Set of Three Phutney PCB Cards – EMS VCS3 / Synthi A Clone
A set of three fully built Phutney PCB cards for the EMS VCS3 / Synthi A. These are the highly regarded clone boards designed by Derek Revell, widely considered among the most accurate reproductions available for anyone wishing to recreate one of these classic synthesizers, or to replace cards in an original EMS instrument.
The boards were professionally assembled by an experienced audio engineer, using new old stock germanium and silicon transistors to get as close as possible to the character of the original EMS circuitry.
They have been extensively tested and calibrated in my 1975 EMS Synthi AKS. My original intention was to use them to build a VCS3 “Cloney”-style synth, but that project never materialised.
During testing, resistor values were carefully adjusted until the cards performed and sounded indistinguishable from the original EMS circuit boards.
The sale also includes:
• Header and PCB solder-in edge connectors to simplify wiring during a build
• A set of blue edge connectors with solder tags if you prefer the more traditional “old-school” wiring approach
All three boards are fully populated, tested, and confirmed working. As mentioned, they were bench-tested and run inside a working EMS Synthi AKS, allowing direct comparison with original EMS cards during calibration.
If you are planning to build a vintage EMS-style synthesizer, this is an excellent starting point, as the boards are already assembled, tested, and carefully tuned to match the performance and sound of a 1975 Synthi A / VCS3.