Alesis QS8.1

Four assignable sliders allow for on-the-fly adjustments, like with the old synths. Other than that, editing patches with anything digital having just a two-line display is going to be a pain. On the flip side, patch selection is fairly linear, as opposed to all of those pain-in-A interfaces where you have to scroll endlessly.

Keyboard action is pretty authentic, for my taste. Haven't played extensively with FX, although they do integrate to above-mentioned sliders. Accepts two PCMCIA cards, for playing sequence files and storing additional sounds.

I bought this thing based on about three patches: acoustic piano is one of the best (IMHO), slow string patches are very rich/realistic, and piano with string/pad is very nice, too. Other than that... the EPs are ample and pretty good. It's pretty thin on pads and general synth tones. I'm sure if you got cozy with the editor interface, I could cook up some great sounds along those lines, because the base timbres/samples that you're working with are very nice. I'm not a big fan of using anything synthesized for guitar, bass, wind instruments, etc., so I have no opinion on that point.

This thing is a tank-- which is great for reliability (it's been dropped a couple of times, to no avail), and bad for portability.

I've bought the QSR to have a portable version of its piano sounds, after being disappointed with the Roland JV-1080 on this point. Plus the QSR plays sequences, so what's not to love? I think owning a QS8 *and* a QSR is a decent endorsement.

This thing has an amazing range of high-quality sounds. Most tweaking is easy -- setting up mixes (layered sounds, etc.) is a snap. I have not felt the need to try creating custom sounds from scratch. The manual covers a lot of ground, but is easy to understand.
It's heavy -- I'd guess 80 lbs. or so -- so lugging it around for gigs may leave you wishing for your own roadie. But much of that is probably due to its metal -- rather than plastic -- construction.
I play in a classic rock band, and this keyboard is easy to use live, and has nearly every sound I need. (I have a couple old Moog and Korg synths if I need real, classic analog leads.)

The weighted action feels great - very close to a real piano.
So far, I've never maxed out the 64-note polyphony.
For the most part, the built-in effects sound really good (I especially like the "Lezlie" and distortion).
The two PCMCIA slots give lots of expandability, especially considering that you can use multi-bank "expando" cards. (Between 2 cards, I have 9 extra banks available -- could have 16, if both were expando cards.)
No on-board sequencer, but that was one of the reasons I bought the QS8.1. I don't use a sequencer on stage, and in my studio, I use a PC.

Most of the "real" instruments sound very realistic. The pianos are as good as any I've heard. Most of the analog, FM and digital synth sounds are excellent, although IMO, there are also a too many pointless, corny, novelty-type sounds and rhythms that I could do without. Without those, I'd have given it a 10 in this category.
Very expressive, responds predictably to velocity and aftertouch. Most patches also respond to the four assignable fader-style buttons as well.

So far, it has been totally reliable. I can't really afford a backup at this point, but fortunately, I don't have any reason to think I'll need one.

Never had any reason to contact Alesis regarding this product, which is the way I like it.

I paid $1,200 U.S. for it new (the 8.2 is about $300 less). I still think it was worth every penny. I chose it over several other keyboards that I tried, including a couple from Roland and Korg. I own a number of other keyboards and modules, including a Roland JX-8P and a Farfisa Compace DeLuxe. I've been playing music all my life - professionally (off & on) since 1968.
If my QS8.1 were lost or stolen, I'd be crushed! I would definitely start cruising ebay for another one (don't like the metallic finish of the newer QS8.2 -- IMO the 8.1's black finish is much classier). I like almost everything about it. My only gripe is the number of useless sounds that take up space which could have been better used (see above).
I wish it had a way to set up a patch sequence for live performance, like my JX-8P has. Other than that, that, it's hard to find fault.
It definitely helps me make music, and many of its sounds have inspired my own writing.

Es tan facil como conectar una aspiradora y encerar la casa.
Accesible en todo sentido en menos de una hora se todos los botones, y yo creo que es una de las pocas cosas que me gustan del QS-8.1 aunque fuera prestado, me lo presto un n colecga mio

64 voces de polifonia, en eso si creo en Alesis, porque he probando poniendo algunos archivos midi usando Winamp y el QS-8.1 en modo general midi, no se corta ni una nota, parece que solo tuviera una capa en los sonidos.
No tiene secuenciador, tiene muchos efectos, se puede expandir los sonidos con las Q Cards, pero no es lo que espero de un teclado asi.
88 teclas pesadas?, pesadas?, uff eso si que es un lio!! parece que fuera de un telcaod de plasco, en fin, no es tampoco lo que yo espero de un teclado de 88 teclas como este

Esto es lo o que no me gusta del QS-8.1 sus sonidos en si.
creo que ningun sonido de este teclado vale la pena, anqeu la guitarra electrica esta bastante buena, y los loops y convis que tienen estan simpaticos.
Ahora hablemos del set general midi.
supuestamente este teclado tiene 16 mb, pero al ponerlo en modo General midi, suena como si fuera 2 mb!!, ni en clacico, ni en baladas, ni jazz, ningun genero.
Algun dia he tocado en el pasado un QS-8, y para ser sincero, el viejo QS-8 tenia mejores sonidos que este!!
tan solo un midi del game Final Fantacy 8 sono muy bien con el QS-8.1 del resto ni hablar.
Sorry.

