StarskyCarr Resurrects the OSCar: A Synth Revival

In an exhilarating first for StarskyCarr’s channel, we’re greeted by Paul from PWM Instruments, and they’ve got their hands on the rights to the OSCar, courtesy of the legendary Oxford Synthesizer Company. This is akin to digging up a relic from the synth punk era and giving it a fresh coat of anarchy. Imagine Chris Huggard’s genius remixed with modern edge, and you’ve got this new Frankenstein’s monster of a synth. Their prototype is looking like a decided homage to the original, complete with Z80 processors that had to be sourced from the synth-slingers’ marketplace known as eBay.

StarskyCarr and Paul dive deep into the technical alchemy behind the redirection of ancient tech into the present day. The challenge couldn’t be more British than making a 45-year-old Z80 chip somehow relevant today, through emulation on a current-gen Cortex-M3. PWM isn’t just aiming for a resurrection; it’s more of a synth Renaissance. And yes, the analogue skeleton is getting its marrow checked to ensure nothing essential is lost. They’ve retained Chris’s original code, which powers the synth’s distinctive growl – a sound not unlike a knackered exhaust but in the best possible way. And yes, they’re giving every knob a MIDI-capable make-over akin to a gearhead’s fever dream.

Paul’s approach to design showcases that British knack for balancing tradition with innovation. Yeah, they’re talking rubber bumpers like it’s a synth with its own airbags. While honouring the original’s aesthetic, there’s chatter about detaching segments to make it user-friendly yet tough enough to handle a few pub-side tumbles. This meticulous attention also involves faithfully recreating the Oscar’s colours and screenprints while shunning those unnecessary rubber bits that obscured the original design. USB may find its way in, but only if it can sedately coexist with the simplicity of old-school controls.

No dive into the OSCar’s resurrection would be complete without hitting Play and letting those classic Brit synth waves wash over us. StarskyCarr and Paul let the sound samples do most of the talking, and what a conversation it is—featuring those torquey, vowel-like sounds that have been the Oscar’s calling card for decades. The tonal range seems to flirt between aggressive distortion and silky smooth synthwave vibes, capturing what made the original an icon. This isn’t just a technical exercise; it’s a love letter to the quintessential British synth madness that mesmerised the world. And every growl, hiss, and roar pays homage to Chris Huggard’s legacy.