Yamaha CS1x

Editing is fairly straight-forward, with parameters such as Attack ,Decay, Sustain, LFO, etc., and on-board effects displayed on a grid that can be selected with a rotary switch and a series of toggling buttons. The editing interface is very reminiscent of Sequential Circuits synths, with two of the six knobs to the left (assign 1 and 2) dedicated to adjusting each parameter - since I also have an SC Six-Trak, I can very readily note the similarity. Would have made more sense to me, however, to place the assign knobs nearer to the parameter selection interface (they're nearly on opposite ends), but otherwise its fairly intuitive.

Presets vary depending upon the type of sound. Bear in mind this is NOT a VA synth...its a digital sample-playback machine that has analog-style controls. That said, the pads and synth leads/bass are pretty solid, and with a little tweaking you can approximate classic analog sounds decently. The acoustic GM sounds are *OK*, but nothing extraordinary. The Pianos are fair, and one nice aspect is that you can emulate a sustain pedal using the real-time attack/decay knobs. Broadly speaking for acoustic instrument emulation, I think Roland and Alesis do a slightly better job than Yamaha. Organs are decent, but really shine if you apply some of the on-board effects, particularly rotary and distortion. One thing I do not like is the application of DSP hall effects on nearly every acoustic preset, but this can be easily tweaked out.

Manual's OK to get started, but can be tedious if too much attention is paid to it. Best bet is to skim it first, then tinker with the controls to gain hands-on experience with the editing.

I believe there is an open source patch editor available online, but I've never used it, and frankly, the user-friendliness of the on-board editing is decent enough that I'm unsure as to how valuable the software editor would be.

Polyphony is 32, easily enough for my purposes, and since this is not a workstation/arranger (and therefore, no sequencer), I feel its sufficient. The lack of sequencing and expansion are what bring my rating down in this category.

Built-in effects are a strength of this synth - they're superb IMO. In conjunction with the organs and synth patches, you can produce some really marvelous sounds. I've been able to emulate John Lord-style distorted organs almost to a tee simply with the on-board effects. The sound engineer at one of my band's gigs (about 10 years ago) was floored by this patch.

Since this was primarily a board I used for live performance, I can't speak much for the MIDI capability. Judging only by the features and the few instances where I've used the MIDI functions, it seems like it would make a decent controller.

Keyboard action is adequate, neither excellent nor bad in my view as this is obviously not intended to simulate the weighted action of a piano.

Reacts to velocity.

Although the synth was designed for techno/electronica, and works ideally for this as I've dabbled with recording in the genre myself, I beg to differ with anyone who doesn't believe its good in a rock band setting. It is a really fantastic and versatile live instrument, and is useful in both genres. I would, however, look elsewhere if Classical is your specialty.

See 'ease of use' for acoustic instrument emulation.

See 'features' for my take on the built in effects.

Rock solid..had this board in long-term storage for over 5 years, and it powered right up with the original battery. Banged the crap out of it in a padded gig-bad for live shows for 2 years, and it never complained. My only two qualms are with the plastic knobs themselves (I've had to replace one that broke) and the power supply was junk, but remedied with a replacement from the 'Shack'. Otherwise extremely reliable, enough for live use without a backup.

Have never dealt with Yamaha, so I couldn't say.

If it did die on me, I would probably replace rather than repair it given how inexpensive they've become over the years.

This is a great board to get a comprehensive palette of sampled analog, ethereal synth sounds at a bargain-basement price (they seem to run about $1-200 now). If you're looking for pianos, clavichord and harpsichord, however, its adequate...but nothing out of this world.

Its a very useful machine overall. Certainly contributes, rather than inhibits, recording.

VA's were too expensive for my budget at the time (97...I was therefore looking at JP-8000 and Nord Lead), so I got this instead. Too bad the Alesis Ion wasn't around at that time.

Recently I found tape recordnings which I did with my ex CS1X back in 1997. Almost 10 years later I am writing a review from memory, simply because the blue box deserves it.
Of course this is simple to use and even simple to program. There are not so many options which consume your time. More or less play and enjoy. Program editing means layering up to 4 samples and add some effects.

Compared to the budget synths you can buy today, e.g. Alesis Micron, MicroKorg or Xiosynth the CS1X virtually has no features. But at least it has...
- a decent filter
- some basic effects
- extremely cool design and high fun factor

Some - but not many - very good sounds (maybe 20 of 128 presets). At that time I was in love with these. Unfortunately the ability to create your own sounds is very limited. The drums and GM instruments suck, too. When compared to a Waldorf Microwave which was also very popular at that time the CS1X wasn't much of a synth.

nothing to complain - its built to last 100 years.

