Paia Theremax comparison
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fridgebuzzz
- Posts: 9
- Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 6:09 pm
Paia Theremax comparison
I really want a theremin but the Moog is a lot more than than the Theremax. I also have an interest in building the circuit myself which I wouldn't be able to do with the etherwave. Has anybody heard or know anything about the theremax compared to the etherwave? I know the etherwave will sound better but by how much. The theremax does have some cool cv and gate controls.
Re: Paia Theremax comparison
[quote="fridgebuzzz"]I really want a theremin but the Moog is a lot more than than the Theremax. I also have an interest in building the circuit myself which I wouldn't be able to do with the etherwave. Has anybody heard or know anything about the theremax compared to the etherwave? I know the etherwave will sound better but by how much. The theremax does have some cool cv and gate controls.[/quote]
Yes, I bought one because it was less expensive than the Etherwave.
The antennas were a real disappointment. They were like wire hangers.
I did build it--and it didn't work. I went over and over it. Finally, I gave it to a friend who is a tech and he couldn't get it to work. I sent it back to Paia, and they fixed it--they had sent me bad parts.
Tone quality: frankly, I prefer the tone quality of the theramax to the etherwave. I thought it had more potentials than the etherwave. However, the ethervox was superior and I understand that the etherwave pro is better still.
I worked with the theremax for several months. I ended up selling it to get an etherwave. In my experience the etherwave is better for playing music. It is easier to control and more musical. Even though I felt the theremax sounded better than the etherwave, I couldn't play it.
If all you want to do is get woo-woo sounds, put a theramax through an echo and you too can sound like a bad sci-fi movie.
If you really want to build one from scratch, some of Bob Moog's original plans for making theremins are available on eBay.
Yes, I bought one because it was less expensive than the Etherwave.
The antennas were a real disappointment. They were like wire hangers.
I did build it--and it didn't work. I went over and over it. Finally, I gave it to a friend who is a tech and he couldn't get it to work. I sent it back to Paia, and they fixed it--they had sent me bad parts.
Tone quality: frankly, I prefer the tone quality of the theramax to the etherwave. I thought it had more potentials than the etherwave. However, the ethervox was superior and I understand that the etherwave pro is better still.
I worked with the theremax for several months. I ended up selling it to get an etherwave. In my experience the etherwave is better for playing music. It is easier to control and more musical. Even though I felt the theremax sounded better than the etherwave, I couldn't play it.
If all you want to do is get woo-woo sounds, put a theramax through an echo and you too can sound like a bad sci-fi movie.
If you really want to build one from scratch, some of Bob Moog's original plans for making theremins are available on eBay.
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fridgebuzzz
- Posts: 9
- Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 6:09 pm
Well I'm still on the fence. I'd really like to learn to play it and not just make noise, although I do enjoy making noise. I also noticed that the antennas looked flimsy. I was wondering if maybe i could by antennas from moog and put them on the theremax. Have you used any of the gate or cv controls from the theremax? It seems to have more options sonically speaking.
About the Theremax
Hi. My own experience with the Theremax was a very positive one. This was a little over six years ago. I purchased it, never knnowing about the Etherwave. It was definitely the cheapest Theremin on the market, and, it was only available as a kit. I had absolutely no experience with electronics projects. A friend of mine who was pretty well versed in this kind of thing, adivsed me, gave me invaluable tips on how to organize the pieces ( because they arrive all crammed together in a plastic bag). The first thing to do was to build the small cabinet, put a good finish on it, etc. That process (because there's sanding and re-sanding, waiting for the varnish to dry...) took a total of three days. The actual assembly of the other parts took a full weekend. It's very exacting work, particularly making sure that your soldering is immaculate - even the slightest micro-drop of solder in the wrong place can result in a non-functioning Theremin.
It was painstaking work, but very staifying. Once completed, I fired the Theremin up and...IT WORKED! However, there was a definite problem with the volume levels. I searched through the manual, retraced my steps through construction, and finally called PAIA - their tech support was fantastic. They talked me through a few possibilites and after about an hour, it turned out there was the TINIEST splash of solder - you could only see it under high magnification - along a pathway, that caused the problem. Once removed, everything worked perfectly.
The sound was wonderful, very "creamy" when set all the way to the extreme left, and the Square Wave at the opposite end was really raw. The range was about seven octaves (compared to five on the Etherwave).
Yes, the antenna are the weak spot, They're soft, bent, copper. Over the years, a person walking into one or the other antenna, and now, they look a bit skewd. Unfortunately, you will be unable to affix the Etherwave Antennae - they're two entirely different animals. However, it is possible to acquire much stronger copper and bend them carefully to fit.
