LEM Bit-99 analog synthesizer

Ever seen the LEM Bit-99? It’s a rare version of the Crumar Bit-99. Technically completely identical, it has much better panel graphics and a slot for plastic sound lists. The clear layout of this instrument makes programming a lot easier.

LEM Bit-99 synthesizer

LEM Bit-99 synthesizer

LEM continued production of Bit-products after takeover of Crumar in 1986. The Bit-99, its rack-version Bit-01 and the master keyboard MMK were continued for several months. The white keyboard- and rack-version have been discontinued, though.

LEM Bit-99 synthesizer

LEM Bit-99 synthesizer

We believe the Bit-99 is one of the most underrated analog polyphonic synthesizers. It might come close to a Roland Juno-60 … and maybe even surpasses the Juno in a few important aspects (such as expressiveness – keyboard dynamics).

Listen to the sondfiles and find out yourself …

Filed under 2012, General

“Es genügt, einen Ton schön zu spielen” sagte der Komponist Arvo Pärt im Jahre 2005. Diese Aussage ist ebenso einfach wie ich auch exzellent: Es braucht kein Meer an Tönen, denn entscheidend ist der Klang. Dass so mancher Vintage-Synthesizer der 70er und 80er Jahre teils unerreicht hochwertige Klänge liefert, steht außer Frage. Doch tatsächlich leben wir “heute” in einer nahezu perfekten Zeit. Einerseits hat man – mehr oder weniger – noch Zugriff auf die Vintage Analogen, andererseits wird auch bei Neugeräten die wichtige Komponente des hochwertigen Klanges wieder zunehmend berücksichtigt. Doepfer, Cwejman, Synthesizers.com, MacBeth, Moog, GRP, Studio Electronics, COTK, John Bowen und andere Hersteller bauen hervorragende Synthesizer, die den “Klassikern” in nichts nachstehen. All diesen (alten wie neuen) “großartigen” Instrumenten ist Great Synthesizers gewidmet. _________________________________________________________ In 2005 composer Arvo Pärt said: “Playing one tone really well is enough”. In other words, it is sufficient to play one tone 'beautifully'. I agree with that. All musical efforts are focused on the sound itself. Although I studied classical music (piano and drums), it’s the electronic sound that inspires me. Synthesizers are the epitome of new sounds and exciting tonal spheres. Today, many companies produce high-quality - excellent! - synthesizers: Doepfer, Cwejman, MacBeth, Moog, GRP, Synthesizers.com, COTK, Studio Electronics, John Bowen and others. It's their products I'm really interested in ... apart from Vintage Synthesizers, which I have been collecting for 20 years. Subsequent to our former websites Bluesynths and Blogasys, Peter Mahr and I have now created GreatSynthesizers. We hope you like it.