All-in-one Synthesis for the Rack or the Road
Buchla’s 208c Complete Voice with Sequencer Module packs a punch with a variety of flagship features found under a single banner. This monophonic analog synth was designed to either accompany the 200e system or function entirely on its own. Out of the box, the 208c is built to operate as a dual-oscillator system with voltages trimmed to 1.2V/octave: a primary “complex oscillator” is targeted by a secondary “modulation oscillator,” both of which can be wave shaped, inverted, fine-tuned, and more. Voltages can be generated randomly, sequentially, or through a keyboard, with pulse sequences receiving their own toggle. Color-coded banana jack outputs enable a broad swath of voltage-controlled modulation, regardless of your control configuration, including the use of FM signals to target the mod oscillator. The dual lo-pass gate serves as a combination lowpass filter and VCA, which allows each channel to be adjusted independently. A spring reverb (with digital stereo) can be found near the dedicated headphone jack, monitor level, and master volume adjustment knobs. Sweetwater’s synthesizer specialists agree that Buchla’s 208c is the best of both worlds: an all-in-one synth that runs the gauntlet of Buchla’s hallmark sound design without the dizzying vortex of the modular world that simply must be heard to fully appreciate.
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Buchla: the crossroads of sonic excellence and game-changing technology
The name Buchla is synonymous with some of the most compelling, convention-breaking technology to emerge in the musical spheres of the mid-20th-century’s electronic awakening. A pioneer of electronic music and instrument design, Don Buchla founded his namesake company in the 1960s, following the success of a modular electronic music system that was commissioned by composers on a Rockefeller Foundation grant. For the next 50 years, Don lived on the bleeding edge of electronic music synthesis. He incorporated uncommon coding languages, touch- and pressure-sensitive surfaces, and spatial location modulation, eventually innovating for the likes of Oberheim, CBS, Zeta Music, E-Mu Systems, and Moog. Meanwhile, he also dedicated himself to make good on MIDI’s promise of the 1980s to be more than just a piano keyboard controller. By the 2000s, Don introduced his magnum opus with the 200e, a love letter to a half century of unparalleled innovation in modular and analog synthesis. Today, Buchla U.S.A. works diligently to uphold Don’s rich legacy and provide his classic designs alongside new iterations of products that are “designed to introduce the unique world of Buchla synthesis to a whole new generation of electronic music makers.”
Buchla 208c Complete Voice with Sequencer Module Features:
- Unique approach to dual-oscillator process delivers an abundant depth of sonic texture
- Color-coded banana jacks make signal make for streamlined patching potential
- Self-sufficient design enables endless sound design opportunities without the need for a larger modular setup
- Dual lo-pass gate supplies white noise when no secondary signal is detected
- 5-step sequencer can be toggled by individual pulse, allowing for more fine-tuned control of rhythmic staging
- Keyboard inputs provided for direct integration into larger system
- FM can be patched to control the modulation oscillator for added supplementary control possibilities
- Authentic spring reverb creates spacious soundscapes
- Standard IDC-header program card implemented for easier signal distribution and quick, direct program card replacement
- MIDI compatibility can be added with the addition of the 208c MIDI Expansion chip (not included)
