Back in 1997, this pocket-sized powerhouse squeezed the full synthesis engine of Alesis's QS series into a module that fit in your shirt pocket, delivering pro-level sounds for under $200.
It's a sample-based digital synth with 64-voice polyphony, 16-part multitimbrality across 16 MIDI channels, and 640 programs total—512 presets plus 128 user slots, all drawn from 8MB of 16-bit, 48kHz linear samples. You've got QS-style composite synthesis per voice, complete with lowpass filters, three envelope generators, three LFOs, and built-in multieffects like reverb, chorus, delay, distortion, and rotary sim. Front-panel controls are simple and hands-on: five knobs for volume, effects, MIDI channel, program group, and program selection, letting you dial up 256 sounds right away (GM-compatible drums and more). Connections include stereo RCA ins and outs, MIDI In/Out/Thru (5-pin DIN), and a serial RS-232 port for Mac/PC editing—powered by a 9VAC external transformer, in a super-compact 1/3 rack or desktop format.
Collectors and bedroom producers love its fat, versatile tones—from lush pads and leads to full drum kits—that still hold up in modern setups, though editing requires MIDI librarians since front-panel tweaks are basic, and no USB means some adapter creativity. It's a fun, no-fuss grab-bag for sequencing or layering that punches way above its tiny size.
