Cyndustries has announced a new type of modular synthesizer oscillator, the Zeroscillator, an all-analog through-zero FM oscillator. According to Cyndustries, the Zeroscillator will be “the first time traditional digital FM synthesis is possible in an all analog signal path.”

The Zeroscillator “is an original design by Mark Barton,” explains Cyndustries Cynthia Webster. “Mark, and John Ross, and I have been working intensely on the Zeroscillator project for 7 months.”

The Zeroscillator is a full-featured electronic-music-quality analog VCO capable of linear frequency modulation through zero hertz and into negative frequencies. This makes it capable of FM Synthesis, wild and crazy sounds simply not available from traditional VCOs, and timbres not available from digital FM synthesizers.

Traditional FM Synthesis oscillator implementations, such as the DX-7, are sine wave only. The Zeroscillator also makes available sawtooth, reverse saw, triangle, pulse (with PWM), and a special set of four quadrature outputs capable of unique bi-phase wave morphing.

Features:

• Through-zero Linear FM Operation. AC & DC Linear FM Inputs with 4-Quadrant Dynamic Depth VCA. Separate Outputs for All Traditional Waveforms.
• Voltage Controlled Bi-Phasic Waveform Morphing in Four-Phase Quadrature.
• Variable Synch. Precision Ten-Turn Tuning Knob
• Switchable Linear Bias Modulation Depth and Polarity LEDs.
• Unique Time Reversal Input.

According to Cyndustries, the finest components are employed using high-quality 4-layer circuit boards, NKK Switches and Switchcraft connectors. All chips are in military-grade type gold sockets, and gold connectors are used internally for years of trouble-free maintainance.

“We have a team of three full-time assemblers building them right now,” notes Webster. “Each unit uses 6 circuit boards, and there are only 3 wires in the entire assembly.”

Modcan Format is currently shipping, with other formats waiting on either panels or a bulk order of circuit boards.

More information and audio samples are available at the Cyndustries site.