Alesis QS6.1

Well, I do not know software version, other than the basic one that it comes with.
I like a lot of the sounds but I am horrible at making new sounds so they are getting a bit tiresome now. I have been looking into softsynths lately and have found some killer new stuff. I like to mix the good sounds on the QS with the good SS on Cubase.
I'd like to get some strong drum samples but not sure where to look as of yet.
The manual confuses me alot and doesn't show step by step angles like I like to see. Effects confuse me, patches confuse me....basically I am confused when it comes to the manual.

64 polyphony....Action is nice and solid. Built in effects and not very easy to use compared to the old Yamaha SY85 I was used to.
It's very good at midi though unlike the SY85....I'd love to find a softsynth based on the SY85....WOW....that had some FAT sounds I miss everyday.
No onboard SEQ but then it would be $2000 if it had one...no thanks.
Cubase is better for that anyhow.

The sounds on Q cards seem to be excellent.......I bought my Alesis with 4 cards all for $550...what a deal.....Presets overall are pretty good but the good ones will get more use than the crappier ones, which leaves you wanted even more good sounds.

No problems as of yet.

No need to deal with yet.

I would want another one because I am already used to working with it, although if something came along that sounded as good but was really, really easier to use I'd probably get that.

QS6.1 ROM version 1.00 - ORIGINAL QS6.1
I bought this keyboard right when it came out, before there were QS7.1's or QS8.1's. It is beautiful! The presets can be a little dodgy at times, but almost every great synth has SHIT for presets. Some of the 6.1's presets are there mainly to demo a feature (think modulation matrix here people) and many are quite fantastically lame, but the bread an butter sounds like strings, winds, horns, keys, etc. are all there and some of them are really great. Many become great with just a little work.
I learned to edit patches the hard way: by DOING it. It seems that every user review I've read so far is somebody complainig about a lack of graphics for editing. Don't worry about it! It took some study, but editing patches can be a breeze with nothing but the built-in screen. I usually start from scratch, too. That way, the sounds come out exactly how I want them to. Unisyn is kind of nice to have, but not in the least bit necessary.
The manual is great, it explains almost everything in sufficient depth for most anyone. The exception to this would be the more complicated use of the Mod Matrix. ARRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHH! I wish there was a bit more explanation of the wacky things you can do with it (a few presets really blow me away with their mod matrix settings, so I know crazy things are possible).

64 voice polyphony, which means 64 sample-based oscillators are available for use in the voices. You can use 1-4 per voice. Note that all other oscillators are independant of these voice oscillators, so they (LFO's, etc) don't use up poly like on a few other boards.
The keyboard is extremely sweet, I think that it is the BEST non-weighted keyboard out there. Once you play it, any other non-weighted keyboard will feel CHEAP and FAKE. I have been banging hard on it for 3 years now, and it feels like new. I couldn't wish for any improvement here. As a lifetime piano player, I am qualified to say that the action is keen as could be.
There are 5 effects blocks, all pretty traditional in nature. Reverb, chorus, lezlie, delay, flange, "resinator" (no NOT a resonant filter), detune, EQ, LPF, overdrive, and that's about it. Sorry kids, no Yamaha or Roland style whiz-bang effects here. Just the basics. They are extremely simple to use, each patch or performance (mix) has its own effect configuration which you can change. There are 5 routings to choose from. The effects themselves are very high-quality, as any Alesis module owner could tell you. One thing on my list is a resonant filter, as the Alesis has none. Techno kids be aware of this!
It can accept QCards (way too expensive in my opinion), or flash / sram cards that you burn samples to yourself. You can also burn midi data onto a card for playback with the internal midi sequence PLAYER (not recorder). Whoopee!
The board is channel aftertouch sensitive, has 4 assignable data sliders, pitch and mod wheels (great big friendly rubber ones), and midi in / out / thru. Also included is a serial port for direct PC / MAC connection, leaving midi ports free. All in all, as my sequencer is my computer, this board is great. I would rather control modules with it than get another board, as it's midi is dead on.
No onboard sequencer, although there is a midi sequence PLAYER, as noted before. This thing is designed for computer studio use.

The presets range from very average to really cool. Many of them are pretty cheesy, some are okay, and some are awesome! Play around with the patches until they sound great, that's my motto. Bear in mind, some of the most classic synths of all time have positively terrible presets (I'm thinking Juno here).
I do weird music. It works for me. I couldn't see myself getting another keyboard synth for a while, because I can't give up the beautiful feel of this machine. Time to buy rack-mounted modules!

