Yamaha CS80

Hi all:
I'm Sebastian Cordoves from Argentina, my native language is spanish,
please forgive my poor english.
I'm a recording technician, and teach music production for living.
My wife sings, togheter we have a electro-pop band.
I own some analogue synths, and know a bit about electronics, so I do
my own repairing (everytime I could).
I bought a Yamaha CS-50 about 6 years ago, it worked well for about a
year, but then it broke up. I bought a Kenton MIDI retrofit, but never
installed it because it came a few days before the synth stopped
working.
For various reasons I put the synth aside and only about a year ago
started trying to repair it.
The problem is the KAS, and I am almost sure that is one of the Yamaha
custom chips (YM26600 or YM26700). I don't have an oscilloscope, so
I do some metering with a multimeter and some of the pins are outputting
what I think is right data but others are dead. I have the schematics
of the CS-50 (Courtesy of Kenton), I'm in the process of scanning them,
I can post them later.
At the moment I'm driving one voice of the synth with the CV/Gate out
of my Novation BassStation Rack. I'm planning to buy a PAiA MIDI to CV
interface to drive the 4 voices, and install the Kenton retrofit to
control cutoff and other parameters.
But it will be great if I found the Yamaha IC's and remplace them.
Does anybody know where can I find those chips or even an entire KAS?
I've looked in e-bay and over the internet with no luck.
Thanks in advance for your help.

Sebastian

Hi Sebastian!

Welcome to the group. I'm not sure what's wrong with your CS-50, but I
don't think you have a chance of tracing it without an oscilloscope.
Lot's of the key data is time-multiplexed, so a meter won't be good
enough to see what is going on. I picked up an old 10 MHz 'scope for
about $50, which was good enough for anything in the Yamaha.

As far as finding spare KAS & DAC chips: good luck! As I posted,
someone has been selling off parts of a CS80 on eBay, but so far hasn't
put up any of the boards with the custom Yamaha chips. Actually,
CS-50s are good sources of spare parts for CS80s, but that won't help you...

I'd actually bet it's not the Yamaha chips, and it's probably some of
the CMOS chips. Anyway, if you pick up a 'scope, the service manual has
enough detail of the waveforms to see what they should be.

If you would be happy with the Kenton and the Paia, go ahead, but I
would be hesitant to put so much money into the MIDI kits, which, at
least in the US, cost more than the CS-50.

Keep us up to date on your repairs & upgrades!

David

sebastian_cordoves wrote:

> Hi all:
> I'm Sebastian Cordoves from Argentina, my native language is spanish,
> please forgive my poor english.
> I'm a recording technician, and teach music production for living.
> My wife sings, togheter we have a electro-pop band.
> I own some analogue synths, and know a bit about electronics, so I do
> my own repairing (everytime I could).
> I bought a Yamaha CS-50 about 6 years ago, it worked well for about a
> year, but then it broke up. I bought a Kenton MIDI retrofit, but never
> installed it because it came a few days before the synth stopped
> working.
> For various reasons I put the synth aside and only about a year ago
> started trying to repair it.
> The problem is the KAS, and I am almost sure that is one of the Yamaha
> custom chips (YM26600 or YM26700). I don't have an oscilloscope, so
> I do some metering with a multimeter and some of the pins are outputting
> what I think is right data but others are dead. I have the schematics
> of the CS-50 (Courtesy of Kenton), I'm in the process of scanning them,
> I can post them later.
> At the moment I'm driving one voice of the synth with the CV/Gate out
> of my Novation BassStation Rack. I'm planning to buy a PAiA MIDI to CV
> interface to drive the 4 voices, and install the Kenton retrofit to
> control cutoff and other parameters.
> But it will be great if I found the Yamaha IC's and remplace them.
> Does anybody know where can I find those chips or even an entire KAS?
> I've looked in e-bay and over the internet with no luck.
> Thanks in advance for your help.
>
>

