New Synth from Yamaha

[Chevytraveller]

I love the way they have faithfully reproduced the impenetrable interface of the DX7

[vinyl_junkie]

So CS is modern take on the CS-01 I think although I'm sure it will most likely be polyphonic.
DX is DX-100 in new clothes, CP does Rhodes, Wurli, Clavinet, toy piano and CP-80 and YC does Hammond, Vox, Farfisa, YC-45 and "Japanese transistor organ" (?)

To be honest they all seem pretty cool especially if the price is right and I can see the appeal to both live musicians/bands as well as electronic/studio guys.

If this is Yamaha testing the market, I like it... Remember Korg started with the Monotron, now they're making full size god damn MS-20's in various shapes and sizes and mini ARP's

[ramthelinefeed]

they look like crap "keytars" but without the straps.

[johnny h]

Ok these are way worse than I imagined! Look like kids toys!

Oh and BTW the Arturia CS80 is absolutely awful. You must have ears made of cement to think it sounds anything like a real CS80.

[Richie Royale]

I hope the price bracket is aimed at the Volca market, because they really look cheap. Built in speakers too from the look of it, so it seems like that end of the market they're going for.

[Martin Walker]

Oh dear - kid's toys indeed.

Mini keys or no, the various Korg offerings do at least look somewhat cool in a slightly cut-down retro sort of way

Yep, Richie's right - decent sales will all depend on low price.

Martin

[vinyl_junkie]

I don't know I think these look cute and cool in a way, they obviously wanted to make them affordable and fun.
If these are successful who knows what they will come with next, I'm sure they would of loved to release a big new synth but I'm also pretty sure the bean counters didn't allow it on the chances of what if it flops.

The DX-100 and CS-01 are pretty much toys which are now "classics" that sell for way over what they should be worth. If these are priced well like Richie says and sound decent I think they'll sell well.

What they all do provide though are sounds that are very in fashion at the moment.
DX type bass sounds are very in with dance music again and organs/electric piano sounds are the staples of many kinds of music.

What is kinda puzzling is why 4OP with 32 memories in 2015?? And why no assignable knobs or the addition of a filter... Just something to give it a slight edge over say a old DX which you can pick up cheap enough

[Guest]

I would have preferred to have seen the three mock ups that have appeared elsewhere on the 'net - the Yamaha AN10, DX10 and VL10. Although maybe not a reality, they look the biz!! (I'd certainly buy one of those).

[Dan LB]

If this is Yamaha testing the market, I like it... Remember Korg started with the Monotron, now they're making full size god damn MS-20's in various shapes and sizes and mini ARP's

I really hope this is the case.

[Kevin Nolan]

Oh and BTW the Arturia CS80 is absolutely awful. You must have ears made of cement to think it sounds anything like a real CS80.

Could you provide some technical details or audio examples of why you think it's awful. If you look over my post, and read it, I think you'll find quite specific details why that claim is pretty wild. you'd need to back it up with some technical details rahter than just make a wild unsubstantiated claim.

Again - don't just say stuff - give evidence; a comparison with the real thing if you would - you seem to know the difference.

For example - do you own one? Have you made an A-B comparison? If not, how do you know?

[muzines]

This picture makes it look like they are not "conventional" mini keys:



..but whether it's full-size, or macro-size (eg, the Korg Odyssey type) it's difficult to say...

[Kevin Nolan]

I'll say this about the CS:

On close inspection it looks like a quality build. the faders and leganding are not cheaply produced (by contrast to say the AN1x, for example). That may be indicative of a largeer-scale / longer-term approach, including future more substantive instruments (?)

Also, the choice of parameters and the sizes of faders seems thoughtful, for real time performance.

Curious that the DX has no realtime tactile parameter interface! DX fans waiting 30 years for an updated DX and they get a similar interface!

[muzines]

Curious that the DX has no realtime tactile parameter interface! DX fans waiting 30 years for an updated DX and they get a similar interface!

It has on it what appear to be four touch-panel "sliders" or controls of some sort...

[Kevin Nolan]

I'm rapidly changing my mind, and retract my earlier disparaging comments about these.

I think they are clever, and the start of something of real quality.

It's their clean lines and no gimmicks that's standing out to me. A bit like the Nord Lead when it came out - it had to stand on the merits of its sound alone, and these remind me of that.

Intriguing !!

[Dan LB]

This picture makes it look like they are not "conventional" mini keys:

..but whether it's full-size, or macro-size (eg, the Korg Odyssey type) it's difficult to say...

Yamaha are referring to them as "HQ mini keys"

Anyway we'll know all later tomorrow.........

