For these vintage units, rack mount is preferred for me. Less individual failure points (keys, wheels). Also, they tend to have less transportation damage. These things are going to need attention due to age and wear. If you can reduce the amount of individual contacts to check and repair, you might be ahead of the game. That being said, repairing rack mount units sometimes are harder to due to the stacked packaging of PCBs whereas keyboards usually have the PCBs not stacked like a rack mount. Keyboard PCB components are easier to get to. Less boards to remove to get to other boards. Life is a series of trades. Pick your poison. You’re likely going to have to deal with some problems either way. Vintage may give you the sound qualities you want but most will be better off picking up a Fantom, Nautilus, MODX, Montage, or K2700 if you’re a hardware person. If software is your thing, there are plenty of emulators out there for various boards.
Well, I have (or plan to have) around 30U worth of vintage rack mount synths. If nothing else, I don't have the space (where I have my work-from-home/music/entertainment space) for all those keyboards. The flip side of this is that the rack mount versions are more expensive than the keyboard versions these days. Especially in Europe, they ask insane prices for racks.
The funny thing with the CZ cartridges: with the CZ101 or 1000 they are worth their weight in gold (twice the patch memory), with a CZ5000 or 3000 they are worthless, as they *only* backup entire banks, but won't give more patch memory. It's wierd 🧐
Nicely done Jeffrey. If anyone is pursing purchasing a Yamaha DX-7 II, you should look for the E! upgrade which provides a sequencer and some other cool features like 8 part multitimbrality.
I found an Ensoniq ESM'm for $400 in really nice shape and with a bright screen. It was still cheaper to buy from the USA than from within the EU - if you manage to find one, that is. Only the 110 volts is a bit of a problem, but one that can be solved. I bought a broken TX802, including a cartridge, for €200. I've seen it work a few years ago, and I'm confident that I just need to replace the capacitors to get it working again.
Any thoughts on the Kawai K-series? I always considered them a weak option in their day but some recent discussion points to some uniqueness that perhaps was not part of the original programming and they might do a ‘thing’.
I also have a hard time justifying buying a DX7 nowadays. It is so easily emulated through software and the MODX+/Montage have the built in FM engine. In fact MODX+/Montage have so much polyphony that you can easily recreate a TX816 with 8 FM parts in a single performance. On the 4-operator side, I would just get a V50. It’s a descendant of the TX81z which means 2nd gen 4-op (multiple waveforms for operator rather than just sine). V50 also has 16 note polyphony, drum samples and sequencer. I just picked up one off eBay a few months ago.
On the ESQ1 - a few more things. They often need a new battery which is a soldered-in type. A DIY project - moderate - or will need to have done. After working on a few of these I prefer the newer plastic case over the older metal. Ensoniq improved the internal design. Also, check OS. The one you highlighted had 2.3. This is a pretty solid OS that you can work with. There is a slight bug with one of the waveforms that was fixed in later revisions where they also added some minor sequencer editing functionality. I installed 3.5 with the hidden-waves at request of a buyer so had a little go at it and it is kind of interesting, but 3.5 is just fine. Easy to upgrade the OS. And finally, the other thing with the panel screws is that the cap strips easily. I replaced mine with some fancier ones (can’t remember the thread type though LOL). The SQX20 sequencer expanders are getting hard to find. I also highly recommend an EEprom 80 voice to beef up the patch memory with editable presets. What a machine!
Nice but apart from the DX7 11 and the DX1 synthesizers are not so appealing .I would like to see a review on keyboards and workstations that offer real instrument emulations like the Kurzweil series starting from the 250 to similar modern units that can offer instrument samples to composers and songwriters. Most of those would offer synth samples and sounds. What is really impressive is your analysis and guide regarding price and quality and what pitfalls to look for in purchase. Wonderful.
