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The M3X is
the first product from Macbeth Systems, the Scottish company founded by
former DIY analogue synth enthusiast Ken McBeth. Will all turn out well,
or is the M3X destined for a tragic end?

Gordon Reid

Avid readers of Sound On Sound
will already know the name of Ken McBeth, a self-confessed analogue
fanatic and digiphobe for whom the word ‘algorithm’ conjures up images
of the murderous computer HAL in the film 2001. He is also the electronics engineer whose adverts for ‘custom-built’ Moog and ARP synthesizers caused SOS contributor Paul Nagle to dash up to Scotland to interview him a couple of years ago (see SOS February 2000, or head to: www.soundonsound.com/sos/feb00/articles/kenmcbeth.htm). As Paul discovered, McBeth is a prog-rock aficionado
and DIY synth enthusiast, a man who, in the late 1970s, succumbed to
the urge to build his own synthesizers. Early experiments were — to be
polite — less than entirely successful, but McBeth persevered
throughout the ’80s and ’90s, eventually developing two Moog-inspired
units intended for commercial release, the S3 and M3.

Is This A Voltage-controlled Synth I See Before Me?

McBeth claimed that the S3 was the
‘world’s smallest fully-featured three-oscillator synth’. Housed in a
plastic case, but clearly modelled on the Minimoog, this offered three
oscillators, a 24dB-per-octave filter, three modes of filter tracking,
and dual ADS(D) envelope generators with switchable release. There was
also the added bonus of a ring modulator. The M3 was a more substantial
beastie, with a Minimoog-style

Macbeth Systems M3X

pros

Sounds and feels like a vintage synth.

Comprehensive modulation and MIDI capabilities.

Velocity and pressure sensitivity.

The digitally generated LFO frees Oscillator 3, making the M3X a true three-oscillator synth.

cons

Inaccessible inputs, outputs and power switch when racked.

Some of the MIDI menu operations are confusing.

CV/S-Trig interfacing, rather than the more useful CV/Gate.

There’s one bug (portamento) to be fixed.

It’s hand-built, so it’s not cheap.

summary

If
you’re after a true analogue synth that produces the classic Moog
sound, but fancy more facilities and modulation capabilities than any
integrated vintage synth, this may be the instrument for you.

front panel in a 4U
rackmountable case. This offered a very similar specification to the S3,
with individual CV inputs for each oscillator (a radical and very nice
addition for a non-modular synth) and direct oscillator outputs.
McBeth intended to release both synths
as commercial products, but this never quite happened, and he built
very few. Fortunately, his work was not wasted. The S3 and M3 became the
prototypes for the M3X, a substantial wedge-shaped synth that you can
use as a tabletop module (with the control panel sloping at 45 degrees)
or as a 6U rackmount module. McBeth has now formed his own commercial
enterprise, the slightly differently titled Macbeth Studio Systems, and
the M3X is his first fully manufactured synth.

First Impression

Several months ago, I received the
unit that I thought was going to be the definitive M3X for review.
Unfortunately, I had very mixed feelings about this instrument. It felt
solid and sturdy, and it looked much like the main panel of a Minimoog,
which is often enough to endear any synthesizer to me. But even before
switching it on, I had begun to find faults. For example, the
oscillators offered just three waveforms: sawtooth, triangle and square,
making it impossible to program a huge number of important analogue
sounds. There were also the wobbly knobs that scraped against the front
panel, and which would eventually have worn grooves in the paintwork,
and arcane names for various controls… Things were not looking good
for the M3X.
Worst of all, the M3X’s envelope
generators deviated from the design of the Minimoog’s on one small but
important point. Unlike the Minimoog’s envelopes, which allow you to
apply Release to the contour or not, the M3X fixed the Release time as equal to the Decay time in all cases.
This may seem to be an esoteric point,
but it’s not. Let me give you a couple of examples. Many synth bass
sounds use contours with Attack=0, Decay=4 (or thereabouts), Sustain=5,
and no Release. This is particularly important for the filter contour,
because it creates a nice, aggressive filter sweep at the start of the
note. Likewise, brass patches — which also demand instant Release —
require the slow Attacks and slow Decays that are vital for the ‘parp’
at the start of the note. Clearly, this M3X couldn’t create either of
these sounds.
There were other niggling problems and
omissions, too. The multi-trigger mode didn’t work, there was no
obvious master tuning control… and more. As you can imagine, I was not
happy. Indeed, the M3X was rescued by just one quality; in my opinion,
it sounded superb. That left me with quite a problem. Should I present
the M3X as technologically crippled, or as sonically excellent but
limited to a narrow range of sounds?

