Korg DW8000, Mono/Poly, MS-20...

OK ok,

So I opened her up to check for an internal battery, but could not 
find one as described in the 8000...there does look to be a battery 
maybe though, it looks like blue bumbpy barrel on it's side, BUT I 
have no clue about electronics at all...but check this out! When I 
closed her back up and powered her back up, when i pressed a key I 
heard a tone! I messed around for a while and programmed her for a 
bit. Got this awesome gnarly distorted bass that rocked the 
arppegiator, then after a while it started to spazz out. Like the 
tone would start distorting and changing, which was kind of cool, BUT 
was way uncontrollable that it's frusterating. It would go away by 
tapping the top of the synth in various places, but keeps coming 
back. I opened her up a second time to see if maybe I could find a 
short or something, but looks good to me. Closed her back up and she 
is still unstable, at times cool, but then wacks out. It's almost as 
though the poly-61 is deamon possessed. Any suggestions, or should I 
just pray this one through, or should I take it to my tech?

much respect,

aaron

Dude, it is SO your battery.  Really, just replace it, okay?
Replacement instructions here:
http://www.oldcrows.net/~oldcrow/synth/korg/polysix/repair.html
http://www.oldcrows.net/~oldcrow/synth/korg/polysix/repair7.html

If you go with replacing your old NiCd with a CR2032 like they do in the instructions, and 
need a battery holder for the CR2032, just email me.  I'll sell you a kit with a holder and a 
CR2032 battery for $5.

-Same offer to anyone who wants the kit for their DW8000.

I almost bought a poly61, they any good? (i got a poly800 instead...
nice little board. but you gotta play around with it to get anything
that doesnt sound like a nintendo)

--- In DW8000@yahoogroups.com, "gwai82" <gwai82@y...> wrote:

> OK ok,
> 
> So I opened her up to check for an internal battery, but could not 
> find one as described in the 8000...there does look to be a battery 
> maybe though, it looks like blue bumbpy barrel on it's side, BUT I 
> have no clue about electronics at all...but check this out! When I 
> closed her back up and powered her back up, when i pressed a key I 
> heard a tone! I messed around for a while and programmed her for a 
> bit. Got this awesome gnarly distorted bass that rocked the 
> arppegiator, then after a while it started to spazz out. Like the 
> tone would start distorting and changing, which was kind of cool, BUT 
> was way uncontrollable that it's frusterating. It would go away by 
> tapping the top of the synth in various places, but keeps coming 
> back. I opened her up a second time to see if maybe I could find a 
> short or something, but looks good to me. Closed her back up and she 
> is still unstable, at times cool, but then wacks out. It's almost as 
> though the poly-61 is deamon possessed. Any suggestions, or should I 
> just pray this one through, or should I take it to my tech?
> 
> much respect,
> 
> aaron

--- In DW8000@yahoogroups.com, "Alexander" <arf_hotdogdeity@y...> wrote:
> I almost bought a poly61, they any good? (i got a poly800 instead...
> nice little board. but you gotta play around with it to get anything
> that doesnt sound like a nintendo)


I got a Poly800 last year and sadly, I just don't like it at all.  It's in perfect shape, but I have 
to agree with you, it sounds like a nintendo.  -Actually, I think I've heard better sounds 
from a nintendo.  The synthesis is subtrative filtering, basically the same as a DW8000, 
but you only have two waveforms to start with sawtooth and square), and the keyboard 
isn't velocity or aftertouch sensitive.  -Not that I'm complaining about what it is, I mean for 
its day, it was fine, especially against synths like the Yamaha DX-100.  

To me, its greatest weaknesses are:  (1) Lack of any complex waveforms.  It just has two.  
(2) 4 note polyphony.  (3) No velocity sensitivity.  (4) No aftertouch sensitivity.

It has a pretty nice filter sweep, but that's about it.  Without velocity or aftertouch, every 
sound, even interesting ones, starts to sound pretty mechanical really fast.  

It can also run off batteries and has attachment points for a guitar strap, which is pretty 
cool, but you'd still need audio or midi cables to play it live, and without velocity or 
aftertouch, it's not terribly useful as a controller for other sound modules.

