Alesis QSR

It's been easier changing a water pump on my SAAB then trying to get a decent sound out of this crap. About 18 great sounds. The rest are shite. Weak ooutput. Analogue bass sounds are powerful though. Got a Novation BassStation though,wow! goodbye.

Lots of Polyphony. But hey it crashes. MIDI in, output nothing, why?
Apparently it has like a Q2 or something reverb unit built in. If you can program this thing then you could rule the world. So many menu's and sub menu's. It still sounds crap

About 18 decent sounds.
Only buy it if you've got every other module in your studio and you are bored with money burning a hole in your pocket

My bowels are more regular than this crap. It crashes! I wouldn't mind but it's not cheap.

Out of Guarantee, I's only 18 months old. Like i sent the guarantee card of anyway, twats

I would not buy it again unless i was really rich and really bored.
That promotional CD they toss out for it sounds nothing like it.
Go for big sounds out of the box, don't piss about, you got song's to be written, you fanny's. As far as I'm concerned, if it don't sound great out of the box, then the manufacturer is a prick who should be beaten with his crap products.

Im using Cakewalk Pro Audio 9 with it for my sequencing needs. I had to go to alesis website and download the updated serial driver and soundbridge software before it would talk to the computer though. Editing patches is a little cumbersome, but thanks to the soundbridge, i just get new samples and burn em to a flash card, I've gotten used to it. The onboard presets are great for live applications, I especially like the piano patch on bank 2, .. the strings and pads leave a bit to be desired, I liked the warm pad general midi on my old casio better than on the QSR. The manual is typical of any alesis product, just enough to get you started, then you're on your own.

it has 64 voice polyphany which makes it better on that end than my k2000, but as far as effects.. its a bit of a drag, they get taken away quickly on only one channel. It will expand with the overpriced, and not too impressive "Q cards", the pcmcia ports being directly on the front of the unit. I use them for blank flash ram and store sequences/ patches on them. It supports great velocities and a lot of the presets take advantage of aftertouch. (i use it with a fatar studio 610 plus midi controller).

The strings are a tad too attacky.. the pads need some tweaking , but the organs are good, the piano is good, the brass is okay, and the synth1 bank always has something for me. It works great for my live applications, I play rock with a similar sound to faith no more, so it works well there. The onboard effects do not really impress me however.

I'm finding it to be a real brute for travel. I have been using it outside of a rack, just stacked on top of whatever I can sit it on.. it has fallen, I have ruined midi cables dropping it, but it still keeps a ticking. I do use it without a backup.

The one thing I will give Alesis is their tech support on their website is pretty decent, I got the updated versions of the QSR drivers easily and they installed quickly.

I would definately say my QSR is a keeper, the uniqueness of the sound in a live application and for studio use make it a little bit of an obscure choice. I'd put it right next to my K2000 in rank of importance to my distinct sound. I wish it was a little more easy to use, and that value wheel can get just a little touchy. The most annoying issue, however is patch changing on the same midi channel while sustaining a note. there is a small gap in the sound when the channel changes.. how annoying. BUT for a small little workhorse, it does the trick quite well.

O.K. Dealer...you got me. I'am very dissapointed with this unit. Not one Patch in this thing sounds warm. Pianos are so-so but those Effects... and don't try to edit them unless you have some Asprin. Those Effects sound like the old Quadraverbs. The EP'S in my Opinion Suck bad...Some even sound like a Clucking Banjo. The Leads are Kinda o.k. but not enough to make me want to keep this. All other sounds (in my Opinion) sound pretty lame. I would think a Module coming out of L.A. would at least kick some ass( The techno card I'd give a 6) But I will admit this... While writing a song I was looking for a Sitar..and the Qsr had the best one.

I'm using the software originally installed on to the unit. The presets sound okay, but a lot are too outer-space-like, and some, like strings, just suck. Editing patches is cumbersome, time-consuming, and often very confusing, as only ONE parameter is displayed at one instance. The manual reads like Greek unless you invented MIDI, and is very sketchy in some areas.

Polyphony is okay because you can limit the amount of sounds overlapping on one channel, so then you don't take up all your polyphony with one sound. The effects are cool [see below] but sometimes hard to use...Configurations are a pain in the butt. It can expand to 16MB more sounds with 2 VERY expensive QCards. Full MIDI capability, but no sequencer.

