How to POLY-CHAIN the Oberheim Matrix 1000 & Install the Fantastic Tauntek 1.20 OS Upgrade + Sounds!

The Oberheim Matrix 1000 has been around since 1988, but did you know that it can be polychained with up to 5 other units?!? This allows for huge sounds, long decays, and no note stealing! Forget chorus, reverb or delay because this setup doesn't even need effects! To be clear, this is not a simple MIDI In/Thru setup... One unit must be set as the master and then distributes the incoming note data evenly between itself and each of the slaves. Matrix 6 and 6Rs can join the party too 🎉, but only as slave units.
We also demonstrate how to upgrade these units with the @Tauntek 1.20 OS upgrade. Add in a @Kiwitechnics patch editor and you've got a monster vintage analog synthesizer. Enjoy our quick demonstration of 3 x Matrix 1000s: 18 voices & 36 DCOs of creamy Oberheim goodness!
Thank you for watching! Please consider subscribing to our channel! We are just two hobbyists who share a deep passion for vintage synthesizers! 🙏
*There were NO EFFECTS used whatsoever, the signal is 100% DRY!
**The CEM3396 is not just a filter as I mention briefly in the video, it is a full synthesizer voice on a chip including an oscillator, filter, envelope, etc.
***Please forgive me! We intended to show more live editing & tweaking (& did...), but yours truly forgot to hit record in Ableton 🤦 which meant we had no direct audio... It would have been silly to publish a video like this with audio from a camera mic, so we stayed late to film it all over again in a second take. If you would like to see and hear more Polychained M1000 sounds & tweaking, let us know in the comments!
****MANY Thanks to Tauntek for all his hard work rewriting vintage synth firmware!
Please BUY or DOWNLOAD your upgraded EPROMS directly from: www.tauntek.com and consider supporting Bob's amazing work (we are not affiliated w/ Tauntek in any way, just big fans).
#vintagesynthesizersolutions
#SacramentoSynthesizers
#oberheim
#matrix1000
#Tauntek
#Kiwitechnics
Thanks to www.jeffreylatour.com for the wonderful filming & editing work!
0:00 Intro
0:28 Origin & Initial Thoughts
1:02 Specs & History
2:02 The Problematic Factory OS
2:25 Tauntek Updgrade Overview
3:02 Opening the Synthesizer
3:24 Warning Message!
3:48 Circuit Board Overview
4:19 Upgrade Installation Prep
5:51 Support Tauntek!
6:26 Installing the New OS
7:55 Polychain Set up Process
9:45 MIDI Controller Setup
10:48 Patch Demonstrations
16:40 (See Display React to Incoming Midi)
16:43 Patch Demonstrations Continue
19:50 Thank You for Watching!

[@toddague]

I followed the Tauntek 1.20 OS upgrade steps in this video in detail and my upgrade went flawlessly. Thanks for taking the time to document everything in that department!

[@barnabascee1889]

My one Matrix 1000 sounds amazing. I'll NEVER sell it!

[@larswillsen]

I had one late 80s, and using the sounds from that one today :)

[@Andronicus2007]

They were still selling these new in the late 90s. I bought a cream/white face model in 1997.

[@sK3LeTvM1]

You should buy a second one.

[@LegendOfSilkeF]

The music producer "Moby" used this one since 1995 for his music.

[@albionpatterns3986]

11:51 jesus wept, is that the filter causing all that high pitch sizzle and harmonics? out of this world

[@station2station544]

THICK. SO cool.

[@JohnMcJunkinAZ]

I just had new power supply units installed in both of my M1Ks (to get rid of that horrible hum!), along with battery holders. I've had the Tauntek 1.20 EPROMs for a while - going to install and go on a rampage! I also picked up the upgraded firmware from Tauntek for my Siel DK-600 and EX-600, so now I'll have CC control over most of the parameters, and by connecting via MIDI, I double my polyphony. Bob Grieb is the man!

[@RachelsSweetie]

I'd that hum typical of these units? I'm an electronics hobbyist so I fixed mine (somehow) decades ago but I've never heard anyone else mention it.

[@JohnMcJunkinAZ]

@@RachelsSweetie unfortunately it is a fairly common issue - common enough that there are PSU replacement kits available

[@erictripton]

Dang right, I got a refubished Matrix 1000, but it was expensive. Endless tweakability. It has such a great warm sound. I vowed never to purchase Oberheim want to be vst's anymore. The analog tone of this thing is great. The software Ctrlr is great and easy to use. But the big warmth is worth paying for it. I think I have 1.63 eprom, which a little delay when switching does not bug me at all. I run this through whatever, to give it stereo sound and its happening. I cant image hooking up 3 LOL Great video, mate!!!!

[@raymond_lazer]

Oh la la !!!!!!!!!

