Frank Zappa's Yamaha CS-80 Synthesizer Plays for the first time in over 2 decades

Описание: Yamaha CS-80 #1701 brought to me for restoration. This unit originally belonged to Frank Zappa and was quite a job to restore.

Many of the palladium contacts were worn out; lots of modifications and patches to try and keep her working until the very end after touring when put out to pasture as a studio only instrument. After a complete electronics and keyboard mechanicals build, it now plays wonderfully; technically tour worthy. From cold power up in a room at 65 F to operating temperature... she stays in tune now (aside from deliberate de-tuning effects). Still a few minor adjustments (a bit overdrive) on the preamp section board dangling off to the right there. Much distortion may be from the microphones in the camera itself as the low frequencies were quite intense (low frequencies pan the camera left in the beginning). There is something very emotional between operator and instrument when it comes to these beasts, polyphonic aftertouch gives chills every time.

Recorded on a galaxy 9+ using it's own built in microphones. A few more tweaks and final tuning... this baby is going to be a solid performer. Upgrades to this CS-80 are all sealed cermet trimmers, caps 10uf and below are WIMA metalized film. Polycarbonate/mica for oscillator/filters and Polyphenylene Sulfide capacitors in audio signal path. Premium Vishay pulse sample/hold capacitors for the sample and hold circuits. A wideband Excalibur op amp to air out the original stuffy slew-rate limited white noise generator op-amp, a new low noise stereo effects delay line and transformerless balanced XLR outputs in addition to the conventional 1/4". XLR were most likely never offered on CS-80's because transformers commonly used at the time could not pass the subsonic frequencies CS-80's generate very well, hence unbalanced 1/4" jacks being the available option. Also added LEDs to the voice cards to assist with diagnostics. This machine was 100% DEAD and in sad shape when I got it. Even the rare upon rare keycoder chip (CPU) was gone. Very lucky to have a spare. All the time and effort is worth it to see and hear these sleeping beauties come back to life and sing again.

Sound preset is panel with just a wispy hint of white noise and filtered layers to mimic vocals. 8' setting bank 1 for male voice and 4' for bank 2 for female.