processor (Wide body?) old definitiion: Matrix 6 and Matrix 1000 differed in the way that the M6 had a couple of Curtis chips to generate a voice while the M1000 used a "synth-in-a-box" chip from Curtis that had the whole voice in one IC. Even the "Wave" selection feature was packed in there. I only don't know if Curtis developed this chip because Oberheim wanted them to do so. So, if someone wants to build his own analog synth, he might start with that chip. It's not the best sounding chip but very easy to build control circuitries around it. On the web, you might find interesting information about SSM and CEM chips. (D) Beide Matrix verwenden sechs CEM3396 'Synth on a Chip', der Matrix 6 im breiten, der Matrix 1000 im schmalen Gehäuse. Beide Matrixe haben DCOs. Der 'Masterclock' beim Matrix 1000 kommt aus einem Quarz, beim Matrix 6 werden drei softwareabgleichbare (spannungsgesteuerte) freilaufende Masteroszilatoren verwendet. Der Matrix 6 kennt einen 4 zu 2 Split-Mode, dem 1000er fehlt die Hardware dafür, ansonsten sind die Stimmschaltungen (fast) gleich. 6 CEM3396 Dual Wave Processor
Xpander 6 3372 Signal Processor - CEM3372 Filter/Mix/VCA 6 3374 Dual VCO 2x 6809 processors Curtis 3320 VCF or equivalent cem3372 - afaik Xpander only ever used the CEM3372 not 3320 filters made with an extra ciruitry in the servical manual a one percent resistor array. this chip provides LPF 4pole filter only! 2 processors running at 16mhz. there is also the noise gen on the processor board! the first is responsible for the display and encoders, the other is for env and lfo generation.. see the Xpander opened (1.3MB) Xpander more info.. oberheim xpander OB-1 (ame as OBI or OB-I) 2 CEM3310 EG
Prommer 1 CEM3328 VCF
Octave Plateau
Cat SSM2044 Filter
Proteus 2 CEM3340 VCO 1 CEM3320 VCF 1 CEM3310 EG 1 CEM3330 Dual VCA
Wave 2.0 4 CEM3320 VCF 4 CEM3310 EG
Wave 2.2/2.3 8 SM2044 VCF - info: - ssm2044.pdf 4 CEM3360 Dual VCA
Fender / Rhodes
Chroma 8 CEM3350 Dual VCF 8 CEM3360 Dual VCA (some versions have 9)
Polaris 6 CEM3374 Dual VCO 6 CEM3372 uP Signal Processor - CEM3372 Filter/Mix/VCA
Roland SH101 and MC202 1 CEM3340 VCO roland sh101 MKS-20 5 CEM3360 Dual VCA
Jupiter 6 12 CEM3340 VCO 6 CEM3360 Dual VCA
Jupiter 8 / MKS-80 Filter? Curtis? Roland? Thats a common mistake. But there is NO CEM filters in any of the MKS revisions. The CEM rev. has only CEM VCO and VCA even the ju8 has no curtis filters.. same for the ju6.. Both revisions uses 2 CEM3360 _DUAL_ VCA per voiceboard for Crossmodulation- The older revision usesr IR309 filter like in JP4, JP8, Juno60 etc. The newer MKS uses IR305 which is both VCF and VCA. like in Juno1/2, JX-10 etc. So it is right as follows (I will remove the wrong ones soon): MKS-80 (racked jupiter8) MKS80 used 8 x IR3RO5 ..to Serial <#511800 WRONG (called the curtis / roland myth:): 8 CEM3340 VCO 4 CEM3360 DUal VCA Should be: 16 CEM3340 VCO 8 CEM3360 Dual VCA 12 IR-3R09 VCF MKS80 serial >511800 WRONG (called the curtis / roland myth:): MKS-80 Serial #511800 up (later models) 8 IR-3R03 Roland VCO 4 CEM3360 Dual VCA 4 IR-3R05 Roland VCF/VCA Should be: 16 IR-3R03 Roland VCO 4 CEM3360 Dual VCA 8 IR-3R05 VCF/VCA
