The Synthex was conceived and developed by independent Italian designer Mario Maggi, who then gained the financial backing of the Elka company of Italy, who produced the synthesizer from 1981 to 1985. Elka, a company more noted for its organs, had previously introduced their Rhapsody 490, 610 string machine, the monophonic Solist 505 and the big combo organ/synth X-705. A total of 1850 units were produced. Today is a highly sought-after instrument which recently reached quotations around 8,000 GBP. It was succeeded by the Elka EK-22 and the Elka EK-44.
Features and architecture
The Synthex is an 8-voice analog synthesizer with 2 oscillators per note, separate envelope generators, and chorus. The use of stable DCOs and oscillator cross modulation of pulse width and a multimode filter made it unique in its time. Unusually, the Synthex also contained a built in real-time and step-time 4-track monophonic sequencer with real-time transposition. The four different sequencer tracks can have different length and sounds. Also it is possible to insert rests between notes as well as length of notes. Sequences and patches could be dumped to analog cassette tape through an audio interface. Each of the eight voices has 2 DCOs with selectable waveform. The Synthex has three keyboard modes. 8 voice single sound, Split with user selected split point or Double which reduce the polyphony to four voices. Later versions implemented basic MIDI functions. Instead of traditional pitchbend/modulation wheels, the Synthex employs a joystick which allows for greater variable real-time control over the two LFOs, oscillator and filter modulation. The 6 sliders beside the joystick assign what goes to the joystick. Voices can also be layered or split across the keyboard. Other features include the onboard digital Ring-Modulator, Chorus effect and Dual or Layer modes available.
Users
used the Synthex for the laser harp sound on his Rendez-Vous album. Geoff Downes of the bandAsia used it on their album Astra. Stevie Wonder used the Synthex on his song "Skeletons". Martin Gore keyboardist of Depeche Mode used the Synthex a lot in his latest solo album "MG". When interviewed on Keyboard Magazine said: "KM: Was your rig exclusively modular or did you use any more conventional hardware synths? MG: I did use some more conventional stuff. I mean, I love my Elka Synthex." Nick Rhodes keyboardist of Duran Duran used the Synthex extensively on the album "All You Need Is Now". When interviewed on Keyboard Magazine said: "KM: On the song “Mediterranea,” there’s a sort of bubbling, arpeggiated track in the background. What was that created with? NR: That is actually a pulse. I pulsed it from a cowbell, sort of old school style, like I would have done on “Union of the Snake,” or “Is There Something I Should Know,” and it’s actually the Elka Synthex. There are a lot of layers of Synthex on that particular song—all the beautiful, soft bell tones. It’s particularly good for those." Nick also used the Synthex on various tracks and featured it in the trailer for the Duran Duran album "Paper Gods", according to his recent interview in Keyboard Magazine. Keith Emerson keyboardist of Emerson, Lake and Palmer used the Synthex as pictured and discussed during an interview in Electronics Music & Maker, 1985. Italian film composerFabio Frizzi used a prototype Elka Synthex unit heavily in his soundtrack to Lucio Fulci's 1982 filmManhattan Baby. Italian filmmusic composerIvan Iusco used the Synthex on his albums Era Vulgaris and Synthagma.
