British boutique electronic instruments manufacturer Analogue Solutions has unveiled its six-block Series 700 professional modular synthesiser, recreating Roland’s legacy System 700 modular synthesiser.
Originally billed as ‘a complete studio system that could be built piece by piece’, the revered, and rare, System 700 was the most expensive synthesiser that the Japanese giant ever made – markedly more so than the company’s classic Jupiter-8 analogue programmable polysynth that dominated charts and stages throughout the early Eighties.
Even though the System 700’s six so-called blocks could be bought separately to create a complete studio system, inevitably it ended up in the hands and studios of a privileged few from the outset. Against the odds, it forever made its mark on the popular musical landscape when playing a prominent part in synth-pop pioneers The Human League’s landmark Dare album’s chart-topping escapades, essential record producer Martin Rushent’s Genetic Sound studios-residing System 700 being credited on the original 1981 album sleeve notes, for instance.
Today examples can change hands for more than £150,000 on the second-hand market, assuming a full system can be found. And even if a System 700 is found, it is usually only a partial system and finding any missing blocks almost impossible.
Analogue Solutions’ new offering is as close to the Roland System 700 as it is possible to get, including retaining the original distinctive look and layout even. Although mechanical changes have been made internally, these do not impact the sound.
Although a different choice of circuit types and may now would be seen as preferable, Analogue Solutions stayed true to the original spec, so almost every circuit has been reproduced from original schematics with changes being kept to an absolute minimum, made only where necessary. The original design inevitably uses components that are no longer available, but necessary changes were only made where it was impossible to source specific parts. Resisting the temptation to change the spec or feature set, Analogue Solutions only added a basic single-channel Midi-to-CV converter primarily for syncing its analogue CV sequencer to Midi.
Mirroring the palatial physical proportions of Roland’s mid-Seventies design, all of Analogue Solutions’ Series 700 blocks are a like-for-like match, size-wise – specifically, Block 1 (Main Console): 860mm (W) x 560mm (H); Block 3 (Analogue Sequencer): 860mm (W) x 362mm (H); Block 4 (VCO Bank): 460mm (W) x 362mm (H); Block 5 (VCF/VCA Bank): 460mm (W) x 362mm (H); Block 6 (Interface/Mixer): 460mm (W) x 362mm (H); Block 7 (Phase Shifter/Audio Delay): 460mm (W) x 362mm (H), all sharing the same 310mm (with lid)/255mm (without lid) depth. Anyone astutely wondering what happened to the ‘missing-in-action’ Block 2 should note that this is the 701 keyboard controller that Analogue Solutions is in the process of developing separately – based on Roland’s original 701A 61-key two-voice affair, but blessed with four-CV-channel polyphony, velocity CV output, and Midi in/out, plus minijack connections that can also be used with Eurorack and other modular synths, as well as vintage monosynths – for future purchase when available as an optional upgrade.
Analogue Solutions’ attention to detail extends to the Series 700 cabinet – a Tolex-wrapped wooden box with a strap carry handle complete with a lid lined in a blue-coloured material, just like Roland’s System 700. Similarly, latches and hinges are close to those used on the original System 700, while Block 1 retains the letterbox-style slot for cable or manual storage.
Since the spec of the Series 700 is almost identical to that of the original System 700, the British boutique electronic instruments innovator is not planning on writing a full-blown manual for its latest and, possibly, greatest mega-synth offering to date – Roland having already done a worthy job of explaining its coveted complete studio system back in the Seventies – but rather uploading the original System 700 manual alongside a supplementary Series 700 manual highlighting any important differences between the two.
Priced at £33,000 (excluding delivery, wooden packing crate, and import or other taxes), the full six-block Series 700 professional modular synthesiser is now available for pre-order.