VCS3 - Synthi GAS

[Pip]

I'm looking for a new synth, these appear to still be in production, I've always lusted after one for the last 30 years, now I'm listening to a lot of JMJ (I've got Albert Hall tickets for his gig - can't wait ) I'm getting severe GAS - what do you think - should I take the plunge?

If you own one is it as cool as I remember?

Electronic Music Studios

[orange]

hiya pip,

sorry to dissapoint you but they aren't in production - check out the 'last updated' date on that website - august 1998.

Robin Wood has been 'promising' to start production again for many, many years - and IF he ever does (it's not going to happen IMO) then there is a huge waiting list. He's had a cheque/deposit of mine for about 5 years ! Give him a ring if your interested...he's a nice bloke.

You can occasionally find one secondhand so just keep looking.

PS....here's mine !

[dlmorley]

Can't beat them for fx and haunting melody sounds
Not my desert island synth as that is reserved for Buchla 200 or Arp 2600, but a very useful synth and a great processor for external sounds...
You could possibly ask rehberg in Germany if he has one, but I think you will need to look second hand.
I bought my first one from Robin Wood 10 years ago for £600! Even then they were refurbished rather than new.
My Keyboard is serial number 0001 btw

[Pip]

Bummer - , the news they are no longer in production burst my GAS bubble.

I've got the Reaktor ensemble which is not bad, I was also considering this

SYNTHI Avs plugin

350 euros is a bit steep - anybody used this plug? I'm crying using the word plug I wanted a box with knobs and a joystick

[orange]

pip...there's a demo.....

btw that the 'rehberg' that dlmorley mentioned - give them a call they do get them in every now and then...

ps david £600 was cheap even 10 years ago......the last one I saw for sale at rlmusic about 2 years ago was £3500+vat (no keyboard either)

[dlmorley]

Crazy prices these days
They are fabulous and iconic, and any crappy fender that is from the 60's goes for more money, so in some ways they aren't THAT expensive, but I doubt I'd pay £3500 for one...even if I could!

[Pip]

Yup £3.5k and I suspect servicing costs - ouch, my day is ruined.

[RobJB06]

Yup they are cool. I swapped my Memorymoog Plus plus £700 for my Synthi AKS! Mind you the Memorymoog cost me about £1200.. and i thought it sounded ugly as hell.. the Synthi on the other hand is a mad little voodoo box that just sounds great for FX. Just scored a cheap Arp Odyssey Mk3 with PPC.. similiar sonically in someways, you should maybe look at one of those if you dont have the bread for the EMS..

[Pip]

Yup voodoo with knobs - that what I want in my next synth ...but which synth?

[KazRemark]

I have a Synthi-A and last time I checked, which was (admittedly) almost ten years ago Ludwig Rehberg in Germany was still building these to order. Not VCS-3's though. Send him an email or give him a call. He is very nice, and can probably either build you one of these or at least help you locate a used one.

[Beermaster]

Originally Posted by Zakmakhak

I have a Synthi-A and last time I checked, which was (admittedly) almost ten years ago Ludwig Rehberg in Germany was still building these to order. Not VCS-3's though. Send him an email or give him a call. He is very nice, and can probably either build you one of these or at least help you locate a used one.

Sorry to have to tell you but that is just myth. For a start if they were making them to order than for the last 15 years or so people would not be buying them as vintage and the prices would not be as high. The reason I know this is that having been down to Robin's house and workshop a year or so ago ( Robin wood and Edward Williams being joint owners of EMS as it is today ) I asked him in person what the future had in store for the Synthi and he told me that whilst he can get the most of the parts together many bits are still not available to make new synthis from scratch - in particular the attache cases are no longer made so unlikely that they would be coming out again - besides he seemed very busy building their light beam things.

Beer

[sleestack]

How hard would it be to find an ems 5000 vocoder?

[chrisso]

They come up.
I've seen the most unusual EMS products on the twice yearly Vemia auctions.
But do you think it would outperform another vocoder?
I personally find some of the EMS excitement to be more about the name/vibe than the reality of how it sounds and performs.

[Pip]

Ouch - 10 years ago - I'm feeling old. why is there no demand?

