CEM and SSM chips in synthesizers

CEM3360 Dual VCA

CEM and SSM chips are analog chips used in many synthesizers.

Curtis Electromusic Specialties

Founded by Doug Curtis (d. 2007), developed a family of signal-processing products for electronic music synthesizers and audio equipment.

ICs

• CEM3310 ENV ADSR
• CEM3312 ADSR + VCA
• CEM3318 ADSR but microprocessor controlled
• CEM3320 24 dB/Oct. Filter (multi)
• CEM3328 same but LPF only
• CEM3330 exp/lin VCA
• CEM3335 exp VCA
• CEM3340 VCO (Saw,Tri,Pulse)
• CEM3345 VCO (Saw,Tri,Pulse) with comparator
• CEM3350 12 dB/oct Multimode Filter x2 (no notch)
• CEM3360 VCA x2
• CEM3365 DAC
• CEM3371 Envelope x2
• CEM3372 24 dB/oct. Filter, Mix, VCA
• CEM3374 VCO x2 (PWMable Pulse, Tri, Saw)
• CEM3378 24 dB/oct. Filter, Mix, VCA but microprocessor controlled
• CEM3379 24 dB/oct. Filter, Pan, VCA but microprocessor controlled
• CEM3381 VCA x2 linear
• CEM3382 VCA x2 log
• CEM3385 24 dB/oct Filter (LoFi)
• CEM3387 signal processor 3-4 pole cascade Filter, VC Pan/VCA
• CEM3389 signal processor 4 pole Filter, VC resonance, VC Pan/VCA
• CEM3391 Microprocessor Controllable: VCF,VCA,Env (ADSR)
• CEM3394 Microprocessor Controllable: 1 Synth Voice: VCF,VCA,Env (ADSR),VCMix
• CEM3396 Microprocessor Controllable: Wave-Shaper x2 - VCF,VCA
• PA381 VCA (low noise)
• PA382 VCA (low noise)
• PD508 S/H (8x)
• 5508 predecessor of PD508 same function
• 5530 30ch multiplex sample&hold (Prophet VS)

Solid State Micro Technology for Music

ICs

• SSM2013 Voltage Controlled Amplifier
• SSM2014 Voltage Controlled Element
• SSM2015 Microphone Preamplifier
• SSM2020 Dual VCA
• SSM2024 Quad VCA
• SSM2030 Voltage Controlled Oscillator: Sawtooth, Triangle, Pulse (with PWM) and Soft Sync
• SSM2031 High Frequency Oscillator/Voltage to Frequency Converter
• SSM2033 Voltage Controlled Oscillator
• SSM2038 Voltage Controlled Oscillator: Sawtooth, Triangle and Pulse (with PWM)
• SSM2040 4-Section VCF (Exponentially controllable Cutoff over a 10,000 to 1 range, i.e. >13 octaves)
• SSM2044 4-Pole VCF
• SSM2045 Music Voicing System : VCF (2-Pole and 4-Pole Low Pass) and Mixer/VCA
• SSM2047 Music Voicing System
• SSM2050 Voltage Controlled Transient Generator
• SSM2056 Voltage Controlled ADSR type Envelope Generator
• SSM2100 Monolithic Log/Antilog Amplifier
• SSM2120/22 Dynamic Range Processor/Dual VCA
• SSM2164 Low Cost Quad VCA (16 pins, intended to replace the SSM2024, although not a drop-in replacement)
• SSM2300 8-Channel Multiplexed Sample&Hold

List of synthesizers and which CEM/SSM ICs they use

Akai

• AX80: 8x CEM3372 uP Signal Processor -CEM3372 Filter/Mix/VCA
• AX60: 6x CEM3394 uP Voice
• AX73: 6x CEM3394 uP Voice
• VX90: 6x CEM3394 uP Voice
• VX600: 1x CEM3374B (IC1), 1x CEM3378 (IC5), 9x SSM2300 (IC 10-14 & IC 20-23)

Banana

Banana created by Synthesizerstudio Bonn, since 1999 the SSB is closed..

• Poly Synth: 12x CEM3310 EG, 12x CEM3340 VCO, 12x CEM3360 Dual VCA, 6x SSM2044 VCF

Buchla

• 296 Programmable Spectral Processor: 8x SSM2020 VCA, 1x CEM3360 Dual VCA

Cheetah

• Cheetah MS6: 6x CEM3396 VC Waveshaper

Crumar

• Spirit: 2x CEM3340 VCO, 2x CEM3350 Dual VCF, 3x CEM3360 Dual VCA
• Bit 01: 6x CEM3328 VCF Late Models, 6x SSM2044 VCF Early Models
• Bit 99: 6x SSM 2044 chips as the VCFs
• Trilogy: 6x CEM3310 EG, 6x CEM3320 VCF, 6x CEM3330 Dual VCA, 1x SSM2020 VCA
• Composer: 2x CEM3310 EG, 2x CEM3320 VCF, 2x CEM3330 Dual VCA

