Korg Poly-800
The Poly-800 is a four octave polyphonic Midi synthesizer. It was released in 1984 and features Digitally Controlled Oscillators (DCO) and 6-stage Digital Envelopes (DEG in Korg speak). 64 programmable presets are included as is a tape interface and a 256 stage step sequencer. No knobs - other than a volume knob - everything is programmed with up and down buttons (not even a data slider!!! Ouch!) It can also operate on batteries and has two strap pegs on each end so it can be slung around a person's neck like a guitar. Sold in huge numbers.
Average Advertised Price:
$100 to $250
Jetboy's Humble Opinion Of Worth:
$150 for a very good condition model (that still has it's joystick function panel thingie glued on evenly). $100 for a decent condition one that's fully functional.
Jetboy's Review - Like the Casio CZ-101 and the Yamaha TX-81Z, the Poly-800 is one of the hippest un-hip synths. A bit of a dog (although a cute and friendly dog) when examined from a professional standpoint, but capable of enough spunk to justify it's attractive price. It has a different kind of tone that I can't quite describe, somewhat generic but still with an individual character. It's the first synth I ever owned, and it's what I cut my teeth on, so I kinda dig it. Still a valid sound source in my rig when looking for something different. Spend a little time with it and it might surprise you.
Scott Belgarde at SBelgarde@compuserve.com writes: This was the second synth I bought. I got it used for $250 back in 1990 from a guy in Frankfurt, Germany. It was the first MIDI synth I owned, and that was the main reason I decided to get it when I saw it in the classifieds. At first I didn't care much for the patches that were in the synth (the previous owner had replaced most of the presets) and I mainly used it as the MIDI trigger for my MT-32. It was also the first synth for me where I had to do the old "one parameter at a time, push the button" editing, which I didn't like, especially compared to the easy of sound creation on my beloved Juno 60. Recently, however, with the help of various sources on the internet, I've gone back and discovered some great sounding things I can do with the Poly 800. I've even reinstalled the preset sounds and a few (#15 especially) are pretty cool. Also, the ability to strap it on like a guitar is pretty groovy, too. While it's plastic body doesn't seem as sturdy as my trusted Juno, I've never had a problem with reliability with the Poly 800...even the nifty joystick still works!
Stephen Dusenberry at moogmini2@aol.com soothingly states: I bought my Poly800 2 years ago for I think $225. It's a neat little toy I must say. Someone said in a earlier review that the original patch #15 is a cool sound. I couldn't agree more, many of the presets are pretty hip and can be (painfully) modified. However since I am a drummer, mainly I use the MIDI function to play the synth sounds through my hybrid of Roland and Simmons electronic drums. Definatly a great synth to check out. One thing I am deeply saddened to report though was that my Poly800 was in an accident recently and sufferered a broken key. If anyone can help me with this problem do send me some email so I can fix this. Cheers!
Adrian Corston at synthesist@xsystem.net flows with the following liquid vocabulary: I recently picked up a Poly-800 (mk 1, with a reverse keyboard) to add to my collection. It's a lot of fun! And not too bad to teach analog synth basics to newbies, even though it's a hybrid. I found and tried a mod from a web page somewhere which replaces two trimpots inside the case with front panel knobs for adjustable cutoff and resonance. It works well. (Jetboy adds - hmmm, tell us more about this mod. Do tell.)
Click here for Mr. Corston's mentioned modification.
Steve B at sblak1sc@stokecoll.ac.uk magically materializes the following monolingual monologue: I've got a Poly 800 MkII with the full delay line replacing the simple chorus of the Mk1. And it's a little cracker! Some people consider the Poly 800 to be a glorified monosynth. Having owned both models, I disagree. The MkII especially is capable of some really sweet, smooth strings and a load of horrible rumbly things that fill out the bottom end of a tune like nothing else! As for the often reported problem of the thing losing it's internal memories, well I've never had the problem! This baby sits at the top of my stack of keyboards and just does the job. I've never felt the four note polyphony limit to be such a problem. as I rarely play it with anything other than my right hand. (Although the DDL can help to produce full 8 note poly sounds in the single mode). If you see one going for a decent price, buy with confidence!
