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Audiofanzine FR
Published on 12/07/08 at 10:33
(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 (except for a volume and a tuning control).
There is only one output with a mono 1/4" jack.
Six 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.
An 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 extremely simple. Just press the buttons and that's it. It couldn't be more "plug and play". So sound editing is accessible to anyone, no user's manual is needed.
Sound editing: you have two options, either you choose from the six sound presets or you depress the "cancel" button (disabling all other preset buttons ) and enter sound editing mode. The control is divided in five main sections:
- "Tone pitch" allows you to select the pitch setting (32, 16, 8 or 4) with the possibility to select square or triangle waveform for each setting (except for the last setting [4'] which only has a sawtooth waveform)
- "Tone filter" (when the filter is active) and "Filter rise and fall" (width and speed) that control the resonant filter. Both controls have a bypass function.
- "Attack/decay" is nothing but the standard ADSR envelope .
- "Pitch bend" allows you to adjust the pitch bend time.
- "Modulator" is an enhanced vibrato effect that creates a fuzz-like effect with certain sounds.
The "Wind" control produces white noise that can be added to the sound you edited, but the noise generator can also be used on its own and be modulated by the filter and the ADSR envelope (all other settings don't have any effect on it).
SOUNDS
The sound is not realistic (I never understood why some manufacturers committed themselves to presenting synthesizers that imitated other instruments, when they were instruments in their own right and with their own particular character).
Expressiveness has no meaning with this sort of equipment.
Regarding the six sound presets only the "clarinet" sounds like a real instrument. For the other four simulated instruments (trumpet, tuba, violin and sax) the unit produces powerful (sawtooth waveform) organ sounds. The last preset (Solar) has a rather short attack with vibrato creating a fuzz effect and a resonant filter to create a sort of flanger. This preset has a disco character to it.
Bass presets are real basses (did you say VST?) and the resonant filter allows you to create acid sounds.
OVERALL OPINION
I bought it out of curiosity and this device is quite pleasant thanks to its ease of use.
The interesting thing about this collector's item is that it was conceived for the consumer market unlike the Korg MS20 and the like. It has only a few buttons, you push them and you hear the result. Each switch is labeled with a small curve indicating its function.
The device produces a good analog sound with characterful lows. In spite of its 33 years, it produces virtually no noise.
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 (except for a volume and a tuning control).
There is only one output with a mono 1/4" jack.
Six 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.
An 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 extremely simple. Just press the buttons and that's it. It couldn't be more "plug and play". So sound editing is accessible to anyone, no user's manual is needed.
Sound editing: you have two options, either you choose from the six sound presets or you depress the "cancel" button (disabling all other preset buttons ) and enter sound editing mode. The control is divided in five main sections:
- "Tone pitch" allows you to select the pitch setting (32, 16, 8 or 4) with the possibility to select square or triangle waveform for each setting (except for the last setting [4'] which only has a sawtooth waveform)
- "Tone filter" (when the filter is active) and "Filter rise and fall" (width and speed) that control the resonant filter. Both controls have a bypass function.
- "Attack/decay" is nothing but the standard ADSR envelope .
- "Pitch bend" allows you to adjust the pitch bend time.
- "Modulator" is an enhanced vibrato effect that creates a fuzz-like effect with certain sounds.
The "Wind" control produces white noise that can be added to the sound you edited, but the noise generator can also be used on its own and be modulated by the filter and the ADSR envelope (all other settings don't have any effect on it).
SOUNDS
The sound is not realistic (I never understood why some manufacturers committed themselves to presenting synthesizers that imitated other instruments, when they were instruments in their own right and with their own particular character).
Expressiveness has no meaning with this sort of equipment.
Regarding the six sound presets only the "clarinet" sounds like a real instrument. For the other four simulated instruments (trumpet, tuba, violin and sax) the unit produces powerful (sawtooth waveform) organ sounds. The last preset (Solar) has a rather short attack with vibrato creating a fuzz effect and a resonant filter to create a sort of flanger. This preset has a disco character to it.
Bass presets are real basses (did you say VST?) and the resonant filter allows you to create acid sounds.
OVERALL OPINION
I bought it out of curiosity and this device is quite pleasant thanks to its ease of use.
The interesting thing about this collector's item is that it was conceived for the consumer market unlike the Korg MS20 and the like. It has only a few buttons, you push them and you hear the result. Each switch is labeled with a small curve indicating its function.
The device produces a good analog sound with characterful lows. In spite of its 33 years, it produces virtually no noise.