Elka Synthex Demo Track

[ROBOGLIDE6000]

This is the most beautiful synth I have ever heard. I used to think the P5 was the best but this one takes the gold!!

[faun2500]

Absolutely amazing sounds! I would love this for my trance tunes. lol.. :)

[900GTi]

The drums ruin the great sound of the Synthex

[fabienlogof]

genial un ocean .......

[hfugmann]

Awesome - I very much would like to own a Syntex :-)

[Laura041974]

@hfugmann I watched one on ebay last week. It was in Berlin but they said they could send it anywhere, there were bids from everywhere, 11 people in total. One bid went up by a £2,000 jump, finally ending at £5,725...! It had midi, maybe this puts the price up more than the ones which don't have it. (if I blew all that money, I couldn't have anything else to plug into the midi!)

[cprostudio]

@Laura041974 thats actually quite cheap at the moment for a synthex, i got offered alot more for mine, the rough price of a non midi is around 6900 euro now. Its really annoying as i know i could get a shit load of cash for mine but i would be losing a huge amount of satisfaction from it. When you think about how much we pay in a lifetime for satisfaction, especially musical or artistic, the synthex is really a bargain. It is the best for sheer disbelief, and makes you feel overwhelmed

[cprostudio]

@cprostudio i have a prophet 5 and jupiter 8, the prophet 5 is great for dark deep punchy acoustic sound, it sounds like an acoustic instrument, its great. The jupiter 8 is the smoothest, creamiest and meditative synth ive ever heard, its totally timeless. Its got the most heavenly sound even that you could listen to forever.

[cprostudio]

@cprostudio The synthex is just something else that you cant even begin to describe, it is the sublime at its finest, it even makes you believe that unicorns, trolls and monsters exist when you hear it. Its the synth that gets your imagination and adrenaline pumping overtime. Thats why they cost so much, their one of the rarest synths and nobody wants to sell them, so price is based on what people will let them go for. Sometimes pro musicians/collectors ask sellers just to name their price

[Tijuana77MuziK]

Beautiful Synt !!!!

Beautiful Track !!!!!!!

[Cinematicals]

Isn't it strange that today's synth manufacturers can't manage to copy the same organic feel like this one has?

Thanks for the great demo, JMPSynth!

[cprostudio]

@Cinematicals thats because the synthex was made by one mans dream, his soul is the synthex. Mostly all other synths are created by committees. They dont care about how it sounds to them, they care about how many people will buy it. Just like fast food chains. In the past, all analog was about sound and feeling, now its about options and greed. Ken Macbeth is one of the only people that puts his soul into his gear, listen to his new products. His soul is in his gear!!

[Laura041974]

When i was young, I first heard these sounds in Ultravox and on the 1984 Dr Who Planet of Fire soundtrack. In 1992 I bought the DW CD "The Five Doctors" but was none the wiser. Now I know I was hearing the Elka Synthex! I only found out because of YT. I decided this one was the tops so I tried to buy one from an ad but realised I couldn't trust it due to dodgy payment methods asked, aggression and no info or proof they had one. I've now got a lovely Kawai SX240 but I still long for a Synthex!

[EarlyMist]

Nice. And is the pad on top a synthex patch too? I know it can't compare really...but I'm seriously considering Xils lab Synthix because there's no way I can afford the real thing. cheers.

[JMPSynth]

Hi, all the sounds on this track came from the Elka Synthex hardware synth. Don't know how the software synth compares...

[EarlyMist]

Awesome track. That pad at 1:24...is that just one synthex patch?

[JMPSynth]

The background band pass filter pad is a single patch from the Synthex (a preset actually as used by JMJ on Rendezvous) but there is another pad played separately on top in the track.

[MichaelKhanTV]

niceeee

[wedeyedwobot]

sounds incredible!

[equinoxe67yahoo]

fantastic demo track!!!! great instrument!!! for me the best........

