Peter Wielk is auctioning off an extremely rare Fairlight IIX CMI on eBay.
The starting point is $1,900 and the Buy It Now price is $3,900. $3,900 doesn’t seem that bad, given that this is a piece of electronic music history and that they were $50,000 when they were new.
But most of these early digital samplers and synths have about zero sex appeal – the technology, which was surely amazing in 1983, now seems like a barrier to making music.
Details on the Fairlight IIX CMI below – but let me know if you think these old digital beasts should be kept in the studio – in museums.
Fairlight IIX CMI Auction Details:
Offered for sale is a very rare Fairlight IIX CMI (computer musical instrument) in full working order, fitted with series I channel cards and MIDI. This system was a “test” machine in the Fairlight factory in Rushcutters Bay, Sydney around 1983, and subsequently lacks some of the cosmetic finesse of production systems, as can be seen in the pictures. There is no front panel, a missing side panel, and the rear panel is unpainted, however none of this affects the operation in any way. Two MIDI in ports and two out enable the Fairlight CMI to integrate seamlessly into any setup, and plugged into any MIDI keyboard or sequencer, can be creating music within minutes.
It’s no exaggeration to say the early Fairlight systems defined the music of the 1980s. They were the very first commercially available samplers, and one of the composition pages, Page R, was the worlds first screen based sequencer. Little wonder that some of the most innovative musicians of the time embraced the CMI so passionately. Peter Gabriel, Kate bush, Stevie Wonder, Tears for Fears, Yello, Thomas Dolby, and many others used the CMI to define their sound. Check out “Fairlight CMI” in Wikipedia for a full run-down.
A full set of the latest 1.3 revision library discs is included (coincidentally, compiled by myself at the factory in 1982-3). There are also several system and utility discs, plus 10 blank sound discs.
The sound of the early Fairlight CMIs is completely awesome – a product of the inspired software, and a no-compromise attitude to hardware design. You might buy a CD of Fairlight sounds for you sampler – it will sound nothing like the real thing!
There is no CRT monitor or lightpen included, as the early units are virtually impossible to come by in good working condition. Instead, a new LCD screen is included, which works flawlessly. Not having a lightpen would seem to be a major disadvantage, however, virtually every function on the IIX can be accessed via the alpha-numeric keyboard. The only one that cannot, unsurprisingly, is waveform drawing, which although a complete revelation in 1979 has very few practical uses, apart from amusing small children. However, should an old monitor and lightpen become available, it can be plugged in and will function immediately.
The system has the original floppy drives, which because of their mains supply motors require a 50Hz mains frequency. Therefore, in it’s present state, is unsuitable for use in the USA or Japan, which use a 60Hz supply.
The system is recently serviced, and will have a full set of manuals, full library, all leads, latest software, and come with 3 months warranty.
Please note you’ll see other Fairlight systems advertised on ebay, and many will less expensive. However, do some research before you buy. What may look like a bargain might not look so appealing when its obsolete parts finally give up. This applies specially to earlier systems. This system is complete (apart from a lightpen), fully functional, and will work straight out of the box. I worked as product specialist and studio manager at Fairlight in Sydney during most of the 1980s, and have subsequently been involved in re-building Fairlight CMIs for over 25 years. I have sold and support well over 30 of these classic samplers. If you are in any doubt, please type “Peter Wielk Fairlight” into the worlds favourite search engine and see what comes out. I am also proud of my 100% positive ebay feedback with over 300 transactions, which I hope reflects my honest and straight forward dealings. I have also described this system as accurately as possible. However, please feel free to ask any questions, or if you’re passing through Sydney, you would be very welcome to have an extensive demonstration. Lastly, these systems were designed and built with no compromises, reflected by their US$50,000 price tag when new. The sound is completely awesome.
Also, only about 200 systems were built, and they were sold to the most influental musicians and producers in the world. The sounds of the Fairlight CMI formed the soundtrack of the 1980s. So, if you’ve always lusted after one, here’s your chance to own a part of music history!