Second Impression

Fortunately, matters were taken out of my hands a couple of weeks later when Ken McBeth contacted Sound On Sound,
offering to replace the first M3X with a significantly revised model
that addressed almost all of the deficiencies described above. The new
M3X offered more waveforms, there was an

 
M3X Specification
 

 
AUDIO
Oscillators: Three.

Audio waveforms: Sawtooth, triangle, pulse wave (nominally 10 percent,
25 percent, and 50 percent), mixed sawtooth/square wave, ramp wave.
Range: Approximately 10 octaves.
Noise: White/pink/red.
Pitch-bend range: 0-12 semitones.
Filter: 24dB-per-octave resonant low-pass.
Filter contour: four-stage ADS(D).
VCA: Approximately 80dB.
VCA contour: four-stage ADS(D).
LFOs: One (digitally generated).
LFO waveforms: Nine.
Modulation sources: Six (plus all MIDI continuous controllers and performance parameters).
Modulation destinations: Six.
OTHER
MIDI Controllers accepted: Pitch-bend, velocity and aftertouch.
MIDI controllers 0-120.
Note priority: Low, High, Latest.
Triggering: Single/Multi.
I/O
Analogue inputs: External audio, pitch CV, filter CV, S-Trig.
Analogue outputs: Audio (high impedence), audio (low impedence), pitch CV, S-Trig.
CV Interface: One Volt per octave.
Trigger interface: S-Trig.
MIDI: In, Thru.
PHYSICAL
Weight: 5.5kg.
Dimensions: 486 x 266 x 170mm.
19-inch rack space required: 6U.
 

envelope Release On/Off
switch, the knobs were more solid and felt nicer, and multi-triggering
now worked. There was even a ring modulator (as found on the S3 and M3)
although the addition of this had necessitated the removal of three
modulation routing options.
The M3X had come of age — or so I
thought. But for some reason, the magic was gone. Sure, the new model
still sounded good, but to my ears, it didn’t sound great any more.
I decided to contact Ken McBeth to
discuss this, and was relieved to learn that my ears were not playing
tricks on me. Apparently, the addition of the ring modulator had
interfered with the M3X’s delicate internal balance of signal levels and
control voltages, and the difference — though subtle — was enough to
take the edge off its sound. So the second M3X went back, and a couple
of weeks later a third model arrived. With the ring modulator re-removed
and the modulation routing restored, this was the final version, so,
finally, it was time to review the Macbeth Studio Systems M3X.

The Scottish Synthesizer

The M3X will appeal to players who
lust after large-scale controls and the ergonomics of yesteryear. A
million miles from the busy front panels of some modern analogue synths,
it sits happily alongside the granddaddy of all integrated monophonic
synthesizers, the Minimoog. And, let’s face it, the cosmetic
similarities between the M3X and the Minimoog are overwhelming. The
three oscillators, the mixer, filter and amplifier sections one above
the other, the ADS(D) envelope generators… these define the look and
feel of the Minimoog. However, there are as many differences between the
two instruments as there are resemblances. All is not as it seems.
The M3X uses a stabilised oscillator
design similar to that employed in the final revision of the Minimoog.
This retains much of the warmth of older Moog circuits, but employs
temperature stabilisation to ensure that the oscillators tune quickly
and remain drift-free in a wide range of playing conditions.
Unlike Minimoog oscillators, which
sport six waveforms, those on the M3X offer just five each. Sawtooth,
ramp and triangle waves are common to all three. To these, Oscillator 1
adds a narrow pulse plus red noise, Oscillator 2 adds a wider pulse and a
square/ramp mixture, and Oscillator 3 adds a square wave plus the
square/ramp mixture. I suspect that this is a wider selection of waves
than you will find on any other integrated monosynth.
Tuning is accomplished using 10-turn
potentiometers, as found on the EMS VCS3. However, unlike Minimoogs
fitted with these (Rick Wakeman was a strong advocate, claiming that
they made fine-tuning simpler and more stable) the M3X has no vernier
scales and no octave-tuning controls. This means that the pots must
double as both uncalibrated coarse- and fine-tuning knobs, which some
players will find annoying. After all, how are you supposed to shift an
oscillator up or down by precisely an octave, quickly and without
fine-tuning again? The answer is: you can’t. But on the positive side,
all three oscillators track accurately over a very wide range, and
without any perceptible drift once the unit has warmed up.
For some reason (probably a lack of
isolation between the circuits) the first M3X’s oscillators locked
together when tuned to unison or in pure harmonic relationships. To a
lesser extent, the latest ve

