This is a true copy of Yamaha S80, but 61 keys synth version
61-key keyboard, a little lighter, a bit noisy too, who do not inspire confidence, but very resistant to my attacks so far.
After compared with that of a Korg Triton Le76, I prefer the Yamaha S30, which is not that bad.
Velocity and aftertouch
Pitch bend and modulation.
The sounds can be edited at will, but the screen is too small (2 lines of 64 characters)
Connection to host (serial link directly to a PC or Mac)
64 channels polyphony
It is not the standard GM or XG (you need an expansion card for compatibility XG)

UTILIZATION

The general use is quite simple.
We choose a sound (voice mode), or an assembly of sounds (performance mode) and go.
The 5 knobs below the screen provide direct access to various sound parameters.
In general, the first 3 are assigned to a 3-band equalizer, quite effective.
The following 2 are often used for sending to the chorus and reverb.
But all this is editable, and you can choose almost any parameter, then grind in real time.
The 2 pots are extreme selectors notched endless menus to navigate, and seem a bit too fragile (on my own, there is one that moves but that still works).
The manual is not very clear, but we can do without in most cases.
on the other hand, how to change the sounds via MIDI is not described in the manual. You must go yourself to fish on the net to find the series to send (the 2 ControlChange followed by ProgramChange).
The storage of sounds on SmartMedia card is not always easy to find. Managing this map is not the easiest either, arriving to load automatically at startup banks internal sounds and PLG cards.

SOUNDS

So here it gets a slap on the eardrums.
This little synth relatively unknown and under side (I bought mine for 300 €), one gets a lot of that sounds more correct. Some are found on the EX5 (I had one under the fingers) as violins, or other clavinets Wurlitzers.
The guitar distortion is more than well (thank you onboard effects).
The piano sound is a little below.
But this machine accepts an expansion card type PLG 150. Paint it the card PF or PA and you will be all good from Yamaha acoustic piano.
Unlock Your map DX (which I did), and you have a DX7 compatible with thousands of sounds DX arranged on the net. You'll also available the resonant filter and the integrated effects of S30 for a little more tweaking your sounds

It can also take the patches provided for CS6x.

In performance mode, the arpeggiator can provide bass lines, drum beats or, perhaps less sophisticated than those of a pattern, but still fun to use.

Maybe a small problem: if I push the volume up, it distorted.
So I leave the volume at half and all goes well (I did not try to escape through the headphone jack, to compare). This is apparently not valid for the expansion card-DX in my case, where even with the volume turned up, everything goes well.
FM synthesis can yet do much harm to the speakers, but FM sounds them out without worrying. An explanation from Yamaha?

OVERALL OPINION

It has an interface for SmartMedia, allowing you to edit the sound banks on a PC, upload midifles 0 format on the card, and then reuse it all on the S30, which has a small sequencer, only replay midi. Practice to take his compositions on stage without fear of unreadable sector of the floppy or hard disk crash the PC at the wrong time.

I use it for 4 months now.
My only regret is that Yamaha still has not made a version with 76 keys keyboard with a valid.
It is lightweight (external power supply ...), compact but extremely powerful, especially if you add a map type PLG.
I add, after more than a year of use, that this synth has a tremendous potential, mostly unknown, and is a very good investment for those seeking general sounds of good quality, and electronic sounds (like CS6x) .
S80 version, with 2 slots for PLG cards, and keyboard 88 keys, must be even more interesting, but bulkier and heavier.

The value is frankly good, saw its rating occasions.

And if the keyboard loose, I will keep as expander.