Like #Dexed for the #Yahama #DX7, #SQ8L claims to be #SysEx compatible with the corresponding hardware #synthesizer, the #Ensoniq #ESQ80 or #ESQ1. So this means you can load patches from your 80ties hardware synthesizer into the plugin and vice versa.

Sad story is that #UbuntuStudio 24.04 has lost Dexed for some reason, it comes with #Hexter instead which – on my system – completely fails to show the GUI, so it's even worse than SQ-8L. (I'd love to get Dexed back, even though it looked very confusing, I loved the sound.)

These two are related, because the famous DX7 and the ESQ1/80 were new around the same time, both being very digital (the ESQ1 having analog filters, though). The ESQ1 never made it to the same fame as the DX7 did but both sound like the 80ties.

Jump for joy!

#SQ8L, an #VST #plugin emulator of the #Ensoniq #ESQ80 #Synthesizer running on #UbuntuStudio #Linux 24.04 via #LinVST in #Carla plugin host. Needs #Wine.

All I had to do is wait. The plugin locks up Carla (and probably even Jack) for about half a minute.

So most likely it is trying to do something that ends in a time-out. When opening the GUI a second time, it pops up instantly.

Any idea on how to find out what this old #VSTi from 2008 is waiting for?

Btw., nerds:

$> file SQ8L.dll
SQ8L.dll: PE32 executable (DLL) (GUI) Intel 80386, for MS Windows, 7 sections

Feels a bit like Christmas.

The ESQ-80 basically was an extended/upgraded version of the #ESQ1, with the most obvious feature being a diskette drive in addition to the memory cartridge slot. But also, Ensoniq had changed the dumb old home-organ-style keyboard by one with responsive action and polyphonic aftertouch.

I wish I could get this to run… (Screenshot stolen).

#SQ8L is a #plugin emulation of the #Ensoniq #SQ80 #Synthesizer.

Actually it does run a bit, I can play it via MIDI in #Carla, but this very old Windows #VST just crashes as soon as I want to open the GUI. I'm using #LinVST on #UbuntuStudio #Linux 24.04 and whenever a Windows plugin has trouble, it is due to the GUI needing #Wine.

Other elderly 32bit #VSTi plugins do work in my system.

This piece of software has not been updated since June 2008 and you can download it from here: http://www.buchty.net/ensoniq/

So now I'll keep on waiting for the spare parts for my #ESQ1 to arrive from China.

It's astonishing that this Ensoniq synth series isn't that popular today, because the sounds are quite unique. Perhaps it is due to the rather ugly user interface.

Or, more likely, it is because people don't want unique synths, they want that Behringer Moog copy and pretend it's somewhen in the 70ties.

Does any #electronics nerd have an idea what could be wrong with this funny old display? #fedihelp

The upper line has some segments that are always on everywhere, like a letter K without the first vertical line.

The second line is missing the lower right half vertical element everywhere.

It should read “ENSONIQ ESQ 1…” and “AND SEQUENCER…”

This is the display board of an #Ensoniq #ESQ1 #synthesizer, the first edition (metal case).

Voltages are all in spec. I tried cold spray on the ICs without an effect and I resoldered some stuff that looked dubious. But still.

Second image shows the chips apparently controlling the display.

So, the #Ensoniq #ESQ1 adventure continues. Turns out that the battery is still okay even, going to replace it anyways. The keys have/had bad contacts, which can be fixed by applying lots of contact cleaning spray containing funny chemicals.

The synthesizer stuff works like a charm apparently, I'd have expected issues there. Also the capacitors look alright.

But now I found out that the display isn't weird, it's broken. Some people in forums say I need to replace the display controller chip, which is out of production…

This might turn out to be a tough one.