PAiA 9700 Series Modular

This is a follow-up to my earlier review from a few years ago.

I had stated (as have others) the issues with runaway distortion in the filters at high resonance. The instructions do warn that the filter can be overloaded and suggest reducing the signal level. What I finally figured out is that patching a VCO into a VCF is enough to require attenuation (odd!).

The problem is there is only one attenuator available in the whole system, the pan control for VCAs L and R!!! If you use that to attenuate the input to the filters you can avoid distortion but you lose the only mixer in the system. @#$%^%$#@

I didn't really suss all this out until I added some additional mixers and attenuators to my system. You need to use trial and error to set the input level, it's dependent on the pitch you are playing, modulation of resonance and cutoff, etc. Not something you would find very easy to do in a live situation.

If all you want to do is drive the filter into sinusoidal self-oscillation it will do that without distorting...if there is no input!

First you have to build it, which takes around 60 hours. The MIDI-to-CV module is pretty easy to do and can be done in a day. The rest of the modules each take about two days worth of work, assuming you're willing to go at this for six to eight hours per day. The VCO Module gave me no problems, but the VCF module ended up being a pain. Both the VCF and VCA modules came with thicker "flying" wires than the MIDI2CV and VCO modules - thicker wires mean it is more crowded and harder to work with. Furthermore, it seemed to me that while building the VCF, the order in which the instructions tell you to connect the circuit board wires to the faceplate wasn't totally correct. The other modules went along fine - with the VCA module, I got some thinner wire to use instead of the thicker wires PAIA supplied, so I may have saved myself some headaches there.

Once built, it's relatively straight forward to use, although patching via 1/8" jacks is not fun. Having done my research, I bought my own 1/8" plugs, which I'm glad I did, I just don't like the 1/8" plugs supplied with the kit. I also wish there was an easier way to have two sources affect the same destination, I may have to rig up some special patch cables for that, but even then, I have a feeling the voltage will be wrong and I won't be getting the results I intend to that way.

It's an analog modular synthesizer in miniature. The MIDI capabilities are much more than I expected when I initially bought it, there are eight different "modes" that you can choose from allowing you to use it as a monophonic synth with pitch wheel, mod wheel, velocity, aftertouch and a few others; or you can set it so that you can use each of the 2 separate VCOs as a separate voice. There are also settings should you have other analog gear, so that you could send MIDI into the 9700s and send CV out to your other synths.

Here's a brief run down of the features of each module I can think of off the top of my head:

VCO - 2 oscillators, one of which can be switched to LFO mode. Both include saw, pulse and triangle waves, one also has sine. Glide, FM, Sync and an AR envelope that can be set to trigger, gate or cycle.

VCF - 2 Filters, each with a Q setting, each capable of LP, BP and HP modes. Also includes AR envelope that can be set to trigger, gate or cycle.

VCA - Noise generator, ADSR envelope (trigger, gate or cycle). 2 separate inputs labelled L and R can be "mixed" via the Pan knob. There is a monophonic output labelled "A" that will give you your "mixed" L and R inputs modified by the ADSR envelope, and there are also 2 discrete L and R outputs that are not modified by the ADSR envelope.

Overall a nice, vintage analog sound, although the Q settings are unstable; you don't have to turn them up much more than half way and you get an unintended screeching noise... I would have assumed I had done something horribly wrong, except www.unease.se documented the same problem. Pitch also seems a bit unstable, I don't know if it's temperature related or what, sometimes it seems fine, other times it seems like I can't keep it in tune. Some of the settings, especially for the envelopes need to be revised, it seems. Turning a knob a little changes the value too much. For example, with the envelopes it seems like you need tweezers to turn the knob delicately enough to get a wide variety of short attacks. I have a friend with a Yamaha CS-10 which has a short and long setting for the envelopes... something like that would be nice on the 9700s.

It works every time I power it on, but I wouldn't gig with it, it's just a bit too unpredictable sometimes. I keep it rack mounted in my home studio and just record ideas that I want to keep to hard disk.

There were a few missing parts in my kit. Lots of resistors missing, but I just bought a bag of them myself rather than bug PAiA about it. One potentiometer and all the diodes were missing from my VCA kit, so I decided to e-mail them about that. It took two business days for a response saying they were shipped, and they arrived via first class mail a week and a day after the response.

