Korg Poly800/EX800 Users

I'm new here...just some thoughts. I had both the Poly 800 and 800
MKII back in the 80s, and I've always been as fascinated with this
synth's limitations as with its capabilities. As the Keyboard
Magazine review said, corners were cut in its design, but creatively
so and I consider it a fine synthesizer. Which is why I have just
caved into temptation to relive the 800 and have gotten one on ebay.

Well it's arrived, and the front of the Poly 800 is very nice
cosmetically...all lettering still intact. This is a bug plus for me,
getting one that survived its ride to the present.

Had a panic when I fired up this 800, its memory had totally dumped,
although I was able to do programming from scratch. I would swear
that my original Poly 800 had memory backup; it's a revelation to
find that with this one I will have to keep battery juice supplied in
order to retain programs. I'm thinking to maybe experiment with using
a small 9-volt battery hooked into it to accomplish this, as all my
use of the machine is done using wall-power.

About the Poly-800's single filter architecture...I don't consider it
a limitation as I did at first. I've come to accept it as part of the
reality of Korg's marketing choices at the time. I like it's single
VCF and use it with and without resonance.

I think the Poly 800 would've been awesome if it had more waveforms,
but then again I like square waves so why complain. The sawtooth
simulation is close enough for me. Long live the POLY 800!

There are instructions to replace the memory backup battery (button cell
-type, requires a bit of soldering) or alternately you can keep it full
of C cells to keep your patches when the power goes out.

radiotest2002 wrote:

>
> I'm new here...just some thoughts. I had both the Poly 800 and 800
> MKII back in the 80s, and I've always been as fascinated with this
> synth's limitations as with its capabilities. As the Keyboard
> Magazine review said, corners were cut in its design, but creatively
> so and I consider it a fine synthesizer. Which is why I have just
> caved into temptation to relive the 800 and have gotten one on ebay.
>
> Well it's arrived, and the front of the Poly 800 is very nice
> cosmetically...all lettering still intact. This is a bug plus for me,
> getting one that survived its ride to the present.
>
> Had a panic when I fired up this 800, its memory had totally dumped,
> although I was able to do programming from scratch. I would swear
> that my original Poly 800 had memory backup; it's a revelation to
> find that with this one I will have to keep battery juice supplied in
> order to retain programs. I'm thinking to maybe experiment with using
> a small 9-volt battery hooked into it to accomplish this, as all my
> use of the machine is done using wall-power.
>
> About the Poly-800's single filter architecture...I don't consider it
> a limitation as I did at first. I've come to accept it as part of the
> reality of Korg's marketing choices at the time. I like it's single
> VCF and use it with and without resonance.
>
> I think the Poly 800 would've been awesome if it had more waveforms,
> but then again I like square waves so why complain. The sawtooth
> simulation is close enough for me. Long live the POLY 800!
>
>
>

I opened up the Poly 800 and saw no sign of a button cell, unless
it's on the trace side of a circuit board.

--- In korgpolyex@yahoogroups.com, Tim Bieniosek <tab27@d...> wrote:
> There are instructions to replace the memory backup battery (button
cell
> -type, requires a bit of soldering) or alternately you can keep it
full
> of C cells to keep your patches when the power goes out.
>
> radiotest2002 wrote:
> >
> > I'm new here...just some thoughts. I had both the Poly 800 and
800
> > MKII back in the 80s, and I've always been as fascinated with
this
> > synth's limitations as with its capabilities. As the Keyboard
> > Magazine review said, corners were cut in its design, but
creatively
> > so and I consider it a fine synthesizer. Which is why I have just
> > caved into temptation to relive the 800 and have gotten one on
ebay.
> >
> > Well it's arrived, and the front of the Poly 800 is very nice
> > cosmetically...all lettering still intact. This is a bug plus for
me,
> > getting one that survived its ride to the present.
> >
> > Had a panic when I fired up this 800, its memory had totally
dumped,
> > although I was able to do programming from scratch. I would swear
> > that my original Poly 800 had memory backup; it's a revelation to
> > find that with this one I will have to keep battery juice
supplied in
> > order to retain programs. I'm thinking to maybe experiment with
using
> > a small 9-volt battery hooked into it to accomplish this, as all
my
> > use of the machine is done using wall-power.
> >
> > About the Poly-800's single filter architecture...I don't
consider it
> > a limitation as I did at first. I've come to accept it as part of
the
> > reality of Korg's marketing choices at the time. I like it's
single
> > VCF and use it with and without resonance.
> >
> > I think the Poly 800 would've been awesome if it had more
waveforms,
> > but then again I like square waves so why complain. The sawtooth
> > simulation is close enough for me. Long live the POLY 800!
> >
> >
> >

Right, there isn't one now, but there are instructions to add one.
Somewhere. It wasn't obvious, but I did it without much hassle.

radiotest2002 wrote:

