Korg Polysix
More images:
The Polysix was a six voice polyphonic fully programmable analog synth. The Poly-six featured 32-program memory for instant sound recall. It was equipped with VCOs featuring Sub-Octaves and PWM for full sounds, newly developed -24dB/Oct VCFs, plus programmable Modulation and Eflects sections, which added variable Chorus/ Phase/Ensemble effects.
Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price: $1995.00
User Reviews of the Korg Polysix
- Submitted by Richard from Detroit, MI (2 points) on Dec 3, 2010
- I've used the Poly-6 for some 16 odd years. It has a fantastic user interface and is capable of creating just about any niche sound one needs. For noise (ambient or aggressive) it is certainly not a limited machine by any means. With associated final effect processing through other devices the Poly-6 can be a very useful tool. For me it is the centerpiece and main scratchpad for much of my work.
- Good Points: Very versatile and easy to freely program.
- Bad Points: As one reviewer mentioned it is old and things like batteries can be deadly to it. Replace the Battery the second you obtain one. The keyboard contacts are also a sore point and they often need special attention to keep the machine running. Like many Korgs of this era it can be a high maintenance machine.
- Price Paid: US$180.00
- Purchased At: Church rummage sale
-
Was this review helpful to you?
- Submitted by James from Towson, MD (54 points) on Nov 20, 2009
- while this is not much of a "noisemaking" unit as a rule, I you can get some wicked walls of sound with fast arpegiations and filter sweeps pushed thru an outboard delay unit. I tend to throw myine into an old quadreverb and it can make for great ambient backgrounds for you to riff over. as an older analog unit, the arpegiator is limited to jsut up/down up or down settings, nothing too fancy.
- Good Points:
- Bad Points:
- Price Paid: US$0.00
- Purchased At: fished from trash and repaired
-
Was this review helpful to you?
- Submitted by Yves from Ottawa (172 points) on Aug 24, 2004
- This is not much of a noise maker => BUT!!!! Korg has come out with a software emulators of three great synths including the MS-20 (please see my review under MS-10) and the Wavestation, which are two awesome noise sources--all for one low price. Keyboard Mag and Sound-on-sound have both given these emulations many thumbs up. And the kicker? you get a slightly smaller mock-up of the MS-20 keyboard + patch panel to control the software; the physical PATCH-PANEL can be patched with real cables in real time, like the real MS-20. This micro-controller can also play the Wavestation and Polysix software. Enough noise for years. My MS-20 has been doing it for almost twenty.
- Good Points: Real patch cords. Pink and White noise generators. Sample and hold. Filter feedback. LFO. External interface for analog input/output. Hardware interface that looks and acts like original MS-20, so there is no need to use a mouse. Craig Anderton and SOS claim better sound than the originals. Noise is very good--plenty of high and low end. Sounds quite utmostely analog and modulations act as if. Very low price for what you get. And patch memory <Aaaaaahhhhh!!!>.
- Bad Points: Well... For the emulators, you need a PC :-( and there's no SYSEX implementation. BUT!!! This is a very extremely mind-melding thing that KORG has done. Absolutely fabulous, ergonomic and useful.
- Price Paid: US$400.00
- Purchased At: tried @ SongBird, Ottawa, Canada
-
Was this review helpful to you?
- Submitted by Gus from San Francisco, CA (282 points) on Mar 3, 2002
- Thick, crushing, analog sound. Knobs for almost every parameter of its sound. Definitely a good synth to lay down thick sheets of noise. Very good to create huge low frequency rumbles. But there's a problem. Inside the housing there is a battery that is used to store the patch memory when it's shut down. Well, that battery is 20 years old now, and it has a nasty tendency to leak. And when it leaks, it leaks all over cicuit boards that can never be replaced (as nobody makes the components anymore). And in no time flat, you'll have an expensive doorstop. If you've got one of these and it's working fine, take it to a qualified tech and get the battery swapped out. If you're thinking about buying one of these, make sure to try it out and let it run for about half an hour (they sometimes malfunction more when they get warm). With any luck, you'll have better luck than I did. At least I've got a boat anchor if I need it...
- Good Points: Thick, aggressive, analog sound. Lots of knobs to tweak. Good low frequency sounds.
- Bad Points: Leaky battery that can kill the thing. That, and they can be spendy due to the collectability of old analog synths. Caveat emptor!!
- Price Paid: US$300.00
- Purchased At: Mission Loan, San Francisco
-
Was this review helpful to you?