Back in 1986, this synth arrived with a full six-octave, velocity-sensitive keyboard—rare for the era, giving you expansive range right out of the box for everything from deep pads to soaring leads.
It packs six analog voices, each with a single VCO offering sawtooth, pulse, triangle, and pink noise waveforms, plus PWM and detune for thick textures. Switch to Dual mode for two VCOs per voice (three-voice polyphony) or Unison for all six stacked into a massive monophonic blast. The 24dB/octave CEM lowpass filter (with highpass option) resonates beautifully, modulated uniquely by the VCO itself, alongside dual ADSR envelopes—one for filter, one for VCA—and a versatile LFO with multiple waveforms. Hands-on editing via dedicated knobs and buttons on its light grey panel feels immediate, with built-in chorus, portamento, and 100 patch memories. MIDI In/Out/Thru plus special 13-pin inputs for Akai samplers like the S900 let you process samples through its analog signal path. At 15kg and roughly 115x36x11cm, it's a sturdy beast with stereo outs and headphones jack.
Players call it one of the most underrated '80s polys, praising its punchy basses, lush strings, and characterful brass that hold up in modern mixes—though some note the single-osc-per-voice limits complexity without stacking modes.