Digisound-80 modular

• 80-2 VCO: CEM3340 VCO
• 80-3 VC LFO: CEM3340 VCO
• 80-4 VC Mixer: 3x CEM3330 dual VCAs
• 80-6 VCF: CEM3320 VCF
• 80-7 VC State Variable Filter: SSM2040 VCF
• 80-7A VC State Variable Filter: CEM3320 and CEM3335
• 80-8 Dual ADSR: 2x SSM2050 EGs
• 80-9 Dual VCA: CEM3330 dual VCA
• 80-10 Voltage Controlled Envelope Generator: CEM3310 EG
• 80-16 Dual Resonant Filter: CEM3350 dual VCF
• 80-18 Dual Multi-Function EG: 2x CEM3310 VCEGs
• 80-19 Dual VC LFO: CEM3374 and CEM3360
• 80-C9 Voice Card: 2x CEM3310 VCEGs, 2x CEM3340 VCOs, CEM3360 dual VCA, CEM3372 signal processor

Doepfer

• A107 Morph. Filter: CEM3379
• A121 Multi Mode Filter/A122 LPFilter/A123 HPFilter: CEM3320
• A122 LPFilter: CEM3379 in later versions
• A-105 24db SSM Low Pass Filter: SSM2044
• A-106-6 XP Filter: CEM3379
• A-109 VC Signal Processor: CEM3379
• A-111-1 High End VCO: CEM3340
• A-130 VCA (linear)/A-131 VCA (exp.)/A-134 VC Panning: CEM3381
• A111-2 Dyn. VCO uses CEM3394
• Dark Energy, Monophonic Synthesizer: CEM3394 (original model only)

E-MU

• Drumulator: 2x SSM2044
• SP-12: 2x SSM2044
• SP 1200: 2x SSM2044
• Emulator-I: 4x SSM2044
• Emulator-II: 8x SSM2045 (24 dB/oct analog 4-pole low pass resonant filter (LPF))
• Emax: 4x SSM2300 (Sample/Hold Mux), 8x SSM2047 (Filter/Amp)

Elka

• Synthex: 8x CEM3320 VCF

Ensoniq

• ESQ1: 8x CEM3379 VC Signal Processor Filter/Mix/VCA, 1x CEM3360 Dual VCA, 4x SSM2300
• Mirage: 8x CEM3328 VCF
• SQ-80: 8x CEM3379 VC Signal Processor - Filter/Mix/VCA, 1x CEM3360 Dual VCA, 4x SSM2300

Fairlight

• Fairlight CMI II/IIx: 8x CEM3320 VCF in earlier versions, 8x SSM2045 VCF in later versions

Fender / Rhodes

• Chroma: 8x CEM3350 Dual VCF, 8x CEM3360 Dual VCA
• Polaris: 6x CEM3374 Dual VCO, 6x CEM3372 Filter/Mix/VCA

Forat

• Forat F9000: 4x CEM3320 VCF

Hohner

• P120N: 2x SSM2044

Kawai/Teisco

• K3 & K3m: 6x SSM2044
• SX-210: 8x SSM2044
• SX-240: 8x SSM2044

Keytek

• CTS-2000: 1x CEM5530 30ch S/H, 8x CEM3389 VC Signal Processor

Korg

• Mono/Poly: 4x SSM2033 VCO, 1x SSM2044 VCF
• Polysix: 6x SSM2056 EG, 6x SSM2044 VCF
• Poly-61: 6x SSM2056 EG

Linn

• LinnDrum: 2x CEM3320 VCF, 1x CEM3360 Dual VCA
• Linn 9000: 4x CEM3320 VCF

Moog

• Memorymoog: 19x CEM3340 VCO, 26x CEM3360 Dual VCA, 12x CEM3310 EG

Oberheim

• OB-8 & OB-Xa: 2x CEM3330 VCA (Some OB-Xa models), 2x CEM3360 Dual VCA, 16x CEM3340 VCO, 16x CEM3310 EG, OB-Xa 16x CEM3320 VCF, OB-8 8x CEM3320 VCF
• OB-X: 16x CEM3310 EG (2 per voice)
• OB-SX: 2x CEM3340 VCO, 1x CEM3320 VCF, 2x CEM3310 EG per voice
• Matrix-6 & Matrix-6R: 6x CEM3396
• Matrix-1000: 6x CEM3396 (narrow version)
• Matrix-12: 12 x CEM3374 Dual VCO, 12 x CEM3372 Filter/Mix/VCA
• Xpander: 6x CEM3374 Dual VCO, 6x CEM3372 Filter/Mix/VCA
• OB-1 (same as OBI or OB-I): 2x CEM3310 EG
• Prommer: 1x CEM3328 VCF
• DX: 1x CEM3328 VCF - "Toms" Voice
• Stretch-DX: 3x CEM3328 VCF LPF

Octave Plateau

• Voyetra Eight: 8X SSM2024 VCA, 8X SSM2044 VCF, 16X CEM3340 VCO

PAiA

• Proteus: 2x CEM3340 VCO, 1x CEM3320 VCF, 1x CEM3310 EG, 1x CEM3330 Dual VCA

PPG

• Wave 2.2 / 2.3: 8x SSM2044 VCF, 4x CEM3360 VCA
• Wave 2: 8x CEM3320 VCF, 8x CEM3310 EG

