Introduction

This museum outlines synthesizer capabilities and architectual relationships via the galleries and manufacturing relationships via the Timeline. To further study architectual differences, we have published a matrix of notable components (e.g. ICs) of each synthesizer in our collection.

Please browse through our museum (navigate via the synthesizer manufacturer links to the right). It is organized by family, which is defined as models with a similar architecture (often compatible patches). To see when synthesizers of different eras were manufactured, refer to the Timeline (navigate via the era links to the left). We also have samples of many of the intruments in the museum.

At a minimum, we require manuals for all synthesizers in the museum, so if you have a manual (or better yet a synthesizer) you want to donate, please contact us.

Our sister store offers samples of some of the instruments found on this site.

We thank Synthony Museum and Vintage Synth Explorer for usage of their pics. Additionally, we thank Synthony Museum for providing most of the MSRP info and Vintage Synth Explorer for providing many of the release dates we were not able to confirm from manufacturer sources (e.g. manuals and websites).

What's New ...

Siel Gallery (May 14, 2012)

The Siel Gallery has been added (comparisons are updated accordingly).

Kawai Gallery Update (May 14, 2012)

The Kawai 100F and SX families have been updated.

Sequential Gallery Update (May 14, 2012)

The Fugue, Prelude and Velocity 6 have been added to the Sequential Circuits Gallery.

Arp Gallery

The Quartet has been added to the ARP Gallery (comparisons are updated accordingly).

Crumar Gallery (Apr 27, 2012)

The Crumar Gallery has been added (comparisons are updated accordingly).

Roland ICs (Apr 20, 2012)

Roland W-30 and S-760 ICs are added to the Component Matrix.

SOS links (Apr 13, 2012)

Links to SOS articles have been added to relevant families.

Peavey Gallery (Apr 2, 2012)

The Peavey Gallery has been added (comparisons are updated accordingly).

Korg Gallery (Apr 2, 2012)

Poly-800 specs were corrected.

Moog Gallery (Apr 2, 2012)

Some retrosynth.com links have been added to "Further Information" sections of Minimoog, Polymoog, and Prodigy sections.

Coming Soon ...

Ensoniq Gallery Update

We plan to add Ensoniq VFX and EPS families.

Arp Gallery

We plan to add the Omni to the Arp gallery.

NED Synclavier

We plan to write a Synclavier article.

FM Synthesizer Article

We plan to write an FM synth article (Yamaha DX, Korg DS-8/707, Elka EK-44).

Prophet VS Article

We plan to write a Prophet VS article.

Oberheim Gallery Update

We plan to add the Oberheim DPX-1.

Future Plans ...

Museum Expansion

As current projects complete and requests are received, we will be adding more manufacturers to the museum (e.g. Alesis, EML).

Five Year Plan (i.e. 2012-2017)

• Add additive synths article (Kawai K5/K5000, Synclavier, DSS-1, FZ-1, etc).
• Add Casio CZ and VZ article.
• Add concise "eBay ready" descriptions of each synth in the museum as we revisit them.
• Add Roland hybrid synth (Juno, JX, and Super Jupiter lines) article, once our sampling project concludes on the Super Jupiter, Super JX, and Alpha Juno.
• Expand Arp gallery (Pro-Soloist, Explorer, Little Brother, Solina String Ensemble, Avatar, Pro/DGX, Quartet).
• Expand Akai gallery (S700, X-7000, X-3700S). S2000 and derivitives will be added, during 10 year plan.
• Expand Korg gallery (Sigma, Lambda).
• Add string synths to Crumar gallery (Crumar/Univox Stringman, Multiman/Orchestrator, CPB-1/2, Performer, T1-3, Stratus, Trilogy, Composer).
• Expand Roland gallery (RS202, Promars).
• Expand Sequential Circuits gallery (Prophet 3000).
• Update EMU gallery (Ultra Proteus, Carnaval, Orbit, Planet Phatt). Proteus 2000 and derivitives will be added, during 10 year plan.
• Add Ensoniq Fizmo, Halo, ZR, during 10 year plan.
• Add EML, Kurzweil, Rhodes Galleries.
• Add European synth Galleries (e.g. EMS, EDP/OSC, PPG, RSF).
• Add high end and obscure synths/samplers (e.g. Fairlight, Con Brio).
• Add Access, Alesis, Novation, Waldorf Galleries.
• Add related sound modules as they are acquired and hardware is compared (e.g. Roland SC, MT-32, Yamaha MU).
• Update Korg, Roland, Yamaha galleries as necessary (i.e. maintaining 20 year historical lag).
• Find a physical location to house the museum (currently looking in the Knoxville and Orlando areas).

FAQ

Q: Can I buy your synth XYZ?

A: Being a museum, our collection is not for sale.

Q: How can I help?

A: Donate old synths, manuals, industry rags (e.g. Keyboard, Electronic Musician, Sound on Sound), manufacturer literature.

Q: Can you fix my synth?

A: While the museum does not repair synths, our sister store SynthArk.com does.

Q: Where do you get the information posted?

A: Unless posted otherwise (see "References" section at the bottom of each page), all data is extracted from the manufacturer manual and/or the sythesizer itself (we have at least one synth from most families posted).

Q: Why doesn't the museum have more recent instruments?

A: We plan to stay about 20 years behind current releases in the spirit of a "museum".

Q: Why doesn't the museum contain EMS, Siel, etc.

A: While we plan to add them eventually, we base most of our research on synthesizers from our collection and manuals, which are hard to find for these intruments.

Q: Why is the museum missing modular synthesizers (e.g. Moog 55, Roland System-100)?

A: A primary focus of the museum is to compare synthesizer features, which isn't useful with a modular, since they are so customizable.

Q: Why doesn't the museum include pianos (e.g. Roland MKS-10, RD-1000), string ensembles, organs, controllers, drum machines, etc?

A: The museum is focused on programable synthesizers. Although, it does cover other variants, when lineage to a synthesizer family is established or projects permit.

Q: Why doesn't the museum include Russian synths (e.g. Aelita, Formanta, Polivoks)

A: Due to relative inaccessibility of the synths and manuals, we do not plan on including them, but information can be found at the Museum of Soviet Synthesizers.

Q: How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?

A: That depends on many variables, including type of wood, season, health of woodchuck and availability of ice cream.