Founded in 1985 (a recital of events unto itself) by Tim Caswell and Val St. Regis, a.k.a. FLETCHER, that master of "personic reinvention" STUDIO ELECTRONICS began its venture into the world of Analog synths by rack mounting and "midifying" the Minimoog. The first units were built on Mom's (Mary Capretta St. Regis - still very much a player in the co.) kitchen table. This homespun novelty was an instant success, and within a few short years the product known as the Midimoog was making its way into serious professional's studios and touring rigs the world over - the instrument of choice for midi controlled "discrete" analog basses and leads. When the supply of Minimoogs started to become scarce, the STUDIO ELECTRONICS MIDIMINI was born. An exact clone of the original, it was hand built with all of the original components and produced the "Moog" sound identically, while incorporating some clever innovations.

 

With the success and notoriety of the MIDIMINI, there were requests for other classic analog rack mount conversions. Over the next several years STUDIO ELECTRONICS produced the Obie Rack, (two Oberheim S.E.M.s - magic!), the P-Five (Sequential circuits Prophet 5), the Obie Eight, (Oberheim OB-8), and in a very limited quantity the "Harvey" (as in Steve) 808, (Roland TR-808).

Instruments, not Commodities.

 

 

With computer-based sequencing becoming more popular, the need for expanded midi control and programmability of classic analog bass and lead sounds became evident. The team at STUDIO ELECTRONICS: Tim, Greg, Cassie, and Marc (Greg's brother) realized that it was time for a product of their own creation. In 1993 the SE-1 was unleashed, in essence an affordable programmable Minimoog: the ultimate bass and lead synthesizer. Built With authentic discrete circuits, the SE-1 featured three voltage controlled oscillators, two classic voltage controlled filters: (24db Moog and 12 db Oberheim), complete programmability, solid MIDI control, multiple L.F.O.s, and Envelopes, Ring-Mod and quite a bit more. Its superb truly discrete analog signal path and outstanding factory presets, e.g., "#04 Basic Record", made it an indispensable tool of the most respected and paid Hiphop, R&B, Pop, Film, Television, and Electronic Dance Music Producers, not to mention crack Sound Designers, working on this relatively young third stone from the sun. The SE-1 was indeed "seen where the sound of success is heard".

 

Continuing to stay at the forefront of analog synthesizer design, STUDIO ELECTRONICS released the ATC-1 or "Analog Tone Chameleon" in 1996. A totally original concept - it featured an interchangeable cartridge based filter system. Four classic filter types: Mini, S.E.M., 303 and 2600 allowed the user to create an extremely wide range of classic analog synthesizer sounds never before achievable with just one instrument.

 

Work in earnest began on the Omega Series Synths in the spring of 1997. With over 10 years of experience in analog hardware and software interface design, the time was right - we thought it just might be doable - for STUDIO ELECTRONICS to deliver a polyphonic, programmable multi timbral analog synthesizer that would set new standards for the competition. Once again utilizing classic discrete voltage controlled analogue sound platform circuitry, the Omega 2, and Omega 8 (also available in a 4 or 6 voice configuration) incorporate that ingenious multiple filter platform neatly "sampled" from the ATC-1. To insure immediate response and allow for plentiful modulation routings, each voice is its own powerfully independent stereo synthesizer and external input signal processor; ingeniously linked, controlled and cajoled by one very dedicated computer board, producing what we passionately believe to be sound quality, and originality, that is clearly... unmatched. Released in the late second quarter of 2000, fantastically patient and devoted Analogians finally witnessed for themselves "realization", as a fully configurable multitimbral Omega 8 ver. 2.0 became a reality in February of this year (2002), nearly satisfying the "wish list" of its sound designers; splits, layers, prepared modes and a duophonic Omega 2 preceded in the intervening months. A voice board code upgrade, adding yet more to the expressiveness of the Omega, is planned for the summer.

 

 

The SE-1X (available as an SE-1 upgrade as well), a deep improvement on our highly favored SE-1, still "the ultimate bass and lead synth", was released in Jan. 2001. It speaks volumes for itself here. OS upgrades for the X model, allowing it to run the Omega Series true exponential envelope and glide routines, not to mention its modulation routings, are next in line for this Hiphop and R&B phatty.

 

Class A discrete Audio gear: a stereo mic pre., and dual compressor limiter, and an ingeniously, "iconically" redesigned ATC-1: the ATC-X - all three pieces previewed at Summer NAMM 2002 - are slated for a much anticipated mid second quarter '02 release date.

 

While the rest of today's manufacturers rush headlong towards digital simulation, STUDIO ELECTRONICS remains firmly committed to the superior sound production and functionality of discrete analog synthesis. Stimulation not Simulation. True. The "future of analog" firmly resides in the hands of STUDIO ELECTRONICS, or if you prefer, ANALOGIA INC.