[sdiy] Formant - still viable?

[jbv]

>
>
> Some of the components of the original Formant circuits are hardly to
> get, but you can find alternatives in the new book.
>

AFAIR the only hard-to-get part for the original Formant
is the uA726 used for the expo converter of the VCO.
The price of that thing can skyrocket, but units can be found
at (relatively) low prices sometimes (like recently on eBay :
about $27.00).
Nevertheless, everyone on this list will tell you that spare
uA726's should be used ONLY as replacement parts for
old synths and they're right. So you'd better find a replacement
part / schemo.

The ca3084 used in the expo converter of the VCF & VCA is
obsolete too, but there are large quantities available at
a bargain.
The original VCF 24dB parts list mentions a transistor pair
(AD800 - 822, 2N3808, etc) but a CA3084 can be used instead.

I have very special feelings regarding the original Formant,
as it's the 1st synth modules I ever built... [sigh]

JB