EMS Synthi 100 (1970s)
A large analog/digital hybrid modular synthesizer built in limited numbers, famously used at the BBC Radiophonic Workshop.
Overview
The EMS Synthi 100 is a modular analog synthesizer developed by Electronic Music Studios (London) Ltd in the 1970s. EMS called it a "large analogue/digital hybrid synthesizer." It was built for complex sound creation, and its users included the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, Radio Belgrade, and the University of Wales. The BBC unit was nicknamed "Delaware" after the road where the workshop was located. Fewer than forty units were built, with some sources specifying thirty-one produced, which makes it one of the rarest professional synthesizers of its era. It was used for sound effects and incidental music on programs like *Doctor Who*, and composers such as Karlheinz Stockhausen and Wolfgang Dauner worked with it.
Specifications
| Manufacturer | Electronic Music Studios (London) Ltd |
| Product type | Modular analog synthesizer + step sequencer |
| Price | £6,500 in 1971 |
| Number built | Fewer than forty units |
| Dimensions | Approximately 2 meters long, 1 meter wide |
| Manual frequency range | Greater than 1 Hz to 10 kHz |
| Triangle symmetry | ±5 |
Design
The Synthi 100 uses a pin matrix patching system. The matrices sit on the main desk, and the right-hand one is dedicated to control voltages. It has digital-to-analogue converters (DAC) and is described as an analog/digital hybrid. A spring reverb is mentioned in connection with derivative models. The system also supports data routing for components like Shaper 3 and Filter 7.
Context
The Synthi 100 started as a custom order for Radio Belgrade and was among the most ambitious synthesizer systems of its time. It was delivered to the BBC Radiophonic Workshop in 1970 and quickly became central to experimental sound production. Its use on electronic music and sound effects made it a cult instrument. It has been called a "wonderful noise machine" and "great for millionaires," thanks to its size, cost, and rarity.
Market
One unit was listed for sale as "Used - Excellent" at $500,000. A forum discussion from 2015 called a price around $106,480 high, which points to significant appreciation since then. Fewer than forty were built, and that scarcity, along with the machine's history, keeps collectors and institutions interested.
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