[Reddigitalmusic]

Giorgio Moroder reminiscent, Very nice, and very nice synth

[syzygywell]

Wow you have a lot of nice 'toys'  thanks for the jp6 demo.. its the best one I could find.. I'm quickly finding myself priced out of this market but managed to get a jup6 w europa for 1200 recently. Love the synthex though, would take it over just about anything including the jupiter 8.

[JMPSynth]

Nice price for a Jupiter 6 ! Far better value for money than the Jup 8 considering the prices they're currently going for. Cheers.

[Riezz73]

i love the track....

[cprostudio]

i think the synthex is a beautiful sounding monster synth. You know what though, it really sounds like my andromeda

[cynepMeH69]

@cprostudio Tell me you're kidding? I don't think I can get Andromeda to sound so lush, even if I spent a month programming a single patch. Its filters are very raw and harsh. The CS-80 sounds, sure. The bass - maybe. Pads? Possibly. All together? It will still never sound so "airy", "full", "warm".

[cprostudio]

@cynepMeH69 well i am now the very happy owner of a synthex, and yes i can conclude that it sounds nothing like the andy, this youtube vid really does not do the sound justice, it loses that huge sense of dimension. My andy is going up for sale, the synthex is the greatest synth i have ever heard! If i was a millionaire and money was no object i would pay whatever it took to get another

[BillieJean900]

ah very nice bass sounding

[renegadesoundwaves]

I'd much rather a Synthex than Jupiter 8 too. Shame they are so rare. Nice demo.

[Nidgeynoo]

I have a DX7 and can do knob shit diddly with it. The Synthex IS THE BEST SYNTH EVER!!!! Mario Maggi is a God. The sound from a Synthex is awesome. I would gladly swap my Arp 2500 notice i didnt say 2600 for a Synthex. I will chuck in my Eminent 3100 unique aswell!

[CoolColJ24]

sounds pretty good for a DCO synth :O

[JMPSynth]

Don't even start with that crap..... it blows my P5 and the Jup 8 I used to have out of the water.

[CoolColJ24]

@JMPSynth

How much do they go for these days?

Never seen one for sale

Reliable?

[JMPSynth]

Difficult to say because as you say, they hardly come up. Think last one I saw was advertised for £4,000 but don't know if it sold for that.

[cynepMeH69]

@JMPSynth: they go for Arm, Leg, and possibly a testicle or two. I was looking for one for about 4 years, missed out on a few when they were being sold but I didn't have the money. Finally managed to buy one for $4000 + $1200 shipping + $1000 in repairs/tune-up. EXPENSIVE is understatement. If you find one, get it. I'm never selling mine. It was the first one ever made - prototype. :D

[ChemicalComedown]

One of my favorite synths, just wish I owned one !!! : )

Great tune by the way . . .

[Franzko787]

I was reading one web site and they said the DX 7 came out and killed this synth and the other big analogs in the market at the time. It almost brings you to tears comparing the sound of a Synthex to a DX7 and thinking people wanted a DX7. Today on eBay you cannot give away DX7s. What a fanatastic sounding Synthex synth and what a great track. It blows away the mighty Jupiter 8.

[JMPSynth]

Your quite right, I remember selling synths in the 80's just to afford a 'DX' synth. It produced piano (particularly EP's) and organ sounds amongst others that analogue synths of the time couldn't do so well... Can't quite believe it now, it started a spate of menu driven programmed and membrane switch synths too. I should have hoarded up Jupiter 8's etc. at that time as they were dirt cheap for a good while... Whilst still a good synth, I sold my Jupiter 8 when I got the Synthex.

[Franzko787]

@JMPSynth

Let me compliment you out your playing too. Great synth but also the excellent playing and composition. I really love the quiet section at 0:56 to 1:20. Fantastic pads/string sounds.  The Synthex puts the JP8 and modern big Access Virus synths to shame.

[happyemoish]

@JMPSynth In 1987 I picked up a Minimmog for $200 (which I still have to this day). I was actually going to buy a Yamaha CS-80 from the guy for that $200 but he sold it just before I got there, then said, "you know, I don't really need this Minimoog anymore..." Those were the good old days.

