Great video! I have been gigging with the QS line of synths since 2000. I usually play the QS7.1, and have a backup QS7, a QSR and a a QS7 I use for parts. Nice content.
Great Jeffs think alike... My QS 6.1 is probably the best QPR purchase I've made over the decades, acquiring it for $340 on eBay 20 years ago. Strictly used for its factory presets, the 6.1 has the most usable presets of anything I've heard. I love the CP-70 patches, played through a Boss CE-2 Waza chorus to achieve that classic Tony Banks sound (he used the CE-1). It's the only older board in my synthwave studio rig, a great compliment to my new Yamaha MODX7, VC-340 vocoder, and Minilogue XD. Keep up the great videos!
Those multilayered synth pads of the QS7 have no match.. I so regret selling my QS7. But, as I have learned recently, one of the sound designers for the QS synths was Glen Darcy, who is also the "main brain" behind the design of the Hydrasynth. That's why, many of the presets of the Hydrasynth remind me of the QS7, kind of like "upgraded versions" of those patches and probably this is one of the major reasons I love my Hydrasynth.. But I'm always on the lookout to re-purchasing a QS7.
Great video. I bought both the QS* and the Akai AX80 brand new when they came out and still have/use them. To me they sound fresh when compared to similar keyboards. I will never sell them. Still have the majority of expansion cards that i go to.
Except for 9/10 and 18/20, I thought the QS7 was used to play all the odd-numbered sounds. They sounded distinctively like ones that I recall from my own for synthesizer, a QS6. Of all the options I was given when it was time to get my first synthesizer at the beginning of 1997, I only ended up choosing that one because it was the least expensive. Instant regret; I discovered that the key bed and the midi implementation were the only good things about that model. The fidelity of the sound engine itself was very low. About 11 years later when I was playing a QS7 that belonged to another musician, I felt as though there was a distinct improvement on the fidelity. Since it was my grandfather who paid for it and not my father or me, I wish I had chosen something much more pricey like the Korg 01W Pro X for my first synth. I can definitely relate to what you say about the joystick versus the pitch wheel for the different methods of playing, Jeffrey. If I’m trying to emulate on a synthesizer what I play when I’m playing guitar, the joystick does get closer. For other stuff such as what was played in the 80s by Prince and the Revolution, it’s easier to relate to the two wheels.
@ Thank you, I have another question though. Do you know why when I connect something to the aux out of the QS8.1 my headphone that are connected to the headphone out doesn’t work?
@@JeffreyScottPetro I think there's a reason the Fusion left no impression. What could have been good unfortunately didn't work out and ultimately led to a sell-out, that almost reached used price level. The operation is such a nightmare that DX7 Mk.1's UI is like a children's playground. Sysex functionality has been completely omitted and the (smaller) Fusion 6 HD get's until a certain version that overheated that soldering is required. Otherwise it will fall into agony. The basic sound may be clear & bright but also extremely digital. Programming character is accomplished by oneself. Max FM depth is only 70% of a DX7 (!) what makes the laborious task of transmitting own favorite FM-sounds even more difficult. If the modmatrix ain't defined, no sound is generated. Parameters to get interesting patches are all existent but access is more.than dated.
It's fine. Going from memory, it has 24bit D/A instead of 18bit on the 6 and 6.1. You lose one card slot but gain an internal power supply. The 6.1/6.2 have 16 megs of rom instead of the 8megs on the plain 6. It's silver instead of black. The display on the 6.1/6.2 is nicer than the plain 6, perhaps identical to the QSR which is slightly bigger- definitely better, On the 6.2 you get MIDI in/out/thru instead of just 2 ports. That's the major stuff I remember, and you should double-check to be sure. The biggest downer is no resonant filter ever though it's a S&S machine. I still love it for some synth sounds, which is why I have a 6, 7, and QSR. Also, they are generally priced right.
Great video! I have been gigging with the QS line of synths since 2000. I usually play the QS7.1, and have a backup QS7, a QSR and a a QS7 I use for parts. Nice content.
Really great comparison. Thank you
You are welcome, thanks for the comment.
Great Jeffs think alike... My QS 6.1 is probably the best QPR purchase I've made over the decades, acquiring it for $340 on eBay 20 years ago. Strictly used for its factory presets, the 6.1 has the most usable presets of anything I've heard. I love the CP-70 patches, played through a Boss CE-2 Waza chorus to achieve that classic Tony Banks sound (he used the CE-1). It's the only older board in my synthwave studio rig, a great compliment to my new Yamaha MODX7, VC-340 vocoder, and Minilogue XD.
Keep up the great videos!
Thanks Jeff.