--
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.1.385 / Virus Database: 268.3.4/299 - Release Date: 3/31/2006

Hi David:
Thanks for your words.
I know that an oscilloscope is what I need, but I meter some pins
that supossedly output steady ones or zeros, not pulses, and they
don't work. Appart form that the YM26700 have a dark (carbon like)
colour, that's very suspicius :(
About the Kenton kit, as I said before, I alredy own it, so it won't
cost me any extra money, I don't think that selling it is a choice.
The PAiA MIDI to CV is really cheap, and I bought a used one for 30 US
dollars incluiding an overseas shipping (I could use it to drive
other synths anyway).
And finally here in Argentina, old synth are very rare and expensive.
A CS-50 trades here but about 650 US dollars (I don't gonna sell it).
I think that I'm going to make sure if the Yamaha ICs are wrong or
not, then
if they are wrong I'm going to use the PAiA to drive the synth.

Sebastian

--- In yamahacs80@yahoogroups.com, David Rogoff <david@...> wrote:
>
> Hi Sebastian!
>
> Welcome to the group. I'm not sure what's wrong with your CS-50,
but I
> don't think you have a chance of tracing it without an
oscilloscope.
> Lot's of the key data is time-multiplexed, so a meter won't be good
> enough to see what is going on. I picked up an old 10 MHz 'scope
for
> about $50, which was good enough for anything in the Yamaha.
>
> As far as finding spare KAS & DAC chips: good luck! As I posted,
> someone has been selling off parts of a CS80 on eBay, but so far
hasn't
> put up any of the boards with the custom Yamaha chips. Actually,
> CS-50s are good sources of spare parts for CS80s, but that won't
help you...
>
> I'd actually bet it's not the Yamaha chips, and it's probably some
of
> the CMOS chips. Anyway, if you pick up a 'scope, the service
manual has
> enough detail of the waveforms to see what they should be.
>
> If you would be happy with the Kenton and the Paia, go ahead, but I
> would be hesitant to put so much money into the MIDI kits, which,
at
> least in the US, cost more than the CS-50.
>
> Keep us up to date on your repairs & upgrades!
>
> David
>
> sebastian_cordoves wrote:
> > Hi all:
> > I'm Sebastian Cordoves from Argentina, my native language is
spanish,
> > please forgive my poor english.
> > I'm a recording technician, and teach music production for living.
> > My wife sings, togheter we have a electro-pop band.
> > I own some analogue synths, and know a bit about electronics, so
I do
> > my own repairing (everytime I could).
> > I bought a Yamaha CS-50 about 6 years ago, it worked well for
about a
> > year, but then it broke up. I bought a Kenton MIDI retrofit, but
never
> > installed it because it came a few days before the synth stopped
> > working.
> > For various reasons I put the synth aside and only about a year
ago
> > started trying to repair it.
> > The problem is the KAS, and I am almost sure that is one of the
Yamaha
> > custom chips (YM26600 or YM26700). I don't have an oscilloscope,
so
> > I do some metering with a multimeter and some of the pins are
outputting
> > what I think is right data but others are dead. I have the
schematics
> > of the CS-50 (Courtesy of Kenton), I'm in the process of scanning
them,
> > I can post them later.
> > At the moment I'm driving one voice of the synth with the CV/Gate
out
> > of my Novation BassStation Rack. I'm planning to buy a PAiA MIDI
to CV
> > interface to drive the 4 voices, and install the Kenton retrofit
to
> > control cutoff and other parameters.
> > But it will be great if I found the Yamaha IC's and remplace them.
> > Does anybody know where can I find those chips or even an entire
KAS?
> > I've looked in e-bay and over the internet with no luck.
> > Thanks in advance for your help.
> >
> >
>
>
>
> --
> No virus found in this outgoing message.
> Checked by AVG Free Edition.
> Version: 7.1.385 / Virus Database: 268.3.4/299 - Release Date:
3/31/2006
>

--- In yamahacs80@yahoogroups.com, "sebastian_cordoves"
<sebastiancordoves@...> wrote:

>
> I know that an oscilloscope is what I need, but I meter some pins
> that supossedly output steady ones or zeros, not pulses, and they
> don't work. Appart form that the YM26700 have a dark (carbon like)
> colour, that's very suspicius :(

Doesn't sound good!

