Picture: Bob Williams, founder of Analogue Systems with
his fine collection of analogue synthesizers.

Analogue Systems company profile.

Text by: Bob Williams
Edited by: Morgan Karlsson

Formed in 1994, as a result an introduction between Robin Wood of EMS, myself and electronics designer Steve Gay.

Both steve and myself had bought EMS products in the early 70īs. I owned a VCS3 with DK2 keyboard and steve owned the Synti AKS. It was ironic all those years later we should meet through EMS.

Steve showed me prototypes of filter bank designes that he had been experimenting with. We decided to productionise what was to become the FB3 filter bank wich was a phenomenal success, and had a mark 2 version equally as successful.

Steve then showed me a design for a 3 channel 16 step sequencer which he was using in his home studio set up. As we both liked the coloured knobs of the Synti range -and in particularly the Arp 2500- we had the company that made them for Arp, re-manufacture them for us, and that set the standard for the quality of the TH48 sequencer which again proved a winner.

Meanwhile Steve was working on the design of a modular expander vvhich could hook upto Arp oddysey, Sequential Pro one, Roland SH series to increase their range of sound and modulation capabilities.

Because I had a large collection of vintage modulars, steve had observed the best points of them, and was forming the opinion that a true modular synthesiser should be built. The design work that had been utilised in the expander -code named the legacy- was then integrated into a more flexible system. At the same time Doepfer products were appearing in the u.k so we had some catching up to do.

We decided not to build to a certain budget. As the module range increased, I wanted a professional series of synthesizers to emerge which of course are the 8000 series and the newly launched sorceror.

Steves love of the quirkiness of EMS products should be evident when studying certain modules such as the RS110, RS200 and RS350 (RS60 and RS90 shares some of the EMS features as well, Morgans annotations).

With software writers the integrater series embraced MIDI and menu driven modules as in RS130, 140, 260 and 330, and that is as near to digital as we will go because CV and Gate is first and foremost. We will be at n.a.a.m in January 2001, where we hope the American market which we are slowly gaining access to, will open up and expand our sales there.