rsion does the same. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that I could now tune two oscillators close to unison, whereupon they would beat gently against each other in the way so beloved of most analogue enthusiasts.
To the immediate right of the pots
(see pic above), you’ll find three LEDs that display the frequency of
each oscillator. Unfortunately, when running at anything above a few
Hertz, each LED appears permanently lit. And, since the oscillators
don’t go low enough to be used as true LFOs, I have to say that I find
the LEDs redundant. You may not agree.
The M3X’s Mixer section emulates that
of the Minimoog, with five volume controls that determine the
contribution to the mix of Oscillator 1, Oscillator 2, Oscillator 3, a
pink/white noise generator, and the external audio input. You’ll also
find the external signal input socket in the Mixer section (it’s at the
rear of the Minimoog), together with the Master Volume control.
The next stage in the signal path is,
of course, the filter. This is a 24dB-per-octave transistor ladder
circuit that McBeth derived from the classic Moogs of the ’70s. This
will self-oscillate merrily at high ‘Q’ settings and, at high levels,
the oscillators overdrive the filter input, thus imparting the mild
distortion that characterises the Moog sound.
If the electronics of the M3X and the
Minimoog are similar (and they are) the front panels of their Filter
sections are almost identical, with cutoff frequency, resonance (called
‘Emphasis’ on the Moog) and envelope generator ‘Amount’ controls sitting
above an ADS(D) contour generator.
However, two controls differ from
their equivalents on the Minimoog. The first is annotated ‘Kybd Control
100%/200%’, and the other is ‘Mod OS2 Off/On’. The first of these
replaces the Moog’s keyboard-tracking switches and, together with the
filter-scaling option in the MIDI control system (of which more
elsewhere in this review), allows you to determine filter tracking
across a huge range, from settings of zero to many hundreds of percent.
The second routes the envelope generator to the pitch of Oscillator 2.
This is no trivial addition. It allows you to create pitch contours,
dynamic ’sync’ sounds, and all manner of weird modulation effects. Oh
yes, and there’s one other thing… unlike on the Minimoog, you can
apply the M3X’s filter envelope positively or negatively to the cutoff
frequency, which is excellent.
The Amplifier section boasts just four
controls, with three knobs that control another Minimoog-style ADS(D)
envelope generator. The fourth is the Release On/Off switch that, on the
Moog, you would find on the performance panel to the left of the
keyboard.

MIDI & LFOs

Although the M3X provides one
Volt-per-octave CV in/out and S-Trig in/out (yet more evidence of the
Minimoog legacy), plus a filter CV Input, it is as a MIDI module that
many are most likely to use it. So McBeth has provided MIDI In and Thru
sockets with a comprehensive MIDI control system. However, rathe

 
M3X MIDI Options
 

 
The Kenton Pro Solo
offers just three buttons: Select and increment and decrement buttons,
plus three seven-segment LEDs. And so it is on the M3X, although Macbeth
has seen fit to change the names to ‘Select’, ‘Neg’ and ‘Pos’.
The Select button has
three functions. In normal use it scrolls up through the menus. If you
hold it for a second or two, subsequent presses will then scroll down
through the options. Finally, if you depress and hold it for more than
six seconds, the current configuration is stored in the unit’s
non-volatile EPROM. If you get it wrong, you can restore the factory
defaults by switching the unit off, and then holding down the three
buttons while switching it on again.
The M3X offers 21
options in its non-hierarchical menu, and fortunately for those whose
memories are not what they were, the options are all listed at the
bottom of the M3X’s front panel (see below). The original Pro Solo
lacked options ‘I’, ‘J’ and ‘K’, but offered two others as ‘I’ and ‘J’
– CV/Hz Select, and Gate Type Select. Personally, I would have imbued
the M3X with an octave switch in the oscillator bank, a tracking control
in the filter, and left the Pro Solo as it was. After all, this would
have made it possible to hook the M3X up to any other analogue system
rather than mucking around with all that S-Trig nonsense. On the
brighter side, I understand that Ken McBeth has plans to make available
an S-Trig-to-Gate converter cable, so this (minor) niggle should soon
disappear.
 