Time and again I feel sorry for selling the CS1X after only 2 years but at that time I needed some cash for a bass guitar or drum machine. Now I know I should have kept it.
In the end I got bored by the CS1X mostly because it was not that piece of gear that I really needed.
Nevertheless the CS1X was a very cool and useful instrument which I've been missing ever since although I own a much better VA synth today.
Long live the CS1X.

OK so... the presets sound cool. Some are great, some not so. Plenty of classic sounds are emulated
Editing patches is very immediate with the 6 control knobs, then a button matix for other edits. This is ok I supose

I use this as a live synth. For this it is great. I have found using the CS1X in a MIDI setup a real hassle. Only one voice at a time you see

Fantastic... Ten years of problem free use. It has had drinks spilt on it, was kept in a softcase for the majority of the time, no trouble. The only thing i would suggest is to have a spare power adaptor, these break quite easily

Yamaha were rubbish when I first got this and wanted some advice on useing it in a MIDI environment.

If it was lost or stolen, I would get another for the price you can pay now. I love this synth to bits, I have outgrown it's functionality now but love it regardless

CS1x was Yamaha's early responce for market demands for "analog" synthesizers- followed by AN1x. Aimed a "budget synth" it scored Synth of the Year for Keyboard Magazine and Future Music.

In few words: You get what you pay for, and in this case, that wasn't much.

Presets are really ok, they demonstrate every aspect of this machine, however they tend sometimes to be a little "dreamy" and tend to emulate various other synths like Prophets, Wavestation, SY...

Editing is pretty straightforward, however several parameters aren't covered by "matrix" on the front panel and need to be set explicitly by external editor.

New units came with ordinary, well written manual which briefli described everything important, but also with Blue Book, a really neat tutorial, introducing to "hidden" features of this device.

The engine is, like on most low budget synths from Yamaha at that time, taken from MU-50, enchanced by additional waveforms. Therefore it has a CS1x performance section, but is also a full featured XG engine- which you can use simultaneously. The polyphony is 32, but drops down pretty fast as most XG sounds use two waveforms. The nice addition is in form of 6 multipurpose knobs (by default defined as attack, release, CC95, cutoff, resonance, and CC96- but that's freely definable), and ability to store two settings of those in so called "scenes"+ seamless switching between them with modulation wheel.
There's also an arpeggiator, which does excellent job.

The effect processor is again shared with MU series, and it has 3 separate sections (Reverb, Chorus, Variation). They sound neither bad, nor extraoridinary: just ok.

As this was a "budget" synth, most care has been taken of the guts, leaving the exterior "cheap": therefore, you have a cheap plastic keyboard (hell to play, but still works, doesn't jam or squeak), rubber switches and plastic knobs. But it doesn't mean it's not reliable- my was working since I bought it in 98- without even changing battery. There's no patch storage (user patches)- everything must be edited by MIDI, or within performances. You won't be given any expansion option either.

As for MIDI, it's XG- any questions about that (out-of-the-box it responds to 14 CCs)? Regardless of mode you'll get 16 part multitimbral MU-50 compatible section too (in performance mode limited to 12; switching it off is tricky- you will have to actually switch off the parts).

As XG machine, it covers all sorts of GM/XG related timbres, and adding some twist to it in performance mode. As CS1x, it's really capable little beast.
So:
A performance consists of 4 layers=standard synthesizer blocks.
While pretty minimalistic, it's pretty enough: sample based oscillator, with 5 stage pitch envelope and realtime panning (also has random pan),
put thru 12dB/oct digital filter with ADSR envelope (buggy, I might add). Then there's an ADSR amp envelope and fx (in performance mode variation effect is only switchable, and cannot be used in multitimbral section). You also have a single LFO section per layer/patch, with really good sync and ability to modulate pitch, amp and filter. There's S&H too.

It does respond very well, even too well, to velocity. Aftertouch is worse, there's a choice of velocity curve, but because of poor quality of keyboard, doesn't do any good.

Output quality is really good, noise level is low (S/N 85dB), it does tend to be a little to muddy in the middles but you can easily correct it with EQ. The quality of samples spreads from excellent to rather average- but still does much of a punch. The quality of playback is good, however you will notice aliasing noise pretty often here.

Looks fragile, but isn't. Went on vacation with me several times and still works great.

Hadn't had a problem, people at Yamaha were very helpful.

Definitely a musician's friend, it's cheap, it has that bang for the buck. I'd love to keep it for all times. It's still, the second being the Wavestation, the main engine in my music.

