# Small 16 voice FM synth

**URL:** <https://discourse.zynthian.org/t/small-16-voice-fm-synth/3351>\
**Category:** Related Projects\
**Created:** [October 22, 2019, 8:16am UTC](https://discourse.zynthian.org/t/small-16-voice-fm-synth/3351 "2019-10-22T08:16:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 12\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Baggypants](https://discourse.zynthian.org/user_avatar/discourse.zynthian.org/baggypants/32/1911_2.png) [@Baggypants](https://discourse.zynthian.org/u/Baggypants)\
**Post date:** [October 22, 2019, 8:16am UTC](https://discourse.zynthian.org/t/small-16-voice-fm-synth/3351/1 "2019-10-22T08:16:55Z")

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Really, really small.

[https://hpi.zentral.zone/flash](https://hpi.zentral.zone/flash)  
[https://mitxela.com/projects/flash\_synth](https://mitxela.com/projects/flash_synth)

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**Author:** ![jofemodo](https://discourse.zynthian.org/user_avatar/discourse.zynthian.org/jofemodo/32/2_2.png) [@jofemodo](https://discourse.zynthian.org/u/jofemodo)\
**Post date:** [October 22, 2019, 11:16am UTC](https://discourse.zynthian.org/t/small-16-voice-fm-synth/3351/2 "2019-10-22T11:16:28Z")

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Not sure of how they power the thing. They stand that no power supply is needed at all … so it should take the power from MIDI current loop … What do experts say about it? Is it possible?

Regards,

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**Author:** ![riban](https://discourse.zynthian.org/user_avatar/discourse.zynthian.org/riban/32/2331_2.png) [@riban](https://discourse.zynthian.org/u/riban)\
**Post date:** [October 22, 2019, 11:22am UTC](https://discourse.zynthian.org/t/small-16-voice-fm-synth/3351/3 "2019-10-22T11:22:34Z")

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I was looking at a similar analogue modelling synth. It uses the 20mA current loop from the 5V MIDI socket (may not work on all MIDI outputs) to power the processor and audio output. A smoothing capacitor acts as a charge pump to allow the MIDI signal to collapse briefly without impacting processor. The use of a low power efficient microprocessor allows some significant DSP at low current consumption. It is a cool idea but I am yet to hear any demos that don’t suffer from audio degradation (hum / buzz / distortion). I hope they have solved this and they are creating neat little pocket sized synths.

[Edit] Watch the video to see a pretty complete explanation of the challenges and solutions including a lot of detail of what is inside the device and how it works. This guy knows what he is talking about and doesn’t mind sharing. It is really interesting listening to him. I am sure those with less engineering knowledge will be able to follow much of the description and there are lots of demonstrations of the devices features. It sounds pretty good… for a phase modulation synth. (I grew up in seventies and eighties and have always hankered back to the seventies analogue synth world!)

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**Author:** ![mheidt](https://discourse.zynthian.org/user_avatar/discourse.zynthian.org/mheidt/32/773_2.png) [@mheidt](https://discourse.zynthian.org/u/mheidt)\
**Post date:** [October 22, 2019, 12:36pm UTC](https://discourse.zynthian.org/t/small-16-voice-fm-synth/3351/4 "2019-10-22T12:36:00Z")

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Yes, very impressive. But I don’t see the use case.

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**Author:** ![Baggypants](https://discourse.zynthian.org/user_avatar/discourse.zynthian.org/baggypants/32/1911_2.png) [@Baggypants](https://discourse.zynthian.org/u/Baggypants)\
**Post date:** [October 22, 2019, 1:29pm UTC](https://discourse.zynthian.org/t/small-16-voice-fm-synth/3351/5 "2019-10-22T13:29:20Z")

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I’m sure I’ve heard that about the Zynthian project 🤣

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**Author:** ![mheidt](https://discourse.zynthian.org/user_avatar/discourse.zynthian.org/mheidt/32/773_2.png) [@mheidt](https://discourse.zynthian.org/u/mheidt)\
**Post date:** [October 22, 2019, 1:32pm UTC](https://discourse.zynthian.org/t/small-16-voice-fm-synth/3351/6 "2019-10-22T13:32:13Z")

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🙂 No seriously. The sound can only be just good, but not extraordinary.  
For the UI you need a keyboard with a lot of controllers, which sound - in most cases - might be better than this device.

