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Audiofanzine FR
Published on 11/09/08 at 06:30
(Originally written by Lux Inferno/translated from Audiofanzine FR)
It's a synthesizer, not an organ. Indeed Hammond is famous for its organs but it also made two synthesizers in the mid 70's just after being bought by the Japanese. Only two hundred 102200 were ever produced and in 2008 the number of working 102200 is estimated at only 50 in the whole world.
The keyboard has 44 keys, evidently without aftertouch or velocity. Controls? None (with exception of a control and a tuning control).
There is only one output with a mono 1/4" jack.
6 basic presets (french horn, tuba, violin, sax, clarinet, solar echo) but you can also "create" sounds selecting different positions for the 49 switches on the panel and using the "wind" control that generates white noise. It's not possible to "combine" different presets. If you use the panel switches you have to deselect the presets.
A LFO and a VCO are also provided.
There is no sound memory.
The synth is monophonic which was standard at the time (the first polyphonic synth was the Polymoog).
It can only be powered with 230 V and there is no possibility to switch to 110 V so I think it was only conceived for the European market.
Inside the cabinet the electronics are extremely simple: one card = one function, every card is plugged into a slot.
UTILIZATION
The overall configuration is extremely simple. Just push the buttons and that's it. It couldn't be more "plug and play". So sound editing is open to anyone, no user's manual needed.
SOUNDS
The sound is not realistic (I never understood why some manufacturers committed themselves to presenting synthesizers that imitated other instruments, when they were actually instruments in their own right and with their own particular character).
Expressiveness has no meaning with this sort of equipment.
OVERALL OPINION
The interesting point of this collector's item is that it was designed for the consumer market unlike the Korg MS20 and many others. It has only a few buttons, you push them and you hear the result. And each switch is labeled with a small curve indicating its function.
As soon as I spend more time with the unit, I'll post information regarding the sound. I found it recently and bought it out of curiosity.
It's a synthesizer, not an organ. Indeed Hammond is famous for its organs but it also made two synthesizers in the mid 70's just after being bought by the Japanese. Only two hundred 102200 were ever produced and in 2008 the number of working 102200 is estimated at only 50 in the whole world.
The keyboard has 44 keys, evidently without aftertouch or velocity. Controls? None (with exception of a control and a tuning control).
There is only one output with a mono 1/4" jack.
6 basic presets (french horn, tuba, violin, sax, clarinet, solar echo) but you can also "create" sounds selecting different positions for the 49 switches on the panel and using the "wind" control that generates white noise. It's not possible to "combine" different presets. If you use the panel switches you have to deselect the presets.
A LFO and a VCO are also provided.
There is no sound memory.
The synth is monophonic which was standard at the time (the first polyphonic synth was the Polymoog).
It can only be powered with 230 V and there is no possibility to switch to 110 V so I think it was only conceived for the European market.
Inside the cabinet the electronics are extremely simple: one card = one function, every card is plugged into a slot.
UTILIZATION
The overall configuration is extremely simple. Just push the buttons and that's it. It couldn't be more "plug and play". So sound editing is open to anyone, no user's manual needed.
SOUNDS
The sound is not realistic (I never understood why some manufacturers committed themselves to presenting synthesizers that imitated other instruments, when they were actually instruments in their own right and with their own particular character).
Expressiveness has no meaning with this sort of equipment.
OVERALL OPINION
The interesting point of this collector's item is that it was designed for the consumer market unlike the Korg MS20 and many others. It has only a few buttons, you push them and you hear the result. And each switch is labeled with a small curve indicating its function.
As soon as I spend more time with the unit, I'll post information regarding the sound. I found it recently and bought it out of curiosity.