[sleestack]

Originally Posted by chrisso

They come up.
I've seen the most unusual EMS products on the twice yearly Vemia auctions.
But do you think it would outperform another vocoder?
I personally find some of the EMS excitement to be more about the name/vibe than the reality of how it sounds and performs.

You tell me.

EMS VOCODER 5000

[chrisso]

I'm merely pointing out there are other amazing vocoders.

To quote Wendy Carlos.....
Felix Visser made the best ones, for his long-gone (alas!) Synton company, all during the 80's. Some other fine devices exist, as the EMS/Synthi big one, and Sennheiser's expensive one, those and dear Harald Bode's design that Moog's good 16-band one was similar to. The ultra-basic analog units were generally mushy-sounding. Synton's had the best intelligibility on spoken words for their original 32-band device, and musicality for the newer 14 band one I currently use: the Synton SPX 216.'

Syntovox 221 Vocoder

[sleestack]

Ive never heard any vocder sound as good as that ems. Im sure it cost as much as a car, but Id rather have the ems 5000 than an audi 5000.

[dlmorley]

Best vocoder hands down is the Sennheiser VSM-201
I use a synton which sounds fine to me. I have a friend who has the 5000 and it's extremely flexible which does give it some advantages, but for the money, I'd take a sennheiser
If you really want one, EMS-Rehberg has an EMS5000 for 23,000 euros

[sleestack]

Is that an old 5000 or does he build to order at that price? And that's a stiff price.

[Beermaster]

Now I'm getting my analogue suite close to completion one of my first little projects is going to be a complete track made only using my MIDI VCS3. Can't wait for some me-time in the studio.

Beer.

[chrisso]

Originally Posted by dlmorley

If you really want one, EMS-Rehberg has an EMS5000 for 23,000 euros

$34,000 US?!!!!

That's a lot of money to sing "Mr Blue Sky".

Goodbye EMS, hello Buchla system.

[Pip]

I really think Arturia should model this for the Orgin when it sees the light of day - it has a joystick etc, lots of folk would like to have the flavour and there's no affordable way of getting on.

[dlmorley]

The thing is that in reality, vintage synths are cheap compared to vintage guitars (or even drums, no Chrisso?)
A few thousand pounds for an iconic synth that is rare, doesn't seem much compared to a mass produced, 1 of thousands, 1960's strat that costs $10,000 for ANYTHING..

[Jazzpunk]

Thought this might be of interest to some of you on this thread;

http://www.whatthefuturesoundedlike.com/

Looks really good.

[chrisso]

I think most vintage drums are a bit cheaper than vintage synths.

The most expensive vintage drums are Gretsch Round Badge, which in the right sizes and in tip-top condition will set you back no more than $10k.

I have no issue with the price of rare and collectable items.
You just have to measure how much bang you are getting with your buck.
$34k for a vocoder = little bang for me.
I was also disappointed with the Synthi AKS in comparison to similarly priced vintage synths.
Your mileage may vary of course.

[Kestral]

I had one of these sitting in storage, eBayed it and got about $6400.
Never used it and the money was put to good use (helped fund a Brent Averill 1073).

[sleestack]

Yeah, but the ems 5000 is not "just a vocoder". Not to me. I think it could make some awesome sounds beyond stupid ELO shit. If I was a millionaire Id buy one.

[orange]

Originally Posted by chrisso

I have no issue with the price of rare and collectable items.
You just have to measure how much bang you are getting with your buck.
$34k for a vocoder = little bang for me.
I was also disappointed with the Synthi AKS in comparison to similarly priced vintage synths.

it's not just about usability.... rarity and collectiblilty have a big influence on pricing. Is an ex-Bonham ludwig kit any more usable than any other - or an ex-Hendrix strat ?

As Dave Morley points out: they are cheap in comparision with certain other types of vintage instruments. The EMS stuff has a sound of it's own - hard to put a price on such exclusivity.

just my 2p

[Beermaster]

I know I might be a bit biased but the Doepfer modular Vocoder ( designed with input from Kraftwerk ) - is bloody amazing and utterly cross patch-able from any of the 16 analysis bands to any where then to any of the 16 synthesis bands - So much clarity and utterly flexible.

Does either the EMS and Senheiser vocoders have individual patch points for external control like this ?

[dlmorley]

The best