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**Author:** ![jofemodo](https://discourse.zynthian.org/user_avatar/discourse.zynthian.org/jofemodo/32/2_2.png) [@jofemodo](https://discourse.zynthian.org/u/jofemodo)\
**Post date:** [October 22, 2019, 2:20pm UTC](https://discourse.zynthian.org/t/small-16-voice-fm-synth/3351/7 "2019-10-22T14:20:34Z")

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> [@Baggypants](#):
>
> I’m sure I’ve heard that about the Zynthian project

Ohhh! You can be sure of that!  
My mother always asks me what this pot that I invented is for … and sincerely, i’ve serious problems to explain to her the project … I always finish with a “but it’s very funny, mum” 🤣🤣

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**Author:** ![riban](https://discourse.zynthian.org/user_avatar/discourse.zynthian.org/riban/32/2331_2.png) [@riban](https://discourse.zynthian.org/u/riban)\
**Post date:** [October 22, 2019, 3:05pm UTC](https://discourse.zynthian.org/t/small-16-voice-fm-synth/3351/8 "2019-10-22T15:05:21Z")

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It is (by the developer’s own admission) a bit of a gimmick and I don’t think it warrants the cost but it sounds quite good from the demos and if designed well it is possible to make it pretty good. Using it as a sound module that you don’t tweak settings much (like 90% of DX-7s) it could be a neat solution for some very portable systems, e.g. it might work well with my Wind Synth or Guitar Synth. I don’t think I will be buying one.

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**Author:** ![mj\_prod](https://discourse.zynthian.org/user_avatar/discourse.zynthian.org/mj_prod/32/1920_2.png) [@mj\_prod](https://discourse.zynthian.org/u/mj_prod)\
**Post date:** [October 22, 2019, 3:14pm UTC](https://discourse.zynthian.org/t/small-16-voice-fm-synth/3351/9 "2019-10-22T15:14:23Z")

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Hello, `off topic`

in the context of zynthian and/or problems let your mother study this Engineering Excuse Generator [https://twitter.com/bradduryea/status/439972574072549376](https://twitter.com/bradduryea/status/439972574072549376)  
to talk about with her friends and family. This is what I tell my mother trying to defend lonely nights fiddling strange sounds…  
Just my 2 centimos…

Greetings and God bless, Marius

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**Author:** ![Baggypants](https://discourse.zynthian.org/user_avatar/discourse.zynthian.org/baggypants/32/1911_2.png) [@Baggypants](https://discourse.zynthian.org/u/Baggypants)\
**Post date:** [October 22, 2019, 3:17pm UTC](https://discourse.zynthian.org/t/small-16-voice-fm-synth/3351/10 "2019-10-22T15:17:11Z")

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It could be useful for keytars that don’t have a built in synth. Like the Alesis Vortex 1. Or a synth with strap studs and a limited synth engine, like the Korg Poly 800.

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**Author:** ![C0d3man](https://discourse.zynthian.org/user_avatar/discourse.zynthian.org/c0d3man/32/9_2.png) [@C0d3man](https://discourse.zynthian.org/u/C0d3man)\
**Post date:** [October 23, 2019, 5:21am UTC](https://discourse.zynthian.org/t/small-16-voice-fm-synth/3351/11 "2019-10-23T05:21:41Z")

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This is a pretty cool project - thanks for showing! For myself I currently have no use-case for this. But the idea is really cool.

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**Author:** ![opus.quatre](https://discourse.zynthian.org/user_avatar/discourse.zynthian.org/opus.quatre/32/700_2.png) [@opus.quatre](https://discourse.zynthian.org/u/opus.quatre)\
**Post date:** [October 23, 2019, 5:07pm UTC](https://discourse.zynthian.org/t/small-16-voice-fm-synth/3351/12 "2019-10-23T17:07:25Z")

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I have a total confidence in Mitxella… He is excellent…