MOTM

Hey Larry -

I don't know about SMT either, but I do know that at least the Evolver
is a partly digital synth.  It can have a particular sound that is
less 'analog/organic' than something with a more conventional design.
That's not to say that the Evolver can't sound 'analog/organic', it
can. I don't know about the Andromeda, I have no exprerience with it.
 Also these are both polyphonic synths and sometimes poly analog
sounds different from mono analog.

As to the physics: I flunked physics but remember enough about
electrons to know that they are very small; the difference in size
from 'regular' components and SMT must be *HUGE* to an electron...

:)

Mike

--- In motm@yahoogroups.com, Larry David <ldavid777@s...> wrote:
> >
> >> d) The MOTM-810 VC EG is a 'semi-kit'. I will make the pc board SMT, 
> >> with *just*
> >> the SMT parts stuffed. You
> >> will still solder the pots, jacks, wires, etc. There are just too 
> >> many parts to
> >> be practical (~90 resistors, 16 diodes, 18 transistors).
> >> Also, SMT will keep the price *lower* because I can stuff them
all at 
> >> once in 1
> >
> > Hmm, cheaper. I like cheaper. Not only does the price go down, but 
> > you're
> > not spending time you could be designing new modules and expanding
your
> > business in through-hole tedium, which is better for everyone in the 
> > long
> > run.
> >
> 
> I have no opinion about SMT in general so this is not a critical post - 
> just a question.  I have wondered for some time if the physics of 
> smaller parts - like SMT parts - and I guess transistors especially, 
> causes them to respond differently in VCOs, VCFs, etc, than the older, 
> larger parts.  Perhaps this is just psychological, but my OB-8 sounds 
> more organic (more variation in timbre as you play different notes - 
> like an acoustic instrument) than say the Andromeda I played a few 
> times or the Polyevolver I played with at the store.  Is there a 
> correlation between the larger, single resistors and transistors used 
> in the earliest analog synths and their "superior" sound (I realize 
> this is subjective, but many seem to notice it) as compared to modern 
> analog synths that use SMT components?  (I know the OB uses Curtis 
> chips so it falls somewhere between say Moog modular and Andromeda).  
> MOTM is by *far* the best sounding current production synth (analog or 
> digital) I've heard (well, my Voyager is a close second, but nothing 
> else comes close, imho).  Is this just because of the excellent ckt 
> designs or do the components affect the sound?  I.e. if Alesis or 
> someone were to take Paul's designs and mass produce them - putting the 
> whole PCB on a single SMT chip (as much as that would be possible) - 
> would they sound any different?
> 
> Larry David (not wanting to stir up anti-SMT trouble :)