New ALM - 'SID GUTS' - SID Chip based module

[ALM]

ALM are pleased to announce ALM003 - the 'SID GUTS'. Here is the info (pretty much all ripped from the web page);



"The MOS Technology 6581/8580 ‘Sound Interface Device’ chip, aka the ‘SID’, was the sound generator chip used in the Commodore 64 home computer – the greatest selling home computer of all time. The SID, by the means of 3 wavetable oscillators, a real analogue multi mode filter, an ADSR and various cross modulation options, provided the soundtrack to a generations gaming and perhaps many peoples first exposure to real sound synthesis. The SID’s unique musical aesthetic has lasted well beyond the lifetime of the C64 re-imagined in standalone products such as the SID Station and with in the computer via sophisticated software emulation.

The SID GUTS now takes the legendary SID chip and tailors it into the eurorack modular environment. By use of a real SID chip the classic sound is taken in a new direction with the levels of direct and voltage control only a modular system can offer.

The SID GUTS provides a single ‘SID Voice’ to your modular. The charm and authenticity of the original sound is preserved with no attempt to ‘clean’ or reduce noise in the SID audio output."

The SID GUTS supports to following SID chip features via modular control;

-1volt per octave control of a ‘core’ SID oscillator 0-5v input (with tunable offset covering 8 octaves in total)
-Direct and voltage control of oscillator wave shape selection (Pulse, Triangle, Square, Saw).
-Filter switchable between 4 modes - 12dB/Octave HP , LP , BP & Notch (HP+LP).
-Direct and Voltage control (with offset) of Filter cutoff and Resonance.
-1 volt per octave control of second SID ‘modulation’ oscillator.
-Direct and voltage control of modulation oscillator ‘type’; ring modulation, sync or none.
-Direct and voltage control of pulse wave pulse width.
-External audio input.

The SID GUTS does not support the following SID features;

-Remaining 3rd oscillator (Inflexibility due to shared output and impact on module size+cost.)
-ADSR (its buggy and pretty rubbish really.)

Other features include;

-Support for ALL SID chips (6851/8580) & SwinSID chips.
-All settings non volatile.
-Audio output and input at modular levels.
-Designed and built in England.

Technical Specifications

Supply: +/-12V (Reverse voltage protection)
Current Draw: ~50 - 200ma (dependent on SID chip used)
Size: 12 HP
Depth: 30-40 mm (with heat sinks installed)

Please note vintage SIDs are a very old technology - they run pretty hot and pull a lot of current. You want a case with plenty of airflow and available power. I recommend the use of SwinSID's to avoid such issues!

Video

[video][/video]

Availability

There is an initial factory built run of just 50 modules available in next few weeks. THESE DO NOT INCLUDE A SID CHIP, SIDs must be user supplied !!! SIDs are easily inserted on the rear of the module. Expect retail pricing on these 50 to be around 300 GBP each.

This 'early bird' release will then be followed in the future by a Thonk DIY kit release with all related material open sourced. The module was intended as DIY - it is all through hole and built from readily available parts. Pricing on this will be decided nearer the time.

EDIT:

Draft manual: http://busycircuits.com/docs/ALM003-manual-draft.pdf

More stuff inc soundcloud demos: http://busycircuits.com/alm003

[kdjupdal]

Nice feature set.
Can you also stack the oscillators to make a two-oscillator voice?

[jbartee]

Awesome! Is the initial run of 50 going to be available via distributors or are you selling direct? If direct, how / when can we reserve or pre-order one?

[crookedtapes]

you made my day.

Can I preorder ?

[xonetacular]

Very cool looking and clean module. Sounds good too.

[ALM]

I dont plan on selling direct but if people want to pre-order then PM (or better email) me and lets see if we can figure something out. Thanks!

[DSC]

Tasty!

[waveglider]

Real nice implementation of the SID on this.
I might have to put my SidStation up for sale to buy one or two of these!

[Thonk Support]

its so awesome to have that PWM in a modular...

