Name your all-battery-operated synth setup

[TrondC]

Kaossilator & Mini-KP is fun
I also have one Gakken SX-150, the one that came with a japaneese synth-magazine. limited of cource, but fun!

[CZ Rider]

Once you figure out your protable power supply, almost any synth that uses a DC wall wart can be made to run on batteries. Those small rechargable 12 volt gel-cells make for a reliable and economic portable power source. I have a small amp that I placed two cells in, one for the amp and one for the synthesizer. Here is the steup with a Nord Micro-modular.

Both cells have inline fuses and a two prong quick connect for charging via an auto charger. Probably could even rig up solar cells to charge it up for a solar powered rig. The 12 volt for the synth has a step down regulator for various voltages like 9 volt and polarities. Just be carefull when powering up to use the correct voltage and polarity. Those gel-cells last a long time and over the long run cost less than replacing dry cells, especially in a synth that draws alot of current like a CZ-101. In a CZ-101 the 6 D cells will last maybe 5 hours, the gel cell will go more than 12 hours on a charge and last for two years or so.

My smallest battery setup would be a Pignose and a Microkorg, they both last a long time on the AA batteries. And it all fits in a small Rok-sak case. Also have an SH-101 and a Digitech GFX-5 with a battery mixer for a larger setup with the MicroKorg/Pignose setup.

Been doing the portable battery rig for many years. More into the outdoor thing or playing in strange accoustic reverbs like parking garages, tunnels, water towers or just fun places like the beach or park. Can even carry it all on my bike for the ultimate in portability/mobility.

[ronP]

oo


My Manhattan Micro-Rig:

ZOOM MRS-4B midi out to a KORG MicroKorg midi thru to a ZOOM MRT-3B connected to a KORG mini-KP

CASIO MT-70

All of the above played through a ROLAND Micro Cube

The digital recorder provides backing tracks (mostly timed effects and such) and it serves as master clock, controls the tempo of both the MK's arpeggiator and the MRT-3B's beats (courtesy of the MK's mighty useful midi THRU).

The CASIO travels in its orignal molded case, the Micro Cube hides in a cloth bag, and the rest fits into a GATOR GK-2110- Micro Keyboard gig bag. The only drag to absolute portability is the stand -- long, awkward, kinda heavy, even when folded -- especially on a Brooklyn-bound shlubway . . .


oo

[xenomorph313]

soundlab mini-synth gets you a 2-vco CV monosynth on 2 9-volts

Cool, thanks for all the prompt, useful info! Would this sync up with the 606 in any way?

Never used CV as a control-mechanism before...

[druzz]

i have the xio synth 25 and the shs-10 that is battery powered.
i wish the mfb-522 would work with a battery

my dream battery powered setup:

xiosynth 25
microkorg
mpc 500
chimera bc16
roland micro cube amp
and why not a guitar or bass !?

i been thinking of a trio each with mini battery powered amps and keyboards that have straps . one of them should have a microphone and a vocoder on his synth. an other should have a beat box. they would wander around downtown and be impolite.

[mute]

ive got quite a few battery operated music toys..

DS w. a bunch of homebrew music softs + korg ds-10
DSi, same but with ds-10+
Kaossilator
Edirol portable 10 channel mixer

pic of those things here: http://www.plosive.net/pics/batteriesnotincluded.jpg

+
mattel synsonic drums
stylophone
gameboy w. gameboy camera software (has a dual 303 emulator, noise gen and 16 step seq) and lsdj
ratshack reverb
yamaha pss-570
bliptronic 5000
casio rapman (has input/pitch shifter..great for feedback loops and delays)
ipod touch (mostly use bleep!box)
..and a bunch of other toys/keyboards

oh.. and guitar pedals. synthwah, dod delay, DS-1, Korg AX-10G, etc.

[modulator_esp]

my battery operated set-up

yamaha vss-30 fed with samples from ipod touch apps
yamaha cs-01 for analog sounds
yamaha cbx-k1 midi keyboard controlling gotharman demoon and chimera bc16
bugbrand boardweevil
korg kaossillator
edirol m-10mx mixer
korg mini-kp for filtering/effects
korg px3 for effects
boss dd-20 for looping
zoom h2 recorder

[th0mas]

soundlab mini-synth gets you a 2-vco CV monosynth on 2 9-volts

Cool, thanks for all the prompt, useful info! Would this sync up with the 606 in any way?

Never used CV as a control-mechanism before...

Seems like I forgot to mention this is a DIY project, not sure if that matters to you or not but you have to build it, or there are some very nice builders out there who sell them ( PlanetSynth advertised his builds on here at one time or another and they looked great - he has a number of videos on youtube that show the sort of sounds you can obtain from a soundlab minisynth)

By default there's no sequencer or keyboard so you'd have to build some sort of sequencer as well to have it meaningfully sync to your 606. Which wouldn't be too too hard if you're building the synth, the musicfromouterspace forums on electro-music.com have builds for "simple sequencers" to match up with the soundlab.

[colorbars]

I don't know about battery operated setups, but I'm working on a coal powered juno 60

[sam]

I find my cs-01 quite handy ...I use it live and it's great for testing amps or anything that requires an audio input.

And it's a very good synth.

[Cumulus]

Here is part of my battery-operated set up.



Plus some other stuff...






I also use Mattell Synsonics drums and some other assorted Yamahas and Casios.

[Voodoo Ray]

I have a QY-20 but it's not currently working.

[xenomorph313]

Here is part of my battery-operated set up.

Oh......my.........:drool:

Wow cumulus thanks for those great pics. Which casio is the one with the little grey knobs? Is that the MT-700?

Geez, the build quality of the Nintendo DS must be horrid. There are about a zillion "AS-IS" units on Ebay right now....

[mute]

Geez, the build quality of the Nintendo DS must be horrid. There are about a zillion "AS-IS" units on Ebay right now....

Nah, its a great build...at least the DS Lite and everything since then has been. The first DS is garbage and is no longer made (the bulky one with the rounded corners and belving)... don't even look at it. You also have to realize there are alot of morons out there, and lots of children, that don't take care of their stuff. You shoudl see how many ppl have taken real Pens to their screens.. WTH. My nephew included.. ha. The reason there's a zillion= a gazillion have been sold over the past 4 years or whatever... plus alot of ppl sell em off cause they want a DSi, DS XL or even the iPod touch.. I never sell anything so I've got both a DS Lite and DSi. I refuse to get the DS XL though... as sexy as it is with its huge screen..i'm not going to try and justify it.

Alot of kids apparently break the hinges on the DS Lite (not sure how, mine is 4 years old and the hinges act like new), so on the DSi and DS XL the hinges are even further reinforced.

Anyways, the build of a DS Lite, DSi, DS XL is not to be worried over.. its good stuff and the design is great.

[roland4387]

Two 303's & a 606 for contrast