Yamaha Introduces S80 Synthesizer
 July 23, 1999Yamaha Corporation of America, Pro Audio & Combo Division, Digital Musical
Instruments, introduces the S80 Synthesizer keyboard at this year's Summer
NAMM show. Featuring an 88-note, weighted piano keyboard action combined
with a high-quality, expandable synthesis engine, the S80 is ideal for
live-performance applications and makes a perfect controller/synthesizer
to place at the heart of a complex MIDI system. The S80 is scheduled to
ship in October, 1999.
"The S80 combines a highly refined, weighted-action keyboard with expandable
synthesis capabilities and advanced MIDI-controller functionality," notes
Athan Billias, marketing manager, Digital Musical Instruments. "The S80
is the new standard in affordable 88-note piano-action synthesizers. The
addition of an external input for connecting a microphone, and processing
with the onboard effects, make it a truly unique tool for the singer/songwriter."
The synthesis engine at the heart of the S80 provides 64 notes of polyphony
divisible among 16 multi-timbral parts. In a significant advantage over
the competition's 88-note synths, the S80 has 64 multi-mode resonant filters,
allowing for the creation of analog-style synth sounds. A massive 20MB
ROM, including sounds from Yamaha's award-winning EX series synthesizers,
provides the raw materials used to create the S80's sizable collection
of voices.
Included among the S80's onboard sounds are new stereo-sampled pianos,
strings, brass and choir voices. In addition to the 256 preset sounds,
users can create their own sounds using the easy-edit macros and then
store them in any of the 128 user-voice memory locations. The S80 also
features 128 memory locations for the storage of user-performance setups.
Performance memories on the S80 can contain detailed settings for 19 parts
(16 internal, 2 plug-in and separate part settings for the external inputs)
in addition to four-zone master keyboard layouts.
Yamaha has also included a Smart Media-compatible storage slot to provide
a convenient and limitless form of storage for the S80. Smart Media (3.3V)
Cards in capacities of 2-, 4-, 8-, 16- and 32MB are supported for storage
of user voice and performance banks, as well as all other S80 settings.
Smart Media compatibility also allows the S80 to load, chain and play
song files saved as a Standard MIDI File (SMF).
For the ultimate in expansion capability, the S80 is equipped with two
plug-in expansion slots, which allow the unit to hold any two boards from
Yamaha's extensive PLG line of Modular Synthesis Plug-in Expansion boards.
Numerous boards are currently available, many of which are essentially
completely new synthesizers on cards. By installing a PLG series board
into the S80, the user retains the 64-note polyphonic synthesizer found
in an unexpanded S80 while being able to add not only new sounds but additional
notes of polyphony and even new synthesis technologies, such as physical
modeling.
Currently available S80-compatible plug-in boards include the PL100-VL
Virtual Acoustic board, which provides the sounds and features of Yamaha's
VL70m physical-modeling synthesizer; the PLG-100VH, which provides three
voices of real-time formant-corrected vocal harmony with Gender Shifting;
and the PLG100-DX, which provides a 16-note polyphonic, DX7-compatible
synthesizer on a card. New to the PLG lineup at Summer NAMM are the PLG150-AN,
featuring the same analog physical modeling found in the AN1x, and the
PLG-150XG, featuring a 32-note polyphony AWM2 engine and full XG compatibility.
A fully expanded CS6X can provide as many as 128 notes of polyphony For more information,
visit Yamaha at www.yamaha.com. |
