Multivox was an American-based synthesizer company since the mid-1970s until the 1980s. Originally it was founded in the mid-1940s as the guitar and amplifier manufacturing subsidiary of Peter Sorkin Music Company (Sorkin Music), a New York-based retailer/wholesaler. Then eventually it established separate corporate identity, and after the close of Sorkin Music in the mid-1970s, it continued in existence for fourteen years, according to the Blue Book of Guitar Values.[1] In addition to synthesizers, the company marketed several effects pedals. These included the Big Jam series guitar effects line.
They specialized in delivering Japanese-designed and built equipment to the American market.[2] They usually licensed from lesser-known[citation needed] Japanese companies, such as Hillwood, also known as Firstman, founded in 1972 by Kazuo Morioka, who later worked for Akai in the early 1980s.[3][4] Multivox were criticized as having design and circuitry extremely similar to but inferior to designs by Roland[citation needed]. Multivox ceased trading in the early 1980s having "faded into synth history", according to the Synthmuseum.[2]
As a result of the old criticism of Multivox synthesizer technology and their comparisons with Roland hardware, several hoax/fraudulent cases have occurred. The main hoax was based around a Multivox MX-3000 synthesizer (the flagship of the Multivox range). These machines are quite rare although not particularly sought for by collectors and musicians. Hence when a Roland MX-3000 was offered for sale much controversy surrounding the original Multivox design was stirred up. Eventually the seller admitted that the synthesizer was in fact Multivox, but he had re-badged it in an attempt to generate interest.[citation needed] [5]
Multivox produced over 15 different types of synthesizers, almost all with names beginning with "MX-" (except for SQ-01).
Source: Michael Wright, Guitar Stories, Volume One.
FIRSTMAN existiert seit 1972 und hat seinen Ursprung in Japan. Dort ist dieFirma unter dem Markennamen HILLWOOD bekannt. HILLWOOD baute dann auch 1973 den quasi ersten Synthesizer von FIRSTMAN. Die Firma MULTIVOX liess ihre Instrumente von 1976 bis 1980 bei HILLWOOD bauen. Siehe auch Hinweis unter SORKIN MUSIC CO.! Nach Europa gelangten die FIRSTMAN-Produkte über TAIYO. ","SQ/01 / mon syn ped kmi 990 (1980) / Monophoner Synthesizer mit eingebautem 1024-Step-Sequencer. Ähnlich dem EDP WASP mit einer 13er-Folientastatur ausgestattet. Für Parameterveränderungen stehen neun Drehregler zur Verfügung."
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Like the TB-303, the Multivox SQ-01 [see Keyboard Report, Oct. '81] has a rudimentary built-in monophonic synthesizer, allowing it to play back sequences itself. Standard control voltage and gate outputs are also provided. The SQ-01 is loaded in single-step mode, and stores up to 1,024 sixteenth-notes, with longer notes being created by tying sixteenth together. It will play only in 4/4 or 3/4. ...
This is a quite rare little analog rhythm box from 1979. ... The mechanical hardware looks to me like old Korg Minipops units. Was Korg involved? ;-)
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