All user reviews for the Korg PolySix

The Polysix is ​​probably, with the Ms20/10, the analog synthesizer's most famous Korg. Admittedly, the time for the brand launched in the market for a product with polyphonic pretty well finished. Build metal, wooden sides, solid buttons, knobs and resistant keyboard honest (Korg's early 80's actually). In short, the Polysix is ​​built like a tank and will withstand years dramatically.

UTILIZATION

When you have this type of keyboard at hand, it goes very fast and the grip is immediate. The manual is not required if one has some knowledge of synthesis and editing is very easy. Only drawback, the stack memory that need to be changed before it drains and flows, jeopardizing the survival of the synth very seriously.

SOUNDS

The sound of Korg P6 is very marked, which is normal but let me explain. Probably related to the use of SSM chips sound has the characteristic sound of metal. Caution, not digital (as Nordlead eg) rather not close enough to the MS20 in its sweetest moments. It seemed pretty obvious when I re-used at a friend after 10 years absence. This feature makes it an instrument but rather to typed personality 'family', give him any of his cousins, it works every time (MS10/20, Monopoly, Trident, Lambda, Sigma etc. ..)
His presence is undeniable and the depth of its bass is real. We arrive at something very alive quickly without spending too much time.
FYI it has nothing to do with a Juno 60, far from it, because the P6 allows experiments of all kinds and can largely stand alone even if you know the work. It's a synth more interesting in many ways and nothing but its characteristics well above the spot.

OVERALL OPINION

I used it a year in the early 2000s but his condition deteriorated I did not keep (given to a friend who did not help unfortunately). I loved his quick start, its relatively short heating time, his memoirs, a massive sound and look of Colossus. Since I had tons of keyboards but the Polysix always reminds me of good memories.

6 voice polyphonic Synthtiseur
(1 oscillator / voice), 5 octaves
Modulation: Pitch Classic wheels (hauteurde note) & Modulation (amount of modulation by the LFO, see below);
ConnectiqueSortie Audio mono, no MIDI (!), Output to tape for backup memory (32 tones max), between pedals: Sustain, hold, arpeggiator (qqs and others).
Effects: 32 sound memory, a small section effects: Chorus, flanger, phaser, "all" (1 time), adjustable in intensity only
CONTRL by computer: no computer ACCS
Polyphony: 6 voices of polyphony
CHARACTERISTICS: 1 oscillator / voice (waveforms: triangle, square adjustable, sine) + a "sub oscillator" 1 or 2 octaves infrieures, "on" or "off" only, an LFO with same waveforms as the oscillator., speed, intensity CONTRL oscillator or the filter or volume (VCA) OR wheel, VCF (filter) cutoff, rsonance, control by the envelope (ADSR) volume or by organ type envelope (maximum / ZrO) tense pitch bend (pitch knob) adjustable.

UTILIZATION

It's (almost ... c'tait found today) an easy synth ULTRA-handle.
It would give today (and even its output to 1983 or 84 ...) seem to have t Designed for beginners ... In fact, KORG has done everything to keep it below a certain price to the era of the few synths with a memory for such a price the era (the exit trs shortly APRS, the Yamaha DX-7 has certainly come a long shadow ...).
But the little one is also possible rglages dfi, and you can "cheat" with the wonderful effects section to compensate for the lack of a second osc. by voice and LFO (modulation) in limited opportunities.

The manual silent relatively OK if I remember correctly, but, more importantly, we learned quickly esssayant trs, what is true for the majority of crasis synth ... hardware, at least ...

The backup sounds on audio cassette rvolutionnaire the silent era and worked well ...

SOUNDS

The sound. What could be more subjective? By triturating long enough, you got really rev things well!

Its strength in the most silent in the acute and large hot mdiums serious (not the big sound ROLAND, it had not), but he had a personality own, we managed to draw r results at least passable in all areas, and I remember being impressed friends with a surrender of bluffing his Eddie Van Halen used on "Jump" (intro and chorus accompaniment), and he, he had an Oberheim OBxa, I think! By combining the LFO, the effect section and square wave modulation of the tilt I got a wealth of ground thunder, and the strings taient also more than satisfactory. More difficult for warm sounds of brass solos or large MOOG ... What the button UNISON gave trs trs well!

The absence of VLOC Obviously is a handicap, but I have a volume pedals, and does things with this thunderous accessory.

OVERALL OPINION

It was my first synth t and I used up the rope, pos on my Fender Rhodes (electric piano of legends, his only rival the Wurlitzer silent, the sound of Supertramp! ).