[@michaeljones5622]

Great stuff

[@3xAudio]

Very nice. i would love one!

[@sK3LeTvM1]

Once I had 6 units of Matrix 1000 to replace my Matrix 12. Sold those Matrixes and bought 2 White Face versions very recently and I will continue my super Matrix rack ! Also ordered the Alpes Machines controller which is imho the best looking and dedicated Matrix 1000 controller around !

[@helisoma]

any advantage of the white face over black?

[@sK3LeTvM1]

@@helisoma Sound wise, the are identical. However, the power supply of the black face tend to 'hum'. That is not the case with the white face. However, the hum of the black face can be solved. Check the internet for solutions.

[@Bernd_Bruening]

Great video! Detuning the units to each other makes more sense when they are stacked. I’m going to make a video with 6x M1000 stacked and slightly detuned. The Tauntek firmware is highly recommended. Subscribed!!

[@VintageSynthesizerSolutions]

We'll be sure to keep an eye out for that video! I've chained 4 x M1000s before and it was already bordering on ridiculous when stacking sounds ;) but still soo much fun!

[@Variable1000]

Yeah but what about phasing issues ?

[@supercompooper]

"That's the sound of the Synths... Working on the chain.... Yahiahhhh..."

[@jonasness]

Whoa, that's rad! Sound amazing! I always thought about doing this with my two Matrix 1000 units. I upgraded the firmware on my one of them so I could use it with a programmer from Stereoping. It works well with the filter and several other parameters, but still gives a lot of stepping and squelching sounds when you try to tune the oscillators. That Kiwi programmer looks like a better option. I'll check out Tauntek! I have an Oberheim Xk as a controller, which is just perfect for the Matrix series. Fun to see you using the Matrix 6 though. Thanks for making this awesome video!

[@VintageSynthesizerSolutions]

Try Tauntek first! Much cheaper, easier and less invasive than going with a kiwi mod. Whatever you decide to do, thanks for your amazing feedback!

[@MM-vs2et]

Yo can I have one?

[@M80-]

Thanks! I changed it with the same EPROM, now I have also the Stereoping Synth Programmer. Built like a tank, easy to tweak on presets and the Matrix sounds amazing!

[@nedlawless]

Great video, thanks, but I have to admit I'm a little confused. Why would it sound "bigger", as opposed to simply having more polyphony? Is it because you're panning each unit to create stereo spread? Also I understand the concept of tuning offset for each unit, but usually you do that when all units are playing the same notes together, to get the oscillators beating against each other in stereo. Wouldn't detuning the units in this case just act like a synth with some voices out of tune?

[@VintageSynthesizerSolutions]

They are vintage synthesizers, each will have a slightly different sound. All electrical components have different tolerances/characteristics, and can age differently, amongst a number of other variables. This in addition to being able to de-tune the units independently. Also, as you mentioned, the additional polyphony will fatten the sound further whenever utilized. In regard to the second part of your question, I believe de-tuning interacts with more frequencies than just the ones around it (but I'm not an audio engineer!). Lastly, this is simply a demonstration of a cool way to link old Oberheims. We are just hobbyists and this is our subjective opinion. We do these videos for fun and we really appreciate you watching them!

[@dfreeman120]

Like to hear a demo of the kiwi 1000 upgrade sounds

[@retinogram]

Hello, Should we adjust the volume of each device or the master device controls the volume of the other two? Thanks for sharing this video! Sincerely, Mat'

[@VintageSynthesizerSolutions]

each volume is separate

[@saren6538]

The white face 1000 came in the 90s do they sound identical to the black face version ?

[@Variable1000]

Hey there, aren’t there phasing issues ?

[@WestonStephens]

One of my voices won’t calibrate. Any 1000 wizards out there that have solved this? Is it a voice chip issue or something else. Hard to say, but have to ask. Thanks 🙏

[@mixc8]

Does anyone know how to get rid of the hum on the black matrix?

[@cryingjordan8842]

Can you explain whats happening stereo output wise?

[@VintageSynthesizerSolutions]

Of course! The Matrix 1000 has a mono out. So with three of these, I have each single output from each of the three M1000s going into a mixer. One channel is panned to the center and the other two are panned slightly to the left and right respectively.

[@cryingjordan8842]

@@VintageSynthesizerSolutions awesome! Going to assume these sound quite fat when stacked, slightly detuned, and hard panned into a stereo pair!

[@VintageSynthesizerSolutions]

@@cryingjordan8842 yes! I love them... We have have a matrix 12 and an obxa and still use these all the time. Two or three is the perfect number 👍

[@beatnikcafe]

Has anyone ever modded a Matrix 1000 so that each voice gets it's own physical output? Or, is this something that is not completely out of the realm of possibility?