@@JeffreyScottPetro Can you do an MPC workstation overview ?I am tempted to buy and MPC one plus but your analysis would allow me to decide in the next week. I am a drum machine style enthusiast and keep hoping to see the behringer LM come to market but would do the MPC .Once owned the MPC 60
I’d probably go for a CZ-1 over CZ-5000. CZ-1 has the velocity sensitive keyboard. VZ-1 is probably worth a look as well since it is the pinnacle of PD synths.
amazing how cheap the esq1 is over there, it's hard to find in Europe. I paid 850 for mine, directly recapped cleaned etc by the seller. Perfect condition, just the screws are chrome on top instead of black 🖤
I wondered about that too. I wonder if it just indicates a high degree of wear as they actually did a very good job and I have only experienced scratches. Back in the day I thought I ruined my ESQ1 because I forgot to bring it in during a harsh winter. The display fogged over as it thawed. I thought it was toast, but it normalized, was fine, and that board may still be in commission somewhere.
Sorry, I guess I didn't elaborate. Some devices have their parameters silkscreened on the front panel. A friend has a couple of well-used synths that you can't read the parameters anymore, so you have to pull out the manual. Not a big deal, but it is inconvenient.
If Espen Kraft is the '80s, Jeffrey Petro is the Mid-'80s! It's just funny, because you don't discuss it, and you don't seem to care about whether something is analog or FM or a sampler, as long as it's from 1983-1987. And you know the CZs got hot (maybe just slightly warm?) because you're browsing them less than 48 hours after Bad Gear dropped a CZ video talking all about phase distortion! 😂 And that's totally cool. It's good to have personality. Nobody wants another random dude talking about what they think of new Moogs. But you obviously love these things, so you should share more about what you love about them instead of browsing Reverb! Well, maybe not the DX7. I'm permanently tired of DX7 sounds. But to me most of the digital '80s stuff seems like much worse and much harder to program versions of '90s digital stuff. Except the ESQ1 - that's like a '90s synth with analog filters a better screen.
That's interesting. I watch youtube, but not other people's music gear-related videos. I do love a lot of the 80s/90s/00s+ tech, but as I've said in other episodes, I'm practically using 100% software for composing work. I have episodes in the pipeline that delve into a lot of the software I use. I also have a couple of new series-based episodes that focus on more playing, but they are probably 4-6 months away from completion. Thanks for your comments, Raquel.
I had a DX100, as I couldn’t afford a DX7 as a kid. It was okayish for its time, but in all honesty the sound had nothing comparable to the cleanliness of a DX7 / TX7. There were all sorts of digital byproducts in the sound ( I wonder if one should call them artefacts) that were growing more and more on me in a really negative way. After a while, you couldn’t ignore them anymore while playing and in a recording . I ended up selling, and never regretted it.
I like all your videos (I've seen), but PLEASE don't plan on including the KORG DS-8 or 707 in a rating. Though I own some of the best (or most expensive) synths, DS8 became my fave of all time. It's the epitome of vintage digital (audiowise even more than Yamaha's test balloons) making edgy/crazy leads a child's play, as in general programming unique patches apart from the cheesy realm (it pretends to be with its boring presets). Of course intellectual property is free but DS8 admittedly made me a fanatic. It's the initial ignition for almost any FM synth iadded later. Before that I just had (& have) the FS1r. No other 4 to 8 OP FM "tone generator" purchased managed to hide the KORG's light under a bushel.
I have thought about buying a 707 from time-to-time. looks like the same form-factor as an old Poly-800. I keep telling myself, I don't really need it. These will probably be on an MGM list at some point in the future. Thanks for the comment.
For these vintage units, rack mount is preferred for me. Less individual failure points (keys, wheels). Also, they tend to have less transportation damage. These things are going to need attention due to age and wear. If you can reduce the amount of individual contacts to check and repair, you might be ahead of the game.
That being said, repairing rack mount units sometimes are harder to due to the stacked packaging of PCBs whereas keyboards usually have the PCBs not stacked like a rack mount. Keyboard PCB components are easier to get to. Less boards to remove to get to other boards.
Life is a series of trades. Pick your poison. You’re likely going to have to deal with some problems either way. Vintage may give you the sound qualities you want but most will be better off picking up a Fantom, Nautilus, MODX, Montage, or K2700 if you’re a hardware person. If software is your thing, there are plenty of emulators out there for various boards.