r than design his own
digital electronics and software (remember, McBeth is a self-confessed
digiphobe) he has incorporated an existing unit built by another
company; a modified Kenton Electronics ‘Pro Solo’. This provides a range
of functions which fill what would otherwise appear as glaring holes in
the M3X’s functionality.
Firstly, the internal Pro Solo offers
portamento. Parameter 1 sets the portamento rate, although you can
modify this in real time using any assignable joysticks, wheels or
faders that your controller keyboard may offer. You can also control the
portamento status over MIDI, with parameter 7 allowing you to choose
which MIDI controller or program-change number will enable or disable
the effect.
Secondly, the Pro Solo provides the
M3X’s digitally generated LFO. This offers nine wave shapes: triangle
(for conventional tremolo and vibrato), sawtooth down, sawtooth up,
10-percent pulse, 20-percent pulse, 30-percent pulse, 40-percent pulse,
50-percent pulse (ie. square) and a pseudo-random sample and hold. You
can change the LFO waveform in real-time using MIDI continuous
controller number 19. Parameter 2 sets the LFO rate, and you can
synchronise it to MIDI Clock using parameter 4. The ’sync’ function has a
clock divide, so you can set the LFO to retrigger from once every
semibreve (a single 4/4 bar) down to once every demi-semi-quaver triplet
(1/48th of a 4/4 bar), making possible a whole range of musical
effects.
Still on the subject of the LFO,
parameter 5 allows you to define whether the LFO depth applied to the
pitch CV is controlled by pitch-bend, velocity, aftertouch, or any MIDI
controller from 0 to 120. At the same time, parameter 6 also lets you
use any controller from the same list to determine the LFO depth applied
to an Auxiliary CV route. Parameter 8 then allows you to control the
Aux CV directly using a MIDI CC or performance parameter, while
parameters 9, A and B define maximum and minimum levels, and the value
to which the Aux CV level jumps when you reset it.
Parameters C, D E and F are more
mundane: C sets the range of the pitch-bend, D offers transposition over
four octaves in semitone steps, E fine-tunes the synth, and F adjusts
the scale.
Parameters G and H offer three modes
of note priority: low, high, and newest note, plus two modes of
triggering: ‘normal’ which only retriggers once all notes have been
released, and ‘multi’ which retriggers every time a new note is played.
These allow you to mimic all the keying/triggering modes found on
vintage synths, and you can choose a combination that suits your playing
style.
Like the original Pro Solo, the one in
the M3X remembers the last five notes played. This means that, although
only one pitch CV can be output at any given moment, ‘trills’ can be
played by holding down one note and trilling on a second. The extra
registers also make short arpeggios much simpler because, if you keep
the notes depressed as you move up the keyboard, you can release them
again as you come back down (or vice versa). In addition, bum
notes become less of a problem, because the CV of the right note is held
in a register, and is re-instated immediately you release the wrong
one. This is very neat, so it’s a shame that it isn’t explained in the
manual.
The final three functions are Octave
Select, Hold, and Filter Tracking. The first of these allows you to
shift the whole instrument, but does not replace the individual octave
selectors of the Minimoog’s oscillators. The second causes the M3X to
sustain indefinitely, which could be useful for treating external
signals. The third, as mentioned earlier, helps to replace the
Minimoog’s four filter-tracking options with a far wider and more
variable range. Finally, the M3X responds to sustain pedal (MIDI
continuous controller number 64).

Controllers & Modulation

On the Minimoog, LFO duties are
undertaken by Oscillator 3 which, together with the noise source,
provides modulation for Oscillator 1, Oscillator 2, and the filter. You
then use the mod wheel to determine the modulation level. Fortunately,
the modulation routings and capabilities of the M3X are much more
comprehensive…
Let’s start by returning to the
oscillator section (see right). To the right of each Frequency control,
you’ll find a Route knob that determines how each oscillator is to
operate. Oscillator 1 offers five such routes; Oscillator 2 and
Oscillator 3 offer four each.
The first two options are common for
all oscillators, and these are Audio and FM Filter. To these Oscillator 1
adds Mod Oscillator 2, Mod Oscillator 2&3, and Sync Oscillator 2.
In similar fashion, Oscillator 2 can modulate Oscillator 1 and
Oscillator 1&3, whereas Oscillator 3 can modulate Oscillator 1 and
Oscillator 1&2. If this sounds a bit confusing, it isn’t. It simply
means that everything can modulate everything else, with the additional
option of sync’ing Oscillators 1 and 2. Oh yes… when you use any of
the oscillators as modulators, their associated mixer levels act as
modulation level controls. That’s sensible, and simple to use.
The fourth modulation routing control
lies somewhat uncomfortably in the Mixer section, and this determines
the destination of the Aux Controller CVs generated within the Pro Solo.
The three options are Filter (cutoff frequency), Amplifier (gain), and
the pitch of Oscillator 2. In may not be immediately obvious, but this
innocuous little control hides one of the great strengths of the M3X…
that you can route velocity or aftertouch (although not both
simultaneously) to the filter, amplifier, or the pitch of Oscillator 2.
As you might imagine, this opens up a wealth of performance
possibilities.
You can think of the three
oscillators, the Pro Solo’s LFO, the LFO routed through the Auxiliary
Route, and the Auxiliary CV itself as sources within a modulation
matrix. Therefore, ignoring the 100+ MIDI controllers and performance
parameters that you can assign to the Aux CV, you have six primary
sources and six primary destinations. And don’t forget, you have seven
oscillator waveforms from which to choose, nine LFO waveforms, and you
can set the amplitudes of each modulator in the patch. This is way, way
beyond Minimoog territory.

