Curtis CEM

Curtis CEM chips are analog chips used in many synthesizers. Produced by Doug Curtis (died 1/2007).

Doug is known to the music industry as the founder of Curtis Electromusic Specialties where he developed a family of signal-processing products for electronic music synthesizers and audio equipment.

Doug is the father of the Analog Synthesis Chips. Also producer of CEM chips.

SSM and CEM

SSM - Solid State Microtechnologies by solid state music

Curtis CEM Chips CEM = Curtis Electromusic Specialities

Curtis Chips List

  • SSM

SSM2013 Voltage Controlled Amplifier

SSM2014 Voltage Controlled Element

SSM2015 Microphone Preamplifier

SSM2120/22 Dynamic Range Processor/Dual VCA

SSM2024 Quad Current Controlled Amplifier

SSM2033 Voltage Controlled Oscillator

SSM2044 4-Pole VCF

SSM2045 Music Voicing System

SSM2047 Music Voicing System

SSM2056 Voltage Controlled ADSR type Envelope Generator

  • CEM

CEM3310 ENV ADSR

CEM3312 ADSR + VCA

CEM3318 ADSR but microprocessor controlled

CEM3320 24dB/Oct. Filter (multi)

CEM3328 same but LPF only

CEM3330 exp/lin VCA

CEM3335 exp VCA

CEM3340 VCO (Saw,Tri,Pulse)

CEM3345 VCO (Saw,Tri,Pulse) with comparator

CEM3350 12dB/oct Multimode Filter x2 (no notch)

CEM3360 VCA x2

CEM3365 DAC

CEM3371 Envelope x2

CEM3372 24dB/oct. Filter, Mix, VCA

CEM3374 VCO x2 (PWMable Pulse, Tri, Saw)

CEM3378 24dB/oct. Filter, Mix, VCA but microprocessor controlled

CEM3379 24dB/oct. Filter, Mix, VCA but microprocessor controlled

CEM3381 VCA x2 linear

CEM3382 VCA x2 log

CEM3385 24dB/oct Filter (LoFi)

CEM3387 signal processor 3-4 pole cascade Filter, VC Pan/VCA

CEM3389 signal processor 4 pole Filter, VC resonance, VC Pan/VCA

CEM3391 Microprocessor Ctrld: VCF,VCA,Env (ADSR)

CEM3394 Microprocessor Ctrld: 1 Synth Voice: VCF,VCA,Env (ADSR),VCMix

CEM3396 Microprocessor Ctrld: Wave-Shaper x2 - VCF,VCA

PA381 VCA (low noise)

PA382 VCA (low noise)

PD508 S/H (8x)

5508 predecessor of PD508 same function

5530 30ch multiplex sample&hold (Prophet VS)

SSM CEM chips in Synthesizers

at least these synths contain SSM CEM Chip (s)

  • Akai

AX80 6 CEM3372 uP Signal Processor -CEM3372 Filter/Mix/VCA AX60 6 CEM3394 uP Voice

  • Banana (created by Synthesizerstudio Bonn, since 1999 the SSB is closed..)

Poly Synth 12 CEM3310 EG 12 CEM3340 VCO 12 CEM3360 Dual VCA 6 SSM2044 VCF

  • Cheetah

Cheetah MS6 6 CEM3396 VC Waveshaper

  • CMI

Fairlight II 8 CEM3320 VCF in earlier versions 8 SSM2044 VCF in later versions

  • Crumar

Spirit 2 CEM3340 VCO 2 CEM3350 Dual VCF 3 CEM3360 Dual VCA

Bit 01 6 CEM3328 VCF Late Models 6 SSM2044 VCF Early Models

Trilogy 6 CEM3310 EG 6 CEM3320 VCF 6 CEM3330 Dual VCA 1 SSM2020 VCA

  • Doepfer

A107 Morph. Filter: CEM3379 A121 Multi Mode Filter: CEM3320 A122 LPFilter: CEM3320 A123 HPFilter: CEM3320

A-109 VC Signal Processor (CEM3379) A-111-1 High End VCO (CEM3340) A-130 VCA (linear)/A-131 VCA (exp.) A-134 VC Panning (CEM3381)

Und vermutlich - possibly: A111-2 Dyn. VCO CEM3394

Dark Energy , Monophonic Synthesizer (CEM3394)

  • Elka

Synthex 8 CEM3320 VCF

  • Ensoniq

ESQ1 8 CEM3379 VC Signal Processor Filter/Mix/VCA 1 CEM3360 Dual VCA 4 x SSM2300

Mirage 8 CEM3328 VCF

SQ-80 8 CEM3379 VC Signal Processor - Filter/Mix/VCA 1 CEM3360 Dual VCA 4 SSM2300

