PPG Modular

Anything about the Scope modular synths

Moderators: valis, garyb

Post Reply
User avatar
t_tangent
Posts: 970
Joined: Sun Dec 28, 2003 4:00 pm
Location: UK

PPG Modular

Post by t_tangent »

Sort of off topic but thought those modular fans here might like to know about this before it sells on Vemia auctions this afternoon. Sadly a bit over my price range :(

http://www.spheremusic.com/Bargaindtl.asp?Item=16376
and
http://www.spheremusic.com/Bargaindtl.asp?Item=16377

If only I had the spare cash and some space to put them
dawman
Posts: 14368
Joined: Sun Jul 24, 2005 4:00 pm
Location: PROJECT WINDOW

Re: PPG Modular

Post by dawman »

Shoot I thought someone made a 96k Waldorf Oscillator...

22 large for one wing?
Damn.
Are you sure an American politician isnt selling this?

Wish I had millions, I would buy them both.
User avatar
Bud Weiser
Posts: 2684
Joined: Tue Sep 14, 2010 5:29 am
Location: nowhere land

Re: PPG Modular

Post by Bud Weiser »

dawman wrote: 22 large for one wing?
Damn.
...
Wish I had millions, I would buy them both.
You´d need that much alone to keep ´em running.
I remember Wolfgang, when building the old analogues before he owned a factory with employees, he hand-wired ´em all himself on demand.
At that time, my sax player had one of his modulars and triggered it w/ his Lyricon.
But that model already had some rudimentary preset management module which was kind of revolution for a modular synth.

Now after decades, you might have to resolder every single joint inside the wings and replace rare parts.
I´ve seen one needing restauration in my service tech´s basement about 2 years ago,- back of cabinet open ...
Well,- it looked horrible inside and not what you might expect when facing the module´s front panels.

Last time I met Wolfgang, he complained about running a hardware company and advised me selling all my hardware.
He´s favourizing software since a long time and likes his Waldorf creations (PPG Wave3V etc.) and latest iPad apps much more than any hardware he designed and built.

times changed ...

:lol:

Bud
S|C Scope/XITE-1 & S|C A16U, Scope PCI & CW A16U
User avatar
t_tangent
Posts: 970
Joined: Sun Dec 28, 2003 4:00 pm
Location: UK

Re: PPG Modular

Post by t_tangent »

Yes indeed it probably would cost a lot just for the upkeep. But I guess these rare synths are kind of like vintage cars, if looked after they just go up in value. But for me, Scope modular is more than capable of fulfilling my every need, and I have even now barely scraped the surface of what it can do.

Bud Weiser, interesting to hear that you have met Wolfgang Palm, and his comments do make a lot of sense from a practical point of view, but after having acquired 1 or 2 hardware synths over the years, (in part due to some of Dawman's suggestions on the forum from several years back) it certainly is nice to have the option to use those along side Scope's synths, as well as a few select vsti's on the DAW. And yes some of those iOS devices are excellent, such as iVCS3, TC-11, etc. I would like to try Moog's Model 15 but it wont run on my old iPad 3. Oh well, maybe another time. :)
User avatar
Bud Weiser
Posts: 2684
Joined: Tue Sep 14, 2010 5:29 am
Location: nowhere land

Re: PPG Modular

Post by Bud Weiser »

t_tangent wrote: Bud Weiser, interesting to hear that you have met Wolfgang Palm,
Well, we know us from the past when I was a student and he himself started designing and building synths.
When I had pro work, I bought a PPG 1002 and then the follow up 1020 analog synths from his "Keyboardfachgeschäft" which was the keyboard shop he ran to make money.
I also bought my 1st Minimoog D from his shop and all that was somewhere late 70s and early 80s.
Wolfgang was a musician too.
When Wolfgang had his larger factory manufacturing the "PPG Sonic Carrier", the PPG WAVE series of wavetable synths and the Waveterm and processor keyboard etc., I was already a touring artist and lost contact for a long time.

