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The Synthex is a very lush sounding classic analog 8 voice synthesizer. Later versions implemented basic MIDI functions. It has 30 knobs, 6 sliders, 80 switches and a joystick. Powerful sounds with 2 oscillators per note, separate envelope generators, chorus and even a sequencer! The use of stable DCO's (digitally controlled analog oscillators) and oscillator cross modulation of Pulse Width and a multimode filter made it unique in its time.

There is a cool joystick that replaces traditional pitch/mod wheels and allows for greater variable real-time control over the two LFOs, oscillator and filter modulation. The 6 sliders beside the joystick assign what (LFO, osc and filter) goes to the joystick. Voices can also be layered or split across the keyboard. Other great features include the onboard digital Ring-Modulator, Chorus effect and Dual or Layer modes available. And also a four-track sequencer rounds out this synths host of features. Two of it's tracks can output MIDI data.

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This is just an extremely good analog and unique synth excellent for pads, drones and glistening lead sounds. They're a bit of a pain to service and find parts for. However many famous artists such as Tangerine Dream and Nick Rhodes (Duran Duran) have used one, and Jean Michel Jarre swears by it. One last Synthex was made just for Stevie Wonder after their production run eventually ended.

17 VISITOR COMMENTS

Christian

April 23, 2012 @ 1:15 am

Hi. I am looking to buy an Elka Synthex. I'm in Denmark, Europe. If you have one for sale please e-mail me: cybercardinal@hotmail.com

Richard

March 9, 2012 @ 4:09 am

An astoundingly luxurious synth to tweak and play: build like a brick [beep] house, spacious, sexy buttons, a great little sequencer, butter smooth flters (especially love the band-pass) and a chorus to rival the obvious champion of choruses. Plus preset JMJ laser harp for infinite geek bonux points. This really is a monster poly disguised as a monster string synth, and selling it ranks as one of the top ten mistakes in life. If you have a Synthex: I hate you, so laugh in my face, but know that if you can't produce the awesome with this baby, you don't deserve owning it.

Micke

January 17, 2012 @ 8:47 am

The prototype of the Elka Synthex was used on Fabio Frizzi's soundtrack to Lucio Fulci's horror movie "Manhattan Baby" (1982).

Sascha

September 20, 2011 @ 10:37 pm

This is the MAGNUM-synthesizer mostly used on classic albums like "The Eleveneth Hour" !!!

Add MAGNUM to the famous users list !!

Numanoid

July 20, 2011 @ 8:45 am

XILS-lab is about to release an emulation of the Synthex, called the the Synthix: http://www.xils-lab.com/pages/Synthix.html

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