Yamaha Electone D85

Three keyboards, including a synth. One semi-pedalboard.
Synth: 37 keys.
Upper and lower keyboards: 49 keys each.
Pedalboard: 13 pedals

Synth: 12 tunable instruments. Portamento. Transposition. Volume.
Brilliance, wahwah, vibrato. Depth, speed, delay. Touching or auto.
Upper:
23 multiposition levers.
7 flutes, 8 orchestra instruments, 4 preset tones.
4 attack tone levers. Sustain.
Lower:
10 multiposition levers.
4 flutes, 5 orchestra instruments, 1 preset tone.
Sustain.
Pedalboard:
5 multiposition levers.
2 basses, 3 orchestra instruments.
Sustain.
Overall:
4 multiposition levers.
Brilliance, vibrato (delay, depth, speed).
Upper/lower balance
Reverb.
Volume pedal+multi-function switch (glide, damper, rhythm stop, portamento).
Flute response, orchestra response, flute percussive decay.
Solo to upper and Solo to pedal couplers.
Drum machine:
16 rhythms with 4 variations.
Volume, drums/cymbals balance
Sync. Tempo. 6 different breaks for each variation.
Sequencer programmer, 3 programs, 3 variations.
Special effects:
Automatic tunings (4 types, 2 memory, 4 multi-bass)
Special preset: 8 instr. Repeat. Volume.
2 voice groups and 8 other custom voices. Brilliance, volume.
5 special/custom couplers.
8 auto arpeggios with 3 adjustable voices. Sustain.
Rhythm chord 4 pianos/guitar aut. Sustain.
Tremolo:
Adjustable speed. Chorus.
Upper flute, lower flute, upper orch., lower orch.
Symphonic chorus. Celeste, upper flute, lower flute, upper orch., lower orch., pedal.
Other:
Headphones jack, aux. in, aux. out, exp in.
Leslie speaker connector. Tone cabinet connection.
Fold-away music rest. Bench with sheet music storage space.
Amp:
220V, 480W power supply.
Center channel: 60W with 3 speakers (12", 8", 2")
Tremolo channel: 60W with one 8" rotating speaker
Left channel: 30W with one 8" speaker
Right channel: 30W with one 8" speaker
Dimensions:
L=46-1/2" P= 29-1/2" H=41"
Weight: 253 lbs.
Music rest: lutrin L=29" H=8".
Bench: L=26", H=22", P=12"
Organ and bench in Walnut.
Customizations: lighting of the keyboard with LED underneath the music rest

The mark given corresponds to the purchase date.

UTILIZATION

3 clear and comprehensive user manuals.
Introduction for beginners
User guide
Registration manual
Easy configuration for most controls.
Programming of rhythm sequences not very practical.

The mark given corresponds to the purchase date.

SOUNDS

The sounds were very good back in the time.
Today, the drum machine obviously sounds pretty basic and the sounds are limited.
However, all in all, it still suits my music perfectly: Commercial music and chanson. A bit of classic music. Lots of jazz and blues.
I hate noise and distorted sounds.

The rating I gave it corresponds to the purchase.

OVERALL OPINION

30 years of use.
I tested it a lot before buying it.
I love most of all the synth.
The value for money was good but passion had a lot to do with my decision.

In hindsight, I would've bought something with a full pedalboard and richer sound register. I lack midi right now.

The mark given corresponds to the purchase date.

All in all, a very classic organ, but well-equipped
thanks to the upper, the lower and the programmable drum machine. It's ultra versatile
It's a boeing (over 200lbs )

The third small keyboard is EXCELLENT, because it's mounted on a rail that moves laterally...Did you say expressiveness??? yeahhhhhh ::::

UTILIZATION

I use it often
And the arpeggiator is great

SOUNDS

It's like everything: Whether you explore the "street dance" side of the unit....
Or you fiddle with it...Welcome to space.....

It can make a 737 soar

The basses you can play with your hand or pedal sound like moroder ...hmmmmm
The strings: Having owned a famous 310 ...it sounds identical because the chorus circuit is orbitone style... welcome oxygen and equinox

OVERALL OPINION

I have it
I'll keep it
I use it, I like it

The Yamaha Electone D-85 is a three keyboard analog organ. While they call these Electones organs, they don't have the traditional sounds you would think of when you think of a pump or Hammond organ, as this has more synth organ and synth emulations of acoustic instruments built in. It has a built in speaker and is a fully polyphonic keyboard. The two bottom keyboards have full sized keys, while the top one has mini sized keys.

UTILIZATION

The configuration of the Yamaha Electone D-85 is somewhat complex because of how many different sections there are, but after some playing around it won't take long to understand exactly what everything does. On top, there are levers for adding different instrument tones to your sound, and there are then a ton of buttons and sliders for various arpeggios, sustains, and other settings. There is then a section for effects and another for making drum and rhythmic patterns. While it would take forever to outline each section of the Yamaha Electone D-85, suffice it to that they are a great deal of options available on this organ. I don't have a manual for the this keyboard, but it would probably be a good idea to have it around while learning this unit, as there are a lot of ins and outs.

SOUNDS

The sound of the Yamaha Electone D-85 is unique and while the emulations aren't too realistic sounding, the outcome is a unique blend of emulation of acoustic instruments and synth like sounds. This will work in a lot of situations, but I wouldn't recommend it at all as a emulation of any other instrument. It is what it is in the sense that it has its own unique sound and should be used creatively as its own instrument.

OVERALL OPINION

I've been using the Yamaha Electone D-85 for about five years and have come to really enjoy playing this. It is really its own instrument, sounding like a unique synth that definitely has the 1980's mark branded on it. If you can find one of these used, you can probably find a pretty good deal on one, and if you do it is definitely worth a play to see if it might fit with your style.