[wavebox2011]

good to see other Synthexes alive and rocking! :-)

[messager3000]

Man , I've never heard such deep and warm bass ... and it's a YT video, so the sound is even better without compression !! Could you publish a link to a flac flie please ?

[JMPSynth]

Hi, go to Soundclick and search for JMP70. The track is listed under 'Synthex Sound' . Think this is still an MP3 though.

[Neuronaluniverse]

Wowwwww!!! I love this synth!!!! I would like to play it with my neuron !!! Welcome to neuronaluniverse

[synthdood]

dood! This song is excellent!! Amazing sounds from this synth. Love those brass sounds, so huge. The arpegiated baseline is buttery warm, and smooth. nice one...

[JMPSynth]

Hey thanks for all your comments.

[Laura041974]

This would be good music for BBC sports coverage, 2012 Olympics maybe?

[DJGahann]

Nice rich sounds, worth a shitload these days :)

[gododinou]

Excellente démo! Inspirée et inspirante. Mille mercis ;)

[studiodreadful]

Excellent je suis fan, merci !!!!!

[MrGeorgios2020]

What an incredible tune. I cannot stop playing it. Wow!!!

[JarreYuri]

I just love this demo song You've done.

I think I have listened to it about 40 times, not taking into account all the times I have replayed it in my head. hahaha

I am so in love with that slow attack brass that comes in toward the bridge and into the verse. So full of power and comes from full stereo to almost mono.

Just powerful!

I managed to reprogram that bandpass filter sweep famous sound from this synth on an Oberheim OB 12 (Viscount). I got pretty close! hehe

Cheers to You!

[JMPSynth]

40 times eh? Blimey :) If you go to my soundclick site (jmp70) you can download a better quality version. The bandpass sweep is a pretty impressive preset on the Synthex, made famous by JMJ of course. ;)

[MrGeorgios2020]

@JMPSynth You can hear that brass sound on "Rendezvous" by Jean Michel Jarre. I just love that sound. It is so powerful. I think that the Elka Synthex has the best patches ever.

[hiasficango]

@JarreYuri The Elka Synthex and numerous Oberheim synthesizers used the CEM3320 filter chip, so it's not surprising that the same filter would be emulated in the OB12.

[JarreYuri]

@hiasficango

Agreed!....

Now that You mention that CEM3320 chip.... I have 3 of them here on my desk waiting for a synth project. hehe ;)

[theHackerOfMayhem]

5*****

[Tjoppy]

wow what a great and cool synth! the real stuff!

[HELLSPAWN1973]

Yeah...John Carpenter like :)

[countzorg]

WOw!!!!

Nice sounds.

I do like that typical Synthex sound from 1m28 onwards.

You wouldn't be selling it? Nah!

I sold my Trident MkII and still cry.

Great track. You captured the feeling of an age with it.

Put your stuff via CDBaby or some such outlet.

[JMPSynth]

Ta very much. Sorry, no chance of selling ;)

Yes, you should have kept hold of your Trident ! Some stuff on Soundclick only at the moment - JMP70.

[Passie808]

This is so awesome.

That Pad/string-sound ...

Do you have an album?

Or music on iTunes?

[JMPSynth]

Thankyou :) Free stuff on soundclick under the name of jmp70 (can't post links here). Got a CD too but no portal to sell it through currently.

[diemidimonsterdie]

Very nice track!

[myrmur]

Great!!!

What kind of effects did you use?

[JMPSynth]

Cheers ! From memory, just reverb from the mixer. The sounds are otherwise as they sound from the synth.

[JMPSynth]

Oh, yeah there's delay on the bass line... :)

[JMPSynth]

Reverb and some delay on the bass line only.

[manuleroy1]

that's just fantastic !!

[NewShimmer]

In the early 00's, you probably could have bought a mint condition Synthex for $300-400.00. Now it might be ten times that. Old, I mean " Some of the classic hardware machines only sold in the 100s of units.. classic", synths have run up in price over the past 2-3 years. I think it's because a new generation of enthusiasts are discovering the universe of synth sounds through soft-synths. The lack of tactile feedback makes them crave the old hardware models.

