ESPE 01

Do the ESPE 01 pitch extension modules fit all the Etherwave Plus circuit boards?

Yes. The main circuit boards of the Etherwave Standard and the Etherwave Plus are 100% identical. In the Plus, there is then a second circuit board for the extended functions like pitch and volume CV and Gate, and that ugly sounding headphone amplifier.

But since the main PCBs are the same, the ESPE01 module will always fit and have the same effect.

"But since the main PCBs are the same, the ESPE01 module will always fit and have the same effect."  - Thierry

I'm not calling you a liar or anything Thierry, but didn't someone here rather recently say they put an ESPE01 in an EW+ and it didn't work due to circuit changes in the EW+?  I've been wondering what was up with that ever since.

That was Wilco Botermans who had problems with an Etherwave of the latest production batch which behaved strange after the ESPE01 installation. He suspected an undocumented modification by Moog. That’s why he issued temporarily a warning to potential customers.
Then, since he couldn’t locate the source of the problem, he sent me this instrument. I found a not defective but ways out of specs transistor in the variable pitch oscillator. After replacing it, the instrument behaves now normal with and without ESPE01. So, it was the modules “fault” to reveal a pre-existing problem.
In the meantime, I had already upgraded 4 or 5 of the latest batch Etherwaves without problems. So, for me, it became clear that Wilco’s warning was unnecessary.

I wonder why people doubt my words. When I make a statement, it is reflective and well-founded, even without having to write a whole novel about it...

Ah, thanks for clearing that up Thierry!  I wasn't doubting your words, I just wasn't privy to the backstory (not my fault, and very sorry to make you type so much).

"I wonder why people doubt my words. When I make a statement, it is reflective and well-founded, even without having to write a whole novel about it..." - Thierry

Users shall treat each other with respect at all times on ThereminWorld.com.

That is a surprisingly testy response to a simple question.  It smacks of both hubris and insecurity and at the same time takes a jab at another member.  I don't think anyone here doubts your theremin expertise, but it would be nice to be able to engage in a conversation or ask a question without fear of having it taken as a challenge.

Thierry,
thankyou for your feedback, it is much appreciated.
I live in the Netherlands, not too far away from Wilco, so the next step is to have my Etherwave upgraded by Wilco (if he wants to do it) and simultaneously maybe have the potentially faulty transistors replaced or at least checked over.
My etherwave + is probably one of the most recent ones - serial # 7870, original purchase date October 2020.

From my experience, there should be no need to replace transistors. To me, it looks that Wilco had just bad luck with that one specific instrument - a thing which could also have happened (and indeed happened) with older production batches. I guess Moog buys the 2N3904 transistors in packs if 1000 and they don’t verify the parameters of each single one. If it makes sound at the end of the production chain, it will be packed and go for sale. The times where Robert Moog played and fine-tuned each instrument before it left the factory are definitively over.

I’ve since had the ESPE 01 module installeren by Wilco. Excellent service and all is working well. This is a model from late 2020.

Hello Thierry!
I am a new theremin player as of this year. I picked up a second-hand Etherwave Standard, and have been enjoying it tremendously. I had hoped to extend the range with the ESPE01 module so that I could play more songs. However, when I installed the ESPE01 successfully (I think) it has not added any additional bass to the range of my theremin - and rather than evening out the distance between notes, it instead seems to have compressed the octave closer to the antennae.
Have I made a mistake during installation process, or is there something else I missed that needs addressing?
The video provided by Ethermagic mentioned a tuning tool provided by Moog, but I do not have this tool as I purchased my Etherwave second hand. Would this adjustment they mention be all that I need to get my theremin working properly?
Insights and expertise greatly appreciated!!