Elektron ESI AB announces the SidStation
MIDI Synthesizer
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| (Click for a close-up) |
January 28, 1999 The SidStation is a MIDI-controlled
synthesizer with realtime controllers. The heart of this synthesizer is
the sound generating chip from the classic home computer Commodore C64.
This soundchip, named SID (Sound Interface Device) was developed in the
early eighties at MOS technology.
At the time the SID-chip was released to the public, it took the computer
industry by storm. There was nothing like it. It wouldn't be either, as
the development of synthesizers changed direction toward the digital sampling
and FM technology. This leaves the SID-chip as a unique item still today.
The rediscovery of the SID-sound will be a pleasant surprise for many
pioneering sound explorers that are looking for something more exiting
than the current crop of analogue imitating 'virtual' synthesizers.
Why use the SID-chip?
One might draw parallels between the sound of the SID with the beeping
noise that was generated by the early C64-games. It is very possible to
make SidStation sound like a blipping game of Bubble Bobble. Some will
appreciate that, but that is certainly not all the SidStation is capable
of. Listening to a few examples will probably be needed before believing
that the SidStation can sound like a roaring distorted groundshaking monster
as well as an 80's computer game.
The secret of the SID-sound is the way it is programmed. And with the
new environment in the SidStation it's now possible to create sounds never
heard before. Compare the new use of the SID with the difference between
the intended use of the TB-303 as a cheap replacement for a bass guitarist
and the acid squelches it generates today.
The SidStation can match specifications for popular modern analogue kit,
such as Novation Basstation and Waldorf Pulse, but adds many more possibilities
for sound creation.
Specifications
Hardware:
- Highest quality in all components
- Drummachine style sturdy aluminium casing
- Alfanumeric 2x16 LCD display with backlighting
- Four realtime controllers
- Rotary wheel for easy dataentry
- Numeric keyboard
- MIDI In/Out/Thru
- Audio In/Out (Audio In routed through filter)
- 100 User patches
- Dimensions: 240W x 70H x 200D [mm]
Synthesis:
- Powerful and friendly SidStation OS operating system
- Three oscillators (For three note polyphony or one monophonic sound)
- Basic waveforms: Triangle, Sawtooth, Pulse, Mixed, Noise
- All oscillators syncable through Ringmodulation and Hardsync
- Pulsewidth modulation
- Portamento (individual for all three oscillators)
- Special C64-style arpeggiator (individual for all three oscillators)
- Four individual routable LFO's
- Resonant analogue filter with envelope (Lowpass, Bandpass, Highpass
or any combination)
- C64 SID song player support
Availability
The SidStation is now available for ordering from all over the world through
the SidStation webpage (www.sidstation.com).
Price for end customer is 4000 SEK. VAT (25%) has to be added for private
customers inside the European Community.
Website
For more information, sound examples and ordering information please visit
theSidStation website at www.sidstation.com
SidStation is a trademark of Elektron ESI AB. All other
brand or product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their
respective holders. | 