Yo creia que era un modelo bonito, que tenia sonidos como el Quadra synth, o el qs-8, pero a las 2 horas me canse de tocarlo.
como 3 dias estuvo en mi casa y bueno, se lo devolvia su due?o.
en fin, Alesis la ha jodido con este modelo,

This synth is fairly easy to edit compared to some that I have owned in the past. Easy-to-understand interface for performing, programming and editing. But it is not a task to be undertaken by the uneducated novice. Read the manual thoroughly and in time it will be second nature if not there are still a wealth of preset sounds to fit any occasion.

Dedicated "Transpose" and "Sequence Select" buttons, large, easy-to-read display, enhanced GM sound set, Hundreds of sounds and multitimbral mixes, 64 voice polyphony, 88-note fully-weighted keyboard which is a little on the slow side but has a nice feel (think Fender Rhodes), Expansion card slots, ADAT Optical Digital Interface and Serial Data port.

I do not understand why anyone would not like the sounds on this keyboard. Sure there might be keyboards out there that sound better but none in its price range. Personally I love the sounds this board produces and they work so well for me that I could not justify spending a grand more for something that that would only sound marginally better if at all.
The sounds this keyboard produces sit very well in a mix and live cut through where many others get lost. The organs are the best that I have heard in a synth although I usually use a Hammond XK-2 because of the waterfall keys/drawbars and so I can use both keyboards at the same time. For recording the bass patches can?t be beat. The Piano patches may sound a little harsh when played as a solo instrument but run it through a tube compressor or preamp and it warms right up. This is a great keyboard for using live in a band situation. I use a lot of the Clavs, Rhodes, Wurly patches and they work great in a Blues/Rock context.
Someone was complaining about the Hard Roads patch not sounding like a Rhodes. Well realistic or not I love that patch. It just goes to show sound is so subjective and beauty is in the ears of the beholder.

Built like a tank and it's just as heavy as one. I own this QS8.1 and a QS6.1 and have never had any problems with either one.

As I said i have never had problems with either of my QS keyboards. I also own 2 XT20 ADATs and have never had any problems getting service done on them even in spite of the ups and downs Alesis as a company has had. So far so good!

Overall I love this keyboard and if it ever fails me I will look for another QS8.1. I looked at the QS8.2 but feel that it is actuallly a down grade. The effects may have a little better bandwidth but the plastic case and lack of ADAT Optical Digital Interface and Serial Data port to me is a big let down.

This is an addition to the post i've made about a year ago. Yes I am the snob frog who wanted to play jazz as well as classical music with this board. I'm writing this post as a reply to the people who did not agree with me.

Is it being snob to want decent sounds ? I bought this synth around 1400 euros. At the time I didn't know very much about synthesizers so I've been impressed by the alesis's sounds. Two months later I was bored by it and I realized that I did a mistake. I could have bought a Yamaha S80 with a little more money. Maybe my post was a bit violent, but I still think what I wrote.

I've just sold my QS8.1 for 800 euros. Why do you think QS8.1 are now at 800 euros and S80's still are at 1300-1400 euros ??. Now i've got a Yamaha S90 that I paid 1900 euros and it is really worth the money.

To the guy who said that if you want to play jazz or classical music you need a real grand piano I'd like more details. Portability is very important to me, and I'm not always at home with my real piano. It's obvious that an electronic instrument will never be as good as an acoustic one. But compare Yamaha 88-key graded hammer keyboards and the QS8.1's crappy keyboard. Yam's are more responsive, fast runs are much easier to play, like on my acoustic piano. When I read the posts, it looks like editing a patch is enough to get exactly what you want. Hmm. When the sample is bad you'll never get something good. But well maybe it is a question of taste. However I have never heard a piano sound like the "true stereo" sound, especially in the medium/treble limit.

It's true that some sounds are good. Pads, fx's, drums are not so bad but well ... What is this 88-note keyboard for if the piano sounds are poor. At a time I considered connecting the QS8.1 to a kurzweil micropiano or microensemble module but I prefered selling this thing to buy a REAL keyboard.