The JX8P / JX10 used a Roland custom filter
MKS70 (racked JX10 / double jx8p) used 12 x IR3R05 vcf/vca never CEMs
Kobol Expander I 2 SSM2050 VCO 1 SSM2040 VCF
Evolver Series Curtis for Filters (no Idea which one, but seems they produced another Number of them for DSI .. possibly 3320 the DSPs are Analog Devices, and there is a Custom Chip "DSI 120 PA397 (015 E26)"
VS
1 CEM5510 Fast Sample/Hold
1 CEM5530 30ch S/H
8 CEM3382 Dual Low Noise VCA
8 CEM3378 VC Signal Processor - CEM3372 Filter/Mix/VCA
UPDATE: VS used 2 x CEM5530,4 X CEM 5510 (8chan s/h),2 X CEM3365(dual vca for vector mix)
PROPHET 5 - the first Prophet 5 series used the SSM filter, laterthey were changed to CEM
Prophet 5 Rev 3
11 CEM3340 VCO
10 CEM3310 EG
5 CEM3320 VCF
Prophet 5 Rev 1 & 2 11 SSM 2030 VCO 5 SSM 2040 VCF 10 SSM 2050 EG 21 SSM 2020 VCA
Prophet 10 22 CEM3340 VCO 20 CEM3310 EG 10 CEM3320 VCF
Prophet 600 12 CEM3340 VCO 6 CEM3372 VCF/VCA 4 CEM3360 Dual VCA
PRO-1 (PRO ONE) 3 CEM3340 VCO 2 CEM3310 EG 1 CEM3320 VCF
T8 16 CEM3340 VCO 8 CEM3372 Signal Processor - CEM3372 Filter/Mix/VCA UPDATE: T8 used 5 x CEM3360(4 for polymod 1 for volume)
Six-Trax 6 CEM3394 uP Voice CEM3372 Filter/Mix/VCA
MAX 6 CEM3394 uP Voice
Studio 440 8 CEM3389 VC Signal Processor 1 CEM3360 Dual VCA 1 CEM5530 30ch Sample/Hold
samplers prophet 2000 CEM3379 VCF/VCA
prophet 3000 CEM3387 (same as the waldorf wave)
DK600 3 SSM2020 VCA 6 SSM2024 6 SSM2044 VCF - data sheet - http://www.maxmidi.com/diy/ssm/ssm2044.pdf 6 SSM2056 EG
Opera 6 6 SSM2024 2 SSM2031 6 SSM2044 VCF - data sheet - http://www.maxmidi.com/diy/ssm/ssm2044.pdf 6 SSM2056 EG
Simmons Drums
SDS9, SDS1000 3 CEM3394 VC Synth
SDS8
5 CEM3372 VC Signal Generator -->CEM3372 Filter/Mix/VCA
sds5 ssm2044 - 1x je/per module
sds800 2x cem3394 (thx to "klangmaschine" DIY site www.midi-cv.de)
solton sm100 analogue synthesizer Each voice in the Solton SM100 (6 voices) uses 2xSSM2056 (ADSR) and 1xSMM2045 (VCA+VCF) more on the sm100 here Solton
EVI (?) CEM3340 VCO - (?) SSM2040 VCF
Synrix 2 CEM3310 EG 2 CEM3340 VCO 2 CEM3350 Dual VCF 1 CEM3360 Dual VCA
Wave waldorf Wave Inside a 16 voice WAVE: 16 x AD 7545 D/A converter 16 x CEM PD508 Multiplexer/S&H 16 x CEM 3387 VCA / VCF (analog! 24 db lowpass & 12db highpass filter and panning) also in the prophet3000 16 x SSM 2024 Quad current controlled Class A amplifier with S/N 82dB 2 x Motorola 68000 16 MHz CPU (1 x mainboard, 1 x per 16 voice slaveboard) 2 x Waldorf custom ASICs.