Very simple synth - that's both a good and bad thing. I got this one used without a manual but didn't really need one. I downloaded one from Yamaha eventually. If you ever used a real synthesizer before you can figure this one out. I like the real time controls. When it came out this was one of the only "analog" style synths with this many knobs at a bargain price.

Cheap, chinsy keyboard - action is non-weighted and springy. This keyboard is not very flexible as a controller. No expansion capabilities. No sequencer, basic arpeggiator presets.

This keyboard is only good for electronic synth sounds. The general MIDI sounds are not any better than a cheap sound card. The pianos, strings, brass, drums, etc. are all terrible. However the analog and electronics synths are great and you have some real-time control with the knobs. The electric pianos are good and you can get some great cheesy organ sounds. Effects are good for a unit of this caliber.

It's easy to loose knobs, and the pots for volume and control are starting to get scratchy and hard to move now after a few years. The whole thing is plastic and feels like a portasound keyboard, but I love it for the few synth sounds that are good. This is a cheap, semi-disposable board.

Yamaha is a very good company to deal with. They have many authorized service centers.

I had used this board before when it forst came out. When I needed a cheap synth for some fusion gigs I bought a used one, but I wouldn't be heartbroken if it died and I had to buy something else.

I own the Cs1x Editor , but I can use my Blue Baby blind. Got it since 3 Years...
The Matrix looks at first a little confusing , but after working with the Manual , it all becomes clear.
the Manual is worked out for me.....

32 voices , wich usually is okay , except you Layer up some bigger String sounds with long Release. But usually I can work with the 32 Voices.

The Effects are kinda the Synthesis of this Sample based Synthesizer.
Usually the Sounds suck without using the effects.
As example , I Layer 4 different Strings and put Chorus4 on it wich
makes it thicker. The Delays are actually not bad.
It got some more specialized Effects like Rotary Speaker , WahWah
and a very decent Phaser.
Like I say , the Effects should be seen as Synthesis.

No expansions like on the EMus or the new Yamahas.

The Keys are not hammer weighted , but for Techno/Trance Producers that should not be a big deal.
I think for starters the Cs1x is awesome for controlling Software Synths like Native Instruments Pro5 , the Waldorf PPG or whatever
VST Synth you got. Plus you get a a decent Samnple based Unit , so
when you get fed up using the Computerscreen you can go Nuts with your Synth...plus , it got some Drumkits wich are helpfull when nothing else is available...

Realistic ? This is not an Sampler , Korg Triton or Yamaha Motif...its an TECHNO-TRANCE-HOUSE Performance Sample Unit.

So , when your starting out making Electronic Music wich is more Happy then you should maybe get the Cs1x.
For Drum & Bass , Hardcore or 2Step you maybe should look for something different , becouse the Cs1x got a pretty Warm happy Sound
to it , its very hard to make the Cs1x sound Undergroundy.
When you own some good Outboard Effects or DX-PlugInns like Waves Gold Bundel ( wich I own. ) then you can make , with some work , the Cs1x even sound hard & experimental.
But like I say , its good for Trance or Housy Happy Techno stuff.
I will give it a six for stand alone , with some Outboard Effects I would give it a 8.

It has a nice look to it and it seems build very good...

I just EMailed Yamaha once , and they actually EMailed me back with the Info I needed.

I might would get a different Unit , the Yamaha Cs2x or the An1x.
I got very use to my Cs1x do , and I would miss it. I use it to play my VST Synths , my Yamaha DX 200 and the Roland SH 32 on the Cs1x Keys...so its kinda my Dance Masterkeyboard.
I still use it for some Stringsounds...
I rather do would like to have the Yamaha An1x since its an Virtual Analog and the Keys are better.

But still , for the Money you get an good deal. When you produce Trance Music , this Synth would be a good start for your Setup.
Add for example a Korg Electribes Model , a Yamnaha Dx200 and a Yamaha AN 200 and you got an good Trance/ Techno Setup.

Its an awesome starter Synth , and Expierenced Producer with good Outboard Effects CAN make the Cs1x Sound decent.
Its a good Extra to every Dancefloor based Project....

I bought this unit second hand. Two of my friends got one and I liked the synth for its simplicity and small size.

The synth is very easy to use. It has very few knobs. Also, editing does not go deep. I won't go into details on how easy it is. Just a brief description:

You can edit all parameters with just a few buttons. All editable parameters are written as text on the right side of the synth. You can select groups of parameters and edit them +1/-1 easily. You've also got a numeric keypad to enter values.

There's one user bank with 128 sounds, one preset bank with an equal numer of non-editable sounds. The arpeggiator can be switched on and off with a button press. This button is yellow and cannot be missed.