Well, I have (or plan to have) around 30U worth of vintage rack mount synths. If nothing else, I don't have the space (where I have my work-from-home/music/entertainment space) for all those keyboards.
The flip side of this is that the rack mount versions are more expensive than the keyboard versions these days. Especially in Europe, they ask insane prices for racks.
Love your videos! Great Blakes 7 tee shirt too!!
Thanks. You're the only one to recognize Blakes 7.
My man. Thanks for doing this video. Love ensoniq. I got an SQ1 plus for $90 during the 2020 debacle. 😅
Glad you liked it. Thanks for the comment.
The funny thing with the CZ cartridges: with the CZ101 or 1000 they are worth their weight in gold (twice the patch memory), with a CZ5000 or 3000 they are worthless, as they *only* backup entire banks, but won't give more patch memory. It's wierd 🧐
Thanks for sharing that info.
Nicely done Jeffrey. If anyone is pursing purchasing a Yamaha DX-7 II, you should look for the E! upgrade which provides a sequencer and some other cool features like 8 part multitimbrality.
Indeed. I talked in some detail about E! AND Max in my DX7 synth lore episode. Appreciate the comment.
Cool, different angle on gear. Maybe I want to sell my DX5 now.
Thanks. The DX5 a classic. I'm envious. Thanks for the comment.
I found an Ensoniq ESM'm for $400 in really nice shape and with a bright screen. It was still cheaper to buy from the USA than from within the EU - if you manage to find one, that is. Only the 110 volts is a bit of a problem, but one that can be solved.
I bought a broken TX802, including a cartridge, for €200. I've seen it work a few years ago, and I'm confident that I just need to replace the capacitors to get it working again.
Any thoughts on the Kawai K-series? I always considered them a weak option in their day but some recent discussion points to some uniqueness that perhaps was not part of the original programming and they might do a ‘thing’.
I also have a hard time justifying buying a DX7 nowadays. It is so easily emulated through software and the MODX+/Montage have the built in FM engine. In fact MODX+/Montage have so much polyphony that you can easily recreate a TX816 with 8 FM parts in a single performance. On the 4-operator side, I would just get a V50. It’s a descendant of the TX81z which means 2nd gen 4-op (multiple waveforms for operator rather than just sine). V50 also has 16 note polyphony, drum samples and sequencer. I just picked up one off eBay a few months ago.
Yeah I have the MODX6 which is my first foray into FM and gotta say - really digging it.
On the ESQ1 - a few more things. They often need a new battery which is a soldered-in type. A DIY project - moderate - or will need to have done. After working on a few of these I prefer the newer plastic case over the older metal. Ensoniq improved the internal design. Also, check OS. The one you highlighted had 2.3. This is a pretty solid OS that you can work with. There is a slight bug with one of the waveforms that was fixed in later revisions where they also added some minor sequencer editing functionality. I installed 3.5 with the hidden-waves at request of a buyer so had a little go at it and it is kind of interesting, but 3.5 is just fine. Easy to upgrade the OS. And finally, the other thing with the panel screws is that the cap strips easily. I replaced mine with some fancier ones (can’t remember the thread type though LOL). The SQX20 sequencer expanders are getting hard to find. I also highly recommend an EEprom 80 voice to beef up the patch memory with editable presets. What a machine!
I always liked the ESQ'1. Thanks for the great info.
Thank you Jeff, viva le synth!
You are welcome, sir.
Nice but apart from the DX7 11 and the DX1 synthesizers are not so appealing .I would like to see a review on keyboards and workstations that offer real instrument emulations like the Kurzweil series starting from the 250 to similar modern units that can offer instrument samples to composers and songwriters.
Most of those would offer synth samples and sounds.
What is really impressive is your analysis and guide regarding price and quality and what pitfalls to look for in purchase.
Wonderful.
All that is on my list, I'm just short on time.
