User Rating:
4.7 |142 votes Rate It
EMS SynthiA PortabellaEMS SynthiA Image

The Synthi A (pictured above) and AKS (below) are exactly the same as the VCS3 except that they are housed in a thin plastic briefcase for enhanced portability, with a small touchpad keyboard (activated by the 50 Hz-hum in our fingers). The Synthi A was also known as the "Portabella". The AKS model adds a 256 step on-board monophonic digital sequencer and a 30-note touchplate keyboard.

It has three oscillators, and a unique patch system. Instead of patch wires, the VCS3 uses a patchbay grid in which the synth components are laid out, and signal routing is accomplished by placing small pins into the appropriate slots. The VCS3 was, in actuality, a modular type synthesizer reduced down to an extremely portable size.

EMS SynthiAKS

It generates familiar sci-fi sounds (Dr. Who) and other truly analog sounds. After ten minutes of warming up the oscillators become pretty stable. There's a Noise Generator, 2 Input Amplifiers, 1 Ring Modulator, 1 Voltage Controlled Low Pass Filter (VCF), 1 Trapezoid Envelope Generator, Joy-Stick Controller, Voltage Controlled Spring Reverb unit and 2 Stereo Output Amplifiers.

What is important about the portable line of EMS synths is that they were super miniaturized and fairly sophisticated for their time. The patching grid system made patching easier, and allowed the unit to take up a lot less space. Both were released in 1971, two years after the launch of the VCS3. It should be noted that the case mounting of the AKS can be very precarious. The mounting is prone to fail, and therefore any used units should be examined carefully to see if this common problem exists before buying.  

EMS Synthi100

EMS also produced the Synthi 100 (pictured above) in 1974. It is loosely based on three VCS3 systems combined into one major synth. Although the circuit boards are unique and quite different, the filters are quite similar in response to those of the VCS-3 and AKS. The sound of the Synthi-100 was subtly distinct from the VCS-3. Both filters and oscillators were much more stable in the Synthi-100. It featured twelve VCOs, two keyboards and a 3-track 256-step monophonic digital sequencer. EMS really was an early pioneer in digital sequencers when such devices as the Moog 10 step sequencer were still popular. It also featured two massive 64 x 64 patch matrices. Approximately 29 of these were built in the 1970s and early 80s, although EMS still states that you can have one as a special order. It sold for $25,000 originally, and probably still does today. Jack Dangers of Meat Beat Manifesto is said to have the only fully working unit in existence, which he used heavily on his album, "R.U.O.K?".  

EMS Synthi E

The Synthi E is an educational form of the Synthi that had a complete teaching course built around it for use in colleges and schools. It was intended as a teaching aid into the principles of sound synthesis and electronic music. Small, housed in a brief-case and battery powered, the Synthi E was perfect for the student or teacher on the go! Simple as it may appear, it actually has some sophistiated features:
  • Input Amplifier with low (Microphone) and high (line) level inputs.
  • Envelope Follower providing a voltage proportional to the amplitude of the input.
  • Oscillator 1 with true exponential voltage control of frequency and three simultaneous output waveforms (sine, triangle and voltage controlled pulse)
  • Oscillator 2 for slow control voltages such as glissando or vibrato.
  • Filter/Oscillator 3 with v.c. low, high and band pass filter or pure sine wave.
  • Modulator for envelope shaping or ring modulation. Noise Generator.
  • Trapezoid Generator for multiple simultaneous trapezoid waveforms. These may be used for envelope shaping (trigger mode) or for low frequency waveforms (free run mode).
  • Manual-Slide tape Controllers (2) for obtaining control voltages. One slide-tape is stepped and may be used as a keyboard and the other for variable control. One provides a trigger pulse. Both may be temporarily marked or written on.
  • Inverter to invert control voltages or signals.
  • Monitor Amplifier and Loudspeaker with two input mixer faders.
  • A 3-octave keyboard for controlling the Synthi E is available. This unit is a mechanical keyboard which plugs into the Synthi E. It provides the correct pitch voltage and trigger signal for the Trapezoid Generator. A switch on the Synthi E selects internal or external keyboard operation.

Many of these EMS synth's have been used by Brian Eno, Pink Floyd, Stereolab, Yes, Aphex Twin, Autechre, Jean-Michel Jarre, Astral Projection, Vince Clarke, The Who, Todd Rundgren, Recoil, Freddy Fresh, Ultravox and many more.

Email this page to someone...
Home | Synth Forums | Synth Classifieds | Synth Finder | TimeLine | Archives | Links | VSE Store




Presented by the Vintage Synth Explorer.
Copyright © 1997-, all rights reserved. All photographs, sounds,
patches, registered trademarks and logos are property of their respective owners.
E-mail Webmaster | Privacy Statement