AAGGHHH

[metasonix]

AS POSTED TO FACEBOOK:

Last month I had intended to drop the S-2000. Sales had slowed to zero (and I mean ZERO) for the 18 months previous. Only had two front panels left.

Then in early Sept we got "OMGWENEEDS2000s" from two dealers. So I (needing the cash as usual) had a couple of PC boards made.

Surprise: built it up, and everything worked as usual--except the goddamn controller. This is a circuit we had built 80+ times before. It always worked. This time, it oscillated like hell. Did insane things for no apparent reason. Can only figure that the current batch of TL084 chips is quite different from the previous ones. Must hang capacitors on the board in various weird places. We already had major issues with a batch of 34063 chips, and HERE WE GO AGAIN.

DAMMIT. That's it, the end: we ship two more S-2000s and they are FINISHED. Sorry if you were "always planning to buy one", no excuses, you had EIGHT YEARS.

This job was never much "happyfun" and if I have to spend hours fixing problems caused by defective ICs sold to us by Mouser or Digikey, I might as well hang it all up.

I am SICK of buying little black boxes from a giant "supply chain" and finding they don't work the same as previous black boxes. There's not even much I can do--Mouser just offers a refund and does nothing else. I don't buy a million pieces so FUCK ME, eh? And don't ask nerds on Synth-DIY or somewhere, they are clueless.

[Yes Powder]

I'm glad I got mine. It was my first dip into Metasonix, after ten years of pining for some.
I doubt I'd get rid of it even if I were to sell all of my Euro.
I've used it on almost everything I've done since I got it. It's is my go-to for ghostly leads, absolutely septic bass, and the heaviest kick in the world!
Always looking forward to seeing what you're going to do next (as I'm sure you're aware from the stacks of love-letters I send to your address every month.)

[musicaespressiva]

AS POSTED TO FACEBOOK:

Last month I had intended to drop the S-2000. Sales had slowed to zero (and I mean ZERO) for the 18 months previous. Only had two front panels left.

Then in early Sept we got "OMGWENEEDS2000s" from two dealers. So I (needing the cash as usual) had a couple of PC boards made.

Surprise: built it up, and everything worked as usual--except the goddamn controller. This is a circuit we had built 80+ times before. It always worked. This time, it oscillated like hell. Did insane things for no apparent reason. Can only figure that the current batch of TL084 chips is quite different from the previous ones. Must hang capacitors on the board in various weird places. We already had major issues with a batch of 34063 chips, and HERE WE GO AGAIN.

DAMMIT. That's it, the end: we ship two more S-2000s and they are FINISHED. Sorry if you were "always planning to buy one", no excuses, you had EIGHT YEARS.

This job was never much "happyfun" and if I have to spend hours fixing problems caused by defective ICs sold to us by Mouser or Digikey, I might as well hang it all up.

I am SICK of buying little black boxes from a giant "supply chain" and finding they don't work the same as previous black boxes. There's not even much I can do--Mouser just offers a refund and does nothing else. I don't buy a million pieces so FUCK ME, eh? And don't ask nerds on Synth-DIY or somewhere, they are clueless.

It's fine man, building instruments like this should be hard but also rewarding and fun - I guess. So if suppliers cannot provide better parts, you stop production, you don't lose energy and positive attitude.
I've never tried a S-2000 in person but from what I've seen it was one of your best pieces.
I will not be able to purchase one anymore, but alas, if I'm not wrong you're also working on another new standalone synth...so, again, don't get angry and go on pursuing your unique path. And congratulation for courage you have!

[metasonix]

Thanks for the support, guys. I could make another S-2k but it will be "custom" and more expensive.

for more info, here's an email message relating to it:

The ICs I use are all older designs from the 1970s or 1980s. The original TL084 was first released in 1978 and I think the 34063 dates from 1981. They are "revised" occasionally to put them on smaller dies using more modern processing, so they are "better". As you see, they don't actually get "better" in some ways....

Which reminds me, while searching for complaints about 084 problems, I ran across this Stack Exchange page. A perfect example of why Stack Exchange is one of the most "autistic" websites in the world. Not only are the responses extremely nerdy and detail-obsessed, they are arrogant and contemptuous. Instead of pointing out the problems (and it is a really bad design), and being "reasonable", most of them pile onto him with cruel little abuse grenades; and then disappear.

I cannot STAND Stack Exchange. Not even if they have useful information sometimes. Too many sperged assholes who can't talk like normal people. Somewhat like Wikipedia, the S-E site would go under if they didn't cater to twitching "spectrum"ites.

https://electronics.stackexchange.com/q ... pplication

[sizone]

It's a sign. Tube technology has reached it's apex. The world needs new instruments, ones that operate on the principles of petty online virtue signaling.

[REcDeso12oi]

*edited*

Crypto-synth. I knew it.

Just followed the link to Stack Exchange.. Jesus I thought muffs was bad (it is). Seems to be a bunch of mom's basement engineers who troll websites to make themselves feel better about the fact that they have absolutely nothing to contribute to the world

[darmklacht@gmail.com]

well Im guessing there are many alternatives to the sound of the s-2000 still get in the ballpark.

how diffrent would two rk-4´s be with an rk-2 ?

[metasonix]

how diffrent would two rk-4´s be with an rk-2 ?

Very. More flexible though. Go that way.

[papz]

Why not use tube opamps in place of the nasty TL084s ?

My S2000 had the 34063 issue and could be fixed. Cool synth indeed, though I don't use and love it as much as my D-1000 with new pots.