The Kitten is a classic analog synthesizer from 1977 (before the days of digital synths, sequencers, built-in disk drives, and MIDI cables). Manufatured by Octave as a competetor to the leading low-cost synths of the late '70s (from vendors such as Moog and ARP), this baby is a streamlined version of Octave's more powerful synth called the Cat (hence its youthful name). The interface is very clean and friendly, thanks to its straightforward and well-labeled layout. The knobs and sliders all move well (freely; some are a bit snug but all of them are easy to turn). The keys are all in great condition, as is the case, trim, and power unit. There are slight visible signs of wear over the years but the unit has no significant scratches, chips, dents, or other physical ailments. This handy little synth is extremely useful as a lead machine. It purrs a great tune, and is awesome at space bleeps, bloops, and sound effects that are the best this side of Forbidden Planet. And what's even better is the massive sub-oscillator (actually, the two sub-octaves are independently controlled!) that fattens up the sound! We're talking serious bass here! When compared to some of my analog synths (Moog Prodigy, Roland Juno 6, Crumar Performer, etc.), the Kitten and I took some time to form a working relationship - living up to its name, the Kitten can be independent-minded! I found it a bit tough at times to do what I intended to do, but I soon came to appreciate how the Kitten had its own contributions to make as well! Anyway, once the synth was tamed, we got down to some serious sounds together! Strong leads, fat basses, deep trances, bright and spooky SFX; it's all there!
The above samples are all "raw" samples (unaltered, unedited, and with no effects) made with the Kitten Synthesizer. These are all in standard MP3 (128bit, 44.1khz) format. The samples explore many of the Octave Kitten's distinguishing audio characteristics, from growly basses, to super-high leads, and everything in between!
The above documents came with the Kitten synthesizer. The schematics poster has a slight paper tear below the signature block, approximately 2" by 1/2" in size. Signs of wear at the folds are also noticeable. The actual color of the schematics poster is closer to the "Signature Close-Up" photo (my camera's flash is sometimes a disappointment). The other documents are a standard 8-1/2" by 11" in size. A few staple holes in the corner of each document are visible but to not distract from the content. All of the documents are slightly yellowed and faded due to the passage of time, but remain completely legible. (The images linked above are JPG files, ranging from 84k to 166k in size.) Other Kitten-related documents...
... from the excellent Electronic Instrument Matrix website. Check them out for more great information on the Kitten (like how to "Zero Out" the synth, which is the way to "reboot" the Kitten when it needs to take a nap!).
History and Company Information
Reviews and Synthesizer Information
Online Auction Search Results
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Back to A Tribal Smile Feedback and Comments |
© 2003 All Rights Reserved Steve Baker (steve@tribalsmile.com) |