The EMS Synthi 100, introduced in 1971, was a massive modular synthesizer built in very limited numbers
The EMS Synthi 100, introduced in 1971, was a massive modular synthesizer built in very limited numbers—only around 30 units, mainly for universities and broadcasting studios. Its most distinctive feature is the matrix patchboard, which replaces long patch cables with small pins, allowing connections to be made by simply aligning coordinates. The system includes 12 VCOs (oscillators), 8 VCFs (filters), 8 VCAs, and two linear sequencers, making it possible to build extremely complex modulations and layered sound structures. This made it a key instrument at the BBC Radiophonic Workshop and among experimental composers. Technically, it uses voltage-controlled architecture, meaning pitch, volume, and filter parameters are all governed by control voltages—a pinnacle of analog synthesis design at the time. Today, original hardware units are virtually unobtainable, but parts of the Synthi 100 can be emulated in software. Plugins such as Arturia Synthi V or iVCS3 recreate the EMS-style patch matrix and filter behavior. However, full emulation is difficult, as the nonlinear quirks and organic drift of the original analog circuits remain unique to the hardware.
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