I think I'll probably be selling my Poly 800, as its sounds are just too simple, especially 
without any velocity control for expressive dynamics.

the poly800 isnt for someone who plays concertos - that thing is a
square wave lead MACHINE (wish for portamento to the synth gods... :(
 maybe when i learn 6502 assembler)

as for dynamics, use the joystick! it's fun! if you like the filters
and want more waveforms, get a DW-8000 (never used one) or a DSS-1
(OMG THIS SYNTH ROCKS... doubles as a coffee table too)

--- In DW8000@yahoogroups.com, "bugsiwabbit" <Bugsi@m...> wrote:
> --- In DW8000@yahoogroups.com, "Alexander" <arf_hotdogdeity@y...> wrote:
> > I almost bought a poly61, they any good? (i got a poly800 instead...
> > nice little board. but you gotta play around with it to get anything
> > that doesnt sound like a nintendo)
> 
> 
> I got a Poly800 last year and sadly, I just don't like it at all. 
It's in perfect shape, but I have 
> to agree with you, it sounds like a nintendo.  -Actually, I think
I've heard better sounds 
> from a nintendo.  The synthesis is subtrative filtering, basically
the same as a DW8000, 
> but you only have two waveforms to start with sawtooth and square),
and the keyboard 
> isn't velocity or aftertouch sensitive.  -Not that I'm complaining
about what it is, I mean for 
> its day, it was fine, especially against synths like the Yamaha
DX-100.  
> 
> To me, its greatest weaknesses are:  (1) Lack of any complex
waveforms.  It just has two.  
> (2) 4 note polyphony.  (3) No velocity sensitivity.  (4) No
aftertouch sensitivity.
> 
> It has a pretty nice filter sweep, but that's about it.  Without
velocity or aftertouch, every 
> sound, even interesting ones, starts to sound pretty mechanical
really fast.  
> 
> It can also run off batteries and has attachment points for a guitar
strap, which is pretty 
> cool, but you'd still need audio or midi cables to play it live, and
without velocity or 
> aftertouch, it's not terribly useful as a controller for other sound
modules.
> 
> I think I'll probably be selling my Poly 800, as its sounds are just
too simple, especially 
> without any velocity control for expressive dynamics.

I am trying to get the filter sweep sound out of my poly 800 to use 
in the opening Bass note of Tam Sawyer.
Can you help me with parameter settings?
Thanks
Joe


--- In DW8000@yahoogroups.com, "bugsiwabbit" <Bugsi@m...> wrote:
> --- In DW8000@yahoogroups.com, "Alexander" <arf_hotdogdeity@y...> 
wrote:
> > I almost bought a poly61, they any good? (i got a poly800 
instead...
> > nice little board. but you gotta play around with it to get 
anything
> > that doesnt sound like a nintendo)
> 
> 
> I got a Poly800 last year and sadly, I just don't like it at all.  
It's in perfect shape, but I have 
> to agree with you, it sounds like a nintendo.  -Actually, I think 
I've heard better sounds 
> from a nintendo.  The synthesis is subtrative filtering, basically 
the same as a DW8000, 
> but you only have two waveforms to start with sawtooth and 
square), and the keyboard 
> isn't velocity or aftertouch sensitive.  -Not that I'm complaining 
about what it is, I mean for 
> its day, it was fine, especially against synths like the Yamaha DX-
100.  
> 
> To me, its greatest weaknesses are:  (1) Lack of any complex 
waveforms.  It just has two.  
> (2) 4 note polyphony.  (3) No velocity sensitivity.  (4) No 
aftertouch sensitivity.
> 
> It has a pretty nice filter sweep, but that's about it.  Without 
velocity or aftertouch, every 
> sound, even interesting ones, starts to sound pretty mechanical 
really fast.  
> 
> It can also run off batteries and has attachment points for a 
guitar strap, which is pretty 
> cool, but you'd still need audio or midi cables to play it live, 
and without velocity or 
> aftertouch, it's not terribly useful as a controller for other 
sound modules.
> 
> I think I'll probably be selling my Poly 800, as its sounds are 
just too simple, especially 
> without any velocity control for expressive dynamics.