SY85

Back in 1992, this synth marked Yamaha's shift from FM tones to the richer AWM2 waveform engine, packing 6MB of wave ROM into a compact workstation that punched way above its weight for MIDI studios.

Its 61 velocity-sensitive keys with aftertouch feel responsive under your fingers, paired with pitch and mod wheels for instant expression, while eight continuous sliders let you tweak filters, volumes, or effects in real time—like having faders right on the panel. The 16-part multitimbral setup and 32-voice polyphony handle layered chords without dropout, and that dual effects processor with 90 types (think reverb, distortion, ring mod, or Leslie in series or parallel) adds serious depth. A 16-track sequencer with rhythm programmer, 2x40-character LCD, mode matrix for quick navigation, 3.5-inch floppy drive, and MIDI I/O make it a self-contained powerhouse, all in a sleek 40-inch wide black chassis weighing just 14kg.

Players still seek these out today for the warm, editable sounds and hands-on control that hold up in modern rigs, though some note the sequencer feels basic by later standards.