Roland

• SH-101 and MC-202: 1x CEM3340 VCO
• MKS-20: 5x CEM3360 Dual VCA
• Jupiter-6: 12x CEM3340 VCO, 6x IR3109 VCF, 6x CEM3360 Dual VCA
• MKS-80 (to serial #511799/early models): 16x CEM3340 VCO, 8x IR3109 VCF, 8x CEM3360 Dual VCA (4 for X-Mod)
• MKS-80 (serial #511800 and higher/later models): 16x IR3R03 VCO, 8x IR3R05 VCF/VCA, 4x CEM3360 Dual VCA (for X-Mod)

RSF

• Kobol Expander I: 2x SSM2050 EG, 1x SSM2040 VCF

Sequential Circuits / Dave Smith Instruments

• Evolver series: Curtis for Filters
• Prophet-5: the first Prophet 5 series used the SSM filter; later they were changed to CEM
  • Prophet-5 Rev 1 & 2: 11x SSM2030 VCO, 5x SSM2040 VCF, 10x SSM2050 EG, 21x SSM2020 VCA
  • Prophet-5 Rev 3: 11x CEM3340 VCO, 10x CEM3310 EG, 5x CEM3320 VCF, 14x CA3280 VCA
• Prophet-10: 22x CEM3340 VCO, 20x CEM3310 EG, 10x CEM3320 VCF
• Prophet 600: 12x CEM3340 VCO, 6x CEM3372 VCF/VCA, 4x CEM3360 Dual VCA
• Pro-One: 3x CEM3340 VCO, 2x CEM3310 EG, 1x CEM3320 VCF
• Prophet T8: 16x CEM3340 VCO, 8x CEM3372 Signal Processor - CEM3372 Filter/Mix/VCA
• Six-Trax: 6x CEM3394 uP Voice
• Multi-Trak: 6x CEM3394 uP Voice
• MAX: 6x CEM3394 uP Voice
• Split8: 8x CEM3394 uP Voice
• Prophet VS: 1x CEM5510 Fast Sample/Hold, 1x CEM5530 30ch S/H, 8x CEM3382 Dual Low Noise VCA, 8x CEM3378 VC Signal Processor, ?x CEM3372 Filter/Mix/VCA
• Prophet 2000: CEM3379 VCF/VCA
• Prophet 3000: CEM3387
• Studio 440: 8x CEM3389 VC Signal Processor, 1x CEM3360 Dual VCA, 1x CEM5530 30ch Sample/Hold
• Drumtraks: 2x CEM3320

Siel

• DK600: 2x SSM2031 VCO, 6x SSM2024 VCA, 6x SSM2056, 6x SSM2044 VCF
• DK-80: 2x SSM2045 VCF
• EX-80: 1x SSM2045 VCF
• Opera 6: 2x SSM2031 VCO, 6x SSM2024 VCA, 6x SSM2056, 6x SSM2044 VCF
• Kiwi: 2x SSM2031 VCO, 6x SSM2024 VCA, 6x SSM2056, 6x SSM2044 VCF

Simmons Drums

• MTX9: 1x SSM2300
• SDS9/SDS1000: 3x CEM3394 VC Synth
• SDS8: 5x CEM3372 VC
• SDS7: CEM3340 - 1x per module; CEM3372 - 1x per module
• SDS5: SSM2044 - 1x per module
• SDS800: 4x CEM3394

Solton

• SM100 analogue synthesizer (6 voices)： Each voice uses 2x　SSM2056 (ADSR) and 1x　SSM2045 (VCA+VCF)
• Programmer 24： 1x CEM3350 12 dB Dual VCF & 1x SSM2044 24 dB VCF

Steiner Parker

• EVI: ?x CEM3340 VCO, ?x SSM2040 VCF

Suzuki

• SX-500: 1x SSM2045 (this synth module is a clone of the SIEL EX-80)

Synton

• Syrinx: 2x CEM3310 EG, 2x CEM3340 VCO, 2x CEM3350 Dual VCF, 1x CEM3360 Dual VCA

Waldorf

• Wave: 16x CEM PD508 Multiplexer/S&H, 16x CEM 3387 VCA/VCF
• Microwave1: 8x CEM3389 VCF,VCA,VCP in Rev A, 8x CEM3387 VCF,VCA,VCP in Rev B

See also

Early clients

• E-MU Systems
• Oberheim Electronics (founded by Tom Oberheim)
• Sequential Circuits (founded by Dave Smith)

Synthesis & signal processing

• Polyphonic synthesizer
• Synthesizer
• Signal processing
• Integrated Circuit

External links

• Keyboard, A tribute to chip designer Doug Curtis
• Celebrating Silicon Valley's role 'n rock
• Synthmuseum.com paia
• SynthParts.com stocks most CEM chips

References

• Curtis Electromusic
• Synthesizer Database by Moogulator