Well, drums are just OK. However, the program "DM5 Drums" sounds nothing like the sets in the actual DM5 module. As for the rest of the drums, some are okay, but their originality disappears when placed in Mix mode, where you have to choose ONE MIDI channel from which all programs in the mix get their effects. The electronic drum sounds are too "Casio"-sounding. There's like, two good snares on there in the electronic genre. The keyboards are pretty good, but some seem to "creamy" sounding, like too smooth. The strings just plain suck. I checked the raw samples in the unit, and there is only one string sound [ensemble, I mean] that is designed to sound real, and it has a very sharp attack and sounds fuzzy and harsh. NOT good for realistic string applications. Pads are pretty good, except there's a lot of dumb bird chirping and rainforest stuff in a lot of them, which...unless you're writing a jingle for Jack Hannah's Animal Adventures, won't always help, and sometimes will be a pain to get rid of. The rest of the pads are pretty "outer space" type. I don't really have an opinion on wind or brass.
The effects are pretty good, but the fact that you have to put them into Configurations is very time-consuming and difficult if you want to have a leslie on an organ but just reverb on every other program in a Mix. If you have an ADAT and can lay down each track one at a time, and just switch channels in the EFFECT: MIDI CHANNEL parameter, go for it. However, beware -- the effects processor distorts very easily. Velocity is okay, but my keyboard doesn't have aftertouch.

I've dropped it from 2 1/2 feet up in the air onto a carpeted floor and it still seems to work fine. On the other hand, I can also depend on it to piss me off when I can't get it to do what I want it to. I would use only the internal sounds in my little PSR-630 as backup, because even though those sounds aren't great, it's not worth it to me to actually bring along a backup that isn't already going with me to gigs.

Well, I haven't had to contact customer support yet, so I guess that's a plus. It has pretty much done what it's supposed to.

If it were lost or stolen, I think I'd buy something else, because I think the best sounds on the QSR are the sounds that aren't really the foundation for a good song. The pads are okay, and SOME of the drum sounds are pretty good, but strings suck, drums are unimaginative, no cool filter noises or vinyl noise, and white noise is a sample, not pink noise. I tried to find pink noise to create a filter sweep, but all I got was white noise and instead of changing tone, it just got quieter. I really didn't compare it with any other products; it was my first module. I chose it because it was cheap. I wish it had better raw sounds on it and better filters. It doesn't really help or hurt me at this point, I've had it close to a year and haven't done much with it besides ARRANGE two songs for my church, that, by the way, I had a hard time creating.

Good presets. Sounds great out of the box. I find editing patches easy, and the manual is good, although some items (like connection to computer and use of expansion cards) was REAL WEAK.

Polyphony with 64 voices. No keyboard as this is a synth module. Effects are built in and easy to edit. It does accept cards and more memory. It is fully MIDI capable. No sequencer.

Most of the instruments are quite realistic, although some are awful. Harmonica sucks. I imagine it would work well for all music, and I use it for rock and it fits my needs. Effects are good. Since it's a module, it's fairly static, although you could set it up to be reactive. It reacts to my controller well, both velocity sensitivity and aftertouch.

Dependable, use it without a backup.

Somewhat hard to get a hold of. Answered some questions, not others.

I would probably replace the unit as it's so versatile, and I don't think you can find anything as functional for the money. Been playing for 30 years, but keyboards only 2. Use it with pedalboards (like Rush), for which it works well. Compared it to other synth modules, this one best value.

If you are in to programming your own sounds, you will both love and hate this machine. It has programming options galore, but it's screen gives too few options available at anyone time. Lots of page scrolling, which is OK if you know exactly what you want to enter, but not good for creativity. You MUST have a computer and editing software (included with the QSR) if you want to do any programming. Otherwise, the QSR is easy to use in a MIDI setup.

TONS of features. The polyphony is great. The effects are incredible for such an inexpensive synth, but I must admit, programming them seems daunting. Still, it's fun to try a sound with random pre-programmed effects for sometimes interesting results. The expansion capabilies are a big bonus, you can load 16MB of new waveforms via the 2 PCMCIA slots. With the included software, you can even download different waveforms from the web in a number of different formats and burn them to a PCMCIA card. I haven't tried this yet, but it seems fun. Of course, you have to program your own sounds to use these waveforms, but I bet using them with some of the pre-programmed sounds would be OK. In MIX mode, the QSR works well with an external sequencer, and setting it up to do so is easy. The one thing Alesis did leave out, and I wish they hadn't, is four controller nobs to control sounds in real time. Many of the sounds in the QSR are programmed to respond to MIDI controllers A-D, but if you do not have a keyboard with 4 contollers (besides the usual mod wheel and pedal), and most peole don't, you can not utilize this bit of programming. This is too bad since some of the effects possible when using the 4 controllers are quite astounding (especially on the organs and sci-fi sounds). If you have the money, buy a QS6.1 instead for this feature alone! (the QS6.1 is the keyboard version and has 4 mod sliders). Also nice is the MAC/PC interface. This makes programming simpler since youdon't have to go through MIDI. The QSR has the most features in a synth for the money that I've ever seen.