[Hainbach]

Ohhhh, I still have an old C64 at my parents. How would I get about removing the SID? Is it difficult?

[waveglider]

All you need is a philips screwdriver to open it up and remove the RF shield.
The chips are all socketed so easy to pry up and out of the motherboard.

[Hainbach]

And would a Doepfer P9 be cool with the module? My C64 is an older brown model.

[jbartee]

All you need is a philips screwdriver to open it up and remove the RF shield.
The chips are all socketed so easy to pry up and out of the motherboard.

For the actual chip removal, I'd also highly recommend an IC extraction tool. They only cost like $5.00, can usually be found at radio shack, and are a lot less error prone than wiggling a chip out with a flathead, especially on larger chips like the SID.

[mckenic]

Exciting times!!!
Kudos too for doing a DIY release although the factory run is too good looking to ignore!

[burnn_out!]

A little pricey considering the voice has to be sourced but I'll take the bait

[Nullsleep]

Been looking forward to getting my hands on one of these ever since I saw it demo'd at Control back in April. The time has come

[mckenic]

A little pricey considering the voice has to be sourced but I'll take the bait

I don't know really... no final fixed price yet but even so, there is nothing like this around AFAIK. The only other things I could think of that would be similar would be the SN Voice or the rare as hens teeth Pokey.Synth.

Just my opinion (and Im broke!) tho!

[desdinova]

Hoping ~300UKP ends up ~300USD, not 450+. Want two but getting at least one. Between this and Pam, ALM is eating up all my fun bucks.

[burnn_out!]

A little pricey considering the voice has to be sourced but I'll take the bait

I don't know really... no final fixed price yet but even so, there is nothing like this around AFAIK. The only other things I could think of that would be similar would be the SN Voice or the rare as hens teeth Pokey.Synth.

Just my opinion (and Im broke!) tho!

Mutable edges. I'm still going for it. Already bought the 6581 chip. Man I'm a sucker for lofi chiptune sounds( I own edges and a translatron)

[mckenic]

I kinda know what you mean - I want two also!!!

But if it were $300 (approx £191) everyone would buy em from the US....

[mckenic]

Yeah I need a Translatron & Edges soon too!
What a BRILLIANT time to be in to this stuff!!!

[anselmi]

errr...initially I was very excited to finally somebody make a SID module but after hear the results I think that although it sounds good it lacks a lot of the SID personality...I mean the most characteristic stuff...it sounds more or less like a more standard oscillator

I don´t saying it can´t sound like one expect a SID sound but maybe you have to add too much extra stuff to get the classic arpeggiation trills and stuff like that

the noise sounds authentic but one can get close even with the MFB dual LFO S&H out clocked at audio rate

maybe I´m missing the point on this, and the purpose of this module is not recreate the classic SID personality in euro but use its synth engine as a different texture...I dunno

[jonne74]

As soon as I heard the noise, it brought me back to pretty much every game I ever played on the 64. Lovely.

[Thonk Support]

errr...initially I was very excited to finally somebody make a SID module but after hear the results I think that although it sounds good it lacks a lot of the SID personality...I mean the most characteristic stuff...it sounds more or less like a more standard oscillator

I don´t saying it can´t sound like one expect a SID sound but maybe you have to add too much extra stuff to get the classic arpeggiation trills and stuff like that

Nah you really don't at all, I was really surprised how little you need to do to get there. You have to remember that the arpeggiation trills etc never were part of the chip, rather the character comes from the way the chip responded to that type of CV.. and this responds in the same way in how it chews through it. Remember that programming resources for actually sequencing the thing were always limited in the first place. So i found it really can't help but do its thing even if you're just throwing fast but smooth wild lfos at it, that crazy stepped arpeggiation that's so distinctive just flies out. I think its perhaps as much to do with limitations in the baud rate that the SID will happily accept being addressed... as the actual sound engine. The previous demos posted show that better than the new video.

[phono1337]

Can't wait