Alesis QS8

I have been looking for a decent stage piano that can fill my needs for Rhodes, Wurly, Clavinet, and acoustic piano sounds. Being able to do some decent B-3 tones was not necessary but definitely a plus, as I have another keyboard that fills my needs for that. I did not want to spend over $500 for a used board, as I had my eyes on the Casio Privia PX 5S. In short, I was getting this as a stage piano. I don't perform a lot, but I do intend to gig with it some and use it for recording. I am not a professional musician. I am an intermediate level player, and I create my own jazz, blues, pop, rock, and R&B music. I do consider myself to be fairly picky when it comes to overall feel and sound quality. That being said, I have not played on an actual wurlitzer or Rhodes, and I am not trying to say that this feels or sounds exactly the same.

First impressions: The sounds were pretty good. The Wurly and rhodes tones were usable, as was the acoustic piano. I have played better ones, but they are not bad. I was pretty underwhelmed and a little disappointed with the clavinet sounds, however. The action wasn't bad, but it was not as good as some of the Korgs, Yamaha's, and others that I have tried out. Definitely not a deal breaker though...

I did a little looking around for available sound cards, to see if I could get a little closer to the sounds I was craving. I noticed that Q cards were available on Ebay, and I decided to order a vintage keys card and a jazz piano card. The reviews of the jazz piano card were overall favorable, and I am pleased with it. It is certainly an upgrade. I was skeptically hopeful of the sounds that I would get from the vintage keys card, as the reviews were a little more mixed.

I have to say, after playing it with the vintage keys sounds, I am in electric piano heaven. I love the vintage keys card. Plenty of Rhodes and Wurlitzers that sound great to my ear, and finally I found several fat and funky clavinet sounds. This is perfect for me. I paid a little over $200 for both the jazz piano card and the vintage keys card, so I am in this now for a total of a little over $400. I would rate the overall package a solid five star value, but since I had to pick up 2 sound cards to get to get it done, I dropped one star (or half a star if I could).

Pros: This is a very high quality keyboard. It is built like a tank. The action is decent and it does have some pretty good sounds. Along with the sounds that I mentioned above, it has some really nice pads, vintage synths, funky spacey sounds, and decent tone wheel organ sounds. The pitch and modulation wheels are awesome (probably the smoothest action that I have ever felt). It also has 4 performance sliders that can be programmed to desired effects on the tone. Overall, in spite of being over 20 years old, this is a versatile instrument that would perform well in a variety of settings. Having the sound cards still available on Ebay is a plus too. I do not see myself upgrading, as this fills all of my needs very well. If you can find one for $300 or less, I wouldn't hesitate. I was happy with both sound cards, and even though they are expensive, it was worth it to me, as I was able to really dial in the tones that I was looking for. I cannot imagine a better deal for under $500 (of course, including the price of the sound cards).

Cons: With it being built like a tank, keep in mind, it is HEAVY. The frame is all metal, and it has solid oak side pieces... very nice looking BTW. The biggest con is probably the size of the screen. It is small, and in order to navigate through the parameters, it gets to be a bit of a process... not a huge deal to me, as I am mostly finding the sounds and parameters from the cards to be fine without tweaking. I don't consider the internal sounds to be bad (in fact, many are downright amazing), but I guess that I could say that a slight con would be that until I got the external sound cards, it was not perfect. Now it is close to perfect. I suppose that if I was being really picky, I could say that the hammer action, as I mentioned before is not on par with the very best stage pianos, but that is really nit picking.

Keep in mind, if you do get one and decide to get a Q card or 2, if you have the QS8, as I do, you will need to get the 2 more expensive cards. The guy who makes them makes 3 different card configurations, and the $115 card will work in either slot on the original QS8. The $99 card is configured to work in just one of the slots (I think it is the lower one).

The Alesis QS8 is a very good instrument keyboard. It comes with a large library of sounds and instruments for you to use in your own compositions , along with 16 megabytes of on board ROM. This keyboard is also expandable incase you decide you need more. It has 600 plus programs and takes PCMCIA sound cards. It also has a pitch wheel and a modulation wheel, which is pretty much standard on all boards but this pitch wheel has a nice feel to it and gives you a lot more control. Its not stiff, its very free moving and easy to get the exact pitch conversion you want.


UTILIZATION

Its very easy to understand, and if you want to us it with the computer it comes with a cd rom in both mac and windows because it includes a copy of Cubase Lite (not the regular cubase version though , but close). The keyboard can also be used a midi controller with a little configuration in your DAW. You don’t have to use Cubase Lite with it, you could use whatever you prefer and just use it as a generic controller.


SOUNDS

Sounds a very good, I was actually surprised by the sounds that come on a board that was made years ago. The sounds are very up to date. Nice warm synths, not too thin like most keyboards that where created back in the 90’s. Alesis was ahead of its time when creating this board.