Comparison with the Yamaha DX-7 has fatal t (FM digital sound, much more dynamic ism of some amazing sounds, each will recall that only heard the DX-7 on all pop albums of the 80s, and it became tiring trs long as standard because of the complexity of the modulation frequency drives, everyone used the same presets, an example is the first solo Sting "Dream of the blue turtles", which, unless I am mistaken, the DX-7 synth used is the ONLY and that means ... n 'enlve nothing Russianness the standard of the album).

Obviously it's sentimental, but my Polysix made me standards of services, including live o its simple taient prcieux CONTRL. This is my favorite, and the report qualitperformances price silent
VERY good the era (the DX-7 Cost prs of our 1,500 Euros more!).
For cons, I can not dfendre against what has been done for or against such a Sequential Circuits Prophet 5, or Oberheim OBxa of the Rolls and suprieures trsdsirables of the era, but also completely out of the door of my money prote ...
To date, I do not in fact always the DX-7, and he is than I would like sr yet ...

Note: There is a problem with the memory cell that starts on run after 5 Integrated Circuits 10 years depending on the case (I learned on a forum). This is serious if it comes too late, difficult (to do) rpar. If one takes time, the Polysix can last 20 years, I think ...

5 Octave keyboard without velocity and aftertouch even less
Arpeggiator simple but effective
Unison mode (6 times the same sound) lead to exploitable
32 user memory (sauvegerde on K7)
Hold Pedal
No MIDI
Presence of a SUB OSC

UTILIZATION

General Setup could not be more simple
editions of his could not be more intuitive
OK Manuel

This is an entry-level synthe for the time (12000F was leaving anyway) there is
so that the trilogy almost mini-VCO VCF-VCA envelope with the assignment and negatice
gene of the VCF envoloppe

SOUNDS

It's the sound vrai.Il is still a relative may have a soft JUNO6.
It is more accurate for the way his percussive marimba
For Brass and Organ tablecloths and it's nice
No generator noise (damage)
For big bass is not very dense ca

OVERALL OPINION

I used it for about 10 years
It is still below a Juno60
On occasion it seems to me a can of expensive but it surely has inflation on the vintage
There should be a better eesaye Alesis Micron for example, or a CS2x that give more for less (The afficionada from analog forgive me .... Maybe)

Some examples in

http://ma-musique.rendez-vous-blog.com/

Dcrire not need a keyboard in dtail trs known ... I would simply say that he has a pretty face in a set-up. Too bad it does possde a mono output and no portamento or glide. Otherwise, it's almost a faultless for me for a small analog synth of a range of low price trs.

UTILIZATION

It really is super simple to use. There are plenty of large well-spaced knobs, and clear. The main strength of this synth. Live, nothing more enjoyable to modify a sound, whether the LFO, filter, modulation ... to prompt the user.

SOUNDS

It's funny that many people compare it with the Roland Juno 60. Yet it's not really the same ... even not at all. Ok, the two possdent osciliateur by a voice (with a sub), 6 voice polyphony, one envelope of memory used, no portamento, effects included, 5 octaves, a arp giateur and quoted at about the same price of the 80 beginners.

But in her is something else. Roland had already installed the COD in the SERIES Juno, the quip has a high pass filter, envelopes relatively fast, more memory, etc ... while The Polysix is ​​equipped with a VCO and a sub, a low pass filter 24 dB / oct, envelopes, slower, and only 32 memory users.

Roland sounds irrmdiablement 80's, trs clean, well-off (thank you chorus reconnat stro ...), it immediately hits the sounds of the 80s. In short, a Roland sounds. The Korg is much mchant noise level. The version I have is not perfectly calibrated, and the six VCO's have a very small trend drifter, giving a natural chorus that sounded even more fat! In addition, the SSM 2056 filter is not at all in the same mold as Roland. Sounds much more "moogish" than its counterparts Roland synths or quips Curtis. In short, the sound of the Polysix is ​​amricain, dark, hot, 70's the 80's the Japanese.

The specialties of the Polysix: tablecloths, thanks a PWM strong enough, including the two LFO (MG) or the dial knob, but also thanks to built-in effects, Chorus, Phaser and Ensemble. Tablecloths, soft rev of a filter with almost closed strings to the super wide and clear. Of copper brass trs thanks the magic of the filter ... The SSM leads are not ugly either, although it lacks a portamento. We arrive a little work around the problem with the pitch-bend, but it's not the same thing. Fantmatiques blips and sound effects are also the strength of this synth.
And last but not least, low ... Many say that Juno is much better. Personally, with good rglages the filter, the PWM and the sub-oscilio the unison mode switched and envelopes at a minimum, I leave absolutely monstrous bass that do not much envy the Junos ... may be just a little "fat" and aggressive.