@@JeffreyScottPetro Can you do an MPC workstation overview ?I am tempted to buy and MPC one plus but your analysis would allow me to decide in the next week.
I am a drum machine style enthusiast and keep hoping to see the behringer LM come to market but would do the MPC .Once owned the MPC 60
I’d probably go for a CZ-1 over CZ-5000. CZ-1 has the velocity sensitive keyboard. VZ-1 is probably worth a look as well since it is the pinnacle of PD synths.
amazing how cheap the esq1 is over there, it's hard to find in Europe. I paid 850 for mine, directly recapped cleaned etc by the seller. Perfect condition, just the screws are chrome on top instead of black 🖤
Yes. I have always wondered why many keyboards carry a premium price in E.U. countries.
And what if the silk screening was cracked ?
I wondered about that too. I wonder if it just indicates a high degree of wear as they actually did a very good job and I have only experienced scratches. Back in the day I thought I ruined my ESQ1 because I forgot to bring it in during a harsh winter. The display fogged over as it thawed. I thought it was toast, but it normalized, was fine, and that board may still be in commission somewhere.
Sorry, I guess I didn't elaborate. Some devices have their parameters silkscreened on the front panel. A friend has a couple of well-used synths that you can't read the parameters anymore, so you have to pull out the manual. Not a big deal, but it is inconvenient.
If Espen Kraft is the '80s, Jeffrey Petro is the Mid-'80s! It's just funny, because you don't discuss it, and you don't seem to care about whether something is analog or FM or a sampler, as long as it's from 1983-1987. And you know the CZs got hot (maybe just slightly warm?) because you're browsing them less than 48 hours after Bad Gear dropped a CZ video talking all about phase distortion! 😂
And that's totally cool. It's good to have personality. Nobody wants another random dude talking about what they think of new Moogs. But you obviously love these things, so you should share more about what you love about them instead of browsing Reverb! Well, maybe not the DX7. I'm permanently tired of DX7 sounds. But to me most of the digital '80s stuff seems like much worse and much harder to program versions of '90s digital stuff. Except the ESQ1 - that's like a '90s synth with analog filters a better screen.
That's interesting. I watch youtube, but not other people's music gear-related videos. I do love a lot of the 80s/90s/00s+ tech, but as I've said in other episodes, I'm practically using 100% software for composing work. I have episodes in the pipeline that delve into a lot of the software I use. I also have a couple of new series-based episodes that focus on more playing, but they are probably 4-6 months away from completion. Thanks for your comments, Raquel.
I had a DX100, as I couldn’t afford a DX7 as a kid. It was okayish for its time, but in all honesty the sound had nothing comparable to the cleanliness of a DX7 / TX7. There were all sorts of digital byproducts in the sound ( I wonder if one should call them artefacts) that were growing more and more on me in a really negative way. After a while, you couldn’t ignore them anymore while playing and in a recording . I ended up selling, and never regretted it.
I caught that ‘Bad Gear’ timing too! Had just watched it.
I like all your videos (I've seen), but PLEASE don't plan on including the KORG DS-8 or 707 in a rating. Though I own some of the best (or most expensive) synths, DS8 became my fave of all time. It's the epitome of vintage digital (audiowise even more than Yamaha's test balloons) making edgy/crazy leads a child's play, as in general programming unique patches apart from the cheesy realm (it pretends to be with its boring presets).
Of course intellectual property is free but DS8 admittedly made me a fanatic. It's the initial ignition for almost any FM synth iadded later. Before that I just had (& have) the FS1r. No other 4 to 8 OP FM "tone generator" purchased managed to hide the KORG's light under a bushel.
I have thought about buying a 707 from time-to-time. looks like the same form-factor as an old Poly-800. I keep telling myself, I don't really need it. These will probably be on an MGM list at some point in the future. Thanks for the comment.
@@JeffreyScottPetro! I gave you ideas that probanly might not have come up otherwise. ,🤣😭
@@JeffreyScottPetro P.S.: DS8 is more fun because the larger display & its decent FX section. I've two DS8 & two 707 but barely use the latter.