Back in 1997, Alesis squeezed the stunning Bosendorfer Imperial grand piano—multisampled in phase-accurate stereo—from their flagship QS8 into a module smaller than a paperback book, making world-class piano tones portable for the first time.
This digital PCM powerhouse packs 8MB of 48kHz linear samples across 256 presets, from lush acoustic grands and electric pianos to organs, vibes, strings, pads, and layered splits. Each of its 64 polyphonic voices features a sweepable lowpass filter, 3 envelope generators, 3 LFOs, and a QS modulation matrix for dynamic expression, plus four-bus multieffects drawn from the MidiVerb lineage—think adjustable reverb and more. Controls are dead simple up front: volume knob, effects level, MIDI channel selector, program category, and program dial, all on a super-compact black box measuring just 5.5 x 1.75 x 4.5 inches and weighing 1.25 pounds. Stereo 1/4-inch outs and MIDI In/Out let it slot right into any rig, powered by a 9VAC adapter.
Players still hunt these vintage gems for the TrueStereo and BriteGrnd presets that deliver warm, nuanced pianos with convincing feel, especially over weighted keys—no dropouts thanks to smart dynamic allocation. A few note the flimsy knobs and lack of user memory, but for piano purity on a budget, it's a timeless score.