> I think that I'm going to make sure if the Yamaha ICs are wrong or
> not, then
> if they are wrong I'm going to use the PAiA to drive the synth.
>

Sebastian

a KAS board just popped up on eBay - man are you lucky!

http://cgi.ebay.com/Yamaha-CS-50-60-80-CS-80-CS80-KAS-PCB-Key-assigner-LSI_W0QQitemZ7404137687

David

> a KAS board just popped up on eBay - man are you lucky!
>
> http://cgi.ebay.com/Yamaha-CS-50-60-80-CS-80-CS80-KAS-PCB-Key-

assigner-LSI_W0QQitemZ7404137687

>
> David
>

Thanks a lot David, I wrote to the guy asking if he will ship to
Argentina, I hope he does.

Sebastian

--- In yamahacs80@yahoogroups.com, "sebastian_cordoves"
<sebastiancordoves@...> wrote:

>
>
> > a KAS board just popped up on eBay - man are you lucky!
> >
> > http://cgi.ebay.com/Yamaha-CS-50-60-80-CS-80-CS80-KAS-PCB-Key-
> assigner-LSI_W0QQitemZ7404137687
> >
> > David
> >
>
> Thanks a lot David, I wrote to the guy asking if he will ship to
> Argentina, I hope he does.
>
> Sebastian
>

I maked a bid, but now bid gets too high for me :(
So I'm back to the original plan.

Sebastian

Having invested in getting my CS80 restored last year, I've only gotten
to use it once outside the basement studio here. So, I just thought I'd
mention that I've now gotten the "king of instruments" out for another
public display. I play a regular Sunday morning church gig at a
contemporary and progressive church here in Minnesota. This weekend, in
observance of Palm Sunday we have put together a selection of songs from
the Webber/Rice rock opera "Jesus Christ, Superstar". When I first heard
that we were doing this, I thought what a great opportunity to use the
CS80. The music calls for a BIG sound, with some menacing growling bass
tones, and I decided to forego using the church's instruments and bring
in my own for the occasion. After our rehearsal last night, I'm really
pumped about doing this. The sound of the CS80 fit in perfectly. It's
rather like using a "Period Instrument" from the time this music was
written. This will not be a slick and professional production by any
means... just our small band of musicians and singers having some fun
with it. None of them had ever seen/heard of a synth like this before so
it was fun to show it off a bit last night.

This church, while not huge, does have a decent enough sound system, in
stereo, with a subwoofer. I had asked the sound engineer to come in for
the rehearsal to help me sound check the CS80 and he got very excited
when he saw and heard what I was doing with this. The sound in there was
quite stunning last night, and really filled up the room. (The engineer
especially got a big kick out of the ribbon controller effects!) It was
a perfect place to play and hear this marvelous piece of musical history
in action. Just thought I'd share this bit of fun with the group!

-Tim S.
<Minneapolis>

Tim
It's simply GREAT!!!!! Have you any recording of this???
M

----- Original Message -----
From: "Tim Siefkes" <timsks@...>
To: <yamahacs80@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, April 06, 2006 12:07 PM
Subject: [yamahacs80] CS80: Superstar


