Czech Monster Synth ASYZ (1971)

Czech Monster Synth

Saturday Synth Porn: The ASYZ is a Czech monster synth from 1971.

Here’s the Googlish rundown on the ASYZ synthesizer:

In 70 originated from the Department of Sound Engineering Filmovéhoé Barrandov modular szstém ASYZ (analyzer and synthesizer sound), whose development has started in the late 60 years. The instrument was completed several years of additional modules, the final version was called the second jakol ASYZ The principal authors were Anthony ka designers and Bohumil Matousek, to which the early 70 years joined a sound engineer and designer Paul Pitrák, then as a sound engineer working with the tool.

Synthesizer and keyboard was not used to create sound effects or external signal processing .. As a manually controlled source audio signal generator was used a modified beat Bruel & Kjaer, producing sinusoidal oscillations in the range 20 Hz – 20 kHz. To control was also adjusted third octave filters of the same company for which the individual potentiometers nastavovala level in each zone and each zone can be switched buttons that are used to “play” in real time. Automated management tools ensure sequencer with three ceilings and sixteen steps, whose length can be adjusted. Among the modules are a VCO, a noise generator, filters, bass and treble, parametric filters, circular and phase modulators, amplifiers, merge, VCA, ADSR generators, LFO, random signal generators, envelope follower and auxiliary circuits. Levels of selected signals follow a small six-channel mixer. Signal parameters can be monitored using the built-in oscilloscope, an indicator of arousal, voltmeter and frequency counter for measurement. To connect the modules used sockets and cables used in analogue computers MEDA. Jacks on the inputs and outputs of audio and control signals are color-coded for clarity.
In the second half of the 90 years was added šestioktávová keyboard (FF) with separate stand and synthesizer could serve to normal play. For several years, but stopped. Now it has in its collections by Cinepost.

The text is quoted from the book Elektrofony II images courtesy of Mr. Milan Guštara, whom I would also like to thank you for the photo.

If you read Czech and can provide a more accurate translation, leave a comment! Also – let us know if you know anything more about this unusual vintage monster synth!

Czech:

V 70. letech vznikl v Odd?lení zvukové techniky Filmovéhoé studia Barrandov modulární szstém ASYZ (Analyzátor a syntezátor zvuku), jehož vývoj za?al již koncem 60. let. Nástroj byl n?kolik let dopl?ován o další moduly, kone?ná verze byla ozna?ována jakol ASYZ 2. K hlavním tv?rc?m pat?ili konstrukté?i Antonín ka a Bohumil Matoušek, k nimž se na po?átku 70. let p?ipojil zvuka? a konstruktér Pavel Pitrák, který následn? jako zvukový mistr s nástrojem pracoval.

Syntetizér nem?l klaviaturu a používal se k vytvá?ení zvukových efekt? nebo zpracování externího signálu.. Jako ru?n? ovládaný zdroj zvukového signálu sloužil upravený zázn?jový generátor Brüel & Kjaer, produkující sinusové kmity v rozsahu 20 Hz – 20 kHz. Pro ru?ní ?ízení byl také upraven t?etinooktávový filtr téže firmy, u n?hož se samostatnými potenciometry nastavovala úrove? v každém pásmu a jednotlivá pásma bylo možno spínat tla?ítky, která se používala pro “hru” v reálném ?ase. Automatické ?ízení nástroje zajiš?oval sekvencer se t?emi stropami a šestnácti kroky, jejichž délku bylo možné nastavit. Mezi moduly byly VCO, generátor šumu, filtry bas? a výšek, parametrické filtry, kruhové a fázové modulátory, slu?ovací zesilova?e, VCA, generátory ADSR, LFO, generátory náhodného signálu, sledova?e obálky a pomocné obvody. Úrovn? vybraných signál? se ?ídily malým šestikanálovým mixážním pultem. Parametry signál? bylo možné sledovat pomocí vestav?ného osciloskopu, indikátoru vybuzení, voltmetru a ?íta?e pro m??ení frekvence. K propojení modul? sloužily zdí?ky a kabely používané v analogových po?íta?ích MEDA. Zdí?ky na vstupech a výstupech zvukových a ?ídících signál? byly pro p?ehlednost barevn? odlišené.

Ve druhé polovin? 90. let byla dopln?na šestioktávová klaviatura (f-f) se samostatným stojanem a syntetizér mohl služit k b?žnému hraní. Za n?kolik let se však p?estal používat. Nyní jej má ve svých sbírkách spole?nost Cinepost.

via czechkeysmatrixsynth

10 thoughts on “Czech Monster Synth ASYZ (1971)

  1. I don't know Chech, but as it's a Slavonic language (and I'm Russian), I can read a bit or two. Anyway, I'm sure that "Syntetizér nem?l klaviaturu a používal se k vytvá?ení zvukových efekt? nebo zpracování externího signálu" means "Synthesizer didn't have a keyboard and was used to create sound effects or external signal processing"
    I guess the keyboard shown on the pic is an optional accessory, then.

