Synthesizer Homepages                                         

         

Please note : Neither I nor this website and its products

have any affiliation with EMS(Cornwall)

which is still run by Robin Wood.

 

    SPARE PARTS AND NEW MODULES

  FOR THE EMS SYNTHI AKS/VCS3

 

 

         

 

 

NEW! Prototype of SYNTHI CONTROL CONSOLE

4/5/09 : SORRY ALL ADVANCED ORDERS FOR THESE UNITS HAVE NOW BEEN FILLED!

                             

 

More info on the Synthi Control Console here

I will post audio samples with the control console linked to my Synthi A clone and VCS3(mk2)+DK2

in the near future...

 

Custom VCS3 and Synthi A(KS) Add-On and Interface Units

 

        

 

click here for details                                         

 

                                                 

 

          PLEASE NOTE I DO NOT PROVIDE SCHEMATICS!

 

I am offering a spare parts service for rare and obsolete components for the EMS synthi A/AKS and VCS3 for those repairing/renovating these fantastic machines!

 

Please email digitana2002@yahoo.co.uk for availibility.

I am not seeking to make any great profit from this service just that I am a big EMS fan and having had the difficulty of sourcing parts during my VCS3 renovation project a few years back, I thought I would try and put together a source of rare components for other EMS/Synthi users/techs out there. I hope to keep adding to my stock as and when I come across new sources. The only other source I know of is of course Robin at EMS.

My service is not intended to compete with his (if it ever could!) but given the rarity of some synthi parts, I think it’s no bad thing to have more than one source if possible.

 

FRONT PANEL COMPONENTS

 

Sealectro 20x22 Patch Matrix

This is an original 1970’s matrix patch panel made by Sealectro, UK.

Sealectro are the company that made the patch panels used by EMS.

It uses the same pins as VCS3/Synthi A and has exactly the same spacing between rows/columns. It came from some MOD equipment and was originally configured as 2 submatrices rather than one large 20x22. I moved one of the column contacts to make the present 20x22 configuration. All the gold contacts are in excellent condition. This would be good as a replacement matrix for an original VCS3/Synthi AKS. Although the matrix is larger than the 16x16 matrices used in the latter, its possible to just use 16x16 of the 20x22. It doesn’t come with a traffolyte top panel. But the original traffolyte panel on a VCS3/Synthi A can be adapted or a new panel made by an engraving company (most of whom will offer engraved traffolyte labels, panels etc). Actual physical size of matrix is 146mmx180mm.

 

Please note: if you are building a Synthi clone I wouldn’t advise using Sealectro panels because a) Ghielmetti make superior ones that can be found on ebay, synth-diy lists etc. b) these matrices should really be reserved for original VCS3/Synthi repairs. These matrices have long become obselete and if an original VCS3/Synthi has a damaged matrix ..Ghielmetti type cannot be used as a simple replacemnt as the pin spacing/pin type etc is quite different. Sealectro matrices are the real achilles heel of Synthi’s..though thankfully they do last many years unless abused.

 

          

Price £250

 

 

Original 1970’s Meters

 

New old stock meters with custom made plastic scale inserted matching the original synthi’s. Complete with mounting hardware and boxed. To find these meters new is amazing as they are long since obselete!

 

Price £35 + shipping.

             

     

 

Re-engineered Sealectro shorting patch pins

I obtained a lot of vintage Sealectro shorting pins that were used on special matrices that were piggybacked one on top of another.  See the long white pin in the picture below. I have re-engineerd these into shorting pins for the VCS3/ Synthi A.  The caps are new and from Ghilmetti, except the dark red ones that are original EMS tops from broken pins. They are quite close to the original EMS supplied caps as you can see from the photo. Anyway I am offering these pins at £2 each. Shorting pins are quite often useful for getting stronger signals injected from one point to another on the matrix. They can be used eg to patch sounds to the output channels saving a resistor pin to be used elsewhere.  They should not be seen as a direct replacement for resistor pins..for one thing they will not allow balanced mixing of signals as they tend to overwhelm the resistive pins if they are present in a channel. That said you could compensate to some extent by reducing the level of the signal being patched eg oscillator level, filter level etc.

I have tested each of these pins own my own VCS3. Good thing is that the pins are gold plated so wont ever need cleaning. They fit the original Sealectro matrices on VCS3/ Synthi A’s perfectly.

White, bright red, green and black caps also available.

Remember: these are shorting pins not resistive (resistors cannot be retro-fitted either)!

Price: £2 each

                          

Verniers

Multi-Turn Vernier dials (planetary reduction system)

                                      

 

Price: £16 each. Green/silver/chrome inserts also available part from blue.

 

Knobs (several hundred in stock)

Cliff Components Plastic Knobs with original coloured (anodised) metal inserts and white dot pointer.

Last remaining old stock (in the world?) from Cliff Plastics, Australia.

 

Satin Silver Chrome, (6mm splined push fit).

Mirror Silver Chrome (fit D-shaft) 

Red Satin (6mm shaft, grubscrew)  SOLD OUT

Green Satin (6mm shaft, grubscrew)

Blue Anodised  (6mm shaft, grubscrew)

 

 

 

PLEASE NOTE: The coloured inserts (green/blue) I supply are original Cliff, but they are lighter in shade than the inserts found on 1970’s EMS units. The silver and shiney chrome inserts however, have remained unchanged.

