Cool Audio Recreates CEM3396 Chip & Opens The Way For New Behringer Synths

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Cool Audio, a sister company of Behringer announced reproductions of the CEM3396 chip as V3397 and makes new synthesizers clones possible

Behringer has released numerous analog Synthesizer clones in the past year. Many of these are based on known chips. Cool Audio, a company from the Music Tribe, helps Behringer by reproducing the chips on which the original synths are based. The most commonly used reproduced chip is the V3340, a clone of the CEM3340 chip. Today they announced that they will revive another well-known chip from the past.

V3397 is a reproduction of the Curtis CEM3396 chips or known as an “analog synth on-a-chip”. The V3397 offers a complete voice with 2 multi-waveform oscillators, a VCF plus 4 VCAs on a single chip. According to Behringer/Cool Audio, it’s an improved version of the original Curtis chip that allows them to create high-performance analog polysynths in a very compact manner.

Cool Audio V3397

Official Statement

Wow – imagine a complete “Analog Synth On-a-Chip”. Our sister company Coolaudio who designs highly sophisticated semiconductors, has just released a complete voice (2 multi-waveform Oscillators, a VCF plus 4 VCAs) on a single chip. The chip is an improved version of the Curtis CM3396 and will allow us to create high-performance analog poly synths in a very compact manner. Stay tuned..

Features

  • complete sound synthesis system on-a-chip: two multi-waveforms converters, a 4-pole VCF, a VC mixer, and four VCAs
  • 0 to +5V high Z control inputs for direct interface to CMOS multiplexer from system DAC
  • few external components
  • numerous waveforms and possible waveform combinations for more timbral variety than previously available
  • independent and continuously various waveshape and pulse width for each converter
  • filter FM
  • constant output vs resonance VCF characteristic
  • open loop VCF design for rich sound
  • low noise, low IM distortion VCAs
  • pan the output signal between two outputs
  • low VCA feedthrough without trimming
  • external lowpass filter input and output
  • external VCA/pan input

New Behringer Synths?

A new chip clone will also automatically mean new synthesizer clones in the future. With this new chip, Behringer can recreate certain analog vintage synths (Matrix 6, Matrix 1000, …) but also develop new ones. Especially this chip allows them to create very compact polyphonic synths.We’ll see what they’ll make of it in the future.

Cool Audio V3397 will be available soon.

More information here: Cool Audio

Hardware Synthesizer News

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