Ordering process was also slow, but I guess that was due to unusual ice storms in Oklahoma... still, the kit was out of stock (even though the website didn't say so) so it took about 3 extra weeks even after the initial delay. Not horrible, but I really hate it when companies charge my card when the order is placed, and then take forever shipping it. Had I known the 9700s was out of stock in the first place, I would've bought something else in the meantime and ordered the 9700s a few paychecks down the line.

I'm really torn here. Lost, stolen or broken, I don't think I'd build another one of these, it simply takes too long. In terms of raw dollars, it's the cheapest option for a modular analog synth there is, but one must consider that your time is worth something. I paid about $500 for the kit and it took about 60 hours to build. If your time is worth even $10 per hour, and you're really just looking for an analog synthesizer you might want to consider the Moog Little Phatty ($1250 new, not modular but still has lots of routing possibilities. Otherwise there is the Entry System Purchase Plan offered at www.synthesizers.com ($1440 over the course of the year) if you're truly committed to the idea of a modular synth, as well as many other websites selling pre-built modules that will cost more, monetarily, than the 9700s. However, if you really like the idea of building a synth yourself from the components and circuit boards on up, then yes, the PAiA 9700s is for you.

I got addicted to modular synthesis in college, when I had access to an Arp 2500 (not 2600), so maybe it's unfair for that to be my basis for comparison, but there it is. I've also played around with a VCS3, Korg M20 and Yamaha CS10, I didn't like the MS20 at all, and I definitely like the 9700s better than the CS10. However the 9700s just feels like it needs a revision - a few minor tweaks. I also would have been happy to pay a couple hundred more for a bigger version of this that used 1/4" plugs instead of 1/8" plugs.

Overall, it's kind of an electronic project kit first and a musical instrument second. 1/8" jacks and plugs are a drag. PAiA only includes one 1/4" to 1/8" crossover, first thing I did was build four more so I can route audio into the 9700s as well as out. Some of the pots need to be reworked so they can be more "musical," in terms of allowing smaller increments on the low end of the dial. Being able to route multiple sources into one destination would be a huge plus, as well.

If you're looking for a cheap analog synth, move on, you have better, possibly even cheaper, options available (my friend got his CS-10 off ebay for $400). If you're looking for a cheap, entry level modular synthesizer, do your research and shop around. Some of the modules offered by other companies may cost more, but they're already built, so no major time investment is necessary. If you decide that 60 hours of your time is worth saving some cash, you may consider this. If you love the smell of solder in morning and want to build something from the ground up, then this is your synth.

The synth comes as a kit and you build it yourself. I had no trouble with this having built a number of other electronics kits, including the Theremax theremin also made by PAiA. The manual is extremely well written and if you follow everything carefully you should have no problems. BUT -- if you have never built any electronics before, this is not a good first project. Start with some simpler projects to become comfortable with soldering, component identification etc. before you even think about building this thing. (Or get some technically-minded friend to build it for you!)

It's a modular, so obviously you have to patch everything together by hand. Again, I personally had no trouble using it but I could see how it might be intimidating for someone new to analog synthesis. More or less - ease of use is what you should expect from this type of synth. The included patch cord parts are of less than excellent quality and I will probably replace them, but they're not so bad as to be unusable. Since everything is crammed into such a small space on the panel, it can sometimes be tricky to see at a glance where all the different patches are routed, but that's part of the fun, isn't it?

The features are nothing short of phenomenal, for the price (and physical size!). You get a MIDI to CV converter, 2 VCOs, 2 multimode VCFs, two AR envelopes which can be used as LFOs, an ADSR envelope which can also be LFO'd, a noise source, a ringmod, and a VCA/Mixer, all crammed into a 3U standard rack mount case.

The MIDI to CV converter in my 9700s is good enough for about 4-5 octaves of in-tune CVs, which is plenty for any one synth part. It also has a number of different configuration options which add a great deal of flexibility.

No polyphony here, nope. It's a monosynth, meaning you can only play one voice at a time. This means that the synth is most useful for leads, basslines, sequenced textures, and weird special effects or ambients.

Having said that, there are a couple of small drawbacks which are probably a result of the synth's comparative cheapness and compactness. Some of the normalizations (behind-the-panel default patchings within modules) can be a bit limiting, but you can override most of them, with the notable exception of the noise source, which is only usable if you don't put anything into the L input of the mixer. Also, there is no built-in way to attenuate CVs, which can be annoying especially with regard to the pitch wheel (without some kind of external attenuation, it will give you several octaves of play, quantized into semitones!).