[muzines]

This will give you an idea of the size, including the keys:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-a0672LvYU

[ramthelinefeed]

Dan's pics are breaking the thread for some viewers.

If anyone has problems I have already reported it.

Andy

I had to use Ad-Block to hide those pics before I could read the damn thread!

[johnny h]

Oh and BTW the Arturia CS80 is absolutely awful. You must have ears made of cement to think it sounds anything like a real CS80.

Could you provide some technical details or audio examples of why you think it's awful. If you look over my post, and read it, I think you'll find quite specific details why that claim is pretty wild. you'd need to back it up with some technical details rahter than just make a wild unsubstantiated claim.

I've used both, and the CS80 sounds great, the Arturia sounds plastic and awful. I don't have sound examples. Do you? You can search CS80 on youtube. Even with the shitty lossy encoding its immediately clear what is the real thing and what is the arturia abomination.

Again - don't just say stuff - give evidence; a comparison with the real thing if you would - you seem to know the difference.

For example - do you own one? Have you made an A-B comparison? If not, how do you know?

I don't own at CS80 but have used one in a friend's studio. Its a fantastic synth. I mean I know there are slight differences between different synths of the same make and model considering the age of them .. but seriously if your CS80 sounds as plastic and lifeless as Arturia then you should sell it immediately!

[Wonks]

Here are the four toy's basic specs (and of course they have a wall-wart):

DX:
4 operator 12 algorithms 32 voices(patches)
2 effect slots
Auto wah
Flanger
Phaser
Chorus
Delay
Reverb
Distortion
Max Poly 8
Engine FM

CP:
6 keyboard types (rdI, rdII, wr, clv, toy, cp)
Early 70s Rhodes
Late 70s Rhodes
Late 60s Wurly
Clav
Toy piano
CP-80
5 "stomp box" FX
Drive
Tremolo/Wah
Chorus/Phaser
Digital/analog delay
Reverb
Max Poly 128
Engine SCM + AWM2

YC:
5 organ types (hammond, vox, farfisa, a (Japanese transistor organ),
Yamaha YC-45D
9 drawbars
Percussion
Rotary stop/slow/fast
Effects: Distortion and reverb
Max Poly 128
Engine AWM (organ flutes)

CS:
5 Osc types (sine, detunable saw pair)
Effects: Delay, Phaser, Chorus/Flanger, Distortion
Max Poly 8
Engine AN (Analog Physical Modelling)

Size/Weight
* Dimensions 530 mm (20 7/8") X 60 mm (2 3/8") X 175 mm (6 7/8")
* Weight 1.9 kg (4 lbs, 3 oz) (not including batteries)

Keyboard
* Number of Keys 37 keys
* Type HQ mini (High-Quality mini)
* Initial Touch Yes

Other Features (not available on all models)
* Phrase Looper Yes
* Display Type Full Dot LCD (128 x 64 dots)

Connectivity

* DC IN DC IN (12 V) jack
* Headphones PHONES (6.3 mm, stereo phone jack)
* MIDI MIDI (mini-DIN IN/OUT)
* AUX IN AUX IN (3.5 mm, mini stereo phone jack)
* OUT PUT L/MONO, R (6.3 mm, TS phone jack, unbalanced)
* USB TO HOST USB (TO HOST)
* Pedal Type SUSTAIN: FC3(A), FC4(A), FC5 (optional)
* Half damper NO (*Half damper's control message can be sent to external device via MIDI)"

[ramthelinefeed]

What do these things COST, that's the key.

We live in an age where if you are a "student" and wanna play keyboards in a real actual gigging band, say in London, you are basically gonna have to go to your own gigs on the Tube with your keyboard under your arm and a backpack with a few leads and a clean T-shirt.
One of these machines could actually be a godsend in that situation.

[ramthelinefeed]

I would also say that it is ESSENTIAL that Yamaha launch these new instruments with a performance like this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOh6qG4iT48

[Richie Royale]

if your CS80 sounds as plastic and lifeless as Arturia then you should sell it immediately!

He has three, not one.

[ramthelinefeed]

if your CS80 sounds as plastic and lifeless as Arturia then you should sell it immediately!

He has three, not one.

Well that's just greedy, he should give one to me

[zenguitar]

Following complaints about one of johnny h's posts in this thread the Mods have given him a one week ban.

One too many ad hominem posts.

Andy

[Dave B]

Thanks Mods. There's just no call for that kind of attitude - I really don't get why he has to be so offensive...

Feline - loved the Cosmos clip ...