[scopeophile]

@NewShimmer yep hear that one - before the acid house craze ransacked every analogue synth ever... had the chance of getting a MOOG prodigy for £50.... sadly I couldn't stretch to it at the time... so wish I could've shifted some money from one of my mates... but they were skint too :(

[Laura041974]

@NewShimmer When I was young I wanted these sounds. I couldn't make them on Grandad's Electric organ or my cousin's casio Pt 80. The VL1 I had for Christmas put me off. No synths at my school. When they were cheap I didn't know about them. I only found out on the net last year. Surely a new computer, keyboard and software costs as much as a real synth anyway.

[devmiles]

pure synth power, ultimate phatness

[BluDevil93]

Love it! So vintage sounding yet modern :)

[perspeeks]

Very nice sounds.

[ClandestineMonarchy]

Nice work!

[MarcS4R]

i have never heard a better sounding synth demo....now where can i rob a bank to buy a synthex,, :)

[thekilon]

By far the best sounding synth I have ever heard nad this song is great too, 10/10 , a true masterpiece!

[Tonewheeldude]

Italian Prophet 5!

[steylor]

OMG I love this thing!!! the strings are INCREDIBLE and even the simple arp is fantastic

[analogvonlord]

Cool sounds and tune. I also make electronic music.

[TheRealZwopper]

Cool tune!

This is THE synth to sell a kidney for!

[v1o]

This is just amazing. Love the strings.

The Synthex sound reminds me of the Access Virus.

[syzygywell]

One of my favorites of all time.

[dcreatorx]

This is actually a great tune ! Release it !

[magevers]

Great demo and fantastic synth! 5*

Thanks for posting!

[DKPopperz]

I really do understand why JMJ loves this instrument. It really just sounds Great!

Even a simple arp sequence sounds beyond earth..

[SpammerOvTheGods]

just thought I'd say that I really like the music.

#@!

[JMPSynth]

Ta very much.

[Passie808]

Heaven on earth

[oxygene65]

what a beautiful synthesizer, what an amazing sound. Listening to this I really dont think I use mine as much as I should. What a great demo of it.

[Twilight1964]

@oxygene65 now hey you mean you have one of these and you dont use it?... dammit man play it as theres alot fo us on here would kill for one of these :o)

[oxygene65]

LOL, oh I use it, definately. Usually for fat pads and strings. But theres no denying I could start doing some multi-track work with it and getting some more sounds out of it.

[karelpostthuis]

brilliant piece, excellent piece of programming and a damn fine synth!

You sir... ARE GOOD!

[ElektroPunc]

0:17 "cassette interface"

oh so great!!!! :)

[hapech]

(-_-) nice

[Panzerkanone44]

Good god! At around 1:30 I got serious goose bumps and a chill went down my spine from the awesome sound.

[JMPSynth]

It's a preset sound in the Synthex created by synth programer Paul Wiffen. JMJ used it in his Rendezvous album.

[Panzerkanone44]

Yeah I know, but everyone plays that tune. Now I hear it in a different composition and it has a really great atmosphere. Nice song! :)

[resurectio]

What can I say! outstanding sound!

[majorhostage]

1:24 shows the true synthex power, I love it in every way. Absolute unique synth

[sauermusicDE]

The Elka Synthex is one of the best synthesizers EVER. I just hope there will be a Synthex VSTi plug-in someday.

[ChemicalComedown]

Excellent tune and demonstration of this analog beast ! ! !

5***** ; )

[ig88sir]

are you using any reverb during the pad parts?

[JMPSynth]

Yep, some added from the mixer.

[TheAustotommy]

concur with walterclosette. The passage at 1.25 fascinates me because it sounds both minor and major at the same time. Never heard that done before.

[guitarharpsichord]

great sound ..great demo!

[walterclosette]

I love sounds between 1.25 and 1.50 .

I can listen this more and more.

Another demo, plz !

[checkabreak]

@walterclosette u mean the drums? :)

[walterclosette]

@checkabreak

All sounds and more strings :)

[MUSICTOMUSIC]

beautiful synthesizer

[boswachtersrule]

This is gorgeous, fantastic synth, whatever the price is, it's a bargain.

