MOTM

For those few of you who aren't familiar with the
socketed vs. unsocketed issue....

Chips that are either expensive or hard to obtain go
in sockets.  This lessens the chance for damage during
soldering.  It also allows the chip to be placed on
the board as the very last component.

Chips that are cheap and/or readily available are
directly soldered to the PCB.  Skipping the sockets
prevents the chips wiggling loose during transport (or
earthquakes).  It also eliminates any possibility of
corrosion building up between the pins and the socket
which can sometimes lead to an intermittent
connections or no connection at all.

Paul has done an excellent job of removing any
dependence on dedicated ICs.  The most popular of
these, CEM and SSM, have not been manufactured in many
years.  This allows for this ever dwindling stockpile
to be used for replacement parts in vintage synths. 
It allow makes MOTM easier and cheaper to repair with
off-the-shelf components.  Some might argue that it
makes it more reliable too.  A few current modular and
synth designers (who will remain nameless here) have
opted not to go this route and eat up the remaining
known supplies of chips--unfortunate to say the least.

Enough rambling for now.  I hope this helps explain
some things for people that are a bit newer here.

--Shemp
Coming up on my 4th anniversary!!!!!

> MOTM-110 VCA/RM
>  * Replaced by MOTM-190 (and upcoming MOTM-130)
>  * '110 utilized CEM 3330 Dual VCA chip
>  * One of few socketed chips in MOTM line
>  * New modules eliminate CEM 3330 reliance
>  * New modules employ discreet circuitry


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