CTS-2000 1 CEM5530 30ch S/H 8 CEM3389 VC Signal Processor

  • Kawai

K3 SSM 2044 as in the K3m

Kawaii SX-240 uses 8xSSM2044

  • Korg

MonoPoly 4 SSM2033 VCO 1 SSM2044 VCF

Korg PolySix 6 SSM2056 EG 6 SSM2044 VCF

Poly 61 6 SSM2056 EG

  • Linn

Linndrum 2 CEM3320 VCF 1 CEM3360 Dual VCA

  • Moog

MemoryMoog 19 CEM3340 VCO 26 CEM3360 Dual VCA 12 CEM3310 EG

  • Oberheim

OB8 & OBX-a CEM3360 Dual VCA 16 CEM3340 VCO 16 CEM3310 EG 16 CEM3320 VCF

OB-SX 2 CEM3340 VCO 1 CEM3320 VCF 2 CEM3310 EG 1 CEM3360 Dual VCA

Matrix 6 & 6R /// Matrix 1000 Both Matrix use six CEM3396

Xpander 3372 Signal Processor - CEM3372 Filter/Mix/VCA 6 3374 Dual VCO 2x 6809 processors Curtis 3320 VCF or equivalent CEM3372

OB-1 (ame as OBI or OB-I) 2 CEM3310 EG

Prommer 1 CEM3328 VCF

  • Paia

Proteus 2 CEM3340 VCO 1 CEM3320 VCF 1 CEM3310 EG 1 CEM3330 Dual VCA

  • PPG

Wave 2.2 / 2.3 4 CEM3320 VCF 4 CEM3310 EG

Wave 2.0 8 SSM2044 VCF

PPG Wave (2.0) series used the SSM filter

  • Fender / Rhodes

Chroma 8 CEM3350 Dual VCF 8 CEM3360 Dual VCA

Polaris 6 CEM3374 Dual VCO 6 CEM3372 uP Signal Processor - CEM3372 Filter/Mix/VCA

  • Roland

Roland SH101 and MC202 1 CEM3340 VCO roland sh101 MKS-20 5 CEM3360 Dual VCA

Jupiter 6 12 CEM3340 VCO 6 CEM3360 Dual VCA

MKS-80 Serial #511800 up (later models) 4 CEM3360 Dual VCA

  • RSF

Kobol Expander I 2 SSM2050 VCO 1 SSM2040 VCF

Evolver Series Curtis for Filters

VS 1 CEM5510 Fast Sample/Hold 1 CEM5530 30ch S/H 8 CEM3382 Dual Low Noise VCA 8 CEM3378 VC Signal Processor - CEM3372 Filter/Mix/VCA UPDATE: VS used 2 x CEM5530,4 X CEM 5510 (8chan s/h),2 X CEM3365(dual vca for vector mix)

PROPHET 5 - the first Prophet 5 series used the SSM filter, later they were changed to CEM Prophet 5 Rev 3 11 CEM3340 VCO 10 CEM3310 EG 5 CEM3320 VCF

Prophet 5 Rev 1 & 2 11 SSM 2030 VCO 5 SSM 2040 VCF 10 SSM 2050 EG 21 SSM 2020 VCA

Prophet 10 22 CEM3340 VCO 20 CEM3310 EG 10 CEM3320 VCF

Prophet 600 12 CEM3340 VCO 6 CEM3372 VCF/VCA 4 CEM3360 Dual VCA

PRO-1 (PRO ONE) 3 CEM3340 VCO 2 CEM3310 EG 1 CEM3320 VCF

T8 16 CEM3340 VCO 8 CEM3372 Signal Processor - CEM3372 Filter/Mix/VCA UPDATE: T8 used 5 x CEM3360(4 for polymod 1 for volume)

Six-Trax 6 CEM3394 uP Voice CEM3372 Filter/Mix/VCA

MAX 6 CEM3394 uP Voice

Split8 8 CEM3394 uP Voice

Studio 440 8 CEM3389 VC Signal Processor 1 CEM3360 Dual VCA 1 CEM5530 30ch Sample/Hold

Prophet 2000 CEM3379 VCF/VCA

Prophet 3000 CEM3387

  • Siel

DK600 3 SSM2020 VCA 6 SSM2024 6 SSM2044 VCF

Opera 6 6 SSM2024 2 SSM2031 6 SSM2044 VCF

  • Simmons Drums

SDS9, SDS1000 3 CEM3394 VC Synth

SDS8 5 CEM3372 VC

sds5 ssm2044 - 1x per module

sds800 2x CEM3394

  • Solton

solton sm100 analogue synthesizer Each voice in the Solton SM100 (6 voices) uses 2xSSM2056 (ADSR) and 1xSMM2045 (VCA+VCF)

  • Steiner Parker

EVI CEM3340 VCO -SSM2040 VCF

  • Synton

Synrix 2 CEM3310 EG 2 CEM3340 VCO 2 CEM3350 Dual VCF 1 CEM3360 Dual VCA

  • Waldorf

Wave 16 x CEM PD508 Multiplexer/S&H 16 x CEM 3387 VCA / VCF

Microwave microwave 1 8 CEM3387 VCF,VCA,VCP (later models) 8 CEM3389 VCF,VCA,VCP

Dave Smith and Tom Oberheim

  • Dave Smith has a special amount of CEMs for the Evolver series (new ones) but its unique and a special deal... so he will not sell them.
  • Tom Oberheim is the inventor of the first polyphonic music synthesizer, a good friend and frequent collaborator of Doug Curtis.

Where to get CEMs

USA : SynthParts.com

Germany : Micon Chip Distribution