Then and out of the blue, we met again at a "Colosseum" concert recognizing we lived in neighborhood.
But suddenly he moved.
But in 2012, we met in my old home-studio.
In 2015 and before I moved, we met again and he asked me doing some demos for his new "PPG Phonem", but I was already busy careing for old parents and getting out of my house which was time consuming.
Unfortunately there wasn´t enough time learning and understanding that synth´s quickly improving beta versions and doing some recordings.
t_tangent wrote: ... and his comments do make a lot of sense from a practical point of view, but after having acquired 1 or 2 hardware synths over the years, (in part due to some of Dawman's suggestions on the forum from several years back) it certainly is nice to have the option to use those along side Scope's synths, as well as a few select vsti's on the DAW.
Well, I still have most of my old hardware and when I leaved my former house, it was all in working condition.
I too like using all together,- hardware, DSP stuff and native software.
But now it´s in stock since 8 month and I expect issues when setting all up again, at least empty batteries and lost memory content.
I don´t have sysex backups for every piece of hardware, there was not enough time to do it.
I also know devices might blow when powering up for the 1st time after a longer time of no use.
Servicing old gear is time consuming and expensive, modding too ...
It´s a matter of age, but there comes the day lifetime becomes more important than ever before and lots of (old) gear might appear more as a burden than fun.

t_tangent wrote: And yes some of those iOS devices are excellent, such as iVCS3, TC-11, etc. I would like to try Moog's Model 15 but it wont run on my old iPad 3. Oh well, maybe another time. :)
I don´t even own an iPad or smartphone ... :lol:
Just only a little cellphone to be available when I´m out of the house.
But WHEN I had a iPad, MOOG Animoog and Wolfgang´s PPG apps would be my 1st choice.

My DAWs are socket 775 and Win XP and I´ll be probably the last human being upgrading to Win7 when Win 11 comes out.
Yep, I have a licence but didn´t install up to now. :D

I keep my old machines for my SCOPE card,- I think it was called Power Pulsar (15DSPs) or SCOPE Pro,- can´t remember, ... and for XITE-1.

I still hope for SCOPE 6 !

Well, I´m an old fart and I can dream ...

:)

Bud
S|C Scope/XITE-1 & S|C A16U, Scope PCI & CW A16U
User avatar
garyb
Moderator
Posts: 23248
Joined: Sun Apr 15, 2001 4:00 pm
Location: ghetto by the sea

Re: PPG Modular

Post by garyb »

no Scope 6. that just didn't work out.
working on Scope 7....
User avatar
Sounddesigner
Posts: 1063
Joined: Sat Jun 02, 2007 11:06 pm

Re: PPG Modular

Post by Sounddesigner »

garyb wrote:no Scope 6. that just didn't work out.
working on Scope 7....
Will SCOPE 7 have many of the things planned for SCOPE 6? Any idea of some of the things in SCOPE 7?
User avatar
garyb
Moderator
Posts: 23248
Joined: Sun Apr 15, 2001 4:00 pm
Location: ghetto by the sea

Re: PPG Modular

Post by garyb »

well, there's really nothing that i can tell about 7. i just don't know anything, other than Scope 6 is a nogo and there is work being done on a new version. i don't think that Holger intends to say anything or make any promises until he has something complete. there's nothing to get worked up about.
yet...

soon1.jpg
soon1.jpg (6.28 KiB) Viewed 5777 times
User avatar
Bud Weiser
Posts: 2684
Joined: Tue Sep 14, 2010 5:29 am
Location: nowhere land

Re: PPG Modular

Post by Bud Weiser »

garyb wrote: working on Scope 7....
that´s cool !

8)

Bud
S|C Scope/XITE-1 & S|C A16U, Scope PCI & CW A16U
User avatar
Sounddesigner
Posts: 1063
Joined: Sat Jun 02, 2007 11:06 pm

Re: PPG Modular

Post by Sounddesigner »

garyb wrote:well, there's really nothing that i can tell about 7. i just don't know anything, other than Scope 6 is a nogo and there is work being done on a new version. i don't think that Holger intends to say anything or make any promises until he has something complete. there's nothing to get worked up about.
yet...

soon1.jpg
Still good news! Glad to see Holger still at it.
User avatar
t_tangent
Posts: 970
Joined: Sun Dec 28, 2003 4:00 pm
Location: UK

Re: PPG Modular

Post by t_tangent »

Bud Wieser, I enjoyed your story, and yes it can be a small world sometimes. Sorry to hear that your synths are all in storage, but hope they are ok when you get them back out and running again. But yes I know what you mean about things taking over and changes in priorities. I never seem to find time any more for anything. Oh well can't complain really. :)

Gary, sad to hear scope 6 will no longer happen, but yes as Sounddesigner says it's good to know they are working on 7, and hopefully we will all still be alive by the time that is finalised :roll:, but thanks for letting us know and let's wish them every success with that. But in the interim it would be nice if they could get some of the known bugs fixed in XITE too.
User avatar
garyb
Moderator
Posts: 23248
Joined: Sun Apr 15, 2001 4:00 pm
Location: ghetto by the sea

Re: PPG Modular

Post by garyb »

the XITE has no bugs.

the software has a few, as software always does. of course, a new version of Scope would at least be an attempt to fix bugs. otherwise, why bother with new software?
Post Reply