>
> I opened up the Poly 800 and saw no sign of a button cell, unless
> it's on the trace side of a circuit board.
>
>
> --- In korgpolyex@yahoogroups.com, Tim Bieniosek <tab27@d...> wrote:
>
>>There are instructions to replace the memory backup battery (button
>
> cell
>
>>-type, requires a bit of soldering) or alternately you can keep it
>
> full
>
>>of C cells to keep your patches when the power goes out.
>>
>>radiotest2002 wrote:
>>
>>>I'm new here...just some thoughts. I had both the Poly 800 and
>
> 800
>
>>>MKII back in the 80s, and I've always been as fascinated with
>
> this
>
>>>synth's limitations as with its capabilities. As the Keyboard
>>>Magazine review said, corners were cut in its design, but
>
> creatively
>
>>>so and I consider it a fine synthesizer. Which is why I have just
>>>caved into temptation to relive the 800 and have gotten one on
>
> ebay.
>
>>>Well it's arrived, and the front of the Poly 800 is very nice
>>>cosmetically...all lettering still intact. This is a bug plus for
>
> me,
>
>>>getting one that survived its ride to the present.
>>>
>>>Had a panic when I fired up this 800, its memory had totally
>
> dumped,
>
>>>although I was able to do programming from scratch. I would swear
>>>that my original Poly 800 had memory backup; it's a revelation to
>>>find that with this one I will have to keep battery juice
>
> supplied in
>
>>>order to retain programs. I'm thinking to maybe experiment with
>
> using
>
>>>a small 9-volt battery hooked into it to accomplish this, as all
>
> my
>
>>>use of the machine is done using wall-power.
>>>
>>>About the Poly-800's single filter architecture...I don't
>
> consider it
>
>>>a limitation as I did at first. I've come to accept it as part of
>
> the
>
>>>reality of Korg's marketing choices at the time. I like it's
>
> single
>
>>>VCF and use it with and without resonance.
>>>
>>>I think the Poly 800 would've been awesome if it had more
>
> waveforms,
>
>>>but then again I like square waves so why complain. The sawtooth
>>>simulation is close enough for me. Long live the POLY 800!
>>>
>>>
>>>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

Thanks, I'll keep a lookout for info on how to add backup power. Or
there are other possibilities, like simply keeping program banks on
tape and loading them onto the 800 as needed.

--- In korgpolyex@yahoogroups.com, Tim Bieniosek <tab27@d...> wrote:
> Right, there isn't one now, but there are instructions to add one.
> Somewhere. It wasn't obvious, but I did it without much hassle.
>
> radiotest2002 wrote:
>
> >
> > I opened up the Poly 800 and saw no sign of a button cell, unless
> > it's on the trace side of a circuit board.
> >
> >
> > --- In korgpolyex@yahoogroups.com, Tim Bieniosek <tab27@d...>
wrote:
> >
> >>There are instructions to replace the memory backup battery
(button
> >
> > cell
> >
> >>-type, requires a bit of soldering) or alternately you can keep
it
> >
> > full
> >
> >>of C cells to keep your patches when the power goes out.
> >>
> >>radiotest2002 wrote:
> >>
> >>>I'm new here...just some thoughts. I had both the Poly 800 and
> >
> > 800
> >
> >>>MKII back in the 80s, and I've always been as fascinated with
> >
> > this
> >
> >>>synth's limitations as with its capabilities. As the Keyboard
> >>>Magazine review said, corners were cut in its design, but
> >
> > creatively
> >
> >>>so and I consider it a fine synthesizer. Which is why I have
just
> >>>caved into temptation to relive the 800 and have gotten one on
> >
> > ebay.
> >
> >>>Well it's arrived, and the front of the Poly 800 is very nice
> >>>cosmetically...all lettering still intact. This is a bug plus
for
> >
> > me,
> >
> >>>getting one that survived its ride to the present.
> >>>
> >>>Had a panic when I fired up this 800, its memory had totally
> >
> > dumped,
> >
> >>>although I was able to do programming from scratch. I would
swear
> >>>that my original Poly 800 had memory backup; it's a revelation
to
> >>>find that with this one I will have to keep battery juice
> >
> > supplied in
> >
> >>>order to retain programs. I'm thinking to maybe experiment with
> >
> > using
> >
> >>>a small 9-volt battery hooked into it to accomplish this, as all
> >
> > my
> >
> >>>use of the machine is done using wall-power.
> >>>
> >>>About the Poly-800's single filter architecture...I don't
> >
> > consider it
> >
> >>>a limitation as I did at first. I've come to accept it as part
of
> >
> > the
> >
> >>>reality of Korg's marketing choices at the time. I like it's
> >
> > single
> >
> >>>VCF and use it with and without resonance.
> >>>
> >>>I think the Poly 800 would've been awesome if it had more
> >
> > waveforms,
> >
> >>>but then again I like square waves so why complain. The sawtooth
> >>>simulation is close enough for me. Long live the POLY 800!
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Yahoo! Groups Links
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >

I think it's a bit too expensive....




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Hi guys
I'm a newbie here nice to know you all. Just got Poly 800 mint condition into my collection. I've to said this unit is a little wonder indeed.

Welcome aboard!

Mike.

--- In korgpolyex@yahoogroups.com, "kbjazzman" <kbjazzman@...> wrote:
>
> Hi guys
> I'm a newbie here nice to know you all. Just got Poly 800 mint condition into my collection. I've to said this unit is a little wonder indeed.
>