nice job Mr.Varaldo

nice clip rogi

Thanks David, well in that case I'll try and get my hands on one. I have been offered an MFX2 that has been upgraded to MFX3 and could still have the CMI component or it may be possible to get that functionality back - I'm in Sydney so things are possible here with Peter W on the case.

I really wanted to get my hands on a CMI iix system but the prices have climbed to a point that I wonder how useable they are with such limited sampling time. I also have an Emulator II, Roland S760 and Akai MPC60 so wondering how a IIx would fit in. What do you think?

(sorry to derail the PPG thread... BTW I'm searching for an Eltec Eurocom II board for my dead Waveterm if any PPG heads out there know the whereabouts of such a part)

Hard to say if a IIx will be useful or not in your situation. I love them but its certainly not something I couldn't live without for working but it was a dream of mine to own one. Page R is unique in its feel and way of working, but limited (at least on the IIx) however it is just about the coolest object and for anyone into sampling it is unique. I have no idea of the prices there days. Like most rarer synths I wouldn't pay anything like the price asked for most as almost everything is overpriced IMHO. My IIx cost me (years ago)£2600 and my series I cost me....er...£250 and is one serial number before Jarre's which is neat if you are sad like me ( his cmi is a series I upgraded to IIx but with series I voice cards which have discrete filters as opposed to chips).
I would say the series III is still relevant as a high quality sampler and sequencer, but again, how much do you need that. I intend to make mine central to my setup when it is back from servicing and sound wise, I feel it is worth it.

Not that it actually matters at this point but this was a scam listing. I live in this city and inquired but was met with the usual wire scam response. Would love a PPG but that they're way too expensive now. Will just have to be happy with my Microwave I and II and some other digital/analog hybrids I own.

a bit PPG

fantastic Marco, one of my favorite wave2.2 demos/tracks..

smooth

thank you!

Is it your clip?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdQH9ULWD5k

heh … spot the PPG

And the Simmons SDX!!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQPPpjkXwkI

Some of the guitar toward the beginning of this Rush song is a Waveterm multisample. The choir is also Waveterm.

It's weird how much Numan loved the Waveterm: he used some of its factory library all the way until Jagged in 2006!

I've had Mr. Richards himself confirm that the famous signature sound that is at the beginning of Slave to the Rhythm and in a lot of places on the Welcome to the Pleasuredome album was in fact a PPG.

There is a lot of Synclavier FM/additive on the Slave to the Rhythm album. I've had the chance to program one and have been able to closely reproduce some of the patches used.

I've had a bit of GAS again lately for a PPG Wave. I saw someone post earlier in this thread that the Waveterm is not really worth the trouble. Is that the general concensus that the Wave by itself using whatever tables and presets it comes with is glorious enough on its own? Is this one of those synths that most artists tended to modify from presets? Of course I would probably still hunt for a Waveterm just in case one ever came up. One of my favorite users was Geddy Lee on Grace Under Pressure, and I know in his '84 Keyboard interview he mentions making custom sounds using samples from the Waveterm.

PS - Thanks to a lot of the guys who are in this thread for making demo videos and songs on YouTube. There is a great amount of material to listen to out there and fuel the GAS

Hello All,
I have recently acquired a Wave 2.3 (w v 8.3 OS installed) and Waveterm B. The Wave 2.3 functions beautifully, but I am having trouble achieving successful communication between the 2.3 and the Waveterm B. I have replaced both PIA chips and make sure to power them up simultaneously. I have tried numerous boot disks and most of the time, I’m getting a PIA hardware error. I have tried everything I can think of to get the two to successfully communicate. Does anyone have any ideas or any leads on a PPG tech in the states?
Thank you!
--Todd

My first call for help with any rare valuable vintage synth would be Jeff B at the analog lab: The Analog Lab

I don’t know if he does vintage digital but should be able to steer you in the right direction.

Thanks for that info - I just sent him a message!

I'm sure this has been discussed somewhere already, but I can't seem to find a lot of details. Can the Waveterm floppy drives be successfully replaced with those SD card floppy emulators (like people use to replace Emulator II drives for example)? Has anyone here done it successfully? If so, what all is involved in pulling that off?

Seems like a worthwhile investment since the old disk drives and disks are going to expire some day.

Waveterm uses a different drive control and format than Intel, so its incompatible - you can't just drop in the HxC like you can in other (later) samplers.


however, after long wait, Stefan Huebner, the well known ppg/prophet tech from Hambourg, finally managed to crack this issue. he will soon offer a small PCB that will go along the HxC, to allow our Waveterms to recognize it. me, Roginator, and another local friend of ours who just bought the 2.3 and WTB, have already pre-ordered three pieces

cheers

Ok, I haven’t used the HxC yet but thought they were flexible enough to customize to multiple drive controllers. I’ve seen posts on various forums where people say they’re using them in their Waveterms, but there are never any specifics.

Hurrah! Will that work with 5.25” drives only or also 8” drives? How does one get into this elite club to get more details (and possibly pre-order one)?

Also - has someone already done the work of creating the HxC disk image files for the system disk and complete sound library?

Don't think anyone has done that, because there aren't any out in the wild yet, but Stefan said soon. i'll probably transfer the library once i get it all working. i have the HxC on my EII, and its working great. not much faster in read/write, but still much easier to browse samples and of course infinitely more reliable than those dying floppies.

i have to call him after new years anyway, bcs he's fixing my prophet5 rev2, and if there are any news i'll post here definitely.
otherwise, i'd join the facebook PPG users group, if you haven't already. all related news are posted there.


not sure about Waveterm A (i.e. the 8" floppies). so far i know its for Waveterm B. i can ask.


cheers

Just checking in since it's been awhile - did you have any updates on this? As much as I like the nostalgia of using floppy disks, it would be nice to have a reliable backup plan ready for the day when they kick the bucket.

I'd like to bump this too.

Just got a Wave 2.3/WT A (5.25" floppies) to go along with my 2.2.

If nothing else I want to figure out how to do the 3.5" floppy mod. Got tons of those disks lying around.

This is a nice thread.

Always knew about PPG but took the time during confinement to deep dive with 3.V for good.

I never realized that most of the sounds I liked in the 80's weren't all analog but mostly digital.

Stabs, basses, leads, pads and even more subtle sounds are almost entirely recognisable in distant memory (and in the clips in this thread).

I thought I was doing good with Wavestation and FM8 but this one takes the cake, really.

Alas we only have 3.V today and Wavesim. It's a shame that this lo-fi trend just stopped.

Brainworx swallowed Wolfgang Palm and we don't know what will happen.

BBG may be a possibility but when?

Arturia's CEM, Synclavier and new Emulator II V is a valid alternative but a real Waveterm /PPG combo is what I would like.