In Use

The current M3X is a world apart from
the first unit I received. Gone are the crippled envelope generators,
the paucity of waveforms, and many minor niggles that I haven’t even
bothered to mention. In t

 
MIDI Monitor
 

 
The M3X retains the Pro
Solo’s MIDI Monitor, displaying note numbers, received channels,
program changes, velocity, aftertouch, controller numbers, any
controller value, note on, note off, MIDI Clock, start, stop, continue,
and the presence of SysEx. However, given that the unit has only three
buttons and three digits, controlling the Monitor is utterly arcane,
requiring a mixture of short presses and long presses, and a grasp of
the strange display system used. But if you’re really stuck and need to
find out why something is not responding as you think it should, the
system works.
To jump from playing mode to analyser mode (or vice versa) you must switch off the M3X and power it up again. This is a pain.
 

heir places, there’s a
range of facilities much more in keeping with the 21st century. But
despite these changes, the third M3X shares an important attribute with
the first: classic synth sounds just leap out of it, and it offers
bucketfuls of classy basses, leads, and other voices.
So, does it sound just like a
Minimoog? Well, the M3X is certainly closer to a Moog than it is to any
other vintage synth. It’s quite unlike an ARP or Oberheim, and a million
miles from the early Rolands, Korgs, and Yamahas of the era. Perhaps
the nearest thing to a non-Moog sibling would be the Crumar Spirit, but
since this was designed by Bob Moog, Tom Rhea, and others from the
original Moog Music design team, this should be no surprise. But identical to a Minimoog…? Of course not.
For one thing, the filter on my
Minimoog sounds slightly more ‘open’ than that of the M3X, having what I
judge to be the same response at around +3 (on a scale of –5 to +5) as
the M3X has at +10. Having said that, sweeping the resonance of both
instruments demonstrates that the M3X cutoff frequency is capable of
going supersonic more quickly than the Minimoog. Odd, huh? The
difference in the perceived sound therefore lies in secondary factors
such as the drive levels, and the exact slopes of the filters near the
cutoff frequency. Since these are subject to tiny variations in
component tolerances, it’s no surprise that there are marginal
distinctions between the two instruments.
I also found that the unfiltered
outputs from the oscillators were different. However, minor changes in
oscillator levels proved more significant than the inconsistencies in
the waveforms themselves.

 
Displaying Numbers Over 99
 

 
The limitations of the
seven-segment displays require some unusual alphanumeric jiggery-pokery
to display the menu ‘names’, as well as a curious method for displaying
the 128 permissible values.
For values from zero to
99, you see conventional digits, but when displaying values above 99,
the following arcane format applies:
A dash at the bottom of the left-hand display means 100+.
A dash in the middle of the left-hand display means 110+.
A dash at the top of the left-hand display means 120+.
Strangely, McBeth also uses a range from -27 to +100 for at least one parameter. It’s all very weird.
 

In other words, the
differences proved to be so subtle that I had no difficulty tweaking
things to make both synths sounded as near identical as makes no
difference.
I even fetched my original Minimoog
patch book and proceeded to set up some sounds on both instruments. OK,
the calibration of the knobs is very different on the Minimoog and the
M3X but, after suitable experimentation, I persuaded many of the patches
to sound very similar.
If there is one quantitative
difference, it’s that the envelopes on the M3X are not quite as snappy
as my Minimoog’s, nor do they have the same amount of effect on their
destinations. I understand that McBeth has already eliminated the latter
discrepancy by increasing the gain of the VCAs driven by the envelope
generators, but I’m not sure how he can speed up the Attacks. After all,
manufacturers of analogue synths have been trying to emulate the
Minimoog’s sub-millisecond Attack for more than three decades, and, in
my experience, only the enormous Technosaurus Selector has managed to do
so.
Having tested the obvious, I also
investigated a few famous Minimoog tricks. The first of these is the
well-known strategy of patching the ’spare’ audio output into the
external signal input. On the Moog, this results in a characteristic
thickening of the sound that many players use to give a patch more
presence. On the M3X, the result is entirely different: it produces
positive feedback around the filter that, with a high Master Volume,
sends the Q sky-high, causing self-oscillation. Low output levels also
raise the Q, but without self-oscillation.
Far less well known is the fact that
you can persuade the Minimoog’s VCAs to exceed their nominal 100 percent
gain. You do this by retriggering the envelope generators quickly so
that — due to a fortuitous circuit ‘flaw’ — each new contour peaks at a
slightly higher level than the previous one. It’s a measure of McBeth’s
deference to Moog’s designs that the M3X demonstrates the same
behaviour.
Of course, nothing is perfect, and the
M3X still exhibits a number of annoying niggles. For example, it still
has all its connectors (with the exception of the external signal input)
and its on/off switch on the rear
panel. When the M3X is screwed into a rack, this is a right pain. I
also found myself bemoaning the lack of a physical switch to control
whether portamento is enabled. You can only switch portamento On or Off
using the Pro Solo menus and a MIDI controller, and that presupposes
that you have a suitable MIDI command available, which may not
necessarily be the case. Then there’s the Pro Solo’s user interface
itself, which is nothing short of arcane. It will take some users
considerable time to become fluent in its use.
I also found a bug in the portamento,
which came nowhere near to its claimed hundredth of a second-per-octave
maximum slew rate. Setting the rate to its minimum and playing two notes
at opposite ends of the controller keyboard demonstrated this clearly.
Another particularly curious anomaly
occurs when you select the ramp waveform in any of the oscillators. When
you do so, the pitch of that oscillator drops by a tiny amount. This is
probably due to a small current drain in the inverter that converts the
sawtooth wave to the ramp. Too small a difference to be significant in
conventional patches, this has a more pronounced effect when you create
sounds that rely on FM or other modulation effects.
Finally, if I had a chance to specify
an M3X ‘Mk IV’, I would ask for a modulation attenuator to make it
easier to create gentle vibratos and so on (the Minimoog suffered this
omission, too, making it difficult to use the modulation wheel to create
subtle effects). Oh yes, and I would like to add the pink/white noise
generator to the modulation sources. Currently, only the red noise in
Oscillator 1 can be used in this way. Nevertheless, these are minor
gripes. The new M3X is a fine synth, with much to recommend it, and
little left to criticise. Let’s face it: a velocity/pressure-sensitive
Minimoog… isn’t that what you always wanted?