Microwave microwave 1 8 CEM3387 VCF,VCA,VCP (later models) 8 CEM3389 VCF,VCA,VCP (early models) the revision was app. at the same time as waldorf changed to the Nextel-Housing --> "old" eloxiertes Gehäuse (housing) = 3389 - Nextel-Gehäuse (housing) = 3387 it's know exactly know if there are also a small amount of old/new CEMs in the vice versa housings, but it is most likely the same date.. ;) microwave 1 opened
Pulse / afb / Q+ filterboard: custom waldorf chips
Waldorf Q --- Motorola 56303 (3 of them in the Q KB and raQ, where 2 are for the synthesis and 1 is dedicated to FX only! only 1 but faster DSP works in the micro Q/micro Q KB for all synthesis and FX!)
the Q plus board: / platine des Waldorf Q plus links/left: analogboard from xpole filters (custom) the Q+ analgue board
the Q naked (non analogue version) BOARD - eine nackte nichtanaloge Kuh PLATINE ;-) (thanks to midicase.com! for the pic of the board!)
waldorf q boardwaldorf q+
Waldorf MW2/XT --- Motorola 56303 microwave xt
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CS80 used 219!! vca most of them for the velocity/aftertouch
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HARDWARE LIST http://www.sequencer.de/specials/synthesizer_chip.html
DSPs
what DSP in what synthesizer? - welcher DSP in welchem synthesizer? Motorola renamed to Freescale and afterwards out of business, so here the names corresponding to their release:
Access Virus A — Motorola 56303 Access Virus B — Motorola 56311 Access Virus C - Motorola 56362 Access Virus TI - 2x Freescale DSP 56367 Access Virus TI2 - 2x Freescale DSP 56367. Later models used DSP56321
Waldorf MW2/XT — Motorola 56303 Waldorf Q — Motorola 56303
Clavia Nord / Micro Modular — Motorola 56303 Clavia Nord Modular — 4 Motorola 56303 Clavia Nord Lead 3 — 6 Motorola 56362
Novation SuperNova — Motorola 56303 Novation Nova — 5 Motorola 56362 (synth) 1 Motorola 56303 (fx)
Korg MS2000 / Microkorg — Motorola 56362
TC Electronics PowerCore - 4x Freescale DSP 56367
Waldorf Q --- Motorola 56303 (3 of them in the Q KB and raQ, where 2 are for the synthesis and 1 is dedicated to FX only! only 1 but faster DSP works in the micro Q/micro Q KB for all synthesis and FX!)
the Q plus board: / platine des Waldorf Q plus links/left: analogboard from xpole filters (custom) q plus analgue board
the Q naked (non analogue version) BOARD - eine nackte nichtanaloge Kuh PLATINE ;-) (thanks to midicase.com! for the pic of the board!)
waldorf q board
Waldorf MW2/XT --- Motorola 56303 waldorf microwave xt
Korg Korg Oasys (Synthesis/Effects/IO on a PCI card): DSP Processing MIPS: 480 One 80MHz Motorola 56301, with 384k SRAM Four 100MHz Motorola 56303's, each with 384k of SRAM and 6 MB of DRAM
Radias.. TI TMS320VC5502 16bit, fixed-point digital signal processor - based on the TMS320C55x DSP core - src.
Clavia Nord Lead-1 --- Motorola 56002 (4-voices from a Turtle beach Fiji chip) Clavia Micro Modular --- Motorola 56303 Clavia Nord Modular --- Motorola 56303 (4 of) The Nord Lead 3 has 6 Motorola 56362 DSPs, The Nord Lead 2 has 4 Motorola 56002 DSPs The Nord Modular has 4 (expandable to 8) Motorola 56303 DSPs. nord modular
Novation Supernova --- Motorola 56303 (8x) Novation Nova uses 5 Motorola 56362 (synth engine), and 1 Motorola 56303 (fx unit)
Spectralis - Texas Instruments TMS320C6713BPYP200 Floating Point DSPs. one DSP for the Sampling Engine + Effects the other DSP for Hybrid-Synth + Filterbank. Renesas M16C Controller (Processor)
Pulsar/Scope, ASB Series (Pro12,Minimax,Prodessey,etc.) - SHARC by Analog Devices
Access Virus A --- Motorola 56303 Access Virus B --- Motorola 56311 virus c - unknown motorola (1x DSP !) virus caccess virus C
Quasimidi Polymorph --- Dream SAM9707
Symbolic Sound Symbolic Sound - Kyma --- Motorola 56309
Alesis Andromeda / A6: Coldfire processor 90MHz for LFos and ENVs,mods, ASICs (real analog custom) same: alesis andromeda
EMU Coldfire 33Mhz for the Audity2000 and 40Mhz for the Proteus2000
btw: please keep in mind that the only cool 303 is the 56303 ;-)
Links
HARDWARE LIST http://www.sequencer.de/specials/synthesizer_chip.html