Rik at bratman@pacbell.net magnifies his meanings: I liked this little keyboard. Had a MkI sold it for my 1st FM synth a DX100. missed it, so I eventually found a MkII with the built in echo like the DW-8000 (big help). My biggest problem with the synth. was it's split osc. technology, much like an electronic organ, adding harmonics in stead of having FAT oscs and filters. It felt like adding thin slivers of sounds that never quite got thick enough. The size, weight, batteries, strap-on capabilities and portability makes it a great goof-around keyboard, though. When my wife started piano lessons and I wanted to watch TV and the baby grand was in the same room, and things were coming to a conflict, I just pulled the ol' Poly800 off the rack; and with a pair of headphones; a piano patch; we were sitting together in harmonious bliss. she loved it. bratman
Robert at robert@imprint.com.au proclaims like a synth proclaimer proclaiming: I have just aquired a "reversed keyboard" Poly 800 and was a little frustrated that I had no presets. (Dead Battery) So I downloaded the "wav" file from the net with the factory presets and the thing really is a gem! I love the sounds and as everyone else mentions, bank 15 is supurb. I only paid $5 Australian for it at a flea market so I am not complaining. For a beginner in analogue, this sinth is great!
Gerald Hologram speaks like a heavenly figure from the R2 unit with: The Poly 800 was the first synth I ever owned and I still use it just as often. You can't get good simple sounds like these in newer synths. I suggest that if you buy one of these, you write down every setting for every sound you make. This little Korg has deleted all my sounds more than once. ( more of a devo/reidents synth than a gary numan/brian eno synth )
Paul Kondig at Pkondig@fred.net blows the roof off the joint with this insanely wild review: I just purchased this synth for $41.00. From a Pawn Shop. Yes you heard right $41.00. Most people usualy pay between $100-$250 for one. But not me. When I saw what they were asking for this I could not pass it up. It had an original manual included. Which is pretty rare. But no adaptor. Although I have a universal adaptor which I use. I plugged in the adaptor hooked it up to my mixer and amp turned it on and, voila! It works! After palying all th sounds I was impressed. It even sounds bettter than the Poly-61. This is a very good synth and would be perfect for any one looking for an analog synth on a budget like the Poly-61. This is another good filler synth for an extra splash of color. If you have any questions about this. Since I have a manual. You can rach me at my email adress. Which is listed under my review of the Poly 61 on this site.
CoolColJ at ccj@idx.com.au makes us all cry tears of joy: I don't own one - but I did get to use my friend's one for a long period of time! Damn this is a cool synth - I'll buy it off him one day....thing is, it is a mark 1 which loses its memory (I leave it on all thenm time!). Ok its got 2 great strengths, furry/purry bass sounds like a Moog and that gorgeous single note chord memory mode through its single filter sound! Just beautiful sounds in that mode for drum and bass! ;) Envelopes are a bit slow, and modulation is not feasible with the digital control :( But I just love that one note chord sound! :)
Mark W at mcw@interlog.com gets a 10 point deduction for mentioning two cliche '80's synth tunes in one review: The POLY-800 was my first synth. I bought it used in 1984 for $675CDN - it was $800CDN new at the time. I totally miss it now. I wish I had kept it. It's 4-note polyphony used to get frustrating sometimes, but it's warm analog sounds were great. Another thing which bothered me was the lack of any onboard effects such as reverb or delay, but that was typical for boards of the time. (Of course, Korg later brought out the POLY-800-II with digital delay and 1024-step sequencer). I remember it had a factory polysynth sound that was great for playing Van Halen's "Jump". I remember playing Harold Faltermeyer's "Axel-F" (from the Beverly Hills Cop soundtrack)on that puppy, too. Ah, memories. It had a great factory synth bass, too. One day I'll go out and buy another used one and hook it up to my existing system as a module. I figure the EX-800 (rack mount version) is the way to do it. I hauled that thing around in the softcase from gig to gig and it never f! ailed on me. I once broke a key (I had the reverse keys model). I ordered a replacement key from the Korg distributor/rep and replaced it myself, no problem. Three cheers for the POLY-800!
Poly-800 image for Korg product promotional literature.