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.

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.

Fredrik

April 26, 2011 @ 3:51 pm

This is the machine that Jarre used for his famous "Laserharp" sound in Rendezvouz.

Wavebox

February 28, 2011 @ 10:59 am

True, the Synthex is clearly underrated, even though it sounds as "fat" as a Jupiter-8 or a Prophet 5. Here's a little video of the Synthex in action at our project studio last weekend:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVKLTINBJMo

lownrgy

December 9, 2010 @ 8:31 am

"my father gave it to me as a gift when i was 14 years old.. Sadly it broke, i trade it in with some other stuff but i want it back."

makes my (and many others) decision easier to not leave any vintagesynths for their children.

James

January 29, 2010 @ 4:06 pm

Nick Rhodes of Duran Duran has one in his collection.

Joey Swails

August 12, 2009 @ 8:22 pm

I used to sell these beasts back when they were new (they came out around 1984, IIRC). The sound was a lot like the Roland Jupiter-8, but with some more fancy bells and whistles, like the ring mod and chorus.

The problem was that they hit the market too late. Like the Gleeman Pentaphonic and the Prophet VS, by then the market was flooded with cheap Japanese synths and nobody would pay US$3000+ for a polysynth anymore. Then came the DX-7 and the market for expensive analogs was dead.

<4321>

 

Post Comment!

Your Name: (Required.)

Email Address: (Required, not published.)

Image verification: (required)

Message:

 

Posting Rules:
Please keep your comments relevant! Do not post requests for help, do not use for sales, do not post unless you have something interesting to say about this instrument, or we may delete your post.

I have read and understand the posting rules.