In general, the synth sounds great. It's sounds are crips and punchy and cut through a mix. This synth is great for rock, pop, r&b, country, experimental, ambient. It is decent for techno/hip hop and the like. If you are more inclined to play orchestral pieces, DO NOT BUY THIS SYNTH!!! Clearly, this synth was not made to do this. The strings are particularly laughable. Seriously, I was shocked at how poor some of them sounded. The FAKE string sounds are good though (pads and the like), but when it tries to emulate a string, the QSR fails. The horns are better, and a few of them do well, especially in a mix. Again, the FAKE horn sounds are better. The woodwinds are OK I guess, but no synth has really impressed me in this categegory. Personally, I think synthesizers should sound like synthesizers, so I love the way the QSR sounds. The piano is real enough sounding to me, more so than most synths I've played and the organs are ASTOUNDING! I don't even like organs very much, but I find myself playing the organ sounds for hours at a time. The drums are decent, could be better. For experimental music, the drums used with some kind of weird effect sound pretty cool. MIX mode allows you to layer or split up to 16 different patches (each with up to 4 sounds) and is an extremely powerful function. Some of the mixes on the QSR are terrific and inspiring or just plain fun. At first, I really liked some of the groove loops, but these get old fast.

I have only had the QSR for a few days ( and have been playing it constantly) so I don't know about its reliability. However, the fell of the main data entry wheel seems cheap and flimsy. I would not be surprised if it gave out eventually. Maybe I'm wrong though.

I'm not sure about this one. I have some other Alesis equipment, and about a year ago, I emailed their website with some questions. I got a good response in about two days which I thought was excellent. However, before buying my QSR, I emailed alesis and still have not received a response in over two weeks. Maybe they ignored me because I didn't actually OWN a QSR, I don't know. More recently, my QSR was supposed to have a CD-ROM included but didn't, so I called alesis, got through immediately and they said they would ship it the next day. So, I think they've done a good job, but it seems like they are pretty busy these days and I have yet to really test them!

The QSR is definitely worth what I paid for it. I already have an Alesis S4 and I liked the way it sounded, so I looked into the QSR. I played the QS6.1 (its keyboard equivilent) for several hours on multiple days before buying the QSR, so I knew what I was getting into. Like any synth, the buyer needs to really question what they are going to use the synth for. If you are looking for realistic orchestral intruments, steer clear of the QSR. If you are a piano player and want a portable piano synth, PLAY the QSR first for several hours if possible using good speakers or headphones!!! Synth players who like electronic music and do not stress realistic orchestral instruments will love this synth. It souds clear, crisp, loud, and bright. I don't think there is any synth on the market for under $500 that matches the QSR. I'm sure there are better ones out there, but for double the price. To be honest, if I had lots of money, I probably would have bought something else, but like most people, I'm on a budget and the gear I buy needs to reflect that. This is a terrific synth for the money. If you like the way it sounds, have an extra $250 and some space, you might consider getting a QS6.1 instead. The keyboard and 4 midi controllers are probably worth it.

The QSR that I purchased had whatever the latest software was at the time that I received in 2/99. It was not very difficult to program or edit and the manual was pretty good. It also has a nice size screen.

It has plenty of voices and polyphony and it's effects are fair. I did not try editing them because I sent it back. The unit does have room to grow, but I didn't care for the sounds at all.

The sounds on this module are terrible. It sounds very cheap. They are bland and uninspiring. It is no wonder the price has come down like it has. I feel sorry for those folks who bought it when it first came out.

Alesis makes well made products, I imagine this unit would be as reliable as the rest.

Didn't keep it.

I would not have bought it in the first place had I heard it first. This module is for entry level musicians who have extremely limited funds. For those folks making serious music and doing production work, do not even consider this unit. Save more money and get a Trinity rack. The sounds on the QSR are for beginners only.