 

Note that the 6mm splined shaft fitting knobs (satin silver) do fit standard round 6mm shafts with a very tight push fit. Not ideal but they work fine (tested on my VCS3)

All knobs £3 each

Note Cliff no longer manufacters these Knobs except by special order (mor = many thousands!)

 

Knob inserts

In addition I have spare metal inserts:-

Blue, Green, Mirror silver chrome.  It is possible with care to remove old metal inserts and replace with new ones.

Price: £0.50 each

 

Keyboard Leads for VCS3 and Synthi AKS.

These are the keyboard leads that connect the DK1/2 keyboard to the VCS3 or Synthi AKS and also used to connect the touch keyboard/sequencer on the AKS to the main unit. These are high quality leads with metal Jones connectors on each end. They contain 100k resistors for the Input Channel lines as specified in the EMS schematics.  Right angle plug version also available for the aks.

 

                                      

All tested working on my own VCS3. Price: £25 each

 

REVERB TANKS

New Accutronics reverb tanks that are the closest replacements to the original synthi reverb tanks that have long since disappeared. Reverb tanks often wear out on synthi’s in my experience. Whilst they can sometimes be repaired its a delicate task.

Information on replacing original synthi tanks with new type from Accutronics can be found here.

 

RARE SEMICONDUCTORS

Transistors

NPN/PNP

BFY51 (psu), UA309K (psu KS), TIP3055 (psu),  2N5172, bc169, AC187 (Ge), AC176K (power Ge), AC128 (Ge),

2N4288, 2N706, bc258A.   p.o.a.

                                 

 

 

FET

2N5163, 2N5461. £3 each

                                              

 

 

The ‘Achilles heel’ of the VCS3/Synthi AKS are the now obsolete and ultra rare semiconductors that it uses. Luckiliy there are only a few..unluckily they are uber-rare and often only available at high cost (and hundreds of $$ minimum order) from obsolete/military IC vendors.

 

Ring Modulator IC

Mullard TAB101 (very rare germanium transistor array based modulator.) £18 each Back in Stock!

                                

 

Reverb Driver Audio Amplifier IC

MFC6070 (Motorola 1 watt audio amplifier IC)..another uber-rarity  Price:£25 each

These are NOS 1970’s in original Motorola Packaging. Sorry for the higher price but I had to pay very high wire/shipping costs and then a hefty UK Customs bill for good measure!

                              

 

Semiconductors specifically for the SYNTHI AKS

 

74 series Logic

 

7410,7404,7493,7430,7400,7474, 74LS03, 74LS13, DM74150N. p.o.a

 

                                    

 

 

Keyboard Sequencer Memory Chips

 

MM5056H  10 lead, can.  (ultra ultra rare old school PMOS shift registers ) Price: £30 each

 

MM5056N DIP version also available (same price).

 

Here is the datasheet

 

Unfortunately there seems to be two versions of the KS produced, those using the can type 10-lead  (MF7104)

and later versions that used the plastic MM5056N DIP 10 pin type.  You may have to verify which type of memory chip your KS uses by opening up the plastic lid of the KS and looking at the top left hand part of the pcb where the memory chips are located. Those using the MM5056 have 3 chips, those using the MF7104 can-style use 6.

The MM5056H (can) and MM5056N (plastic DIP) can be used interchangably on the later KS versions. The tab on the can type marks location between pin1 and pin 10.

 

The platic DIP version as the usual indent marking location of pin1.

 

I am trying to source a supply of MF7104..but they are even harder than MM5056 to locate!

 

 

                                               

 

 

Voltage Regulator

 

UA309K (used as voltage regulator on the KS part of the Synthi AKS).

Price:£5 each 

                                             

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spartanite Attache’ Case   SOLD

 

I have 1 grey ultra rare Spartanite Attache’ case with key. This is dark grey (not black)

and was sold as a tool case by philips in the 1970’s.  The badge on top says ‘philips’ not ‘spartanite’ but

it is 100% spartanite design (I have compared with another spartanite case). Condition is like new..has a slight scuff on one edge through storage. Would be good as a replacement for a damaged original black case.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Synthi Related Sites worth visiting:-

 

 

  Simply the best Synthi site on the Web!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Fantastic site with wonderful info on very rare EMS devices!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Great, insightful documentry largely about EMS and its origins

featuring  interviews with EMS founders David Cockerell, the late Tristram Cary

and Peter Zinovieff. Must see!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Analog Days Book     By Trevor Pinch and Frank Trocco. Excellent Chapter on EMS history (fine wines, antiques 

                        and DEC PDP-8 computers and of course Synthis! )

 

  

 

 

Please feel free to make use of any material/images on my site(s) (unless original copyright is owned by other persons) or link to it without my permission.

 

 

 

Note: The name ‘DIGITANA’ was given by Peter Zinovieff to the prototype Synthi 100.

 

 

This website has no affiliation/connection with the site “www.digitana.co.uk”

 

 

Email digitana2002@yahoo.co.uk

 

Digitana,  12/01/09

 

South Beach Diet