The Playing’s The Thing

It’s worth remembering at this point
that no two Minimoogs sound the same, and it’s likely that no two
instances of the M3X will be identical either. Consequently, an
ostensibly identical patch set up on two Minimoogs and two M3Xs may well
yield four subtly different sounds. Nevertheless, the M3X looks like a
compact Minimoog, and sounds like a Minimoog. It’s still a mistake to
treat it as a Minimoog, because its additional capabilities make it a
markedly different, more powerful instrument, and a ‘touch-sensitive’
one, at that. Nevertheless, the M3X retains the characteristic ‘voice’
of the Minimoog. So, should you buy one?
On one hand, if you’re thinking about
spending £500 on a tiny, 20+ voice polyphonic virtual analogue module
with a squillion modulation options and effects processors, it’s
unlikely that the M3X will be of much interest. After all, McBeth’s
synth costs nearly twice as much, is merely monophonic, has no effects,
and takes up a sizeable chunk of studio real estate.
On the other hand, if you’re thinking
of splashing out somewhat over a thousand quid for an nth-hand Minimoog,
I would suggest that you take a very careful look at the M3X. It’s far
more flexible, both in terms of the sounds it makes, and in the ways you
can use it. It’s at least 20 years younger, and should have far more of
its life ahead of it. And, for the most part, its sound is classic,
vintage Moog.
Moreover, the M3X is almost certainly
going to be cheaper than any working Minimoog, leaving you with enough
spare cash to buy a powerful effects processor to spice it up even
further. Who said that the British synth industry is dead? See also reviews from link below @ SonicState in U.S. where this synth gets much praise, especially in comparison to the Moog Voyager…& as a cheaper alternative to the classic Minimoog D if you don’t have a few thousand to spend…http://www.sonicstate.com/synth_reviews/macbeth_2600/M3X users include Roni Size amongst others… yeah it’s a monster for bass sounds but loads of classic moog-like leads & more too as Gordon states in his review.

Payment within 24 hours of auction close. Bank transfer due to value or if Paypal then buyer pays the fees.Shipping is avaliable Worldwide so please ask for a quote to your country with ZIP/region.UK Courier 24-48 hour including packing is £15.Full transit insurance is £20 in addition & recommended on a synth of this nature, though it will be very well packed as with all my audio gear.See seller feedback for reassurance, including AS Demon keyboard shipped to Peru, Roland Dimension D to Norway, etc…Thanks for looking.

Buy Now

Current price:

$4999

Buy Now

Current price:

$20

Also, the wires are pre-stripped and silver soldered for easy use. Just slide on a piece of shrink tubing and attach your plug or jack (not included), to match your module or midi converter. That’s it!
I’m very happy with these. I think these are the best yet! And a nice upgrade in quality.
There are 10 piezos in 1 lot and at $2.00a piece ($20.00 a lot) You can’t go wrong! Buy extras because once you start making triggers and see how easy it is, you will need more piezos.
Shipping is only $3.00 (these piezos are heavier like the old ones.)
And you only pay $1.00 shipping charge for each extra lot you buy.
                             **** INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING ****
I will ship internationally for an extra $3.00 ($6.00 total) and an extra $1.00 for each extra lot. (this will be added on in the “Buy it now” process)
**Attention! Shipping to Italy…… It is now taking around 30 business days for shipping to Italy. I do not know why. So be patient and remember, it is the postal system that is slow….. NOT ME!  
And I ship next business day after receiving payment and will email you once order has shipped. I WILL communicate!Thanks,Mike

Buy Now

Current price:

$2055

Buy Now

Current price:

$329

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Current price:

$365

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Current price:

$175

HEY every body with a ROLAND
JUNO 106!