[oxygene65]

I wonder how much an Elka Synthex would sell for these days.

[JMPSynth]

Back in 2005 they went for around £1,600 - £2,000. One sold this year for £3,700 but in a country where availability was likely extremely scarce. Will depend also on condition and version (re MIDI inclusion).

[cynepMeH69]

I paid close to $6K after shipping + service it needed for a non-midi version. I think finding one in good shape is the biggest challenge. Oh, and these synths DO NOT TRAVEL WELL at all. It is as fragile of a synth as it gets and I'd never in million years imagine gigging with one. JMJ must have a tech on tour that knows his way around this synth like nobody's business and has spare parts out to wazoo.

[fromtinyacorns]

This is a heck of a synth. That said, may we compliment the serious composer/performer who makes these instruments shine.

These tracks worry me, keep me awake at night.

[ikazlar]

Just amazing, especially the pads are to die for...! I am lusting after a Synthex but they are very expensive nowadays..

[deadradioregime]

Great synth!!! Good music too.... Keep 'em coming. I love it!!!!

[walterclosette]

Good performance

Nice sound

Thx

[Twilight1964]

had never heard of this synth until 5 mins ago and its a cracking sounding piece of kit... i take it these are rarer than jp8s and emulator II's as never seen one for sale... nice demo by teh way with some lush sounding pads and choruses

[JMPSynth]

Thanks. Yes they are more rare. I sold my JP8 when I got the Synthex as found it better sounding, fatter and with much more variation of sound due to the band pass filters. If only it had the arp and unison of the Jup it would be perfect... !

[Twilight1964]

well keep the demos coming mate as it is great for 80s dudes like myself to go back in time lol....

only have a DX7, ( hardware)

arp 2600, minimoog, modular moog, JP8 ( software) to play around with for the minute...but its great fun :)

[Wyrehedd242]

i actually own one of these bad boys... its an awesome synth.. even the feel of the keys is unique. actually blew out the tweeters on a pa one time with it... a beast to lug, super heavy, but a great sound. =)

[Minimoogman]

Sounds like a blend of Obie & Sequential to my ears. Just nice! Thank's for adding such a gread sound demo! Do you know is there's any VST version of this?

[JMPSynth]

Not to my knowledge... you may have to look for the real thing, would be well worth it. Thanks for the track comments !

[youwantotestmykungfu]

Nice track,

Its funny to see a pic of my Synthex on the vid, Awsome Electronic instrument, in my top 3 of all time ;-)

[JMPSynth]

Heh, blame Google ! :)

[myrmur]

Absolutely great!

Are you using any external effect?

[JMPSynth]

Thanks, just reverb and a bit of delay on some sounds from memory.

[Nord72]

nice and fat sounds, excellent track!

Wish I have it for a day for Sampling :)

[MARANTZamp]

sampling will not yield anything more than static snapshots with no movement in the sound.

[becar67]

Great synth,great sound,great player!

Could you please tell me what patch are you using for pad in 1:25 and for solo pad at 2:25?

Im waiting for my Synthex to arrive next week. :o)

GREAT WORK !!

[JMPSynth]

Thanks ! The pad at 1.25 is a preset sound also used by JMJ on his Rendezvous album. This sound makes great use of the band pass filter(s) the Synthex features.

The pad at 2.25 is one of my own. :)

I'm sure you'll love your Synthex when it arrives and will never want to part with it.

[waheex]

great track and does demo the synth really well. the pads are huge!

[magevers]

Great sound and very nice track!

[fischek]

amazing sounds (and great track btw!)

[zachberry]

This is excellent. Wish I had one! :(

[machineoblivion]

Wow. Such a rich sound.

[AnalogAudio1]

it has a high quality sound - one of the greatest polyphonic analog synths, in the same league like Roland Jupiter-8, Memorymoog, Prophet-5, Oberheim Xpander and Yamaha CS-80. Great demo!

[schmittwilli]

Extremely fat sounding synthesizer. Awesome!