The recreation of PPG's "last fully analog synthesizer," the PPG 1002, was unveiled at Superbooth 25. The instrument sounds completely identical to the original and at the same time is equipped with a set of modern functions.
German musician Cornel Hecht led the project to recreate the PPG 1002 together with Wolfgang Palm, the developer of the original synthesizer and the head of PPG Synth (formerly Palm Products GmbH). How long it took to recreate the instrument's circuitry is not specified.
The PPG 1002 has two oscillators and a four-stage filter (24 dB/octave). According to the description, the second oscillator can operate in sub-oscillator mode and generate an additional, extra-rectangular sound waveform. The oscillators have a synchronization function.
The synthesizer has a noise generator that can create an audio signal and modulations and be used as a ring modulator. The LFO section has extensive routing options and supports two sound waveforms. It also has switchable modulators for each module.
The instrument retains the CV/Gate connectors and simple front-panel design for easy operation. Additionally, the model is equipped with MIDI ports for integration with external devices.
According to Wolfgang Palm, the reissue sounds identical to the original. The creator of the instrument notes that no more than 100 copies of the PPG 1002 were released during its existence, making it quite difficult to create a modern copy — finding the instrument in good condition was problematic.
Hecht and Palm note that this is not a hypothetical project — a modern PPG 1002 exists in fully functional condition. The recreation will be made to order, with the instrument costing €9,999. Half of the amount must be paid immediately upon ordering the synthesizer as a non-refundable deposit, and the other half must be paid before shipment of the finished copy.
Information about the synthesizer was met with skepticism online. For example, commentators on the GearNews portal were surprised by the monosynthesizer's high cost, calling the project a scam. Some users noted that Cornel Hecht had pre-disabled the comments under the announcement video on YouTube, apparently to protect himself from negative feedback.
It takes about 3-3.5 months to produce one instrument. Customers who pre-ordered the synthesizer in May will receive their copies no earlier than September, according to Palm and Hecht. More details about the synthesizer can be found on the official PPG Synth website.
Comment from the SoundGale Editorial TeamOur editorial team doesn't believe that the re-release of this synthesizer is a scam. Admittedly, $10,000 for a monophonic synthesizer is quite expensive.
But we live in a capitalist society where everyone has the right to set any price they want for their product. The only question is whether people will be willing to pay that price. The answer is unequivocally YES; most likely, these synthesizers will end up in the hands of synth collectors (of which there are many). However, this project will not be a financial success. Connoisseurs of analog sound are becoming fewer and fewer every year!
