Quasimidi Quasar

I am a guitarist, not a keyboarder - I use this unit with a Yamaha-Sequenzer and I have not been into midi-controlling and synthesizers before. But no problem
at all... The Qusar is very simple to use.

Okay, the unit is ten years old now - but if you like typical eighties or nineties wave or techno-sounds, this unit is very very good... Especially the T.R.E. and
Hardcore expansions are great... Cool drumsounds (808, 909). A fine thing is the easy to use arpegiator - helped me to find the typical dark elektro / industrial /
goth sounds (Nine Inch Nails, Die Krupps, Project Pitchfork). Play it with the MSP or Sounds of Ravolution Disks - you'll love it.

No problems at all. Very solid.

Quasimidi do not longer exist - a shame.

Well, usually I'm a guitarist and I play electronic based goth... I started using synths and sequenzers about two years ago. If it was stolen, I would buy a new
one - for sure! Check it out at ebay... The Quasar is not expensive but offers you many, many interessting sounds. I'll check out the Technox-expander next

Version 2.00. This was my first sound module and came without a manual but it's real easy to use - choosing sounds, adding fx and creating your own performance sounds are a breeze. The screen features just two lines but this is all you need. I managed to get a copy of the manual which showed me a few more things - it's written in a easy-to-read and understand way!

The Quasar features over 1000 single-sounds in ROM. 200 performance-layered sounds in ROM and 100 editable performance sounds. It uses PCM, sutractive, FM and additive synthesis to create it's sounds. It features a 6db/12db/24db filter with self oscillation and more than 50 effects! Also has an arpeggiator and 19 drumsets. The Quasar can be fitted with two boards of which three were made (T.R.E. , Hardcore and RAM boards). Mine came fitted with the TRE board. It features 2 MIDI ins-so you can play with a friend!!!

Its chock full of sounds - some excellent, some very poor. It features a reasonable GM soundset, excellent organ selections, some excellent synth sounds (some used on classic tracks - the music of Kraftwerk, JMJ, countless 80's synth acts). Using with the arp can create very interesting sounds and layering up in performance can create a beefy sound out of weak ones. Many people mention the muddiness of the sounds - this is true for some but generally I find the Quasar soundset to be very good, although some sounds are very 80's!!! The onboard FX are okay but nothing to get excited about - they do their job, the reverb is good on most sounds -their are 22 reverbs to choose from and each one is editable.

My secondhand Quasar has been rock solid - no problems.

Quasimidi are no longer with us. Their is a Quasimidi Yahoo group which you can share info with and stuff. You can get Quasar boards from Germany off eBay, and their is a Quasar knocking about on eBay now and then.

If my Quasar was robbed I would get another if the price was reasonable - for what the Quasar can do and it's reliability I think that paying over #300 would be too much unless you could find a mint unit with manual and box - very rare!!!

I find the Quasar an excellent sound module and with the 808, 909 na 626 drum machine sounds routed through my korg es-1 I have these classic drum machines also!!!

If your after a sound-module with different sounds to everybody else then you could do a lot worse than the Quasar. When it was originally released in 1994(I think) it cost just short of a grand(UK) and the expansion boards where #200 each - so if you can get one for #300 I'd say thats pretty good value for money!!!

I use a PC running Cubase5 with a Korg MS2000, a EMU Audity TC Electronic M300, Roland SPD-6, Korg ES-1 and EA-1 and a Behringer V-AMP2.

I have software Version 2.00.

Editing is done using offsets which really sucks.

Some sounds are subtractive, some additive and some are made using FM, the filter section only affects the subtractive sounds.

The hardware user interface has a great potential with the 4 knobs, the big dial and the numeric keyboard on the left but
I it is not used full by Quasimidi.

24 voices, arpeggiator (the first modern synth with one!!), many presets, 2 Expansion Slots, 2 MIDI in's, 4 separate out's (but you can't use the FX section anymore when using them)

But this is mainly a preset synth, you can't really get deep into sound programming here.

Hmmm, this unit was released in early 1994.

Many voices packed into 6 MB ROM and you can hear that, the sound quality is bad and mulmy (an exciter is a must have for this unit).

The onboard effects are only good for strange lo-fi sounds (e.g. using the ring mod or vocoder).

Using the performance mode you can get some very charactestic lo-fi sounds out of this machine, but I wouldn't recommend it, better buy an Emu Orbit or Yamaha TG-500 or so, you can make them sound lo-fi using special effects (bit crusher, overdrive, etc.).

Sometimes this unit freezes and I must switch the power off and on to get it work again, very bad.

