Multivox

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Multivox was an American-based synthesizer company since the mid-1970s until the 1980s. Originally it was founded in the mid-1940s as the guitar and amplifier manufacturing subsidiary of Peter Sorkin Music Company (Sorkin Music), a New York-based retailer/wholesaler. Then eventually it established separate corporate identity, and after the close of Sorkin Music in the mid-1970s, it continued in existence for fourteen years, according to the Blue Book of Guitar Values. [1] In addition to synthesizers, the company marketed several effects pedals. These included the Big Jam series guitar effects line.

Contents

They specialized in delivering Japanese-designed and built equipment to the American market. [2] They usually licensed from lesser-known[ citation needed ] Japanese companies, such as Hillwood, also known as Firstman, founded in 1972 by Kazuo Morioka, who later worked for Akai in the early 1980s. [3] [4] Multivox were criticized as having design and circuitry extremely similar to but inferior to designs by Roland [ citation needed ]. Multivox ceased trading in the early 1980s having "faded into synth history", according to the Synthmuseum. [2]

MULTIVOX MX-75 dual voice synthesizer Multivox MX-75 Dual Voice Synthesizer (Pulser M-75) (clip).jpg
MULTIVOX MX-75 dual voice synthesizer

Re-branding

As a result of the old criticism of Multivox synthesizer technology and their comparisons with Roland hardware, several hoax/fraudulent cases have occurred. The main hoax was based around a Multivox MX-3000 synthesizer (the flagship of the Multivox range). These machines are quite rare although not particularly sought for by collectors and musicians. Hence when a Roland MX-3000 was offered for sale much controversy surrounding the original Multivox design was stirred up. Eventually the seller admitted that the synthesizer was in fact Multivox, but he had re-badged it in an attempt to generate interest.[ citation needed ] [5]

The Multivox range

Synthesizers

Multivox produced over 15 different types of synthesizers, almost all with names beginning with "MX-" (except for SQ-01).

Digital sequencers

SQ-01 (1980 /1981 ) Firstman SQ-01.png
SQ-01 (1980 /1981 )

Drum machines

Multivox Rhythm Ace FR-3S Multivox Rhythm Ace FR-3S.jpg
Multivox Rhythm Ace FR-3S

Effect processors

Big Jam series - guitar effect pedals

BigJam SE-9 Biphase Phaser BigJam BiPhase-9.jpg
BigJam SE-9 Biphase Phaser
  • SE-1 Phaser - Phaser
  • SE-2 Spit Wah - Auto Wah - It is a close clone to the Mutron III filter. For this reason and because it is a rare pedal it is becoming increasingly sought after since the 2010s.
  • SE-3 Compressor - Compressor
  • SE-4 Octave - Octaver
  • SE-5 Flanjam Flanger - Flanger
  • SE-6 Graphic Equalizer - 6 band analog EQ band sliders for 100 Hz, 200 Hz, 400 Hz, 800 Hz, 1.6 kHz, 3.2 kHz
  • SE-7 Delay Machine - Delay/Reverb with Mode switch for Delay/(Rev)erb, Delay, Repeat, (Bal)ance
  • SE-8 Distortion - Distortion
  • SE-9 Biphase Phaser - Dual Phaser with Width, Rate, and (Reso)nance sliders
  • SE-10 Quartz Guitar Tuner - Tuner
  • SE-11 Jazz Flanger - Flanger
  • SE-12 Chorus - Chorus with Warp, Speed, Depth sliders
  • SE-13 Space Driver - Boost/Overdrive with Expand, Drive, and Level sliders
  • SE-14 Stop Noise - Noise Gate with Sensitivity and Decay slider controls
  • SE-15 "Unknown" -
  • SE-16 "Unknown" -
  • SE-17 "Unknown" -
  • SE-18 Parametric EQ - Parametric Eq
  • SE-XP Pulse Regulator Power Supply - A Power supply that powered up to 5 Big Jam Effects units via 9 volt dc supply and cables.
  • SE-PB Pedal Board - Self-enclosed pedal board that included the SE-XP Pulse Power Supply and room for up to 5 Big Jam Effects in a flight case design with power cables and linking audio jacks connections.