Short for the price, and despite the limitations we get a sacr dj sonic palette.

OVERALL OPINION

I have long had a Korg Trident, I really aim. Unfortunately n'tait not in the best state. Cosmtique as much technique ... And I sold. T pass and I found one for 170 Euros Polysix. Super state, battery change, capacitors changs. There's just one of the sides which some scratches. Suprieur panel is still like new!

For me, apart from only six votes (instead of 8 for the Trident), the two VCO's per voice and the two envelopes, I find the possibilities almost equivalents! With the effects and more, a simple but so effective arpgiateur and useful that guarantees hours of fun and a much infrieur weight (about half).

In my humble opinion just a synth msestim today. Trs but endearing.

If you find one, THE FIRST thing to do is open and the state checker. If it is good, take. And change the battery. So you'll still have a synth for years that will make you good services. If it is bad state, go your way. And expect in a better state.

While prevailing in the market for synthetic monsters like the prophet of sequential circuit 5, the Oberheim OBX to Jupiter and 8 of roland machines, too complex and mostly unaffordable for the general public, Korg made the decision to leave in 1981 a different product, a "good musical instrument" voice polyphonic 6 under the barrier of $ 2000 & 1000 pounds, it's the birth of the Polysix. With its price, simplicity and sound qualities, the P6 seduces and meets a phenomenal success.

UTILIZATION

This synthesizer is very pleasant to use, beautiful, strong, well thought out architecture and its widely spaced orders can instantly act on each of its parameters, its simplicity is its strength!

SOUNDS

The P6 is a pure analog and all the ingredients are there to get out of the big vintage sound very hot and bold: voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) + sub oscillator for each of the six voices, SSM chips for envelopes and filters. Unison mode, out of devastating bass, chord, arpeggiator and multi Latchable effect (also analog) with chorus / phaser magic.

Cons:
Released just before the standard MIDI at noon, but not for midifiable + or expensive depending on the options (see forum)
No touch sensitivity (velocity & aftertouch)
Reduced potential for sound research, we do not play in the same course that prohet 5, 8 & obx jupiter
One entry (FVC) to control the filter frequency
Check that the battery did not sink!

OVERALL OPINION

It is clear that p6 is part of the generation of synths that have marked the history of electronic music, in addition to all these qualities, this analog is very reliable, very durable and requires little maintenance (a gum blow on the contacts under the keys once every 10 years and that's it). At the all-digital, plug and company I think the P6 is and will remain a good investment.

The Features on this synth a interesting as some of the more regular features are missing from this synth for example there is only one envelope for VCA and VCF and there is no portamento control. However there is an areggiator, 3 built in fx (chorus, phaser & ensemble) and most importantly...presents! 4 banks of 8 patches. This synth does not come with midi as standard.

UTILIZATION

Cant really fault the interface - its a standard vintage analoge affair with a labelled button or dial for every control. Creating sounds is also pretty easy as there arent too many controls to get to grips with and the sound is so classy anyway that it doesnt take long to find someting that sounds nice. The lack of a 2nd envelope does limit the amount of sounds that you can make however.

SOUNDS

Lush is probably the only world to describe the sound of the p6! It is deffinately the most underated vintage polysynth of all, mostly as it was oringally a budget synth when released. However people overlooked the SSM filters (the same as found in the Prophet 5) and the top quality fx unit. The Unison mode also perfoms fantasically as the analoge OSC's still drift a teenie weenie bit. For pads, leads and chords the p6 just rocks! Some audio demos are here: http://www.synthmania.com/Audio%20Files/Synthesizers/Korg/PolySix/Tweaks/Filtered%20Mega-Pad.mp3 http://www.synthmania.com/Audio%20Files/Synthesizers/Korg/PolySix/Factory%20Presets%20Bank%20B/B-1%20%20Electric%20Piano.mp3

OVERALL OPINION

My polysix has been fully restored and fitted with a new wooden case so i cant really comment on how well the outside lasts. However they have a well known issue with the internal battery which will leak! this frys the board completely and will render the synth useless. Its essential that this is changed and luckily most of the p6's that i have seen on the market have had it changed but beware the ebay bargain!

I cant help but love it, its got the moody expressive feel that all analoge synths should have and many expensive digital synths lack, its a great budget alternative to the other vintage polysynths like the Jupiter 8 or Prophet 5 which cost upto 3x more! There is a softsynth version, and its very good, it sounds very much like the real thing, but lacks the sparkle and depth of the original.

Originally posted on FutureProducers.com
Posted by: Dakuan (January 1-, 2005)