The sounds that you can patch together with this system are so varied, it's hard to think of where to begin. It excels at extremely fat analog bass and lead synth lines, as you would expect from an all-analog synth, but it also can be used to create all kinds of really bizarre electronic sounds, from drones to choppy drums to crackly shrieks and everything in between. Hook this thing up to some simple effects like reverb, flange and delay and you've got quite a formidable synth.

As far as noise and RF interference are concerned - if you've put it together right, and calibrated it correctly, it shouldn't be a problem.

Physically, I would say that it is a fairly durable synth, but since you'll probably mount it in a rack with other equipment I can't imagine that you're banging it into things very much. The quality of construction is more than adequate, with the exception of the slightly flimsy patch cords. Knobs and switches are of good quality. The 1/8 inch jacks used to patch the modules together can seem a little sticky at first - they simply require a bit of use to 'wear them in.' The manual directs you to connect the AC/AC wall wart type power supply directly to the MIDI board, without any kind of intervening socket, so you should be careful not to put too much strain on the power cord. I personally chose to install a power socket on the back of the case with a plug on the cord, for convenience, but this can cause noise, so I wouldn't recommend it.

If the electronics aren't working, you've probably put it together wrong, or fried a chip while soldering, or misused it somehow. I think these kinds of circuits are not very prone to failure from correct use.

PAiA customer support is great, though sometimes a little slow. You can contact them by phone or by email, and they will usually respond within a few days. Scott Lee, the head tech guy at PAiA, will often respond to your queries himself. They will ask you the right kind of questions first and provide detailed instructions on how to identify and correct whatever is wrong, using whatever equipment you have (most problems can be identified with just an ordinary multimeter, or by simple visual or auditory inspection). They will tend to assume that since you've managed to build it, you have at least a rudimentary understanding of electronics, but even this isn't really necessary - most often, your problem will be some simple boneheaded mistake like putting a part in backwards, or with the wrong value, or some small soldering problem.

Especially when you consider the price, this is an amazing piece of equipment. To build an equivalent system out of modules from any other manufacturer would almost certainly cost at least $1000 more. The sounds are nice, the unit isn't too bulky (again, it is actually microscopic when set alongside another modular with similar features), and the synth can be MIDI controlled making it easy to use with a sequencer application on your computer, or other more high-tech synthesizers. The modules are all scaled in V/Oct which makes them compatible with analog equipment from Moog, ARP, and many other manufacturers, if you are lucky enough to have any lying around. You probably won't want to use it all by itself as your primary synthesizer, but it makes a welcome addition to existing equipment. I use it for all the strange and/or beefy analog sounds that my MicroKORG can't even hope to produce.

Overall, I would recommend this to anyone who really wants the kinds of sounds that only an analog modular synth can serve up, but doesn't want to shell out a few thousand bucks for a gigantic rack full of modules.

Bought it used but only half of it was built. It came with two extra modules so essentially I've built a complete unit. Takes awhile to build and needs patience to do it, especially if you are not an experienced builder, although the instructions are very simple and straightforward. I have to say, once you build it your confidence in building these kinds of things increases tremendously.(I've since added a couple of other modules that I built from scratch) Once you finnish it it takes a little while to get to know the ins and outs of this machine but that's not the machine's fault. I think they could have done with a couple of tutorials or something. I had to to read and reread the manual over and over to figure some things out. On the other hand you can call them up any time and ask them directly and they'll tell you anything you want to know.

Monotimbral. No effects. Has midi/cv converter that works great. No sequencer. Has two oscillators that offer several waveforms each, all at the same time. One of the osc. can be used as an LFO. At the bottom of the module is an Attack/Decay envelope generator that can be triggered or set on cycle. There is a dual filter that you can access LP, HP, and BP all at the same time. This also has an att/dec envelope generator at the bottom of it. There is a VCA that also has an ADSR envelope generator. This is the most complicated module in it and I haven't quite figured out how everything works together on it yet. It also has a noise source and a ring modulator. The RM sounds great in my opinion and is one of the things that give it real character.
It's modular so you can plug anything in to anything. So far I've used it mostly without a keyboard(so I don't use the midi/cv converter very often) for getting strange and deep analog sounds that I cant' get with digital(ie. Nord Modular and Absynth-although I get things with these that I could never get with analog).
For a synth with all the basic elements it's crammed with stuff and they seemed to have designed it so that it's basic but capable of depth as well. Well thought out design.

