Excel Sound Corporation ES-10

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The Excel Sound Corporation (ESC) ES-10 is a vintage synthesizer originally released in the early 1980s. It features analog circuitry (CSR MN3001 and FA831 chips) and a 2-voice architecture, with each voice containing a basic oscillator, filter, and ADSR envelope. Users can select between sawtooth, pulse, and triangle waveforms for both voices, as well as filter types including low-pass, high-pass, band-pass, and notch. The ES-10's filter cutoff frequency and resonance can be modulated using a variety of sources, including both envelopes, a low-frequency oscillator (LFO), and a sampler block that allows for external audio sources to be processed. It also offers a range of built-in effects, such as vibrato, chorus, flanger, and ring modulation.The ES-10's unique features and tonal characteristics have made it a favorite among vintage synth enthusiasts and musicians looking for a grittier, exaggerated sound. It has been used in a variety of genres throughout the years, including funk, pop, and electronic music by notable artists like Herbie Hancock, Depeche Mode, and New Order.Today, the ES-10 remains a sought-after and collectible synthesizer, with prices ranging from several thousand to tens of thousands of dollars, depending on condition and rarity. The machine has also been reproduced and cloned multiple times, with companies such as Behringer and GForce Software offering affordable software versions and hardware recreations.