The knob quality is also not very good, but ok.

Quasimidi got insolvent in 1999, so there is no customer support.

I buyed that unit in 1996 used and never needed it to be repaired so I have no fear.

On Ebay there are sometimes some articles with replacement parts for this unit.

Was my third unit after a MS-10 and a yamaha TG-100.

When I got it in 1996 it found it great, but later I recognized that even the lame TG-100 (mainly a General MIDI module) sounds better.

Know I use for lo-fo sounds and mulmy pads. But if it gets broken or stolen or so I wouldn't buy a new one.

First, this module is a bit weird. Most controls are part-oriented, ie the filter, resonance, ADSR, etc edting is done in a part basis rather thant on a patch basis. A bit confusing in the beginning, but this can lead to interesting results once you figure it out. Then it becomes clear and straightforward. Editing is rather easy in spite of the 2-line LCD display.

1000 presets, 400 performances (with the ROM TRE extension). 64 voice polyphony. 16-part multitimbral, apregiator, 2 effects processor (a bit weak), 6 audio outs, 4 midi ports (2 ins). The instrument even implements FM and additive synthesis on many sounds.
The modulation matrix is very complex and enables to build rich controller setups.

The Quasar is a good polyvalent sound module (pianos, eps, beautiful organs and strings, great accordions, etc.) but it does its best in emulating synths (the vast majority of the internal sounds). Analog emulations are absolutely faithful and pads are exquisite. The drum sets are of great quality (especially CR78/TR808/TR909 and brushes).
The onboard effects are not that good but offer useful special effets like wha+distortion.
The arpgiator can also be edited in my many ways.

Solid as a German rock !

Never faced any problem. So far, so good. Hopefully, I'll never have to get customer support as Quasimidi was closed down.

If it was stolen, I'd probably get another Quasar if I can find out one first! No doubt I enjoy mine, especially for pads and drum sounds.

The presets sound good.....at first, if you dig deeper and try more, the presets become very dull and simple...
Manual is good.

Polyphony etc. is no problem...FX are very bad..delay's are very troubled and the reverb sounds very thin...

I give it 2 for the number of sounds...BUT...the whole Quasar sounds like one has turned down the treble...very unbright!!
I traded the blasted thing for a Roland JV 1080 which is 100 times better and brighter...

N/A

N/A

Sorry Quasimidi-fans...If you hear [for example]a JV1080 next to the Quasar, you ask yourself why the hell you bought this one...The Quasar sounds very thin and it's as if you've got a pillow in front of your speakers, so troubled....
I returned my Quasar after one week and exchanged it for a JV1080 which i still have....

Very easy to use. The software i'm using is 2.0, which it came with. The presets sound really good. There are plenty of sounds to work from. The lcd screen is good also. The manual is pretty good, but there are some parts you'll have to read over and over. You can easily edit any preset and performance by the turn of a dial.

It features over 1000 sounds in ROM, 200 layer sounds, and tons of effects. You also get 19 drumsets, 2 midi ins, and 6 audio outputs. The polyphony is at least 16 because you can play 16 sounds all at once. The effects are reverbs, delays, vocoders, and fx. There are many types of these effects. They are also really good. There are 2 expansion slots to add more sounds. I have the Techno/Rave card, and it is great. When you change a preset, you can write it so it will stay that way. There is no sequencer, but a really good arpeggiator. This synth modulates analog sounds. It does a good job at doing this. There are no knobs for realtime controls on filters.

The piano sounds are alright, but they could be better. All the string, guitar, drums, and orchestra instruments sound great. There are really great pad sounds, and synth sounds as well. This unit is probably made for every type of music. It is a analog modulating synth, so you get warm sounds. It has great sounds for rock, jazz, and movie scores. But the other half of the sounds are for electronic/techno. The drums aren't the best for techno, but they work. It is just a synth that everybody needs for a backround synth. Basically, this synth rocks.

I can really depend on it. I only use it in my studio, so using it out on a live gig would do okay. No problems with finding sounds.

I have delt with the company. They are mainly located in Germany, but they have a office in the United states. There are pretty helpful.

I probably wouldn't let it get stolen, but if it did, I don't think I would buy another. There are rare, so you would have a hard time finding another. For the money, you can't go wrong. I have had it a short time, but it seems to be worth it. Everybody today is using the Rolands, Korgs, and Yahmaha's. Everybody just sounds the same. Don't get me wrong, I like all those companies, but you need to just try something else sometimes. I think this unit probably compares to a Roland JV-2030 module. The Quasar helps me fill in those spots in a song where you need a little extra sound. It's perfect for what I do.