This is a page for collecting ideas on how to build a synth based on the Curtis Electromusic Specialties CEM3396 IC chip, controlled via PIC of course. This chip is for example used in the Oberheim Matrix-1000 synth. It is out of production, but can be found at ebay from time to time.

First please take a look at the CEM3396 data sheet.

try contacting marcus at: cheetahrepairs@lycos.co.uk The CEM3396 is £6.50 each or a complete set of 6 for £32.00.

One of the guys active here dealt with him whilst repairing one of his two matrix 1000's. He says: “This is an excellent sounding chip & would benefit highly from the Thorsten Treatment :)”

See: http://www.maad.net/ms6/index.html Contact: kristofer@maad.net

This guy has patched up the firmware of an old Oberheim Matrix 1000 clone by Cheetah, known as the MS6, to work properly …amoungst other things. He also is in the process of rewriting a firmware for the module from scratch; and may have already made some progress… This might be someone worth talking to on furthering the MIOS effort to utilise the CEM3396; he could have plenty of insight to offer. He's selling CEM3396's on his webshop too.

See his links page for other CEM3396 things: http://www.maad.net/ms6/index.html

Here's another guy who's hacked the firmware… http://www.butoba.net/homepage/ms6.html

And one final place that has a handful of CEM3396's: http://www.synthtech.com/cems.html

I have done the damned hard groundwork for the hardware nessursary to turn a humble cem3396 chip into a multimode filtered monster, like the Xpander & M12. Sofar, i have created a Beta pcb layout to facilitate this, however if this project is to happen sooner, rather than later; volinteers for making the code happen are needed. otherwise, its where and when i get the time myself to do anything further with it.

see here: http://www.midibox.org/forum/index.php/topic,13770.0.html

volinteers ? :)