This thing is built better than ANY japanese synth on the market. Period. Korgs, Rolands, Yamahas, etc. all feel cheap compared to this METAL TANK of a machine that was made in AMERICA. This keyboard is a beauty, and will last forever. I have never had a system software problem, either. This is one that could survive a trip into orbit, a hard landing in the desert, and be recovered and played

I have never needed to contact Alesis. One point needs to be made here, however: Don't buy a synth for the free expansion card. That is just plain lame. Buy a synth because it works well for you.

If I lost this board, I wouldn't even consider anything else. I'd buy one straight away. I hope that never happens.

When purchasing this keyboard, I looked at everything else available, including the Trinity, the XP-60 / 80, the JX-105 "groovesynth", and the CS1X. I couldn't be happier with my choice. If you are the kind of person who would rather sequence on your keyboard than your computer, maybe another board would be for you. If you are a techno person, you might be disappointed that there isn't any resonant filter. I am not. If I want a resonant filter, damnit, I'll get a Sherman Filterbank. Most on-board resonant filters I have used are a little weak, anyway, but the Filterbank can light your setup on FIRE!!! (no shit) I do wish I had more sliders, but who doesn't.

Cakewalk Pro Audio (All Versions)

Have spent countless hours trying to get this keyboard to react somewhat like "ALL OTHER KEYBOARDS" that I have come across. I can not seem to get this keboard to work like a midi slave or to transmit on channel 1 and route that input data to the other tracks and or patches that I select through Cakewalk. Getting ready to dump this keyboard for something that really works...

Never got there, too busy just trying to make it work!

Never got there, too busy just trying to make it work!

Never got there, too busy just trying to make it work!
Manual is useless!

Would never condiser another product even remotely set up ohter than the general midi standard. This piece of paper weight might be great as a stand alone piano, for a musician that has three hands and loves to mix everything from the pianos control buttons, but I need MIDI to work, when I want it and get what I expect for results. The Alesis QS series really sucks when it comes to this.

Don't know what version I use, doesn't matter cause I don't have any problems with the software. The presets: to be short, I don't like 'm. Synth patches are ok if you can live without a resonance filter. The acoustic sounds are dull, not inspiring (compared to tody's standards, but hey, it was build in 1996 or so...). Many people like the piano and organ sounds, I don't like them, to thin, to synthy. Bought the Jazz Piano expansion card, sounds a little bit better than the internal piano sample.
I certainly dislike the way editing is done, I can't get the hang of it, buttons are use for too many functions, the display is too small. Manual is OK, if you are used to roland and yamaha gear. Can't beat the Ensoniq manuals tho.

Polyphony 64 adequate for 'normal' use, don't like the keyboard action, too plastic, feels cheap. Expansions? sure, two slots. In Europe these expansions are way to expensive, heard better pricing storys from the US.
"You don't seem pleased with the board, why did you buy it?". There are a few things I like about the qs 6.1. Only one thing actualy. At the time, it was the only synth that could play midifiles from a memory card, that's what I use the QS 6.1 for. Works like a charm, fast playback for midifiles (I use a Roland G-800 for sound playback), no swapping floppys anymore. Rating is based on the midifile playing feature (the only reason I bought it)

As I said, I don't like the sounds. It's not shocking when you sample at 48 khz and only create space for 8 mb of samples (the other 8 mb was for the internal piano sample). Don't think it has a target for a type of music. Onboard fx are ok. Velocity isn't consistent across the board. It's difficult (almost impossible) to get the keyboard to output velocity values of 126-127.

Seems solidly build, I would (am) use it on a gig without a backup (not counting the roland g-800)

Never dealt with Alesis, a few weaks ago the middle G key stopped responding, brought it back to my music store, repaired it in 1 week.

I would not by the unit again (I probably would at the time I bought is 3 years ago) because there are better boards available at this time that can play midifile from a solid medium.
I'm playing keyboards for 10 years now. Boards I own (or ever owned): Yamaha EX5, ENSONIQ TS-10, Roland XP-50, Roland JV-80, Yamaha V50, Yamaha SY-55, Yamaha PSR-6, Yamaha PSR 540, Yamaha PSR 460, Roland g-800.

A sess?o de efeitos me confunde, e possui poucos bot?es para tantas func?es.

Realmente o que se pode chamar de bom e barato. 64 notas me parece um pouco razoavel, ainda mais para mim que o uso somente em apresentac?es ao vivo. O painel de controle de parametros em tempo real e fantastico

Amigos: n?o fiquem receiosos para comprar este equipamento. Foi minha melhor compra nos ultimos anos. Os sons de piano, org?o, e metais s?o "de babar" as cordas deixam um pouco a desejar.