Still not convinced? Try it yourself.

Ployphony is 32 notes. Enough, because you won't use it as a soundgenerator attached to a sequencer. This is mainly a dance oriented machine. Use a sampler for the main song structure and this synth to play over it. Just leads and pads.

The keyboard is rather flimsy, but adequate. Not as good as a semi-weighted board, which I like more. It does have effects, but they are average. Good enough for the sounds though. You could always add an external effects processor.

This synth is not expandable. No ROM cards can be used and there's no way to save sounds on disc. It has MIDI in and out though. There are also three pedal inputs to use. The keyboard is touch sensitive, but not to after touch.

There are some great sounds in it. Most of them are unusable for me. So I use it more as a masterkeyboard with external modules. Great thing that it's just as expensive as a cheap MIDI controller but has its own sounds.

The arpeggiator tend to be boring. The one in, say an E-mu XL-1, is much better.

This synth appears to be great for dance music. I don't create that kind of music. I make rock, pop and metal. And this is not the machine for that kind of stuff.

I won't throw it off the stairs, as it is plastic. But so far no problems with it. No weak keys or crashes. Great unit.

Not dealt with them.

Great value when bought cheap. Still much cheaper than a second hand CS2X. Great when you need a portable masterkeyboard but won't use the features of a real one (like the new Evolution MK-461C). It's just as big and it has it's own sounds, which is always handy.

I'm a bass player myself and do synths to create compositions or add some extra depth to a gig (live). I use only a few sounds from the CS1X and the other sounds come from Korg Wavestation SR, Korg 03R/W, E-mu Proteus 2000 and E-mu XL-1 modules. So I do not need a fancy synth as a masterkeyboard. That's why I value the CS1X highly.

Pretty easy to use, a lot easier than some of the older Rolands and synths. The printed matrix is very nice.

It's got it all...I can make this thing do just about anything other synths out there can do. The real time cut-off,res,release... knobs are essential.

This thing sounds amazing. Effects processing built in can ussually do the job, altho I would use a reverb send on the mix. Even the GM sounds are awesome. Sound 100% more real than a lot of synths out there for this price.

Had ONE problem with it overheating. Never had the problem again, owned it 2 years.

Never dealt with

Buy it. It will amaze you, I would definately recomend this to a first time synth buyer. Its not expensive at all, and it will not hurt you to have one around. Might even become your main controller. I fell in love with mine.

When I first bought this keyboard back in '98, it took me only a few minutes to learn all that was needed to learn. Just a great keyboard all around.

For the price (esp. back when I first bought it), this thing was loaded. 32-note polyphony. Multiple tweak knobs that can send and respond to MIDI. It would be nice to have more features - such as expansion and more polyphony, but at this price, it might be asking too much.

I like the way the keys feel - not weighted. Also, the sounds are more than adequate. Despite their lack of realism, I like how the piano and string sounds have a bit of warmth to them.

The only problems that I have with it are the arpeggiator lacking modification and the distortion getting too "hot," but both problems can be easily worked around.
As you can tell, this keyboard was made for Electronica.

Let's see...my ex-wife took a baseball bat to it, and I was still able to use it as a tone generator/knob box.

Yamaha support was found lacking. Luckily for the public, they are rarely needed.

I put my money where my mouth is - I bought another one when my ex-wife put a baseball bat to it. And, I've been happy with that investment ever since. For the small price that I've paid for it, it works wonders. All the problems that I run into with it can be easily worked around.

After a day or two most functions are easy to find without the manual!

Enough polyphony for me. Effects within the synth is enough for my needs.

Some sounds could be better. But I think most sounds have a very nice feeling to it anyway! They fit my needs.

I think the synth is made of too much fragile plastic, but I've dropped it accidently a few times and it still works fine like an atomic clock.

I owned this synth for about a month now and now I'm deeply in love with my blue box and I will NOT sell it soon.

Very easy to use... but you have to spend some time alone with it.
The matrix is a very smart idea. The editors are an added value but they are not a must. Again everithing is in the matrix.

Short of polyphony (32 voices), the key action is average. It is the MU 50 plus 0.5 meg of tecno sounds, so the midi capabilities are huge. The arpegiator is lovely and extremely addictive.
I just love those knobs!.

The performance sounds are what make this synth a must... the Xg ones are just... there. (you could use some of them ). The leads cut the drums have all the punch I need and the pads hold. What more can I say... It is not an Jp or an Juno.

It is the core of my studio. I Never had a problem with it (owned for 2 years)

N/A

I won't be selling my blue demon any time soon! I just love it. I own a korg NX5R and used to own a Roland XP 10... The CS1X is soooo different... it has a personality. I will buy another synth in te next months but I will keep this one of course!

