Back in 1987, this synth stepped into the ring against FM giants like the Yamaha DX7, packing the same 4-operator engine into a more hands-on package with sliders and a joystick that made tweaking feel intuitive rather than cryptic.
At its core, it's an 8-voice polyphonic digital FM beast using Yamaha's YM2164 chip for those classic metallic bells, percussive hits, and evolving pads, with two DCOs per voice, four envelopes, and one LFO for modulation depth. The 61-key velocity-sensitive keyboard with monophonic aftertouch spans five octaves with a light, firm action, paired with a joystick for pitch bend and mod, plus three real-time sliders for timbre, EG1, and EG2—giving you analog-style control over the digital heart. Effects include a built-in digital delay line cycling through manual, long/short delay, doubling, flanger, and chorus, all switchable per patch. Editing happens via a clear 2x40-character backlit LCD, cursor keys, increment/decrement buttons, and a data slider, with 100 user programs, 10 multis, splits, layers, doubles, and card expansion for more sounds. MIDI In/Out/Thru, stereo outs, headphone jack, sustain pedal, footswitch, and assignable footpedal round out the connections on its compact 1020 x 317 x 101 mm frame, weighing in at 10 kg.
Players loved its approachable interface and versatile presets—from sci-fi lasers to sizzling effects—often calling it a breath of fresh air next to button-heavy rivals, though some noted the joystick assignments reset on power-up. It's a vintage gem that still sparks creativity in modern setups.