This is a strange beast. I found it very awkward to manuver thru its parameters. I like to tweak sounds while I'm inspired, but this interface seems to hinder that spontunaity. I also felt the manual could have been put together far more clearer then it was.

The amount and distribution of 64 voice polyphony was impressive. In the multi-timbral mode, I was able to create lush and massive sounding sequences with this unit alone.
The built in effects seem to fall in line and audio wise, sound very much like the Alesis FX units. These effects are used to mold the sounds of many of the internal patches that come with this unit.

How are the sounds? The ever so-hyped Stereo Grand Piano (True Piano patch ) is adequet in a mix, but falls short of its claim. I personally prefer the Kurzweil Micropiano to this one. The electric pianos are usefull ( I especially like Rayz Roadz for that 70's suitcase effect ) in the mid and lower octaves, however; the higher octaves render these patches useless.
The organs sound great. Here is where the internal effects shine to add realism and bite to the Hammond sounds. The keyboard sounds ( Harpsicord, Vibes, Clavinet, ect ) are also very pristine and useful as long as you don't play in the very upper registers.
I'm used to using sampled guitar sounds, so I found the guitar patches in the QSR lacking in realism. There is a nice variety of bass sounds and patches. The pad sounds are lush and well programmed and the analogish Emersarian lead synth patches are fun. The percussion and drum sounds are a nice addition.
The winds and brass patches are fair at best, however; the Flugelhorn patch is very good around the middle octave and if played correctly, can be very realistic.
Probably the biggest dissapointment with the QSR's sounds, lie in the Orchestral strings and ensemble patches. These sounds are terrible, unrealistic, and completely useless. What were they thinking when they approached sampling and creating these patches?!

So far, I've had no problems with this unit.

If it were lost, I'd probably check out some new units. But would definatley still have the QSR as a consideration. Compared with the Korg, Kurzweil, and Roland products , I don't feel that the Alesis meets or comes close to their standards. But I own alot of synth's and modules that are manufactured by Roland, Korg and Kurzweil and I find that the QSR is a nice compliment and has enough sonic power to add to the sounds of this arsenal.

I had no trouble adding this box to my midi studio. I use it mainly in multitimbral mode, and it's very straightforward. I'm more of a tweaker than a programmer. It's very easy to put together instrument mixes, which is the main thing for me.

I don't expect to use many of the features this machine has. It's certainly got everything I need.

I should explain that I bought this machine for its sampled grand piano, which I think sounds better than the Kurzweil and Roland (I appreciate that's very subjective). Any other usable sounds are an unexpected bonus. The organs are a very pleasant surprise, as are the drums. The ochestral sounds, particularly the strings, are disappointing. The electric pianos are a mixed bag. I was surprised to discover that my old Korg M3R (rackmount version of the M1) does better Rhodes and Whirly emulations.

This box feels less solid than my other modules (Korg M3R and Wavestation SR). It's only 4" deep, so it doesn't look like a serious piece of gear. There are annoying pops when you power up or down, and the program changes aren't entirely clean (i.e. some of the sonic characteristics of a program carry over to the next program for the first note or two). Having said all that, I bought my QSR second hand. It's two years old and seems to work perfectly.

N/A

If it were lost or stolen, I would buy it again provided I could get as good a price.

Pretty easy to use. Manual is well written and in plain english. Interface can be a pain sometimes for there's a lot of scrolling involved. I get the feeling that they did this to reduce the amount of buttons on the unit. Oh well, what can you expect from 1U.

Holy features batman! Check the website for full list. The PCMCIA ROM cards are a great idea but they'll have to figure something else out for 8MB isn't a heck of a lot nowadays.
I would have loved an extra set of outs (6 instead of 4) though.

Very pristine sounding output but the patches are not realistic sounding and most of them do not respond to aftertouch. You could add your own samples via PCMCIA however but I cant be bothered.
Because of this I would say this unit is for mostly dance and techno (although this unit is really lacking for filters). Don't even think about using this unit for orchestral pieces. You could get the Orchestral expansion Q card but from after hearing the demos on their demo CD rom I wouldn't waste your money. Pianos are great though.

Seems sturdy enough to me.

I usually received replies via email within 2 days.

It mostly collects dust in my rack. I mainly use it for stereo piano sounds or ambient FX. If I wrote dance/ techno stuff I would probably use it more. Not a big selection of sounds unfortunately. I could add more but you're really limited by the 8MB celing on those PCMCIA cards (btw, does anyone know how to use them????).