OVERALL OPINION

Overall, you really cant ask for much more. Not really to sure if you can still get this board in your local store you may have to buy it online because its an old model. But don’t let the word “old” fool you. Its well worth the money spent and its not that expensive brand new so I know its very affordable now. Alesis has always made quality products and this was no exception.

QS Super 8 is a key stage with its 88 keys Touch Heavy and is not lost when passing or just a True Piano (even tailed).

Polyphony 64/2 Outputs Out / Aux Outputs 2/3 Pedal Input / 1 Output Headphone / Fiber Optics / 4 faders control effects in real time (which is selected) / Midi In / Out / Thru / G Midi / etc..

For sounds:

-There are 4 layers of sounds can be stacked. (Example: + Piano + Voice + String Ribbon)
This independently adjusting each sound:
(Volume / Effect / Split / Tone / Balance / etc etc ...)

He has 30 sounds theme and there are 13 themes that makes 390 Sounds!
(30 Piano) (30 Synthé1) (30 Synthé2) (30 Organ) (30 String) (30 Lower) (30 Guitar) Etc.
No "wheel brainer!"
We want Piano on pressing the [piano] button and choose which one. Etc.

Can resume as style, with the sounds of Alesis origins without hacking.
But it is a real synthesizer! There is to modulate (on a small screen, of course):
LFO / Lezle / AMP / Envlope / Range / Etc
(This is not Alesis we will learn what effect lol)

Pianos extras (Toto)
Of Roads (Supertramp)
Synths of the Jump (Van Halen)
Organs (Deep Purple) or (Cathedral for weddings)
Of Strings (Show Must Go Home)
Of patches (Goldman)
Guitars of Acc
Of Saxos
Harps
Etc.

To live (or Home), you can even store 10 Sons (X13) on a "User Preset"
A: (1 Piano / Strings 2 / -> 10 Organ) and this 13 times
B (1 -> 10) C (1 -> 10) ---> M (1 -> 10)

- I carry for over 15 years on stage and repeat with NO problem!
But with difficulty because NO PLASTIC!

All-Steel, Wood and edges keys Wholesale Rubber! The True Made In USA!
It came down to 1 meter high! (Thank you ex even) And he had nothing!

I still have my QS8 but I am separated from my EX Wife! lol
It was worth almost € 2500 anyway! Or 100 € / Kg !

All in good Zic

UTILIZATION

Easy to access

SOUNDS

Sounds very good

OVERALL OPINION

After 15 years:

+ + + The plus: The Music, the facilities of access, Robustness and Reliability (Not a Bug in 15 + years)

--- Cons: The score does not change the sound,
The Weight (25 Kg) and small screen (if bcp traffic sounds)

Previous Retailer in the notice. The keyboard is enjoyable trs. The faders in faade send MIDI control change.
It is a good keyboard master trs its MIDI capabilities (configuration, filtering, select the channel layer ...).
While only 16 MB of sounds, but they are quality and work well.
Large multi-effects resulting from the Quadraverb.

UTILIZATION

Ergonomics are good, but served by the step size ridiculous. I find the pitch bend and modulation in the wrong place, but it saves in compactness. Their race is pretty Reduces mplat the middle and can not well be stalling.
The type synthse subtractive wavetable trs is complte, even if it lacks the rsonance the filter. Small modulation matrix 6 cords in addition to those prtablis. Three envelopes and three LFOs, a can of matching sounds to the songs.
on the other hand, instructions required for rgler the multi-effect, especially given the size of the screen.

SOUNDS

To ring, a ring! The original ROM covers almost all styles, but I find more particulirement adapted to rock in all its forms (from pop to jazz to prog.). The sounds are acoustic trs good, especially the piano and strings. Organs pass like a letter in the mail within a mix.
Synthetic sounds are quite large and ruffed a whole. It was the pchu and plan to choose from. Too bad that the filter is so feeble and not rsons.
The percussion is good, nothing more.
In addition, you can load its own waveforms on maps FLASHRAM 8MB max, which will be treated like any other waveform.
We can do it all evolve with aftertouch (a wirehaired), modulation and four faders.
I added the map that is not Classical better quality but gives a color supplmentaire.
Ct color precisely, we feel that comes from a US, not be as typical as ENSONIQ is more prcis and easier mixing.
The expressiveness of the keyboard is good, even if I play some sounds prfre synthetic LGERS on keyboards. I'm not quite "pianist" to give a reliable opinion on the quality of touch heavy, but it suits me perfectly.

OVERALL OPINION

Indeed, most of the sounds compare favorably with the MOTIF ES. Gnrale of Manir, keyboards are msestims ALESIS (probably too expensive). My Quadrasynth is always high on my songs. The QS8 is an evolution o also found some common waveforms, which sounds fuller and clearer. A question of converters, no doubt.
The color suited my style, quality and reliability is the ditto. The near-fault, you know. Especially bought 500 used, it can be said that the report quality price is unbeatable.
I advise Reserved keyboards without the QS SERIES (QS6 the first generation has less ROM): trs gnrateur good sound that is also a good trs master keyboard.
And yes, I would do this choice.