Like anything, once you've got the feel for it, a piece of cake. Realtime effects are irreplaceable!

Everything I need for performing, studio use = n/a

I guess the performance presets are great for dance etc. but some of the basic keyboard instruments suffer in quality, especially piano, rhodes, etc.

No problems at all, fell/dropped a few times, no dramas

Showing its age (in 2002), but otherwise an excellent synth. Great feel to the keys, easy to play fast and steady, some great sounds and effects.

Won't repeat the info already here, just add a different insight:

I simply wanted something to input MIDI data into my DAW/Project Studio setup. My first choice was a Yamaha DX7, ancient technology nowadays
but built very well and all I really needed. Despite their age they still fetch up to AUD $500 secondhand. USB MIDI keyboards aren't cheap either, especially larger 61/79 key versions. At AUD $350 in the local Trade-O-Rama my CS1x was a rather tasty bargain, given its mint condition and that they cost about AUD $1400 in 1997.

So ease of use? As a knuckle dragging guitarist more at home twiddling a few knobs on an amp than a million buttons on some keyboard, but this guy isn't at all hard to work. I've skimmed the manual and blue book (found online - http://www.yamahasynth.com/classic/cs1x/cs1x.htm) quicky have got the basic jist of how it works. The big 6 knobs do cool stuff and the multi-function button matrix isn't as scary as it first seems. Switching between Performance (modelling synth stuff) and Multi (synth/GM-XG tone stuff) is simple and it hasn't taken me long (got it yesterday) to edit my own tones, add effects, and play sequences out through it via MIDI. I downloaded CS1xEdit, which some people say is vital to editting the thing properly, though, even though the LCD isn't huge, it isn't particularly hard to do on the unit itself.

See above/below for the feature list.

One of the things that really sold me about it, other than the fact it had a MIDI Out and keys, was the internal GM/XG tone generator. Yes, okay, the sounds aren't totally amazing, don't throw away your Akai S-series (or drummer!) but for composing your own stuff they're quite usable. XG sounds add some flexibility, and the effects are easy to add and aid things to sound a bit better. Having the tone generator is a big plus as far as I'm concerned.

Keyboard action is typical low-end synth - better than a toy, I used the asbeforementioned DX7 and an SY85 and they had a similar feel. Weighted keys? Be nice, perhaps not what the dance/techno guys want. Unlikely for the price, too. My only gripe here is that my sounds don't seem to be very pressue sensitive - i might have wrong setting somewhere though.

Preset #108 - Jump

Oh yes baby. Maybe it's the EVH/guitar connection, but when I heard this tone I specifically went out to learn the first few riffs of Jump... and it sounds brilliant!

The unit is capable of some right nasty noises, there's lots to play around. Creating a sound from scratch would take a lot of work, cuz there's a lot to play with, I don't pretend to unit all the LFO stuff fully, just crank the resonance knob, hit the arpeggio button and move the cutoff knob around the "sweet spot" - add a "thump thump" beat, and we have instant techno, kids.

Well, it's plastic shelled, though the chassis is metal and it isn't that light (about 7kgs). Mine will spend its foreseeable life on a desk and probably won't get moved around much. If you were to gig with it you'd want to treat it with some respect and care. Knobs are okay but wouldn't resist hitting something side on too well. Low profile buttons should fare better.

Honestly don't know. I own a heap of Yamaha stuff, guitar, home theatre DSP unit, speakers, sub. Everything's made to a very good level of quality despite their affordable prices so that's reassuring. Their Australian office is up the road so if worst comes to worst I can hunt their arses down!

The CS1x is a good buy, even better I got it so cheap. I probably won't use half its features but it's a solid, good looking piece of equipment by a reputable company and makes some great noises. Can't really say I'd buy again, unless it was going cheap... would probably look at something more upmarket, a full on sampler or high end tone generator and a weighted MIDI keyboard. But for the moment, it does an awful lot of stuff I need my gear to do. If you need a MIDI keyboard capable of making some bitchin' analogue noises and doing duties as a sound module for some moderate sequencing too, and the price is right, your ship has arrived.

Very easy with a matrix built in edition. The software editor is a good alternative for PC users.
Manual has been made by Fischer Price I think!!!

