Memorymoog DBM MIDI kit

dougt · January 31, 2012, 1:50am

Hi, just got a Memorymoog+ with the DBM MIDI update. I have a couple scanned pages of the users manual for the update but they are incomplete. Anyone have the DBM installation or complete user docs?

Thanks,
Doug

Kevin_Lightner · January 31, 2012, 2:31am

Did you ask Don Besecker?
He’s the DB in DBM, I think.

dougt · January 31, 2012, 11:14am

Nah it’s not Don, he’s DB Elect. The DBM kit was sold by Fred Mcniff who’s website disappeared a few years ago (no docs on archive.org either).

analogmadness · January 31, 2012, 11:50am

Ive got a dbm MM+ I also got some info from my tech who did some research on the dbm midi.
Send me a mail @ analogmadness@hotmail.com and ill send what i got later.
Hope it helps.
I allways tought i was the only one wit the dbm
Love to share and learn more about this.
Cheers

MC1 · January 31, 2012, 1:56pm

I have the DBM too. Had promised dougt a copy of the ROMs but was too busy at work lately. Besecker is in Buffalo, DBM was out of NYC. I can dig up the docs and scan them.

analogmadness · January 31, 2012, 3:35pm

Nice, would be cool if you’d like to share that.

Kevin_Lightner · January 31, 2012, 6:42pm

McNiff “disappeared” because of valid personal reasons, but I was the one who bought out all his stock.
I got everything he had. Unfortunately, most of it has already been sold.
I think I still have some kits with the roms and buffer board for the later MIDI sequencer update in stock, but that’s about it other than a few remaining NOS vinyl panel overlays.

I truly feel that if one wants a reliable MM nowadays, they have to do all the stuff that Rudi Linhard does plus additional work like better sockets and perhaps better trimmers.
Since Rudy did his own software and hardware improvements, this would be difficult to attempt yourself and it’s unlikely you’d achieve the same degree of reliability Rudi obtains.
MC has a working MM, but he’s also an experienced engineer and tech.
Not everyone is and many MMs may soon be worth more as separate parts than as a whole unit.
Fact is- all things shall pass. MM’s included.

Vince_Ascoli · January 31, 2012, 7:09pm

It’s disappointing (at least here in the US) that Rudi is the only show on Earth, when it comes to that kind of MM overhaul & update…

MC1 · January 31, 2012, 7:58pm

Memorymoog is a very complex system. After Fred McNiff bowed out and Mike Bucki went AWOL, that leaves only JL in Vancouver CA as a reputable MM tech. Not sure if dougt does repair on them.

Lots of vintage gear are too complex for most repair shops and only a select few are equipped to handle them. Case of point, studioelectronics.biz repairs and restores many well known vintage pro-audio processors like Lexicon, Eventide, UREI, even the Marshall Time Modulator.

dougt · February 1, 2012, 1:21am

I repair my own (got 4 now) but that’s it. I much prefer to work on Rolands and Oberheims.

Kevin, did you get any DBM kits from Fred or any complete Plus kits?

MC, that would be great if you could scan any docs especially the installation and I still might need the ROM images as this one doesn’t boot.

Until I got a Voyetra-8 the MM was probably my favorite synth. The killer thing about it is having the 3 VCOs per voice where if you use VCO3 for modulation you still have 2 which is much more interesting than on say the Prophet-5 where you only have 1 VCO if you use VCO2 for mod. Definitely worth the effort to keep them working if possible.

Thanks,
Doug

MC1 · February 1, 2012, 5:40am

Pages 3 and 4 need a better scan but it’s bedtime and has to wait until tomorrow.

MC1 · February 1, 2012, 5:43am

Four? You’re a worst machochist than I thought

dougt · February 2, 2012, 3:02am

Kevin, did you get any DBM kits from Fred or any complete Plus kits?

infrasoniq · June 2, 2017, 12:44pm

Hi,

Does anyone have contact details for Don Besecker?

Cheers

B

Callockard · June 19, 2022, 12:50pm

Hi all. I also have the dbm midi and currently have plans to install a new power supply on my MM.
Does anyone still have the installation instructions for dbm? Schematics? The above links are dead, and I’d feel more comfortable looking at these first.

Thanks!

Russ · June 23, 2022, 11:41pm

I have them. Shoot me a PM with your email.

MC1 · July 16, 2022, 2:42am

Hi, the dead links have been changed. They can now be found here
http://analoguediehard.com/studio/keyboards/moog_memorymoog/index.html#memorymoog-dbm-upgrade

inVrs · December 6, 2023, 8:59am

Hello everyone,

just acquired a gorgeous Memorymoog+ with DBM.
Seems like I m lucky, it stays in tune and so far I can’t find anything that doesn’t work correctly.

Only thing that I m unsure about is the sequencer, seems like I can’t get it to work.
Following the manual I can get to the point where I have to press start to record the sequence, but it just stays stuck there, no count in, no recording. if I press start again it goes to “end”.

I ve heard that with the LAMM upgrade the sequencer is deactivated, now I m wondering if that’s the case with DBM too?
Reading the DBM manual, it seems like maybe this is just what it is - that the memory override section with DBM has been replaced with midi channel select and so I can’t get to deactivate memory protect, thus can’t get to write a sequence..?

Any help appreciated!

MC1 · December 8, 2023, 11:02pm

The DBM upgrade does not disable the sequencer on the Plus model.

inVrs · December 9, 2023, 11:08am

thanks for clearing that up

any idea what could be the cause that the sequencer is not recording? I did also try the sync / start connections on the back, doesn’t change anything.

arpeggiator, midi etc is all working fine