Doepfer recently released the Dark Energy single VCO monophonic analog synth. It looks like a very compelling product and the audio demo sounds great. Very fun little package and the inclusion of USB and MIDI is handy.
“Dark Energy is a monophonic stand-alone synthesizer with USB and Midi interface. The sound generation and all modulation sources are 100% analog, only the USB/Midi interface contains digital components. Dark Energy is built into a rugged black metal case with wooden side plates. High quality potentiometers with metal shafts are used and each potentiometer is fixed to the case (no wobbly shafts and knobs). The distance between the controls is a bit wider compared to A-100 modules and knobs with vintage look are used.”
The new Strymon OB.1 compressor is quiter, more transparent and better sounding than my old compressor pedals, which have included an old MXR Dynacomp, a Boss compressor, and a couple of BYOC (Build Your Own Clone) compressors.
Here’s the signal path: Strymon OB.1 > Korg Pitchblack tuner > Fulltone Deja-Vibe > Xotic BB preamp > Xotic AC Booster > Loop-Master > Xotic X-Blender > Fender 65 RI Twin Reverb.
The Loop-Master has a master bypass that eliminates all of the other pedals and wiring attached to it. Loop one has an Electro-Harmonix micro POG, and loop two has a Boss CE-5 chorus.
The Xotic X-Blender has the Boss DD-20 delay in the loop. The DD-20 is set to 100% wet, and the echos are added back in to direct signal path with the mix knob.
The whole thing runs off of a single 1-Spot power supply. The other power supplies are for other pedals (such as a Digitech Talker or a Boss GT-6) that I sometimes add and switch with the Loop-Master.
The OB.1 gets along great with the BB preamp and the AC Booster. There is less hiss than I had with my old compressor pedals, and the the boost is great. I can use the flat boost for more gain, or I can use the treble boost for a Brian May kind of tone. I’m loving this new Strymon OB.1 compressor!
“The Museum of Making Music and The Bob Moog Foundation announce Waves of Inspiration: The Legacy of Moog a special exhibition to run from August 29, 2009 – April 30, 2010 at the Museum’s facilities in Carlsbad, California. The exhibit is the first of its kind, marking the first public display of the artifacts from Bob Moog’s archives.”
“The exhibition, which highlights the inventor’s career and the impact that it had on the world of music, will feature rare vintage synthesizers and other related Moog instruments and memorabilia from the Bob Moog Archives and from various private collections.” … “Tickets for the opening weekend events can be purchased on the Museum’s website beginning August 3, 2009″
This new pedal features an opto compressor fashioned after vintage circuits. The OB.1 also has and integrated clean boost with selectable frequency shaping if you are wanting a mid or treble boost as well.
From the site: “Everything you love about studio optical compressors … right at your feet … From beautifully subtle and transparent compression to vintage squash … Integrated foot-switchable Clean, Treble and Mid boost … TRUE BYPASS … Crafted with love in the USA”
The Delta VCF from MegaOhm audio looks to be a clone of the filter from a Korg Delta analog synth. I don’t see a way to order on the site so I’m assuming you need to contact him/them for orders. The modules look like they will fit in a “dotcom” (sythesizers.com) format and/or vintage Moog but the MegaOhn audio site does not explicity state the dimensions.
From their site:
“The Delta VCF is more than just a clone of the filter section from a vintage synth of the same name. All of the supporting circuitry has been changed and additional features were added. It also has a behind the panel normallization scheme which results in extremely powerful and interesting sounds.”
MOTU has announced Volta, an audio unit plug-in that allows control of conventional analog synths via control voltage. The control voltages are generated by your audio interface…just as long as your interface’s inputs/outputs are dc coupled. AWESOME!
“Volta receives conventional virtual instrument input such as MIDI notes, MIDI controller data or even high-resolution audio track ramp automation and then responds by outputting a corresponding control voltage signal, which the host software then routes to the outputs of any DC-coupled audio interface connected to the computer. The resulting DC voltage can then drive a standard CV input, such as those found on classic modular synthesizers, modern analog mono synths and even popular effects processors such as Moogerfoogers”
Rare prototype of a flat green (not the production sparkle green) MXR Carbon Copy analog Delay.
Not everyone knows this but inside the chassis are two trim pots which let you dial in rate an depth for the delay modulation. This is preset at the factory and mod is only externally available on the pedal as an on/off switch. Cool that they made the adjustment semi user accessible internally rather than fixed.
Strymon has announced immediate availability of a mechanically redesigned SVpre for the Line6 Spider Valve HD100. The tube preamp had to be reworked to fit within a mechanical design that differed from the Spider Valve combos.
> Korg Pitchblack tuner > Fulltone Deja-Vibe > Xotic BB preamp > Xotic AC Booster > Loop-Master > Xotic X-Blender > Fender 65 RI Twin Reverb.
