The Audio Playground Synthesizer Museum

Metasonix

Phattytron PT-1
Vacuum Tube Synthesizer

The PT-1 Phattytron. The first commercial vacuum tube music synthesizer.
Phattytron does not sound like conventional analog synthesizers. The electrical behavior of tube audio circuitry is fundamentally unlike that of solid-state circuits performing the same functions. This gives Phattytron a tonal palette utterly radical from, yet paralleling, that of the familiar tones of electronic music.

As a comparison: if you've ever wondered about the sonic abilities of Oskar Sala's "Mixturtrautonium" (as used in famous movie soundtracks such as
Hitchcock's "The Birds"), most of the basic circuits in Phattytron are very similar to those of the original Mixturtrautonium. (Of course, the
Mixturtrautonium didn't have MIDI, modulation presets, and a voltage-tunable bandpass filter. So, Phattytron can do some of the sounds of Sala's
instrument--and much, much more.)

SPECIFICATIONS:

-----VCO: based on thyratron gas-filled tube, 4 octave range, unique sawtooth waveform.

-----VCF: bandpass, based on Svetlana EF86 pentode tube
-----adjustable from flat response, to resonant oscillation

-----VCA: based on Svetlana EF86 pentode, controlled by its own A(S)R / AD generator

Other functions:

-----LFO (range 0.5 Hz to >20 Hz) can modulate VCO or VCF
-----A(D)R (attack/decay range <10 mS to 10 sec) controls VCA only
-----AD (attack/decay range <10 mS to 10 sec) can modulate VCO or VCF

--Display: Genuine vintage "Nixie" gas-discharge numeric display, orange, 0.5" high, displays currently selected MIDI preset

-----MIDI functions: keydown/up, select presets 0 thru 3
-----MIDI presets: accept CVs from LFO and AD generator, sends to VCO or VCF
-----MIDI to CV scaling: special interface, uses adjustable resistor ladder
to make any thyratron tube follow any desired scale (stock tuning is equal-tempering)

Interfaces:

-----MIDI input, standard
-----audio output, +4 dB, mono phone jack, front and rear
-----aux audio input to VCF, +4 dB, mono phone jack, front and rear
-----aux FM CV input to VCO, -15v to +15v range, front
-----aux modulation input to VCF, -15v to +15v range, front
-----all analog patch points are ON THE FRONT PANEL
for easy integration with modular systems
-----quality Switchcraft 1/4" phone sockets for patching

--power input: settable 120v or 240v via internal wiring, 50/60 Hz, power consumption less than 30 watts

--SIZE: standard EIA 2U rack-mounting cabinet; 484mm (19.0") wide, 88mm (3.5") high, 356mm (14") deep (incl. front-panel handles),
depth behind panel: 305mm (12"), SHIPPING WEIGHT 15 kg

METASONIX PRODUCTS ARE MADE WITH CLASSIC AMERICAN PARTS.
All panel potentiometers are sealed Bourns, Spectrol or Clarostat types.
All panel switches are C&K toggles.
All phone jacks are Switchcraft.
All resistors are 1% metal-film or wirewound.
All parts are operated well under their maximum ratings.
PHATTYTRON IS BUILT TO ENDURE....BUILT FOR LIFE....

All info taken from the Metasonic web site.

A Look Inside.