Elektron ESI AB announces the SidStation MIDI Synthesizer

(Click for a close-up)

January 28, 1999 -- The SidStation is a MIDI-controlled synthesizer with realtime controllers. The heart of this synthesizer is the sound generating chip from the classic home computer Commodore C64. This soundchip, named SID (Sound Interface Device) was developed in the early eighties at MOS technology.

At the time the SID-chip was released to the public, it took the computer industry by storm. There was nothing like it. It wouldn't be either, as the development of synthesizers changed direction toward the digital sampling and FM technology. This leaves the SID-chip as a unique item still today.

The rediscovery of the SID-sound will be a pleasant surprise for many pioneering sound explorers that are looking for something more exiting than the current crop of analogue imitating 'virtual' synthesizers.

Why use the SID-chip?

One might draw parallels between the sound of the SID with the beeping noise that was generated by the early C64-games. It is very possible to make SidStation sound like a blipping game of Bubble Bobble. Some will appreciate that, but that is certainly not all the SidStation is capable of. Listening to a few examples will probably be needed before believing that the SidStation can sound like a roaring distorted groundshaking monster as well as an 80's computer game.

The secret of the SID-sound is the way it is programmed. And with the new environment in the SidStation it's now possible to create sounds never heard before. Compare the new use of the SID with the difference between the intended use of the TB-303 as a cheap replacement for a bass guitarist and the acid squelches it generates today.

The SidStation can match specifications for popular modern analogue kit, such as Novation Basstation and Waldorf Pulse, but adds many more possibilities for sound creation.

Specifications

Hardware:

Highest quality in all components
Drummachine style sturdy aluminium casing
Alfanumeric 2x16 LCD display with backlighting
Four realtime controllers
Rotary wheel for easy dataentry
Numeric keyboard
MIDI In/Out/Thru
Audio In/Out (Audio In routed through filter)
100 User patches
Dimensions: 240W x 70H x 200D [mm]

Synthesis:

Powerful and friendly SidStation OS operating system
Three oscillators (For three note polyphony or one monophonic sound)
Basic waveforms: Triangle, Sawtooth, Pulse, Mixed, Noise
All oscillators syncable through Ringmodulation and Hardsync
Pulsewidth modulation
Portamento (individual for all three oscillators)
Special C64-style arpeggiator (individual for all three oscillators)
Four individual routable LFO's
Resonant analogue filter with envelope (Lowpass, Bandpass, Highpass or any combination)
C64 SID song player support

Availability

The SidStation is now available for ordering from all over the world through the SidStation webpage (www.sidstation.com). Price for end customer is 4000 SEK. VAT (25%) has to be added for private customers inside the European Community.

Website

For more information, sound examples and ordering information please visit theSidStation website at www.sidstation.com

SidStation is a trademark of Elektron ESI AB. All other brand or product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.