        If your JUNO 106 is having output problems; – Strange
sustained voice sounds, missing notes, lightening sounds, going beserk after warming
up, and/or crackling, it doesn’t just need “cleaning”. These problems have been
traced to malfunctioning voice chips, the 80017a.

        Here is your opportunity to save your 106 and have it last a
lifetime. The word is out!! Stop throwing away those “BAD” 80017a chips! They
are not bad!! They simply have a coating that has become conductive over time
and causes them to malfunction. 
Every chip with the coating will fail at some point, it’s just a matter
of time. Let me restore your 106 for 175.00 bucks. It will come back with 6 fully
restored voice chips, fully calibrated to factory standards, and a CD containing a huge library of great sounds, 16 banks in all. (all
you do is connect the CD to the LOAD input, ¼ inch plug)       No more throwing away
old voice chips and buying coated chips on line that will eventually fail.  If yours aren’t currently failing you
may want to consider having them restored now before it becomes a problem.

       I must give a praise and thanks, to Rolandsh1000 who is the “Thomas Jefferson of the 106″ and the FRENCH user “Ramcur” on flicker. The french did it again! They saved our behind during the revolution, and now they’re saving the 106!! SO, in a way “Rolandsh1000″ acted as Thomas Jefferson, arranging a solution for victory, in this case, in the fight to save the 106. 

      You, of course are smart and good enough to do this
yourselves, however it takes time, it’s nerve racking pulling the chips out of
the board, and I have discovered a few methods of keeping the chips from
breaking as you are removing them. It is also important to
remove ALL of the residue, even along the micro chip contact points, and this
is what I do! I unfortunately have seen module boards ruined because of bad soldering methods, which I can repair at a cost, but if you are unsure of your soldering skills, please let me take care of it for you! 

 So why buy one of these that will eventually fail…..(Picture #2)

When you can have 6 of these
installed! (Picture #3)

 Taking the coated chips out…(Picture #4)

All six voice chips restored and ready to install… (Picture #5)All 6 voice chips back in the sound board sounding perfect! …. (Picture #6)

 I guess you could look at it this way, buy 6 of those coated chips for 300-450 dollars, or spend 175.00 plus shipping with me and get fully restored voice chips, your board cleaned and calibrated, and 32 groups of sounds! Plus I archive your sounds for you, so it’s a good idea if your battery would ever fail.

 Why am I doing this? Well, the Juno 106 was the first
keyboard I ever played and I fell in love! It helped me write so many songs and I feel I owe this great keyboard something in return. I also don’t
like how others on EBAY and the NET are raiding certain devices that have the
same chip only to destroy them for cash now when they should be restoring them.
I feel that MKS 7’s and GR 700’s are being destroyed for the sake of JUNO 106’s
and MKS 30’s.

 SO How do we do this?

 STEP 1. Hit BUY IT NOW . The shipping is only a guesstimate. I will either invoice you for the extra amount or refund you if you’ve over paid.

 STEP 2. If you need me to send you a written guarantee, before I start work just let me know. Otherwise, the standard operating procedure is to send this document with the board when sending it back to you. Most prefer this way because it is the fastest way to get your board back to you. 

 STEP 3. I will send you a return shipping label through FEDEX. Simply print off the email, tape it on, and drop it off at a fedex drop off location. I have an account so we both save some money on shipping! You should receive your board back in 3 weeks or less. 

 STEP 4. I will restore your board with 6 fully restored voice chips, fully cleaned and calibrated,  and a CD full of great sounds, 32 groups total. All you do
is hook up a CD player to your LOAD input. (It’s easy! I’ll help you do it.)