I played the Theremax with wonderful results for seven months, then, the difficulty of the music I was playin got the better of it. The Theremax was unable to respond with clean staccato. Playing rapidly was also a problem, because the articulation of notes has a sort of GRAY ZONE, which renders a somewhat dulled individual note attack instead of a very sharp one.
About then, I heard of the Etherwave and pruchased one. It was like having to learn everything all over again. It was so much more responsive that playing extremely dificult pieces came witihin reach.
Both Theremins are good, each one for different things. But you'd do well, in my opinion, to save up the money for an Etherwave. At under $400, it's well worth it. First of all, you can spare yourself the very time-consuming challenge of building your instrument. If you're somone who wants to PLAY above all, buy the factory built Theremin and enjoy. You'll never regret it for a minute.
It was painstaking work, but very staifying. Once completed, I fired the Theremin up and...IT WORKED! However, there was a definite problem with the volume levels. I searched through the manual, retraced my steps through construction, and finally called PAIA - their tech support was fantastic. They talked me through a few possibilites and after about an hour, it turned out there was the TINIEST splash of solder - you could only see it under high magnification - along a pathway, that caused the problem. Once removed, everything worked perfectly.
The sound was wonderful, very "creamy" when set all the way to the extreme left, and the Square Wave at the opposite end was really raw. The range was about seven octaves (compared to five on the Etherwave).
Yes, the antenna are the weak spot, They're soft, bent, copper. Over the years, a person walking into one or the other antenna, and now, they look a bit skewd. Unfortunately, you will be unable to affix the Etherwave Antennae - they're two entirely different animals. However, it is possible to acquire much stronger copper and bend them carefully to fit.
I played the Theremax with wonderful results for seven months, then, the difficulty of the music I was playin got the better of it. The Theremax was unable to respond with clean staccato. Playing rapidly was also a problem, because the articulation of notes has a sort of GRAY ZONE, which renders a somewhat dulled individual note attack instead of a very sharp one.
About then, I heard of the Etherwave and pruchased one. It was like having to learn everything all over again. It was so much more responsive that playing extremely dificult pieces came witihin reach.
Both Theremins are good, each one for different things. But you'd do well, in my opinion, to save up the money for an Etherwave. At under $400, it's well worth it. First of all, you can spare yourself the very time-consuming challenge of building your instrument. If you're somone who wants to PLAY above all, buy the factory built Theremin and enjoy. You'll never regret it for a minute.
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fridgebuzzz
- Posts: 9
- Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 6:09 pm
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Ariel_waves
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Thu Oct 14, 2004 8:22 pm
I built the theremax and it doesn't as yet work. I emailed paia for support and also used their onling troubleshooting and didn't find anything wrong. I put it away until I get more free time or maybe I'll just send it back for them to fix. some theremax mods by Fred Nachbaur (recently deceased)
http://www.dogstar.dantimax.dk/theremin/index.htm
Also I haven't tried it but JAYCAR sells the silicone chip theremin which comes assembled or as a kit. (some sell this kit on ebay for $99.00)
assembled http://www1.jaycarelectronics.com/produ ... ?ID=AM4025
kit $25.90 http://www1.jaycarelectronics.com/produ ... ?ID=KC5295
info about this inexpensive theremin http://www.maxiespages.com/Articles/The ... ifications & some Radio Shack theremin info http://www.oldtemecula.com/theremin/
at this point I am thinking I should have just bought the etherwave kit but there are a lot of alternatives out there, my research leads me to believe that most end up with the etherwave when said and done.
http://www.dogstar.dantimax.dk/theremin/index.htm
Also I haven't tried it but JAYCAR sells the silicone chip theremin which comes assembled or as a kit. (some sell this kit on ebay for $99.00)
assembled http://www1.jaycarelectronics.com/produ ... ?ID=AM4025
kit $25.90 http://www1.jaycarelectronics.com/produ ... ?ID=KC5295
info about this inexpensive theremin http://www.maxiespages.com/Articles/The ... ifications & some Radio Shack theremin info http://www.oldtemecula.com/theremin/
at this point I am thinking I should have just bought the etherwave kit but there are a lot of alternatives out there, my research leads me to believe that most end up with the etherwave when said and done.
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fridgebuzzz
- Posts: 9
- Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 6:09 pm
You can put Etherwave antennas on the theremax. You'll just need to drill new holes for the fittings. I have done it and it works fine. I think it even made it play better. Plus they don't wobble like the wire ones it comes with.
I built that little Jaycar one and it's complete junk. It was fun to build, but very difficult to tune and it wouldn't stay calibrated for any significant period of time.
I built that little Jaycar one and it's complete junk. It was fun to build, but very difficult to tune and it wouldn't stay calibrated for any significant period of time.
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fridgebuzzz
- Posts: 9
- Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 6:09 pm
I ended up buying an etherwave from someone for 200 bucks. It was a good deal and I figured that it would be more reliable than something I build. Now the trick is learning how to play. Although I am slowly and subtly improving. I didn't get the videos with it so I'm just kind of figuring it out as I go.