Good to see you back nice episode.I don’t know these but the education is good
Thank you, sir.
Great video Jeff, keep up the good work!
Thanks, will do!
I’ve been gigging on an off with my QS6 since 1996, and will only give it up for a Minty fresh QS6.1
A lot of people don't realize how affordable and great the QS series is. Thanks for the comment.
Those multilayered synth pads of the QS7 have no match.. I so regret selling my QS7. But, as I have learned recently, one of the sound designers for the QS synths was Glen Darcy, who is also the "main brain" behind the design of the Hydrasynth. That's why, many of the presets of the Hydrasynth remind me of the QS7, kind of like "upgraded versions" of those patches and probably this is one of the major reasons I love my Hydrasynth.. But I'm always on the lookout to re-purchasing a QS7.
That's interesting, thanks for sharing.
Great video. I bought both the QS* and the Akai AX80 brand new when they came out and still have/use them. To me they sound fresh when compared to similar keyboards. I will never sell them. Still have the majority of expansion cards that i go to.
Thanks for the comment.
Except for 9/10 and 18/20, I thought the QS7 was used to play all the odd-numbered sounds. They sounded distinctively like ones that I recall from my own for synthesizer, a QS6. Of all the options I was given when it was time to get my first synthesizer at the beginning of 1997, I only ended up choosing that one because it was the least expensive. Instant regret; I discovered that the key bed and the midi implementation were the only good things about that model. The fidelity of the sound engine itself was very low. About 11 years later when I was playing a QS7 that belonged to another musician, I felt as though there was a distinct improvement on the fidelity. Since it was my grandfather who paid for it and not my father or me, I wish I had chosen something much more pricey like the Korg 01W Pro X for my first synth.
I can definitely relate to what you say about the joystick versus the pitch wheel for the different methods of playing, Jeffrey. If I’m trying to emulate on a synthesizer what I play when I’m playing guitar, the joystick does get closer. For other stuff such as what was played in the 80s by Prince and the Revolution, it’s easier to relate to the two wheels.
Appreciate the story and comment.
To begin with, it’s one of my favorite synthesizer stories to tell. Secondly, thank you for your response as always, Jeffrey.
Are the qs7 sounds stock presets?
Having 7 QS series boxes (including the -only- QS 6461 prototype) vs one XV module i think you can guess my opinion! ;)
Indeed. Thanks for the comment.
Hello, I have a Alesia QS8.1 and I was wondering what the Aux right and left was for? Please help.
Two additional audio outputs. See page 9 of the manual.
@ Thank you, I have another question though. Do you know why when I connect something to the aux out of the QS8.1 my headphone that are connected to the headphone out doesn’t work?
This time I got even worse & had only 5 right guesses. Do you have any thoughts on Alesis' polarizing Fusion series?
I wish I did. I've played the fusion. It was a while ago, and I don't remember my opinion, or maybe it didn't stick with me for a reason, not sure...
@@JeffreyScottPetro I think there's a reason the Fusion left no impression. What could have been good unfortunately didn't work out and ultimately led to a sell-out, that almost reached used price level.
The operation is such a nightmare that DX7 Mk.1's UI is like a children's playground. Sysex functionality has been completely omitted and the (smaller) Fusion 6 HD get's until a certain version that overheated that soldering is required. Otherwise it will fall into agony. The basic sound may be clear & bright but also extremely digital. Programming character is accomplished by oneself.
Max FM depth is only 70% of a DX7 (!) what makes the laborious task of transmitting own favorite FM-sounds even more difficult.
If the modmatrix ain't defined, no sound is generated. Parameters to get interesting patches are all existent but access is more.than dated.
What do you think of the QS6.2?
It's fine. Going from memory, it has 24bit D/A instead of 18bit on the 6 and 6.1. You lose one card slot but gain an internal power supply. The 6.1/6.2 have 16 megs of rom instead of the 8megs on the plain 6. It's silver instead of black. The display on the 6.1/6.2 is nicer than the plain 6, perhaps identical to the QSR which is slightly bigger- definitely better, On the 6.2 you get MIDI in/out/thru instead of just 2 ports. That's the major stuff I remember, and you should double-check to be sure. The biggest downer is no resonant filter ever though it's a S&S machine. I still love it for some synth sounds, which is why I have a 6, 7, and QSR. Also, they are generally priced right.
@@JeffreyScottPetro Thank you for replying, yes then, I will proceed with purchase of 6.2 there is one on Reverb with original box. Cheers! 👍🏽
@@JeffreyScottPetroresonance via midi cc?
Why are you doing the 666 sign in the thumbnail
I thought that was the OK sign.