>
> Having invested in getting my CS80 restored last year, I've only gotten
> to use it once outside the basement studio here. So, I just thought I'd
> mention that I've now gotten the "king of instruments" out for another
> public display. I play a regular Sunday morning church gig at a
> contemporary and progressive church here in Minnesota. This weekend, in
> observance of Palm Sunday we have put together a selection of songs from
> the Webber/Rice rock opera "Jesus Christ, Superstar". When I first heard
> that we were doing this, I thought what a great opportunity to use the
> CS80. The music calls for a BIG sound, with some menacing growling bass
> tones, and I decided to forego using the church's instruments and bring
> in my own for the occasion. After our rehearsal last night, I'm really
> pumped about doing this. The sound of the CS80 fit in perfectly. It's
> rather like using a "Period Instrument" from the time this music was
> written. This will not be a slick and professional production by any
> means... just our small band of musicians and singers having some fun
> with it. None of them had ever seen/heard of a synth like this before so
> it was fun to show it off a bit last night.
>
> This church, while not huge, does have a decent enough sound system, in
> stereo, with a subwoofer. I had asked the sound engineer to come in for
> the rehearsal to help me sound check the CS80 and he got very excited
> when he saw and heard what I was doing with this. The sound in there was
> quite stunning last night, and really filled up the room. (The engineer
> especially got a big kick out of the ribbon controller effects!) It was
> a perfect place to play and hear this marvelous piece of musical history
> in action. Just thought I'd share this bit of fun with the group!
>
> -Tim S.
> <Minneapolis>
>
>
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>

Tim,

This sounds great! I remember years ago (late '70s?) seeing some show
on public TV with a guy doing a solo version of Superstar on Arp 2600s.
Anybody know what I'm talking about? Anyway, good luck and please
record and post some of the performance.

David

Tim Siefkes wrote:

> Having invested in getting my CS80 restored last year, I've only gotten
> to use it once outside the basement studio here. So, I just thought I'd
> mention that I've now gotten the "king of instruments" out for another
> public display. I play a regular Sunday morning church gig at a
> contemporary and progressive church here in Minnesota. This weekend, in
> observance of Palm Sunday we have put together a selection of songs from
> the Webber/Rice rock opera "Jesus Christ, Superstar". When I first heard
> that we were doing this, I thought what a great opportunity to use the
> CS80. The music calls for a BIG sound, with some menacing growling bass
> tones, and I decided to forego using the church's instruments and bring
> in my own for the occasion. After our rehearsal last night, I'm really
> pumped about doing this. The sound of the CS80 fit in perfectly. It's
> rather like using a "Period Instrument" from the time this music was
> written. This will not be a slick and professional production by any
> means... just our small band of musicians and singers having some fun
> with it. None of them had ever seen/heard of a synth like this before so
> it was fun to show it off a bit last night.
>

--
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.1.385 / Virus Database: 268.3.5/303 - Release Date: 4/6/2006

They do record these services, but I'm not holding out any great hope
for a worthy audio capture. These sound board mixes are often not that
exciting to listen to, but I'll hope for something to come out of it.
We'll see! I'm just pleased to get the big beast out into the public
again, although I may have given myself a mild hernia lugging it up the
stairs and into my van last weekend. <ouch> It's getting better now, thanks.

-Tim S.
<Minneapolis>

Max Fazio wrote:

> Tim
> It's simply GREAT!!!!! Have you any recording of this???

David,

No, I totally missed out on that, but I'd be curious to know who that
was. Arp 2600s? I did a lot of music on them myself when I was at the
Berklee music school in the late 70's. The synth lab there was (4)
2600's, the monster 2500 in a room by itself, and a slew of Odysseys for
workstations. How things have changed... They were fun instruments to
work on, but I was never especially knocked out by the overall sound of
the Arps. A little thin-sounding to my ears, although I owned an
Odyssey here myself. (Still have it, though it doesn't play anymore).

-Tim S.
<Minneapolis>

David Rogoff wrote:

> Tim,
>
> This sounds great! I remember years ago (late '70s?) seeing some show
> on public TV with a guy doing a solo version of Superstar on Arp 2600s.
> Anybody know what I'm talking about? Anyway, good luck and please
> record and post some of the performance.
>
> David