Korg PolySix
The Korg PolySix was release in the early '80s shortly before the dawn of Midi. Some could say it was an end of an era for Korg as the last true analog made by Korg with VCOs and knobs. After the PolySix, Korg perfered the more digital path with DCOs and LED data entry methods replacing the VCOs and knobs. A solid sonic performer for standard analog timbres with a slightly aggressive hard edge, the PolySix tends to be an under-appreciated over-achiever of vintage synths. Additional features include built in chorus, appregiator, pitch and mod wheels (as opposed to Korg's now well known joystick), 5 octave keyboard and Korg's well respected tape interface (I have always had good results with Korg's tape interfaces). A large number was produced so they usually show up on the used market. Makes a good starter vintage synth as well as a good addition to a larger synth setup.
Average Advertised Price:
$200 to $400
Jetboy's Humble Opinion Of Worth:
$300 for a good clean unit is fair. $400 seems way too much. $275 is a good average. This was a unit produced in large numbers and sold at a cheap price when new and not considered extremely collectable so I would say it's a buyer's advantage.
Jetboy's Review - Not much to say other than a great little synth. Basic and simple like a Roland Juno, yet punchy with attitude like a Roland Juno. Hey, if it can be compared to a Juno, then it's worth checking out.
Ah'ren solidly states: Underated synth, got the fat tone with 6 voices for good organ type playing or jamming out. Can combine the voices for a mono mode, and also add a sub-osc (which is 1 or 2 octaves low) which I think adds tons of beef. Phasor, chorus, and ensemble(bonus effects).You can store up to 32 sounds, and save the sounds to cassete. It's filter can get some nice sweeps up and down the envelope generator is ADSR. Uhm, there's and arpeggio which is awesome. I would say this keyboard is way better than a Juno 106, even though the reviews say it's got less bass I disagree. You can Hammond type sounds, lasers, booming bass, noise-type sounds, buzzes, there's just a lot of unexeplored turf on these things.
Irman at irman@deathsdoor.com picks thru the trash to find the following review: i managed to score one for free, after getting another analog korg, the delta, for free a couple of weeks back. (the studio in college was throwing them out as 'garbage'). i'm sure glad i didn't rush out to buy that an1x/jp8000. the sounds are awesome, and works great when sampled. the keyboard can get a bit loose at times (mine is begging to let go!), but the sounds are just awesome. i find the weird sounds good for drum n bass ambience, which i'm using them for.
STEVE at seven_of69@hotmail.com calls out from the other side of the bed: Played one at a music store a few days ago. Wasn't extremely impressed. I'm not saying that this isn't a nice synth, it's just that the VCF on it and it's potential to make interesting and original sounds are very weak compared to ANY analog or hybrid-analog Roland synth. Night and Day. It doesn't come anywhere close to the Juno-106 in quality, or even the Alpha-Juno( by the way, the Alpha series is EXTREMELY underrated, they offer more parameters to tweak, so you can program sounds that are a little more original and they have a sound that's kinda different from the 106, a sound many of us have grown more than tired of. Anyhow, I don't know why I'm saying all of this, cos most of you are brainwashed by the trends in synth fashion and do to the prejudices that this brainwashing creates, you would be unable to have an intelligent opinion of your own. Open your minds and go check out something like an SY99 or a Prophet VS. "oh no!!!, he said, it's not FAT!, it's not ANALOG, AAHHH!!, evil, evil, evil, it won't make me sound like Fatboy Slim, OH NO!!!". Open your minds, don't let trends and the media create your opinions and think for you.
Image of PolySix from Synthsite.