Showing posts with label 1994. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 1994. Show all posts

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Doepfer MS-404

In December 1994, Doepfer released the Doepfer MS-404
The MS-404 is a MIDI analog synthesizer with a 24db resonant filter that Dieter Doepfer intentionally created for his own personal pleasure earlier that year.

MS-404 close-up - Picture via Matrixsynth
In the summer of 1994 he created a monophonic analog synthesizer in a 19-inch rackformat / 1 unit high.
Although his module could do so much more than reproducing the sound of a TB-303, most consumers looked at it as an extended clone of the classic Roland TB-303 bassline.

Its two LFOs (that can modulate the single VCO) add a lot extra to the original 303 functionality.
Other extra features include a full ADSR envelope generator, noise, FM and PWM capabilities, an external filter input, CV/GATE interfaces, MIDI implementation and a glide effect.
The MS-404 can be played via MIDI but all parameters are controlled manually only.
The slide and accent effects from the TB-303 are possible on the MS-404 via glide control and it uses MIDI velocity for accent.

MS-404 Picture via Matrixsynth
The price was around 300 Euros (598 DM) and the module was released in a time when the demand for 303-clones was huge and many different manufacturers were building those; Future Retro 777, Syntecno TeeBeeControl Synthesis Deep Bass 9, and MAM MB33 were  few competitors, to only name a few. (A large list of 303-clones can be found on Wikipedia)

In the beginning Doepfer only planned to launch 50 to 100 modules, but they received almost 500 orders in the first two months in 1995.
At the end of 1997 Doepfer had sold more than 3000 MS-404 units.
The last MS-404 was sold in March 2001, as the amount of inquiries was falling (from 100 items per month to hardly 10 items per month at the end of 2000).

The few differences between the 2 regular versions of this module are minor.
There were always rumors that the different versions of the MS-404 sound different, but there were never any changes in the MS-404 hardware.
Version 1 can not use MIDI sustain, but this doesn't have any effect on the sound.

The rare green version of the MS-404
(Picture via Marc C Young)
In 1997 approximately 100 limited edition synths (with a green faceplate and a printing 'Music Store') were sold as a 25th anniversary special for Music Store of Cologne, Germany.

Doepfer still offers technical support for the unit and the manual is still available online.

Video: Doepfer MS-404

" Smooth synthpop demo made with the Doepfer MS-404.
This is really a little 1 VCO beast. Multitrack + external FX. "
Uploaded by SyntheticMachines

More:
http://www.doepfer.de/ms404_e.htm
http://www.vintagesynth.com/misc/ms404.php
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MS-404

Monday, April 09, 2012

Doepfer MSY-1

MIDI-to-SYNC interface MSY1 
In 1994 Doepfer released a MIDI-to-SYNC interface called MSY1
The MSY1 was an interface that could convert MIDI realtime events CLOCK, START and STOP into the corresponding signals CLOCK and START/STOP of the SYNC standard.

The MSY1 was a nice little grey box, with only a few connections (MIDI in-Thru, SYNC out, Clock Out and Start/Stop out) and it had two LEDs that lit up when active.
It did not have a built-in power supply or an on/off switch, instead it used a simple plug-in type external power supply.

The SYNC standard (or DIN sync or sync24) was used in vintage drum computers or sequencers such as the Roland TR808 rhythm composer and the Roland TB303 bass line.

SYNC-START/STOP is a signal that indicates on the 2 possible states: START = +5V, STOP = 0V. MSY1 enables the 1:1 conversion of MIDI CLOCK to SYNC CLOCK i.e. 1 MIDI clock triggers 1 SYNC clock pulse, as well as the reduction of the tempo by dividing the incoming MIDI clock frequency by an integer factor.

SYNC-CLOCK is a periodic TTL signal (0/+5V) representing the tempo.
Inside the MSY-1 you find a 8 pole DIP switch or 8 jumpers depending upon to the type of MSY1.
With jumper 1-7 the dividing factor can be set to any value between 1 and 128.
1 corresponds to the 1:1 conversion, 128 is the maximum of frequency reduction, i.e. after 128 MIDI clocks 1 SYNC clock appears.
The last one of the 8 switches/jumpers changes the clock polarity.

The SYNC standard uses the same type of 5 pole 180ø DIN connectors as MIDI. 
But the standards do not fit as other pins are used and the signals are completely different!
So you always have to distinguish between the MIDI and SYNC connectors. 
Using a suitable cable (e.g. 5 pin DIN plug -> two 1/4" mono jack plugs) the CLOCK and/or START/STOP outputs of the MSY1 can also be used to control arpeggio, gate, trigger or other +5V/TTL controlled events of analog synthesizers via MIDI.

Find the MSY-1 manual HERE (txt)