That's what I wanted to say :)
cheers
(sorry for my poo english)

Don't get me wrong, I love this keyboard :) The editing features are very powerful but it takes forever to figure them out. Take the time to read how to edit the sounds and you have the power to do a vast number of things to the sounds. I especially like the ability to combine separate sounds and put them anywhere on the keyboard. An example would be when I needed both a piano sound and a marimba sound at the same time, but not combined. I took the marimba sound and put it on the lower 3rd of the keyboard and put a piano sound on the upper 2/3 of the keyboard. I was also able to manipulate the ranges of the instruments so that I could be playing middle C on the marimba by hitting the C two octives below middle C. Confused? :) So was I. Powerful....but confusing.

With the polyphony that this keyboard offers it's hard to run into problems. It's rare that I'll have noticeable problems even when playing the piano/string patches. The reverbs are nice and I especially like the 'leslie' effects on the organs. The ability to add reverb to only the snare drum on the drum patches is also a useful addition. I've not worked with the MIDI but I would like to learn. I've had this thing for 4-5 years now and I've been able to use it in many many many different types of situations. Well worth the money!

I don't know what some of the critics are talking about on here! :) The sounds are great. The organ sounds are killer if you know how to use them. The B-3 imitation and Blues Organ are both very cool and add to any song you use them on. These sound great especially when you dynamically use the leslie effect along with a volume pedal.

The strings rock.....if you know how to use them. The 'Film Score' patch is especially nice. You have to keep in mind that most of these sounds are designed to play with a band and not to play on your own. If you don't listen to the sounds when in use with other instruments then you are missing everything.

I'll admit the piano sounds are a little lacking on the high end of the keyboard...but this is not a Grand Piano! How could this keyboard be good for classical? (Someone was complaining about it's use in classical music) If you wan't to play classical and jazz then you need an actual piano!

The bass sounds are very nice and when you mix them into a recording you can hardly tell the difference. Especially with the 'Roundwound' and 'Deep Bass' patches.

The drum sounds are very realistic **when used with other instruments in a recording**. The other key is that you have to be able to play the drums in a natural fashion by using the keys. Once you master the keys and are able to play the keys in the same way you play real drums...then they begin to sound like real drums. I have used the DM5 patch over and over in my home recordings. Keep in mind though that this is still just a keyboard!

I can definetly depend on it. Who can afford to gig with a backup of every instrument they own!? In total I would have to have 4 guitars, 2 amps, 2 keyboards, 2 hammer dulcimers, about 30 pedals and who knows what else. The key is to have a backup plan....not necessarily a back up instrument.

The staff person was very nice and informative. I had to take it to a service center in Nashville. They were also very kind. The service center needs to be a little more organized though.

If it were lost or stolen I would do anything I could to buy the Korg Triton Studio.....so no I wouldn't buy it again. Of course the Korg Triton Studio costs over 3 times as much as the QS 8.1 so it's an unfair comparison. If I couldn't afford the Triton I would definately buy this keyboard again. I wish it had a powerful arpeggiator...but you get what you pay for. This keyboard been the key to developing creative music. The recordings I've made at home usually have 8 tracks. Bass/Drums/Strings/Piano/Voice/Harmony/Guitar/Guitar. Everything except the vocals and guitars come from the QS8.1. It has been key to helping me grow as a musician and songwriter.

The keyboard is fairly easy to use, I still haven't figured out much of the programming after one year of use almost.. the screen is small and sometimes the buttons do get a little confusing.. but switching between patches is clear, when you know what is where..

No special features really.. nothing impressive..

I really like the sounds that the synth has, although they are a little limiting.. and the reverb is sometimes just unnecessary.. however I like it on some sounds.. The brass and winds sounds I dont use much, and I particularly dont like them either.. they aren't great sounding.. and alot of the string sounds are not great, however I can't get enough of the Mellotron sounds...

Its worked fine for me.. I dont really have a backup at gigs.. Its taken quite a beating from when I didn't have a case for it.. and I only have it in a thickly padded soft case now.. which works much better but is a major hassle to carry around... carrying it around w/out the case is not fun, and I think its causing some bending of the frame too.. it doesn't sound good anyway..

I went once to look for expansion cards at Guitar Center, where I bought it, and they didn't have any and wouldn't for a while.. and the instruction manual is very confusing, perhaps because I've not dealt much with MIDI controls and such..

If it were lost or stolen, I probably would consider getting something a step up.. this is nice for my first keyboard but I am starting to need two good keyboards with me now at gigs.. finding a good stand is the next problem!

I love the nicely labeled buttons. I don't have to remember what number does what. The manual is hard to follow, so I bought Hal Leonard's QS Made Easy.

The sounds to me are suberb and the effects and programs are fantastic. I enjoy being able to change the sounds with the controllers and/or the wheels. Adjusting the modulation gets the wild stuff.

Marvelous. I'm convinced this keyboard landed me a soundtrack gig. The strings and pianos are worth the money and the mixes are cool. The feel of the keys is very good. The drum sets are perfect for my use and even some of the "too cool" dance effects might come in handy.

