Bad Gear - Philips PMC 100

Become a Patron and get access to music clips from the show, additional content, Bad Gear samples and even more AudioPilz madness

Welcome to Bad Gear, the show about the world's most hated audio tools. Today we are going to talk about the Philips PMC 100 Composer. This 80s groovebox/workstation thing and weird combination of an FM synth and a tape deck is the only Philips instrument that I am aware of. Will it replace your Yamaha DX7?

Watch Simon the Magpie's videos and circuit bending experiments:

Chapters:
00:00 Intro tune
01:13 Overview
05:07 Hate
05:35 Jam 1
06:29 Jam 2
07:22 Finale
07:50 Verdict

[lairdkilbarchan]

I'm glad that, considering the limited space for preset sounds, Phillips felt "bagpipes" were essential enough to earn a spot at #79.

[AlexBallMusic]

I remember a few serious glinging sessions back in my youth.

[willyum]

I've binged 90% of your videos this week. This channel is a hidden gem. Thanks for the content.

[sonyperl]

The most amazing fact about this device is : someone made actual music with it.

[menhirmike]

It's funny (and a bit sad) how a 36 year old groovebox that AFAIK wasn't even that expensive has a sequencer that makes many modern ones look like toys.

[mozkuthehermit]

Funny how this channel became something so awesome, tell us summary of synths history, ticking boxes with viewers, mixing genres like bartender, providing memes like real chad, getting reminded by people who want their genres back.
Overall awesome job to keep us mere mortals entertained for quite long time.

[ianmccoy]

I'm starting to be convinced you take two rocks and make a _Proto-Tribal House-Deep Groove-We're Going to Party like it's B.C. 9999-Jam_ and it'll sound better than anyone could ever expect.

Great work as always. Keep it up!

[joonglegamer]

This is the ONE thing I look forward to every week.

[chrisfinest]

You really pulled out all the stops for this little box. Perhaps my favorite episode so far. In a certain sense, it almost feels like a loss leader for the minimum-viable version of the kind of sequencing we would become so reliant on... It /only just/ works, and it's clear the designers had to compromise or were simply technologically limited in several places. A true engineering marvel!

[nickthane]

I guarantee that they're only 100EUR on Reverb now, by the time this video has been live for a week and the inevitable Alex Ball video the week after, they'll be the same price as a Juno 106 and honestly, the Latin preset on the PMC is good enough I'd happily pay those sort of prices. Although the lack of Polka and New Jack Swing patterns is a let down

[kimwilliamjustice]

Wow, I can practically set my clock by you. 11am Central US time? Bad Gear drops!
I have to wait until after work to watch because your work rewards attention. Kudos!

[GeorgeL]

Another dungeon synth worthy workstation! I can imagine a bunch of people gathering to play 80s d&d and some dude busting one of these out and being like "check out this boss encounter music I made" then throwing on some shades and flexing because everyone was insanely buff in the 80s 💪😎

[RANDOMLOOPGENERATOR]

It's times like this I'm even more grateful you exist and do what you do, EVERY offbeat piece of kit deserves its chance to shine wherever possible. Between you and Simon they do, and in fine style! Nice one brother 👊

[redmondartwork]

I have a gear suggestion. Zoom Sampletrak. It was one of my first pieces of gear. I got it for $60 at a pawn shop. Almost 20 years later...it still works and i still use it for ambient stuff.

[christiansievers]

The memes are really hitting hard on this one. Perfectly, executed and I noticed Terry Pratched is almost always included, which makes it even better!

[SixteenVoice]

With the slightly dusty black backdrop I kept trying to wipe my phone screen because I thought I got something from the kitchen on it. Then I realized I've been had once again by AudioPilz.

Well played Sir. Well played. 🌝

[gooneybird]

ive been watching Simon for years and years, dudes is so creative. REAL RECOGNIZES REAL

[ramdynebix]

I owned one for exactly one Saturday afternoon in the early 90s. During the week I had a holiday job, found this Friday evening in the second hand part of an electronics store. Biked 7km into town on Saturday afternoon, biked back home, connected it up. Holy noise, have to get rid of it! Biked back into town, returned it and got my first proper Sony Walkman instead. I got my next synth *years* later 😂

[haydena.oleary]

I love that the underlying conceit of this channel is that there really is no such thing as bad gear- just bad producers 😁 This dude can make anything sound good and he has fun doing it!! Please do the Roland Gaia SH-01 - I use this as my workhorse synth and many days I wonder why. Thanks and keep up the good work!!

[BuHeTy]

All Your reviews make me wanting an album release!