Bit One

Old Italian synth companies don't die, it seems, they just change their names or get taken over by drned foreigners.
If the name Bit isn't familiar, you may remember the original company moniquer, Crumar, maker of mediocre synths, string machines, and electric pianos. Some of the synths mentioned here also appeared under the "Unique" name (and probably others).

Familiar analog naming standards (unlike our Japanese friends who like to label everything with all manor of useless gibberish; here you actually have terms like VCO!). It also had an edit/compare feature (so you could temporarily store a sound you're editing without erasing the originalor anything else!). The keyboard is 61 key, velocity/aftertouch with fine, synth action while the module is a 2-space rack; both are copiously illustrated with parameters so if you loose the manual or don't understand Italianish, you're still not lost.
This is old-school, dual-oscillator Six voice analog, though you still have a handy split/layer ability (bitimbral on 2 MIDI channels). 64 RAM locations. A warm chorus effect. MIDI In, Out, Thru; Stereo outs; and the dreaded cassette dump (hey, it was 1984).

The Bit One, belies its Crumar heritage because its sound is anything but mediocre. If you've ever heard one of these, you're probably wondering why the company went out of business. This is analog synthesis at its most ravishing and Reubenesque - definitely a competitor for Oberheim, Roland, and Sequential in the early 80s and a class act compared to the "classic" sounds found in most sample playback boxes.
But Bit did go out of business. Despite several nice features and lush sounds, few of them were sold.
The last Bit hurrah was the Bit 99 and the module 01. You still have no parts or service, but you have a reasonable MIDI spec and newer hardware. Sadly, you also have a hampered shopping list for even fewer of these beauties were sold.

The Bit Ones had only MIDI Omni On (meaning it responds to virtually everything whether you want it to or not). This is not a problem if you have the machine on a dedicated MIDI port where it won't get confused by what's being sent to other MIDI devices (as stated above, the Bit 99 and 01 have more respectable MIDI)
Factory support is out of the question. This is a synth that's difficult to locate, service, and rely as Crumar (in its many guises) faded from view over 10 years ago.
If you still find a unit that's working, chances are you've found a good one. Seize on it!

R.I.P. though big city music repair stores here and in Europe should be able to help with the basics if anything goes wrong.

I have passed up the opportunity to buy more than one of the Bits and have always ended regretting it. Expect the prices to start at a savory $200 for the modules and $350 for the keyboards. Trust me, the next one I come across is MINE!