I sent the first one back because of cosmetic damage. The second one had cosmetic damage as well, but I've had not problems internally. I will be using it a t gig without a backup; if it blows up, I'll be singing much louder.

Phone support has been excellent. I get right through and they know their stuff. Email support is mostly good if you don't mind waiting a day or two. Just pick up the phone.

If I had the room, I would consider buying another one. I would definately replace it (if I can find it) if it were lost. I compared this board with some Rolands and Yamahas and was not impressed with the others. When a salesman tried to talk me out of the 8.1, I knew it was the keyboard for me. It helps me get my creative juices flowing, but I wish it had a sequencer.

As you read my comments, please keep in mind that I don't play for a living. I mostly play in pickup bands, churches, etc. - nothing professional, but I am very sure what does and does not "sound" good, and this thing sounds great. The 8.1 could not be easier to use unless it played the songs for you...actually, the demo songs it can play are pretty cool. The presets are very adequate for anything I want to do, but you can really get some special sounds if you take the time to learn how to edit the patches. The manual is good, but you do have to read it.

The 8.1 has a 64 voice polyphony - more than adequate. The keyboard action is closer to my standard upright piano than most synths I tried. It has 16MB of on-board sounds (640 cool programs and 500 cooler multitimbral mixes). You've got two expansion slots for PCMCIA cards. I haven't tried to purchase or use additional cards - I've heard they're hard to come by, but no comment on their capabilities or usefulness. Haven't used the MIDI capabilities yet, either, but I've heard they're easy to use. No on-board sequencer, but what do you expect for under $1,000?

For me, there is at least one present in each sound group (brass, strings, winds, etc.) that is great. The strings are especially good, the brass is only adequate. You certainly wouldn't want to represent yourself as a trumpet/violin/sax soloist with this thing, but the 8.1's sounds add greatly to the overall mix of your band. Reverb, chorus, etc. effects are adequate and the four edit/control slide bars are very handy. The key action (velocity, aftertouch, etc.) is good.

It feels very strudy (heavy, nothing loose and floppin' around), but I don't have much experience "on the road" with the 8.1. Alesis is a well respected brand, from what I've heard. I gig without a backup not because of it's reliability, but because I can't afford a backup!

My only dealings with the company stem from not receiving the "Sound Bridge" software in the package when I bought the unit. It was sent to me right away, so...happy ending.

I'd replace it if it was stolen, unless I inherit alot of money in the mean time. The QS 8.1 is definitely worth 1,000 bucks, especially compared to lower-end models from Roland, Korg, etc. If your music is budget oriented, this is a very economical, but functional, choice.

Being a guitar player looking for a midi interface and sound base this thing is great. Now I must admit prior reviews are definately done by some keyboard snobs (especially the last). The action is good, it reminds me of the old piano's I had to play while growing up. The screens are easy to use , as long as you actually have an inkling as (a: how to read and (b: how to follow instructions.
The LCD and menu keys are easy to interpret as long as the instructions are provided.

The keyboard is very easy to use. the action is good ,while maybe not the fastest. It is certainly a lot better than most dead MIDI controllers out there. There is quite a bit of reverb on the pianos, but that can be backed off if one has the patience to actually read the instructions(yeah, you dimwit frog)! The cards while old technololgy are great! I have three. "Sanctuary", by far being the best. If you have other sound sources and are willing to think of this unit as a controller with sounds as a bonus, it can't be beat.

The voicings are very heavy in post production effects. This is easy to remedy in the recording/project studio environment by following the instructions. By the way for everyone that bought this for "live performance, maybe you you should check out the specs. This keyboard like the vast majority of Alesis boards was almost exclusively intended for project-small/mid pro recording studio applications. The sounds are great given their own track, and that one can sort them out. My major complaint is that you don't get those great "cheat sheets" that Alesis used to give you for the reverb units.

Absolutely. It's a steel chasis whith wood caps. The same thing Roland and Korg have been doing for years. It is recommended that you use a support rather than just throwing it up on a two bar keystand.

Alesis is great. Even though Numark is now buying them out(bailing them out). They have always stood by their product. Once again, if you actually specc'd this product rather than got all hot about it's price, it may not be so suprising that it offers what it does or does not. If you are looking for a great sounding board with a hammer weighted action for a small price (not to mention 88 keys) this is the board for you. Everyone else that thought they were getting a 2,000.00 Roland....Duh why are you being so critical? If you can't afford the big guns,don't complain that what you can afford doesn't measure up. Anybody knows that you can't make a silk purse out of a sows ear.

If lost or stolem, I'd buy something close. Let's all be fair here. If I had money to burn I'd be buying a Porsche. Certainly not working a day-job and writing to musician sites about my latest 800.00 expenditure. It works. It's quiet. It's cheap. Unless you are being a snob, what more could you want?