Sounds great. Exactly what I was looking for: everything you cannot get with digital. I read some complaning about the filter, that it was uncontrollable at higher frequencies. I, personally LOVE the squealing I can get out of it. It's the one part of this synth that is wild and savage. Besides the thoughtfulness of the design, for me, this is the gem of this synth.

I'm planning on using it in live performances. The only thing i don't like are the 1/8" jacks. They're the ones in the black plastic boxes, they seem kind of cheap. I just wonder how long they're going to last. I think one of them is already going on me.

You can call them up and almost everytime Scott will answer. He's super laid back and will help you with anything. The downside of being so laid back though, is that speed isn't always a priority. For those that want service NOW it's probably not going to happen(other than what you can get on the phone at that moment). You kind of have to go on their time. If you can handle that(well, you don't really have a choice so just accpet it) then everything will be fine.

Definitely worth what i paid!! i would buy it again. It's the center and workhorse of my analog system right now.
Almost everthing I have is digital except Evolver. I use Nord Modular and Absynth primarily with OhmForce plugins(primarily).
Evolver is a very differnt machine even though it's partly analog. It's got a fixed architecture with one heck of a lot of possibilities thought of in advance. It's a brilliant machine and I use it all the time. It's got the best of analog and digital(especially patch memory!)But the Paia is TOTALLY modular. It's like the undisciplined, wild brother of something like Evolver. Evolver's filter is so tame n comparison. Although in many ways these machines are really not comparable at all. Evolver is not expandable whereas the Paia is which is great.

As others have mentioned first you have to build it, you have to connect the patch cords and then you have to twist knobs before it will make so much as a peep. So ease of use is low in that sense, but once you understand how it works programming patches is easy because everything is right in front of you.

Since the 9700 is modular, the expansion is endless if you keep adding modules. The basic set of 4 modules is enough to give you a nicely featured analog monosynth.

You get two filters...unusual for anon-modular synth...which is in my mind the best feature of the basic system. You can connect them in a variety of ways to create timbres just not possible with only one filter. You can control resonance via CV, unlike on some modulars. The fact that LP, HP and BP outputs are all active at once is icing on the cake.

The next best feature is the MIDI/CV interface which offers a number of useful operating modes, including the capability to drive up to 3 other CV synths and convert MIDI clock to DIN sync for old drum machines.

There are no dedicated LFOs, but one of the VCOs or any of the 3 EGs can be used as an LFO. You must use one of the VCAs for ring modulation and two of them if you want to be able to do any mixing. Still you get to decide the tradeoffs as you set up your patches...it's even possible to patch the basic system up as two independent synths each on their own MIDI channel...try to do that with a TB-303!

Since this is a modular synth, it would be nice to have some multiples, better mixing facilities and more attenuators for CV signals. You can get these features in modules from some other manufacturers, so they can be added later on at additional cost.

My only serious complaint is that tuning the VCOs is very touchy, there is a single pitch adjust for each and covering multiple octaves making fine pitch adjustments difficult at best.

It's not the sweetest, most liquid analog out there and the filter can break into ugly distortion at high resonance. Those are really my only complaints with the sounds.

It excels at electronic testures, of course. The ability to patch any ouput into any input yields truly bizarre sounds impossible to achieve on a non-modular synth.

Reliability is going to depend 100% on how well you put it together! The construction of the modules and rack is not very heavy duty and it uses a permanently attached wall wart so rough gig use would be risky. It's sturdy enough for studio duty.

PAiA support is great. If the modules don't work after you build them, they will fix them for a small fee. Full documentation of the design (including the code for the processor in the MIDI/CV interface) is available for download.

The 9700 is a true oddball in the market. It's insanely cheap for an analog synth of any kind, never mind a modular. It's definitely worth the price...the next cheapest analog modular basic systems sell for well over $1000, way more than I could afford. That more than makes up for it's weaknesses.

If lost or stolen I would buy one again, but I don't know how many times I would want to build it ;)

"Ease of use" in this case I guess includes how easy it is to build since it only comes in kit form... Well the build instructions is extremely clear and easy to follow. If you are carefull and follow the instructions row by row, double checking everything, you'll be allright. It's quite a bit of work to put it together, about 50 resistors for every module, some capacitors and all the wires that connects the board to the knobs and jacks at the front panel. And there is four modules... It took me about 40h of concentrated work.

