(repair, restoration, evolution, modernization, archiving)
I have been working with machines from this Australian brand for more than 30 years. I was the first to publish technical information about this brand on the Internet via my former websites (cezanne.unice.fr/~emond 1996, jupiter.paris4.sorbonne.fr 1998, www.fairlight.free.fr 2000), and this information has been (partly) gathered for several years now on the website of my friend Out of phase (formerly Candor Chasma), a very good website that I strongly recommend browsing, at least for its historical section and its audio and video examples, and not only for Fairlight-related content.
Over the past 30 years, I have collected a large quantity of technical documents (service manuals for all CMI and MFX systems) and converted them into PDF documents, software (from CMI I to MFX3+), PROMs, EPROMs, etc. You can easily find copies of these on the Internet, but I recommend downloading them directly from the Out of phase website.
One of my passions is repairing and developing alternatives to keep old CMI and MFX systems alive.
I have also helped the companies UVI and Arturia to create their software versions Dark Light and CMI V of the Fairlight C.M.I. I, II, and IIx.
I have personally carried out the repair, restoration, and modernization of many Fairlight CMI I, II, IIx, III, and MFX systems. I therefore have broad experience in repairing the entire family, across all versions of these machines, from the power supply to the light pen.
The most frequently encountered issues on C.M.I. (I, II, IIx) systems are monitors affected by “cataract,” non-functional or missing light pens, and power supply problems. But of course, there are many other possible failures… Similar issues can also be found on CMI III and MFX systems. I custom-build replacement parts that are now impossible to find (front brackets and latches, and I also maintain a stock of specific screws). I have also recently rebuilt a complete front panel with original silkscreening for a client.
Do you have a Fairlight that needs repair or modernization? Get in touch with me by clicking here and describing your needs in detail.
The video monitor of Fairlight CMI I, II, and IIx systems is problematic.
The CMI monitor is equipped with a cathode ray tube (Cathode Ray Tube: CRT), meaning an old-generation vacuum tube, and it has two major drawbacks. The most visible one is the formation of a myriad of small bubbles due to the oxidation of the resin that forms the anti-implosion protective envelope of the tube. The second drawback is the weak protection against X-rays inherent to tubes of this generation. The front face of the CMI tube consists of three layers (glass, resin, vacuum tube).
So if you have any of the following problems with your monitor:
- Bubbles?
- Signs of wear?
- Significant persistence?
- Scratches on the protective glass?
I offer an upgrade of these old tubes to modern models. The new tubes, in addition to meeting current standards in terms of X-ray radiation (negligible compared to older models), guarantee that there will be no future degradation of anti-implosion resin. The new tubes are thicker and can no longer implode from the front.
I can also, on request, replace the connectors for the light pen as well as the one located on the monitor.
I keep a stock of tubes to repair video monitors, and I offer monitor restoration at €500 (tube replacement and calibration).
I can also remove the resin and thus make the use of the old tube tolerable again, and of course I offer this solution if no replacement tubes are available. In all cases, I also offer to service the monitor electronics (power supply, power boards, and signal boards).
As for light pens, in some cases I can attempt repairs, but original light pens are fragile (sensitive to chaotic disconnection and electrostatic shocks) and are equipped with a proprietary chip that is no longer available.
The last time I saw original I.C.C. (Information Control Corp) light pens for CMI I, II, and IIx systems for sale, they were priced at around €800.
I maintain a small stock of light pens for CMI I, II, and IIx systems. I sell them at a price that depends on the acquisition cost (which currently varies between €250 and €350 when I can find them…) and on the modifications carried out (specific connectors used on C.M.I. systems) to make them Fairlight-compatible.
Some examples of my work on Fairlight systems:
The result:
Fairlight is a registered trademark of blackmagic design
The official Fairlight website is www.blackmagicdesign.com
The website of Peter Vogel, one of the creators of the Fairlight CMI, is petervogelinstruments.com.au. A few years ago, he was selling the last CMI, the CMI-30A, which had nothing in common with the early CMIs but was still based on Fairlight hardware (Fairlight CC-1 Crystal Core).
Links to technical information on the web (these links may be outdated):
- Out of phase (formerly Candor Chasma). You will find a large part of my documents and PROM/EPROM dumps for CMI I, II, and IIx systems.
- cmi.fairlightus.com contains information collected by Joe Britt (previously available on www.spies.com/~britt and nonmaskable.com) from Guy Dunphy (former Fairlight employee).
- kmi9000.tripod.com offers an excellent analysis of the service manuals with a synthesis of the data. Many thanks to Klaus Michael Indlekofer for this meticulous work.
- http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Fairlight-CMI/ The forum dedicated to Fairlight systems.
- http://www.ghservices.com/gregh/fairligh/ Greg Holmes’ website is one of the oldest Fairlight-related sites.
- http://www.virtual-music.at/webseiten_e/zubehoer/fairlght.htm (http://members.aon.at/virtual-music)
- http://petervogelinstruments.com.au/
- https://www.uvi.net/en/vintage-synth/darklight-iix.html
- https://www.arturia.com/cmi-v/overview
- https://www.facebook.com/groups/2029682520647353/ (Arturia CMI V users group)
- https://www.facebook.com/groups/277208163443745 (QasarBeach users group)
- https://www.facebook.com/groups/4943488865 (Fairlight CMI group)
- https://www.facebook.com/groups/6984013011 (Fairlight group)
Some media links:
My YouTube video playlist: