OldSynths

Well, from an 'oldsynths' standpoint ... pretty boring this year.  Most 
of the modular analog companies were missing this year.  Of course, NAMM 
is more about 'newsynths' than 'oldsynths' anyway.  ;-)   And, these 
days, it seems to be more about softsynths than hard synths, too.  

Nord was showing their new 2nd generation Modular.  New ASIC 
architechtures allow more local RAM and processing speed for each DSP, so 
the sounds are more rich and with lot's of ambience and effects 
processing.  We need to get a report from Russ Brower, as he has one on 
order, and it should be arriving any day now.  

Eric Barbour from Metasonix was showing his latest tube module, which now 
gives him enough tube based modules (4) to have a complete simple synth 
voice based on vacuum tube technology.  Not for the faint-of-heart, but 
very interesting concept, in my opinion.  Now, if we could only get them 
in "Pre-CBS blackface" format.  ;-)  ;-)  

My best of show:  The AnadigmVortex FPAA (field programmable analog 
array) chipsets.  This is a family of register driven analog building 
blocks, including oscillators, switched cap filters, transistor arrays, 
gain blocks, etc.  Can be configured on-the-fly, and in real-time.  Very 
smooth sounding operation (1 mS update rate), with no zipper noise or 
artifacting.  My only complaint is 8-bit DAC functions.  But, I think 
there are a lot of possibilities for this type of chip set.  

I'm sure there was a lot more hidden around the show.  Hard to see it all 
in 2 days.  And, this year, I spent more time in the guitar section of 
the show than in electronics & keyboards.  Kinda looking for other things 
for the studio these days.  

Anyone else have some good findings from the show?  

mj

>   Date: Sat, 17 Jan 2004 12:14:17 -0700
>   From: Rory McDonald <rmcdonald@...>
>Subject: RE: Re: toronto repairs
>
>MARVIN:
>Sorry I missed you at NAMM. I got stuck at work last minute, so I didnt go.
>How was it?
>Rory
>
>ANYONE ELSE ON THE LIST HAVE ANY COMMENT ON THE NAMM SHOW??