"Easy to use"? Well I wouldn't put a high score here for any modular synth. The whole idea with a modulars is to sacrifice things like patch memories etc. in favor for more possibilities.

"Fun to use"? Certainly! :-)

The P9700S is more compact than any other modular system I've seen. All the modules have several features crammed in to them. The VCO and VCF modules have inbuilt AD/ASR-modulators that can act as either simple envelope generators or LFOs. The VCA module has a noise source, ringmod, voltage-controlled pan and of course an ADSR. I like its small footprint but the small format does make the panels a bit crowded.

The MIDI-CV converter works well and I use it to control my Pro-One with good results. It can even control up to four different synths at the same time!

The sound could be described as very vintage, full bodied, and animated. For example when modulating the pulse width with one of the AD-modulators in cycle mode the modulation is not a clean sine wave which results in interesting variations in the sound. The filters are a bit peculiar. High resonance sounds are not its strength in my opinion, being a bit uncontrollable at times (listen to demo Bass1). But having two multimode filters does allow for a lot of possibilities together with the stereo mixer section.

I have a more thourough review with high-quality samples up at http://www.unease.se/paiabuild.htm
Have a look and listen!

Well, you built it yourself... But apart from the build, the pots are of high quality with iron shafts. The 1/8'' jacks are not as sturdy as 1/4'' ones but they have not failed on me yet. The included patch cords however are utter crap! The plugs don't really fit in the jacks and get stuck all the time. :-(

Since you build it yourself it becomes more personal than if you just bought it in a store. I olso tend to come up with all sorts of small ideas of how to add more features to it, modify it and so on. The sound is pretty unique and there arent that many of these out there. All in all, it's easy to get attached to it and I can't see that I will ever sell it.

Would I buy and build another one if it was stolen? Hmm, nah just too much work to do the same thing again but I would shure miss it!

This synthesizer is available only in kit form, you have to solder every component together. It is time consuming, but not difficult if you have a little soldering experience. And well worth it when you're done! I've just completed mine, and can't put my sense of satisfaction into words. All of the modules powered up right away and behaved perfectly the first time I turned them on. The instruction manuals very clearly explain each step to you. For first time kit builders, it might be better to start on PAiA's Fatman synth, or a simpler diy project, to gain some familiarity with a soldering iron. After you get the thing built, you're making a theoretically infinite variety of far out sounds right away.

Like all monophonic analog synthesizers, only one key can be pressed at a time, however you can set it in several modes of limited polyphony, but it's a little bit awkward. You have to supply your own MIDI controller, unless you have a vintage CV one. The MIDI input is great though, and converts a MIDI signal into appropriate analog control voltages (1v/oct) for pitch, velocity, pitch bend, mod wheel, trigger, gate, and aftertouch. Because of the modular nature of the 9700, you could keep adding more modules forever if you want, greatly expanding the sonic possibilities.

This is the best part. The sounds I get out of the 9700 are amazing. Very warm and beautiful. It would be great in an experimental rock band or for making dance music. The real time control, flexibility, and unique sounds would make it a great tool for more avante garde music also. The keyboard I'm using with it is very simple and doesn't have velocity control, so I don't know how well it reacts to velocity or aftertouch.

Since you build it yourself, it depends in part on your skills and patience when building as to how reliable it is. So far I haven't had any problems with it. It won't be the only synthesizer I use on stage now, but I would trust it not to break down.

Customer support at PAiA is great. They are a small company and when I've had technical questions in the past, their tech adviser was very helpful. Also, if you can't get your kit to work and they can't help you over the phone you can send it to them and they'll fix it for what I'm told is a very reasonable small fee.

The 9700 is truly outstanding. It's got to be just about the most wallet friendly way to get into analog modular synthesis. If mine were lost or stolen, I would probably build another eventually. I love the wild sounds it can make, and it makes fantastic traditional synth lead sounds too. I can't say I hate anything about it. It can make almost any sound the famous vintage Minimoogs can, and a lot that the Minimoog can't, due to the 9700's greater flexibility and MIDI. And it's about a third the price of a decent Minimoog. The knowledge that you gain from building it all from scratch is a bonus, as is the pride. I do wish it had a third VCO, so I'm going to get another Dual VCO Module from PAiA at some point, which will add two more. The wonderful sounds it makes are very inspiring to create music. I can be sitting on my floor discovering new patches, and when I look up hours will have passed by.