See also

References

  1. "MULTIVOX Electric Guitars". Blue Book of Guitar Values. Blue Book Publications, Inc. 2012. Source: Michael Wright, Guitar Stories, Volume One.
  2. 1 2 Multivox, Synthmuseum
  3. 1 2 A TALE OF TWO STRING SYNTHS, Sound on Sound , July 2002
  4. Mark Jenkins (2009), Analog Synthesizers, page 107, CRC Press
  5. rüediger lorenz_synthesizer collection, a sample of re-badged MX-3000.
  6. Nabble - Electronic Music » Analogue Heaven, "FS: Multivox MX-20"
  7. Multivox MX-30, Synthmuseum
  8. Multivox MX-57/ELECTRO-SNARE (photo)
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 Mark Jenkins (2009), Analog Synthesizers, pages 107–108, CRC Press
  10. Multivox MX-150/Basky II Archived 2005-12-14 at the Wayback Machine (photo)
  11. Multivox MX-202 Archived 2007-08-09 at the Wayback Machine , Hollowsun
  12. Multivox MX-440 #1-4, Transanalog - Front panel of  re-badged MX-440 said "MX-440".
  13. Multivox MX-440 #1-11, Transanalog - Manufacture's plate of  re-badged MX-440 said "Model MX-202".
  14. MX-450 Bass Pedal Synthesizer Demo (movie), MATRIXSYNTH
  15. MX-880, MATRIXSYNTH
  16. Multivox MX-2000, Roland SH-2000, Roland SH-1000, MATRIXSYNTH - Comparison report of 3 models.
  17. 1 2 "Firstman International". SYNRISE (in German). Archived from the original on 2003-04-20. FIRSTMAN existiert seit 1972 und hat seinen Ursprung in Japan. Dort ist dieFirma unter dem Markennamen HILLWOOD bekannt. HILLWOOD baute dann auch 1973 den quasi ersten Synthesizer von FIRSTMAN. Die Firma MULTIVOX liess ihre Instrumente von 1976 bis 1980 bei HILLWOOD bauen. Siehe auch Hinweis unter SORKIN MUSIC CO.! Nach Europa gelangten die FIRSTMAN-Produkte über TAIYO. ","SQ/01 / mon syn ped kmi 990 (1980) / Monophoner Synthesizer mit eingebautem 1024-Step-Sequencer. Ähnlich dem EDP WASP mit einer 13er-Folientastatur ausgestattet. Für Parameterveränderungen stehen neun Drehregler zur Verfügung."
  18. "Firstman SQ-01 Sequence Synthesizer from Multivox" (advertisement). Contemporary Keyboard . Vol. 7, no. June 1981 - November 1981. p. 23.
  19. "Multivox Firstman SQ-01 Sequencer". Keyboard Report. Contemporary Keyboard. Vol. 7, no. October 1981. 1981. p. 82. ("Keyboard Report, Oct. '81", according to the "Vol.9, 1983". 1983.{{cite magazine}}: Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help))
  20. "[Multivox SQ-01]". Keyboard . Vol. 9. 1983. p. 28. Like the TB-303, the Multivox SQ-01 [see Keyboard Report, Oct. '81] has a rudimentary built-in monophonic synthesizer, allowing it to play back sequences itself. Standard control voltage and gate outputs are also provided. The SQ-01 is loaded in single-step mode, and stores up to 1,024 sixteenth-notes, with longer notes being created by tying sixteenth together. It will play only in 4/4 or 3/4. ...
  21. AnalogAudio1 (2012-06-04). "MULTIVOX RHYTHM ACE FR-3 | Vintage Rhythm Box 1979 | HD DEMO | SAMPLE PACK". YouTube. This is a quite rare little analog rhythm box from 1979. ... The mechanical hardware looks to me like old Korg Minipops units. Was Korg involved? ;-){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  22. Hammond Leslie FAQ - Hammond and Leslie Clones, TheatreOrgans.com