The CS1x has everything you can dream for a 300 $ second hand synth...
Effect are good even if filters definition is too limited and some effects are too noisy

The dance/techno sounds are incredible for this price !!!
If you want to make techno patterns or killer solo synth, you have everything you need and more...Piano are quite good even if I prefer Roland sounds, organ are better but you will not find any Hammond B3 here...

the weight is very light but I had no problem with it...be carefull with the power AD which is fragile

I think I would buy a CS2x or AN1x instead now but for the price it's a real present...I have a Roland RD 600 and a Clavia Micro Modular and I can say that the CS1x has its place in my set... Clavia sounds more analog (it sounds great) but there's no polyphony so that you can forget pads (or buy a Nordlead). I use the Cs1x with my Cubase and never experienced any problem...I think it's the best way to enter techno music programming...

This was my second synth, my first was a Yamaha DJX. I therefore had a steep learning curve, trying to get this thing to midi sync with Cakewalk, but that was because I just didn't know what was up. But I looked at the Net Resources, Got the Cakewalk Studioware panels, read the Blue Book, Studied the manual, and finally got it all together. I have to see everything seems really easy to use once you know your way around.

It's especially easy to modify the factory preset sounds to match the music you're making. I just lay down a beat (using Fruityloops) and just play with Local ON over it to adjust the sound to what I want it to be, save it, and then export the fruity loop to Cakewalk as an audio loop, and then just record the CS1X sound over it. Easy as Pie (or cake).

I've now looked at loads of other synths, and the CS1X doesn't have a lot of the features that some of them do, like sequencers and autoaccomp, etc. But that's not what it's for. Yamaha calls it a 'Control Synthesizer' and that's what it's good at.

I NEVER use the XG or GM sounds, they suck. I just tweak the Presets until they're what I want, and it has all the tools to do just that. It also has great effects built right in. They're easy to access. I also like that you can edit each layer of the performance just by turning that knob.

So, the features that count are the Samples, the effects, and the tools you use to edit them. Oh, and the arpeggiator. Easy enough I think. I wish Yamaha had included a dedicated software editor/librarian but CS1X edit is fine.

I find this thing gives me great control over the sounds it has included. I find I ALWAYS have to play around with them to get the exact sound I want, but hey, that's fine. I WANT them to be my sounds, not straight off the box. You set the sound up the way you want with the menus on the right, then use the knobs to tweak it as you record or jam, very nice.

I find the filter cutoff is especially good for building up to a drop. It is perfect for dance/trance/house stuff. I couldn't believe the sound you can get from this thing for $300. The sounds are straight off Ministry of Sound/Gatecrasher CD's. They sound great, clear, clean, strong.

I wish you could program the arpeggiator more, though. And it's really hard to sync the arp. with Cakewalk's midi clock. I find I have to just make sure the arp tempo matches the beat, and trigger it with the sequencer at just the right time. But that's OK, I can now get it to syncopate by delaying the trigger slightly off the beat. Cool.

I haven't had any problems, so I don't know. Sometimes notes stick using fruityloops as a sequencer, so I just don't do it. I want to try it with a hardware sequencer before i gig with it, see how it works.

I got the manuals free online, but I wish the Blue Book had been more accessible. I have not had to contact Yamaha, but I hate dealing with big companies. I'd take it to a dealer first.

As my studio expands to match my drive to play music, I will be adding more gear. I'm getting an electribe em-1, I use fruityloops and all the dxi plugins. I will also eventually get another synth. But I will keep this one. And I would replace it if it got ripped off.

I think for what it is, it's great. It produces great sounds if you tweak it, and that's the point, isn't it? Use it as a tool with other tools, and it does it's job. It works great with Cakewalk (V9). If you do use it with Cakewalk, just make sure you know the sysex commands, makes it much easier.

As long as you get cs1edit, and link it up to a pc / or mac

Features are limited, dodgy midi linking, nice twiddly nobs to the left, complicated wierdness to the right.

You get some amazing spacey sounds from this, as well as some killer dance sounds, and its crystal clean

Seems to be very dependable, as others have said, I would prefer it
if the case had more absorbtion of shock so that if it gets dropped the case bounces and not the internals

Not great, couldnt get what I needed without a lot of searching on the internet, for the blue book, cs1xedit and lots of patches / sounds. When I get some time I'll upload all the above to ...
www.aquaphonics.freeserve.co.uk (/gear/cs1x.htm)

If you can pick up one of these second hand and cheap get it, it really can lift the originality of sounds in a dance track (IMHO).
Check out what it can do with some electribes at.
www.garageband.com/damxes303 (track2 cs1tribe
www.aquaphonics.freeserve.co.uk (/gear/cs1x.htm)

Using this synth is easy enough, but editing and working your way around the operating system for the first time proved, for myself, tricky. The manual teaches the basics, but doesn't help much otherwise. The GM sounds are not nice, but the performance sounds are good considering the price you pay. Although you can only use one performance sound, which is disapointing.