I just recently purchased the Etherwave Kit and completed it last week. My soldering skills are ok (built the Paia Fatman with no problems). Unfortunately could not get it to work ( it imay be a problem with my work but not quite sure)I contacted Moog tech support to see if I need to send it in for repairs so I will have to wait to hear from them. It was very simple to do since the circuit board is already done. The Theremax is a bit more of a project since all the parts for the circuit board need to be built by you and it is a good thing to know how to solder electronic components.
One of my coworkers is married to Olivia Mattes and she recently hired me to cratea a vintage Theremin from her collection that she was selling to someone in London. I was telling her that I was going to buy the Paia Theremax and she told me that I should buy the Moog etherwave instead because it has the closest tone and sound to the original Theremins. She also is friends with Bob Moog and she felt that since he has been building Theremins since the fifties that he knew how to get that original tone without having to rely on tubes to get it.
Read her interview with Leon Theremin here
http://www.thereminvox.com/story/495/
One of my coworkers is married to Olivia Mattes and she recently hired me to cratea a vintage Theremin from her collection that she was selling to someone in London. I was telling her that I was going to buy the Paia Theremax and she told me that I should buy the Moog etherwave instead because it has the closest tone and sound to the original Theremins. She also is friends with Bob Moog and she felt that since he has been building Theremins since the fifties that he knew how to get that original tone without having to rely on tubes to get it.
Read her interview with Leon Theremin here
http://www.thereminvox.com/story/495/
[quote="fridgebuzzz"]I ended up buying an etherwave from someone for 200 bucks. It was a good deal and I figured that it would be more reliable than something I build. Now the trick is learning how to play. Although I am slowly and subtly improving. I didn't get the videos with it so I'm just kind of figuring it out as I go.[/quote]
http://www.electrotheremin.com/claramethod.html
http://www.peterpringle.com/dvd.html
http://www.weirdvideos.com/music.html (scroll down)
http://www.electrotheremin.com/claramethod.html
http://www.peterpringle.com/dvd.html
http://www.weirdvideos.com/music.html (scroll down)
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ouijasaucer
- Posts: 37
- Joined: Fri Mar 26, 2004 9:13 pm
With regard to tone, I found this on the Paia site. http://www.paia.com/therefaq.htm#coupling
"Can I get a tone like the classic RCA theremins?
The Tmax can be easily modified to produce the classical theremin sound by makeing the following simple addition: ... in the (illustration above) ... if you connect a 10k ohm resistor (brown-black-orange) to these same circuit locations, instead of the "gimmick", the resulting change in sound is spectacular ..."
I just built a Theremax and it was a lot of fun. I put together an etherwave also. The Theremax without the modification sounds more like a sine wave coming out of a radio than an RCA theremin. It's a cool sound. What I like most about the Theremax is the pitch cv out. I put the Theremax in a small radio shack case and put it in the back tray space of my Voyager. I installed a small persicope antenna in the Theremax which extends up on the right side of the Voyager. It's great for controlling the pitch of the Voyager makeing it a theremin with three multiwave oscillators. I was concerned about the Voyager interfering with the field of the Theremax and I thought I would have to do some shielding but this wasn't really any issue for cv purposes.
I would love to have modified my etherwave for cv controlling but I couldn't find all the parts listed in the Moog hot rodding info.
Deopfer makes a cv theremin but it requires one of their rack cases and power supplies.
The frostwave theremin is a cv controller, has a light source detector, and it's about $200+.
"Can I get a tone like the classic RCA theremins?
The Tmax can be easily modified to produce the classical theremin sound by makeing the following simple addition: ... in the (illustration above) ... if you connect a 10k ohm resistor (brown-black-orange) to these same circuit locations, instead of the "gimmick", the resulting change in sound is spectacular ..."
I just built a Theremax and it was a lot of fun. I put together an etherwave also. The Theremax without the modification sounds more like a sine wave coming out of a radio than an RCA theremin. It's a cool sound. What I like most about the Theremax is the pitch cv out. I put the Theremax in a small radio shack case and put it in the back tray space of my Voyager. I installed a small persicope antenna in the Theremax which extends up on the right side of the Voyager. It's great for controlling the pitch of the Voyager makeing it a theremin with three multiwave oscillators. I was concerned about the Voyager interfering with the field of the Theremax and I thought I would have to do some shielding but this wasn't really any issue for cv purposes.
I would love to have modified my etherwave for cv controlling but I couldn't find all the parts listed in the Moog hot rodding info.
Deopfer makes a cv theremin but it requires one of their rack cases and power supplies.
The frostwave theremin is a cv controller, has a light source detector, and it's about $200+.