Ff gegoegelt, wist dat er wel iets mee was. Zat er maar half naast, weer wat geleerd vandaag:
Siel DK Famliy vs. Korg Poly-800 Family
Introduction
Suzuki SX-500
We recently acquired a Suzuki SX-500. If you’re wondering what this has to do with Siel DK or Korg Poly-800 synth families, the SX-500 is a rebadged Siel EX-80 (the expander for the DK-80). For a little background, both the DK family (DK-70, DK-80, EX-80) and the Poly800 family (Poly-800, Poly-800II, EX-800) have similar styling, parameters, and unusual architecture, sharing a single filter between all voices (two filters in the case of the DK-80), so the amplifier feeds the filter (vs. the typical VCF->VCA architecture). FWIW, these DK synths are not siblings to the DK-600 and DK-700, which are related to the Siel Opera 6.
Superficial Comparison
Korg EX-800
The Korg EX-800 and Siel EX-80 (Suzuki SX-500) share a lot closer resemblance than just model numbers. They are both table top units of about the same size (although the EX-800 is metal vs. plastic), with similar buttons, knobs, and parameters displayed in the top half of the face. Both can be rack mounted with optional rack ear kits, although they would take a lot of rack space (5-6U plus cable clearance). Carrying the similarities further, both the Poly-800 and the DK-70 have strap pegs to be warn guitar style (keytar) and can run off batteries (6 C’s or 8 AA’s, respectively). However, the DK-70 removable neck has a pitch ribbon and three control buttons (mod depth and assignable), while the Poly800 has the familiar Korg joystick (pitch bend, filter/pitch mod). Additionally, the DK family has a cartridge interface to store more programs and there is no bitimbral equivalent to the DK-80 in the Korg family.
Sound Source
As mentioned in the introduction, both families share a similar architecture, including additive square waves (4 harmonics) and single/dual oscillator modes. However, the DK family offers a saw waveform, while the Poly800 family can weight the square harmonics volumes in a saw pattern. The DK family can also weight the square harmonics in any pattern, since each square wave harmonic volume is variable (vs. on/off in the Poly800 family). Noise can also bypass the filter in the DK family.
Modulation
Both families share similar envelopes, featuring dedicated ADBSSR volume envelopes for each oscillator and the filter (shared by the noise VCA). However, the DK family has dedicated pitch and filter frequency LFOs (vs. shared). The DK family LFOs also feature initial and sustain levels (IAS envelope vs. Poly800 LFO delay) and selectable triggering. The DK family filter LFO waveform can be a triangle or square (pitch and Poly-800 LFO waveform is a triangle). Neither family offers VCA LFO modulation (tremolo).
Performance Control
Unlike the Poly-800 family, the DK family supports velocity (routed to amps and filter) and the sustain pedal can be assigned to the volume envelopes individually. The DK family dual track sequencer is real-time, while the Poly800 family single track sequencer is step-time.
The Guts (Components)
To find out how deep the similarities go between the Poly-800 and DK families, the circuit Components were also investigated. Both use 8 bit microprocessors and BBD style chorus, but so do most synths of that era. For filters, the DK family uses the SSM2045, while the Poly-800 family uses their usual NJM2069. However, the DK family does share processors (TMS700 family) with the Elka EK family (not a big surprise, since the Italian synth manufacturers seem to collaborate on synth technology). The DK family tends to use dedicated components for the signal and control path (polyphonic, noise, and oscillator generator ICs), while the Poly-800 family uses discrete components and software for the same functions.
Conclusion
While the similarities are significant, so are the differences. The Poly-800 family was very popular, due to their low price, while the DK family never became as common. A wild guess would be the DK family was a me-too product, since the Poly-800 was released a couple years before the DK-70, DK-80, and EX-80 arrived. The DK family have some significant advantages over the Poly-800, but before you go buy your own Siel Moog Slayer, note if it includes the external (brick) power supply, since the power supplies are uncommon (16VAC with 5 pin 90° DIN power connector, see pic). If you’re interested in how different they sound, we plan to sample our Poly-800 programs on the SX-500 in the near future.
BTW, you may notice the white switch above the filter cutoff parameter on the EX-800 pictured. That mod selects the two or four pole filter. Since the SSM2045 also has both two and four pole filter outputs, we’ll probably eventually mod the SX-500 too.
http://synthark.com/siel-dk-famliy-vs-korg-poly-800-family/