The synth in action is good, there are 6 control knobs that you can use to model each sound in real-time, 4 of them are user asignable. The other two control the resonance and cut off frequencies, which are generaly good, except a few sounds dont seem to sound much different. It also has the usual pitch-bend and Mod wheels, and 2 foot-pedal controlers and an audio in function.

Dont get this synth if you hate dance / trance style music. The performance sounds are good if tweeked abit, I particulary like the string patches, very good for trance / trip hop music. GM sounds dont sound realistic, get a korg for that. The anolog modeling is very good though and reacts straight away when you tweek it, it also transmits midi when you adjust any knob, which is good.

Nothing has gone wrong with it yet, I have had it 2 years, I mainly use it in the studio but have gigged with it. Yep, its reliable!

I have called customer support a few occassions, and they where very helpfull, they even taught me a few hacks to get an extra 4 performance sounds.

If it were lost or stolen, I would buy the CS2x or maybe the CS6x, or maybe something different altogether! Who knows?
What I love about it is its anolog modeling, and the ability to control the sounds via midi, I know most synths do that, but if your on a budget (like me) and wanna make techno (like me) then you cant go wrong.

Ok this was my first synthesizer and in the beginning i was quite unfamiliar to edit the sounds. After a while i learned it's possibilities and a useful software helped me.

There should be more polyphony, 32 is too little when it's a really good MIDI-synth. The effects are reasonably good, but the chorus and reverb effects aren't powerful enough and they sound quite the same.

There are a lot of sounds, and to build a performance from 4 sounds it's really good. Good basslines and pads, even though the Preset sounds aren't that impressive, you can make your own that sounds much cooler. I play in a rock/heavy band and the organ and piano sounds are reasonably good. But this synth is more to techno and dance. You can also make a lot of weird sounds and tweak the sounds which makes this a good live-instrument. I wasn't that impressed in the beginning with the sounds but if you're motivated enough to make sounds of your own with it, it's fun. The XG sounds aren't that good though, there are a lot of them too choose from, but they are better to be edited.

Caution: It's very sensitive to temperature-differencies!! The LCD-screen goes nuts after it was about 1 minute in the cold and it stays for that condition for a long time. Otherwise it shows a lot of numbers or it's completely blank! The keys feel quite numb when played a while. You have to be careful with it and it's best in the studio or at home.

Not yet.

I really love this synth. It gets better with the time actually, if you're motivated enough.

this thing is so easy to use and its fun.
very easy to edit the patches .

has many built in effects. reverb, delay, ect. all the basics
no expansion that i know of.
full xg midi capabilities over 500 xg sounds
no sequencer just user and performance banks plus general midi.
you can edit all 128 performance presets
and you can just play the 128 user presets and the 128 general midi sounds

most of the sounds are decent for a synth that was made in 97.
works well for dance and techno.
on-board effects are pretty good not as best as yamaha could provide but still decent.
pretty good velocity and aftertouch

never had to call customer support

if it were lost or stolen i'd defenitly buy a new one
right now i want another
i only own yamaha cs1x and yamaha an1x
the cs2x is much better because it has twice as much presets that you can edit
trent reznor is the king of synth playing!

I use cs1x as a midi keyboard at sometime,it is good! I use cs1x as stand along piano keyboard is enough for me, with all of its Preset and muilt voice!

worse of its key touch(except its price_its is the cheapest one),fewer of it 32 note voice, and fewer of its 4.5M rom.
but if you have a computer with SB-live, it is not mind!

cs1x's voice is not best but afordable!
it's better for Dance and video post-production,very suitable!
it's effect is good also with a mic/line in,but difficult to adjust!
keytouch is not feel good!

I only depend on my CS1x, and I trust it!
I think that its knob is not easy to transport.It seems weak in hard roading!
Also, the blue body is prety on stage, and it is full of artist felling--the cs1x not only a instrucment!

on the www, there are many site about it!