  2. I don't know Chech, but as it's a Slavonic language (and I'm Russian), I can read a bit or two. Anyway, I'm sure that "Syntetizér nem?l klaviaturu a používal se k vytvá?ení zvukových efekt? nebo zpracování externího signálu" means "Synthesizer didn't have a keyboard and was used to create sound effects or external signal processing"
    I guess the keyboard shown on the pic is an optional accessory, then.

  3. I don't know Chech, but as it's a Slavonic language (and I'm Russian), I can read a bit or two. Anyway, I'm sure that "Syntetizér nem?l klaviaturu a používal se k vytvá?ení zvukových efekt? nebo zpracování externího signálu" means "Synthesizer didn't have a keyboard and was used to create sound effects or external signal processing"
    I guess the keyboard shown on the pic is an optional accessory, then.

  4. I don't know Chech, but as it's a Slavonic language (and I'm Russian), I can read a bit or two. Anyway, I'm sure that "Syntetizér nem?l klaviaturu a používal se k vytvá?ení zvukových efekt? nebo zpracování externího signálu" means "Synthesizer didn't have a keyboard and was used to create sound effects or external signal processing"
    I guess the keyboard shown on the pic is an optional accessory, then.

  5. I don't know Chech, but as it's a Slavonic language (and I'm Russian), I can read a bit or two. Anyway, I'm sure that "Syntetizér nem?l klaviaturu a používal se k vytvá?ení zvukových efekt? nebo zpracování externího signálu" means "Synthesizer didn't have a keyboard and was used to create sound effects or external signal processing"
    I guess the keyboard shown on the pic is an optional accessory, then.

  6. I don't know Chech, but as it's a Slavonic language (and I'm Russian), I can read a bit or two. Anyway, I'm sure that "Syntetizér nem?l klaviaturu a používal se k vytvá?ení zvukových efekt? nebo zpracování externího signálu" means "Synthesizer didn't have a keyboard and was used to create sound effects or external signal processing"
    I guess the keyboard shown on the pic is an optional accessory, then.

  7. Hello, I'm not the best English speaker, but I'm a Czech and I think my translation could be a bit better than Google's. So here it is:

    Tomas Valusek

    —–

    In 1970s a modular system ASYZ (Czech: Analyzátor a syntezátor zvuku, English: Analyzer and Synthesizer of sound) was built in the Department of sound engiengineering of Moovie studios Barrandov, which was being developed from the end of 1960s. The instrument was extended for several years with additional modules, the final version was marked as ASYZ 2. Among main developers belonged designers Antonín ka [note: name incomplete] and Bohumil Matoušek, the sound engineer and designer Pavel Pitrák joined them in early 1970s, and he subsequently worked as a sound engineer with this instrument.

    The synthesizer had no keyboard and was used for creating sound effects or processing external input. As a manually controlled source of sound signal served modified heterodyne generator Brüel & Kjaer producing sine waves in range 20 Hz – 20 kHz. A third ocrave filter by the same manufacturer was also modified for the manual control. Each band was controlled with separated dial and buttons switching individual bands on adn off enabled real-time "playing". An automated control of the instrument was provided by three track sequencer with 16 steps with variable duration of each step. The modules included VCO, noise generator, bass and treble filters, pamametrick filters, rign and phase modulators, merge amplifiers, VCA, ADSR generators, LFO, random signal generators, envelope followers and auxiliary circuits. selected signal levels were controlled by a small six-channel mixing console. Signal parameters could be watched using a built-in oscilloscope, a VU meter, voltmeter and frequency counter. Modules were connected with sockets and cables used in analog computers MEDA. Input and output sockets of sound and control signals were distinguished by color for better clarity.

    In the second half of 1990s was added a six octave keyboard (range F-F) with a separate stand and the synthesizer could be normally played. It stopped to be used a few years after. Now it's part of a collection of Cinepost company.

    The text is cited from the book Elektrofony II (Electrophones II) with kind permission of its author Milan Guštar, to whom I'd like to thank for a picture.

  8. Unbelievably wonderful piece of work for its time.
    Other synthesisers of this time were so big that you needed a whole cargo truck to move them, but this one, in comparison, is very compact and highly advanced.
    Such a pity that it took till the later versions for it to have a keyboard.

    The above comment with the czech-english translation is quite good, but not perfect yet. But well done anyway.

    Thank you for this very interesting piece of audio history

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