Note: auction links in posts are affiliate links and help support the site at no cost to you.

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

KORG Polysix

Title link takes you to shots pulled via this auction.

"This Korg Polysix was built in Japan by the Keio Electronic Laboratory Corporation, in Tokyo Japan, Circa 1981.

The synthesizer does make sound for all six voices and all the SSM 2044 and 2056 chips are still functioning (no missing or bad chips). It does need work. I found that the controls for cut-off and resonance seem to have no effect. I did find that switching between the program patches actually does change the patch and sound.

There is a chunk out of the middle A key. There are also a couple of dents in the simulated wood sides left and right. (see images)

All Polysixes suffered from a fatal design flaw related to preserving their patch memory. They used an ancient and volatile Ni-Cad battery that decayed and leaked after 10-15 years. This Polysix actually had it's leaky battery removed but not replaced at some point. There also appears to be some jump wire patching on the middle control board. (again see images).

The Polysix was one the first affordable programmable polyphonic synthesizers. It also has a nice selectable effects group that lets you engage a chorus, phaser, or ensemble and dial in your preferred speed or intensity. The Polysix can also run a vicious six voice unison lead, there is also a chord memory and hold. The arpeggiator is latchable and has up, down, and up/down modes."



No comments: