Yamaha CS80

Thanks Stephen
The SS30 does have variable sustain setting for both cello and violin  
--there are two knobs on the front panel
Apparently the SS30 can have a much larger sustain by making an  
internal adjustment inside the machine---I don't know how but I have  
heard one with this adjustment and it sounded better than my stock one
i would like to track down a service manual to see exactly where the  
trim pots are
Finally Tomita  only two Yamaha Synths are
http://www.isaotomita.net/recordings/daphnis.html
CS-80
Strings SS-30

cheers Dave




On 10/01/2009, at 1:45 AM, Wavecomputer360 wrote:

> Hi David,
>
> I´m no technician and have no schematics for the SS30 around but I  
> would say it´s safe to assume that the SS30 makes use of custom  
> component parts like the other Yamaha instruments from that era. To  
> my (limited) knowledge the SS30 uses divide-down circuitry with two  
> sets of top-octave generators which can be detuned against each  
> other, plus an Ensemble section which tries its best to get close to  
> the blurriness of the Solina but not quite making it. Also, the SS30  
> only has fixed settings for attack and sustain, both are not very  
> useful so you have to use the SS30 with a volume pedal and some  
> external delay line in order to "thicken" the sound a bit (Ultravox  
> used an E1010 delay line, I think).
>
> Like I said, it has absolutely nothing to do with the CS80 string  
> presets. The CS80´s sound thin and weedy -- not very realisitc by  
> any accounts -- while the SS30 has the same quality as a Solina/ARP  
> String Ensemble, i. e. making synthesised strings sound as realistic  
> as possible. Also, the SS30 has an airy quality to it (others would  
> call it "thin" or "anemic") which the CS80 can only achieve with  
> extensive EQ tweaking. All in all, as much as I like my SS30 (which  
> was formerly owned by Barbara Dickson, btw) I always find myself  
> using the VP-330´s strings (or those of the Korg PE-2000) a lot more  
> often.
>
> Being no tech, all potential failures I know of would be tantalum  
> caps going bad so these should probably be replaced. As for the  
> rest, I´d leave it untouched unless necessary.
>
> HTH,
>
> Stephen.
>
> __________________________________________________________
>
> "Ambition makes you look pretty ugly, kicking squealing Gucci little  
> piggy." (Thom Yorke/Radiohead -- "Paranoid Android")
>
> Stephen Parsick live in concert: Bochum Planetarium (Germany), 13th  
> of December, 2008, 08:00 pm.
>
> Finally available: Stephen Parsick -- Traces of the Past Redux,  
> reissued with three previously unreleased bonus tracks. For more  
> info please check www.parsick.com
>
> For legal downloads please check:
>
> http://www.musiczeit.com/directory.php?artist=296&title=Stephen 
> +Parsick
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: David
> To: Wavecomputer360
> Cc: yamahacs80@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Thursday, January 08, 2009 9:25 PM
> Subject: Re: [yamahacs80] SS30 Yamaha string synth vs CS-80 String  
> presets
>
> Stephen
> Do you have any service tops to keep SS30 in good shape--any hard to
> get I/Cs parts like in CS80
> The SS30 has actually got 4 voice cards and two VCOs per card so I
> think it is sort of a hybrid 4 voice poly with further divide down
> circuitry?
> This will link may be of interest to see the voice cards and to see
> how well built the SS30
> http://ss30m.blogspot.com/2004/10/pictures.html
>
> cheers David
>
> On 30/12/2008, at 7:48 AM, Wavecomputer360 wrote:
>
> > Hi David,
> >
> > I use a Roland VP-330 Vocoder Plus for these typical "string
> > synthesiser" sounds, plus these wonderful chorus sounds. As nice as
> > the SS30 is, it´s got too many shortcomings to really make it my
> > first choice, e. g. too short attack and decay times, ensemble not
> > continuously variable, generator detune not effective enough. It´s
> > certainly one of the nicest string synthesisers around but not the
> > be-all and end-all.
> >
> > After all, I get the best results from layering sounds, for instance
> > VP-330 strings with CS80 bass to get that full-bodied, meaty bass
> > drone with a nice contrast in the treble range. A little bit of
> > Prophet VS, Prophet 5, or Korg Wavestation adds further dimensional
> > depth.
> >
> > Stephen
> >
> > __________________________________________________________
> >
> > "Ambition makes you look pretty ugly, kicking squealing Gucci little
> > piggy." (Thom Yorke/Radiohead -- "Paranoid Android")
> >
> > Stephen Parsick live in concert: Bochum Planetarium (Germany), 13th
> > of December, 2008, 08:00 pm.
> >
> > Finally available: Stephen Parsick -- Traces of the Past Redux,
> > reissued with three previously unreleased bonus tracks. For more
> > info please check www.parsick.com
> >
> > For legal downloads please check:
> >
> > http://www.musiczeit.com/directory.php?artist=296&title=Stephen
> > +Parsick
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: David
> > To: yamahacs80@yahoogroups.com
> > Sent: Sunday, December 28, 2008 11:18 PM
> > Subject: Re: [yamahacs80] SS30 Yamaha string synth vs CS-80 String
> > presets
> >
> > Hi Stephen
> > What do you use for string wash's--the SS30 I bet?
> > String No 2 preset on CS50/60/80 records really well----I like the
> > sound better than the strings on my old ARP Omni 2 and JP8
> >
> > David
> >
> > On 29/12/2008, at 8:34 AM, Wavecomputer360 wrote:
> >
> > > They´ve got nothing in common. It´s like comparing a Mini Moog  
> with
> > > a, say, Vox Continental. A totally different sound generation,
> > > completely different signal paths... all the SS30 and the CS80  
> have
> > > in common is a very high standard of engineering and build  
> quality.
> > >
> > > I´ve got both of them here, SS30 and CS80, and they couldn´t be  
> more
> > > different timbrally. I for one would never use a CS80 for string
> > > washes.
> > >
> > > Stephen
> > >
> > > __________________________________________________________
> > >
> > > "Ambition makes you look pretty ugly, kicking squealing Gucci  
> little
> > > piggy." (Thom Yorke/Radiohead -- "Paranoid Android")
> > >
> > > Stephen Parsick live in concert: Bochum Planetarium (Germany),  
> 13th
> > > of December, 2008, 08:00 pm.
> > >
> > > Finally available: Stephen Parsick -- Traces of the Past Redux,
> > > reissued with three previously unreleased bonus tracks. For more
> > > info please check www.parsick.com
> > >
> > > For legal downloads please check:
> > >
> > > http://www.musiczeit.com/directory.php?artist=296&title=Stephen
> > > +Parsick
> > >
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: David
> > > To: yamahacs80@yahoogroups.com
> > > Sent: Sunday, December 28, 2008 7:02 PM
> > > Subject: [yamahacs80] SS30 Yamaha string synth vs CS-80 String
> > presets
> > >
> > > Which brings me to question is the SS30 strings nicer than CS-80
> > > strings?
> > > I use Strings 2 preset on my CS-50 all the time and it beats for
> > > example my old ARP Omni 2 strings, Ro;and RS 202 strings hands  
> down
> > >
> > > David
> > >
> > > On 29/12/2008, at 6:58 AM, David wrote:
> > >
> > > > On the actual track Vienna Ultravox used an SS30 Yamaha string
> > synth
> > > > and a Roland CR-78
> > > > David
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > On 29/12/2008, at 12:57 AM, Tim Siefkes wrote:
> > > >
> > > >> This has been a very interesting thread! I'm learning a few
> > that I
> > > >> was
> > > >> not aware of. For me, I'd have to echo what David Rogoff said
> > about
> > > >> the
> > > >> first UK LP "practically a CS80 demo". That was the album that
> > > got me
> > > >> hooked and made me decide I HAD to get one of these beasts!
> > > >>
> > > >> One more I'd add to the list that I don't think that I've seen
> > > >> mentioned
> > > >> yet... (apologies if it has...) is "Vienna" by Ultravox. I saw
> > them
> > > >> in a
> > > >> small club here back in about, oh 1981 or 1982, and they
> > performed
> > > >> most
> > > >> if not all of the "Vienna" album. Billy Currie had a CS-80, an
> > ARP
> > > >> Odyssey (his signature sound), the CP-30 piano, another string
> > > >> machine
> > > >> (ELKA?) and what else I can't remember right now. He used his
> > CS-80
> > > >> quite a bit. Two tracks that come to mind are "Mr. X" and
> > "Western
> > > >> Promise" where he uses what sounds like the "Funky" presets  
> in a
> > > >> percussive manner with a bit of echo. I think he's also uses  
> the
> > > >> CS-80
> > > >> low strings as the descending cello counter line underneath the
> > > >> violin
> > > >> solo in the title track.
> > > >>
> > > >> Recommendation - if you should decide to get this album, try  
> and
> > > find
> > > >> the edition with the original European track sequence, which
> > makes
> > > >> for a
> > > >> much better listening. The album SHOULD start with (the
> > > instrumental)
> > > >> "Astradyne" which is also how they opened their concert. The  
> U.S.
> > > >> release starts with "Sleepwalk", a bit of a hit single for them
> > at
> > > >> the
> > > >> time but the LP lost some flavor when they re-sequenced it that
> > > >> way, IMHO.
> > > >>
> > > >> -Tim S.
> > > >> <Twin Cities, MN>
> > > >>
> > > >>
> > > >>
> > > >
> > >
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> > >
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> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
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> >
> >
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