I love my CS1x, I realy do not need other for my use! Either on performance and computer base production! It's full of Yamaha felling,better control than all of other syth!
it is suit for music beginner or fan, not face to an musician can play piano well! What is the type of you?
Important!!! It is the cheapest syth, What you can say any more of the feather?

overall, to use CS1x is not difficult. just tweaking 6 knobs and 2 pedals, you can edit many things. but it's 6-rotary switch-interface is little difficult to use before you familiar with it. but i think it's faster than other synth. manual is little humble. but Blue Book is great! some Performance presets is very good.

it has 6 Knobs! all 6 knobs is assignable for MIDI !! it can connect with 2 foot controllers. i made custom-knob-box and connect to foot-volume and foot controller connector. i get 2-more knobs!
wow! 8-assignable knobs!! wow, it's great!! i can control some soft-synth with these knobs.

i also own a JUNO-60. yea- that's right. JUNO has great warm voice. CS1x never can do that. but CS1x is NOT worser than JUNO. CS1x has his own voice between analog and digital soundscape. very good for experimental/ambient music.
if you find a 303-clone, CS1x is very poor. (hey, it's a CS! not a TB)
but it has 8-assignable real-time controllers. you can use these with Rebirth and emulating 303. Rebirth has fine voice, if you have a good soundcard.

case is weak. oh no... but other things are fine.

i dont' know -.-;;

i'll buy it or upgraded model(CS2x, CS6x, EX5..) again.
i play CS1x about 6 months. i also own JUNO-60, Kuzweil K2000, KORG X5DR.
i love CS1x. pretty blue-case, 6-knobs, SCENE-morphing, good sound...
it cost very cheap! i can't hate anything about CS1x
i compared it with MC303. MC303 has good drum, but... hey do you have a computer with soundcard? there is plenty of drum samples and sample based sequencer. use Fruity Loops or other pattern-based wave-sequencer. it sounds better than MC303!
i wish it has jog-shuttle, after-touch, multi-performance mode.

Samples goes along the gear maker not user.
I used randomize software to make presets,
because I had not overwiev of the vioces.

Much computing features, many controls,
Horrible possibilities
but I wish I had some good sound out of it!
I had not.

Not good - samples are tricky and dirty.

Somtimes some samples were not available

The knob I used was not reliable, but guarantee was firm an fast.

Sorry, I don' like CS1x. I feel like in a too small clothes. I want to go one way, but.. it's impossible. I want to find another... it is hard to find.
It is at most simple sample based with preprocessing of these, before the user can tweak them. So f.ex. it is sinus then internally modulated, but you can't change this modulation. You can add second one of yourself, many times there hindrances from many ways.
People read about so much knobs, controllers, filters, envelopes... but if you have bad basis you can't make a huge improvement.

Obviouslly, the operations are complex, and there need MUCH computing power, and many of them are fairly well implemented ( while oters are not). Yamaha made great computing job. Not musical, but computing. Consider a PC speaker, while it whistles it is great computing job. It is not great music. BTW CS1x whistles nearly in most of the samples. It is good in fast decaying notes, in fast rythm pieces. But i am not a thechno fan.

The complexity MAKES IMPRESSION for the first time synth user 'it's good one, modern, maybe i should buy this'. This impression is what Yamaha made correctly. But it's marketing, not music.

To this - much of the samples, which 4 make 1 performance are made for THE performance, not bothering if it could be used otherwise, possibly programing a beast. So are the samples architecture made. It is made for gear maker not for gear user. It is not fair. As with black Ford model T. It is convenient for manufacturerer. Usage of chaoticly spread voices is nightmare for me. (Scan several hundred to choose one suitable.)

The other marketing harsh and disgusting movement I don't like:
demo samples, which are not available from the face swithes. They are covered from public, but they are mostly much better than normal samples. Is it fair to feed the gear memory with trash?

So the CS1x is - it is NOT an improvement for me. Although I learned a lot what a synth can impress me in a wrong way.

I resign this gear.

It's very easy to use and i like it. This is myt first synth and it's good enough to me.

Only one performance-sound and 12 xg-sounds at once. It's not a good thing.

I don't know about the instruments. I think they're good enough.

So far no problems occured. (i have had it 2 weeks now)

I bought this as a used one, so i don't know about the Yamaha.

It's good enough for me. Ofcourse i'm a beginner but i think it's good one.

Had this Blue Baby, since it was released.
It is cheap, feels cheap and sounds cheap(the presets do).
But if you tweak the presets, you can get some allmost-killer sounds.
It is easy to use, never tried something that is more user-friendly.

The effects are good for the price. Allthougt use it ONLY in the PERFORMANCE MODE. I haven't even switched to the other mode in years.
IN PERFORMANCE MODE,you get ONE FAT sound with GOOD FX, and 12 not so fat sounds with only reverb & chorus.

The sounds are NOT realistic.
Piano sucks, the strings too, and the other "real" GM instruments are even worse. BUT! This sucker gives you good synth sounds!
So if you want some cheap techno gear, this is the cheapest and blue-est.It is sample based, so you can only select the sounds within the machine and change them a bit. It is FAR from Nordlead, ROLAND JP-8000, Korg MS2000, and all the other high end machines, where you can make your sounds from scratch.

No problem here.