Waipahu

Ok, I'm the guy that was complaining earlier about how Alesis's customer service sucked because they never sent the free Q card and never answered my calls or email. I sent them one last email telling them that I was weighing my options legally and a customer service rep replied the next day. He told me in the email that Alesis has gone through a lot with declaring bankruptcy, relocating, etc, but apologized for the problem and said he'd look into the matter. I got a follow email the next day telling me that they used the wrong address for the first mailing so they would resend the Classic Synth Q Card that day and that I should receive it within a week. About a week later, it arrived as promised.
I hope this is a new trend for Alesis, as I would never deal with them again with their prior customer service efforts. I am still a little trepidatious, but I think they are trying to fix their Customer Service problems. I would give this particular effort a "10", but with all the hassles, I'll let you decide.

I am writing this review to warn potential Alesis purchasers: Alesis' Customer Service SUCKS! Like others have mentioned, I bought the QS6.1 instead of another keyboard because of the free Q card offer. 8 months later I still have not received my Q card. When I emailed 6 months ago, I was given some cr@p about an address goof and given the assurance that the Q card would be sent to my correct address. Since then, I've emailed, called, etc and keep getting the shaft.

So, if you want the shaft as well, go ahead and buy Alesis products. I for one will NEVER buy another Alesis product again. My opinion is that product manufacturers owe it to their cistomers to treat them well. Alesis doesn't. I'm now toying with the idea of taking them to small claims court to give them a taste of what I feel they've done to me.

Avoid Alesis products.

Horrible customer service ruins it for me.

I'm a newbie at this, because this is my first keyboard. I guess it was intended for someone with someone actual experience, but I think I might start getting the hang of it soon, hopefully, hehe...the trouble I am having is playing this with the computer. I have hooked up a serial cable to the computer, and when I use digital orchestrator pro or Cakewalk or any other software, the response time seems too long from when I play the note and when I actually hear it on my computer. Is there a way to fix it so I can hear the note almost exactly when I play it? I wish it could be a little more faster. I have already adjusted serial speed settings, if you can help me it would be GREAT if you could email xkpkp@hotmail.com, thanks.

Features seem nice, great MIDI capabilities, if I just knew how to use em...heh.

Not sure...

Hasn't broken for about a month and a half now.

NA.

NA.

No idea (and I dont care) about software version, Its a new gear and I dont expect to have problems in this matter, at least no yet.

Just turn it on, and you are on the way.

The preset sounds are wonderful, much better than any keyboard at this price range. Many patches available, even better than presets.

Editing looks to be easy if you are using the software included. No software?, I have never tried

The Manual is not a bad one, but it could be much, much, much better. Issue to get better and go deeper, Alesis

64 poliphony, of course less if you are using mixes

Great effects, easy to use. I love delays and reverb

Two card expansion capabilities. Great card sounds! Also, thousands of new sounds on Internet. I have more than 2000 already!, 80% of them pretty usable.

No arpegiator, no sequencer, but you can use the software included for sequencing (Emagic), or to record them in a ram flash card.

After that, you wont need any sequencer, nor computers, nor anything. Who says you MUST have a sequencer for live performance alone?

Great sounds for the price!

EXCELLENT PIANOS!!!. I couldnt believe it. Other sounds are great, as well, but pianos worth the price alone.

Just try it in a dealer, and you will hear it by yourself

New gear, I dont know (I hope so...)

No crashes until today

Two months to receive the promised qcard free with purchase

Thats not quick, but I never complaint for a FREE card

Thanks Alesis!

If stolen, I would replace it with the QS7.1, just for the 76 keys

Great keyboard, if you dont have $2000 to play around

Perhaps Roland XP-30 sounds better, but it costs $400 more!!! ($400 actually costs a Roland JV-1010)

Forget XP-10, or even Korg X5D. Please, forget them. No point of comparison with this excellent baby

Just give it a try. You wont regreat

It's fairly easy to use even though the implementation of the SoundDiver software can get weird (patches reassign themselves to new locations for no apparent reason) at times.

Effects are hard to use but works fine for basic sequencing through Cubase.

Sounds are pretty good. Pianos and organs especially.

It doesn't leave my studio and hasn't broken in 5 months. We'll see.

This is the reason I wrote this review. I bought the QS6.1 over the Roland XP-30 for the sole reason that I was going to get a free Q cards in the process. Fat chance. I bought it in December of 2000 and as of mid-May 2001, have not received the card. I called them and was told they would ship at the end of January. I have sent 2-3 emails and received no reply. I feel as if I've been defrauded. You can't just put out an offer and not deliver like that. Now I hear the company's filed Chapter 11. It is sad that as an owner of a long list of Alesis products (HR16, Quadraverb, DM5, Microverb, etc.) all of which I enjoyed, I will NOT be buying Alesis products in the future.

Nice keyboard, untrustworthy company.