 STEP 5. When you receive it, plug it in and enjoy your JUNO
106 to it’s fullest and clearest!NOTE: You will save money on shipping if you just send me the module board with the chips in it. It’s not too difficult, Call me at 262-385-4747 and I’ll explain how to do that. If you do decide to ONLY send the module board, there is another auction of mine for that service for less money. This auction is for the Juno 106 restoration including calibration and other items listed below.ANOTHER NOTE: You need to send the chips with the board. I’m not giving you NEW chips, I’m giving you YOUR chips, completely restored and working, fully tested and guaranteed. If for some reason I can’t seem to get one of them working, I will replace it with one of my restored chips. NOTE #3: I restore ALL of the chipsNOTE #4: You do not have to do any soldering, your are just unhooking cables.Here is an itemized list of what you’ll get:1. All 6 voice chips restored and guaranteed working 2. 32 groups of new sounds3. New removable battery installed ( The old ones are soldered in)4. All of your sounds archived to CD 5. Fully calibrated to factory standards!6. All keys cleaned7. There is a LIFETIME guarantee for as long as you own the keyboard.         A little about me, my name is Allen Coppock, not MRCOOLAGE,
He just happens to be one of my favorite presidents. Please look at my feedback
and see that I have a history of treating people well.  I’m also the singer in the “Gallery of
Voices” video “Don’t Look Away”. YOUTUBE IT please. These and other songs are on
Itunes as well.  I tell you this
because a lot of that song was written using restored Juno 106’s AND you know what I
look like now if you need to hunt me down! Hahah! (You won’t need to!)

 Other services are now available, check out my other auctions for button replacement, slider replacement, Juno 106 modifications and body work.

 Drop me a line or call The Synth Spa at 262 385
4747.

 If you don’t end up using me to help you, please sell your old voices chips online (the ones you thought were bad) don’t through them away! Lets keep as many JUNO 106’s,  HS 60’s, MKS 30’s, GR 700’s, and MKS 7’s out there working for a long time
instead of in the garbage.

TAKE CARE!

Buy Now

Current price:

$1149

Buy Now

Current price:

$2075

Item Details

For your consideration is this vintage Chamberlin M-1 keyboard. This particular example, serial number 86132, is in excellent original condition. It works perfectly, sounds amazing and features a set of original tapes. The Chamberlin is the, better and more advanced, predecessor to the Mellotron which has better sounding recorded samples resulting in a better, more dynamic, instrument. Due to the original premium purchase price, the Chamberlin M-1 was produced in very limited quantities (around 150-200), and they have since become one of the rarest and most coveted vintage keyboards. Worse examples have sold for upward of $20,000.00, so take advantage of this No Reserve auction, as the highest bidder will win regardless of price!The original tape set currently installed is extremely practical and features the following sounds:1. Vibs
(Vibes)2. Violins
3. Harpsichord
4. Cello
5. Bells
6. Fr. Horn
(French Horn)7. Flute
8. OboeThis particular example is in perfect working order. It has been thoroughly tested and all switches, knobs, keys, and dials function properly. As can easily be seen in most photos, there is one noninvasive and thoughtful modification made to the keyboard: a pitch control knob was added underneath the keyboard to achieve those incredible pitch bends and manipulations at the turn of a dial, instead of reaching your hand into the unit, while on, to forcefully slow down the main motor wheel.Please inspect the photos for an accurate representation of cosmetic condition. While there are expected chips around the edges of the faux wood formica exterior, the general condition is extremely nice. Having owned 5 Chamberlin M-1s and several drum machine units, I have never seen another in this caliber of condition. Remember that this is a real auction, and that the high bidder wins!Payment Details
I accept Paypal, and I have my account arranged so that you can pay with all credit cards, as well as, fund the purchase directly through your bank account. If someone local is interested in this item, I can facilitate other types of secure payment. Please inquire.
Shipping Details
I have crated and shipped fragile musical instruments all over the World, and I am prepared to expertly pack this item for International delivery. Insurance  for the full amount of the sale value will be purchased at no extra cost.Shipping and handling will be FREE within the Continental U.S., $199 to Canada, $429 to Europe, and $579 to South America/Australia/New Zealand/Spain/Middle East/Asia/Africa.I would also extend a $100 cash rebate if the buyer decides to pick it up in person. Please remember that all transactions that take place within CA (whether the item is picked up from me in LA, or shipped to any city in CA) will be responsible for a 9.75% CA sales tax liability. (I’m sorry, but it’s the law, and my accountant is making me do it.) Contact Details
If you have any questions regarding this item, payment possibilities, or shipping services, do not hesitate to call me @ (213) 369-0539, or email me at electronic.enterprise@email.com  Thanks!-Matt S.

Buy Now

Current price:

$58

product search:

BLACK 61 Key Electronic Music Keyboard Electric Piano

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Crescent Warehouse
Brand New 61 Keys Electronic Keyboard Piano

U/L APPROVED ADAPTERS!!!
61 standard keys
20 timbres / 20 rhythms / 8 percussions
Rising/descending tone function (+6 stage)
Single & fingered chord/auto-bass-chord/syn
Vibrate/sustain/fill-in/bass effect
LED digital displays relate number
Rhythm programming & playback/record/playback
8 demonstration songs
32 – stage temp speed/16-stage volume adjustable
Large scale integration
External speaker/ACpower/double-channel output
Size: 935mm x 355mm x 125mm
Output power: 4w
Rated voltage: DC9V
For Age 10+
 

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