Yamaha CS2X

Paid: $1400(Australian)
Acquired this synth because my hands were itchy!!

This synth has nice sounding ambient sound and i would recommend it for ambient and new age playing. Yamaha made this model as a dance style model with cutoff and resonance knobs and arpeggios. Unlike other Yamaha models with only old style keyboard functions to it.

Though it was designed for dance, it lags the warm needed in dance music, and the arpeggios are so lagging and so outworldly. In dance, still Roland is "King" and Roland synths are still the warm, strong arpeggios kinda stuff, besides the Nova Superstation and Virus Access. Besides that, it's cutoff and resonance EQ's are as strong as well, and that's no way i can tweak it till full max high screeching sound.

The sound quality is sweet and ambient, and it has some effects in it which are pretty useful. It's drumparts are average.
Kinda easy to use, though hard to tweak the PEG settings. Really lagging in layering though.

This is quite multipurpose, and very ambient/New Age. More on the semi-professional standard type of style. But pretty good considering Yamaha standards. I'm not a Yamaha fan, they are so based on natural instruments that everything they design is mostly for the natural sound. Their electronic instruments are like a "halfway" kinda thing.

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

I bought this synthesizer two months ago
at a music shop in Amsterdam. I paid 760 euro for it (740$).
I bought it because I wanted to play the synthesizer I already played the piano like Jordan did before he started playing on a synthesizer. But I dind't play the piano for too long. My friend plays guitar and were are gonna start a prog rock band. He has got an silver Ibanez RG 270.

I like the synthesizer because of the very good piano sound and the leads. The organ and strings are good too and that is just what you need when youre playing like Dream Theater. The synthesizer sound great but what realy matters is what you play on it.
These songs are good to play on the keyboard
-Pull Me Under -Peruvian Skies -Another Day
-Learning To Live (that one is hard to play)
but all the dream theater songs are good to play if you can play them?


I dont like the techno/trance sounds, I don't use them. I think you should play with the real intruments (organ,strings,piano and other acoustic intriuments and the leads). But my synthesizer hasn't got too many great sounds there are a few good ones like:
p1 033 VanDriva a real wah-wah Derek Sherinian sound and p2 067 lipstick a real pull me under Kevin Moore lead. p1 001 a real Kurzweil Jordan piano sound.

The quality of the unit is good but if it falls on the ground you have really big problem. Because its case is made of plastic and the knobs aren't very durable. But hey, who would drop his brand new synthesizer on the ground, i wouldn't. But on the other hand it looks really asskicking cool.
My compliments go out to the designers.


If youre searching for a prog rock keyboard and you don't have a lot of money, buy the Yamaha. If you are rich, just go and buy the Kurzweil k2600x. I have never played on it, but I just know it has to be special. I hope Dream Theater will come to Holland this summer but if they can't make it I will go to the concert in Germany anyway. But as I already said the Yamaha is great to start out with. But I hope I have my own Kurzweil one day......

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

FIlters can't screech that well and synthesis ain't too strong. Envelope generators makes so little difference to the sound, and the layers are hopeless. I'll rather say it's ok! Can't stand the little arpeggio manipuation, so limited concept.

Price paid

$1450

UTILIZATION

Pretty simple to use till the point of boringness. Quite easily switchable though. Too little realtime controls.

Yamaha should have a case for this model, everytime i carry it around in a bag, it gets knocked. Really makes me worried. However, it's still ok and functioning. The switch knob falls off easily. They should have those similar model knobs as ibanez guitar knobs, which looks really alike. If that is possible, the color can be switched, sure would be fun to decorate some. Never called Yamaha support for this item, but did for others. Service average.

SOUNDS

Clear sounding. Synth patches and strings are good. Piano sounds are clear, but of cos no match for real pianos. Techno sounds are pretty good, can get good harmonies. This is more a commercial dance/ambient synth. Effects are plentiful and pretty good.

OVERALL OPINION

The arpeggio manipulation is what really turns me off, i'm having an idea but can't shuffle the groove around. The sound manipulation is ok, can't stand the lag of filter sweeping. If Yamaha wants to come out a dance synth, they should go all the way, so many of their models are more based for honky tonk styles. This model is like a dance wannabe. Lose outright to Roland. However, it ain't too $$ for a dance synth.

Originally posted on FutureProducers.com
Posted by: Unknown (January 1-, 2003)

Playing a sound on a intrument without being able to change the sound is good if you like the sound and this keyboard can apply more reverb and effects to its sounds if you are uncomfortable with their sound so it is very good and no thing is needed extra because it already offers very clear and good quality once you use the layers and panel edit features along with reverb and other effects.

Price paid

399.99 USD

UTILIZATION

There is no difficulty to program the intrument for me. some of the words meanings where a mystery to me at first.Example :AEG. but once I read the manual ( and It explained everything) I learned it means, Aplitude,envelope generator. The keyboard is so easy to program, I recorded the information on all the sounds I created on paper. I recorded every thing ,even the order in which I pressed buttons. Example: First step, Second step. And I think it actually changes the sound if you use a certain order. I program the keyboard using the panel edit features going left to right from the bottom up many times. Everything must be recorded or a very good sound might be lost forever and I guess will need to be replaced. But you can save all of your settings to two banks on each sound .Example: U I,UII. :User 1 ,User 2. There is nothing wrong with the keyboard interface for as much as I can see it IS good.

It is very sturdy. Only the knobs can come off if I am not carefull but that is a miner problem and it is easy to be carefull of damaging th keyboard. The intrument has goog keys that dont stop working and is made to last as I never had to have it repaired.

SOUNDS

The sound quality can be very clear and sounds good from even far away! Once I program the sounds and add the right effects and settings they can be made to sound clear and even like other intruments. Example: I put togethere a sound that sounds like strings and it is very clear. When I didnt realize about programing the sounds correctly I thought the keyboards quality was lacking but once I learned to use the edit features and effects and layers right I had made over 7 to 8 or 9 very good sounds that can be used in any music I suppose. I think as time goes on It may be possible to create more new sounds! The keyboard is well worth its price because you can create very clear and good sounds on it. The sounds I created are not weak and they sound clear FAR away as I tested them. It has professional quality after all. It is a very Good instrument!

OVERALL OPINION

I cannot love a intrument only God ,Jesus ,family and people. I like the intrument very much and am thankfull to the most high that my good mother let me buy it. It has professional quality once you program the sounds correctly and I am very content with it. I'm glad to inform you that you can find a good used keyboard for only 399.99 that has professional quality and dont need to pay 700 or 1000 dollars. Try your local music shop and find one if you dont already have one.(All people have their own favorite instrument.)

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