an Alesis QS6. this was lying amongst some video game stuff on a box. from a distance it looked like one of those Miracle Pianos, but no, an actual synth! she's missing the power supply, the pitch & mod wheels, and she's got one buck tooth, but i think it gives her character.
i was already pretty unimpressed with the condition overall, and when i asked the price, i expected the guy selling it would say something dumb, like a hundred bucks or more. surprisingly, he only wanted thirty. and just like my CS01 two weeks ago, i haggled him down to $20 -- fought him tooth and nail too, 'cause at first he wouldn't go any lower than 25, and then he really put up a fight at $23 (note to self: twenty-three?!). anyway, i pointed out all of the 'board's numerous flaws, including the fact that i had no way to test it, so he hadn't a leg to stand on. considering the condition and what he was willing to let it go for, i figure if i didn't buy it right then and there, he was likely to bin it at the end of the day, so really, buying it was the only option.
i just got home a bit ago, and jumped online looking for a power supply. Alesis wants 27.95US plus shipping. Ebay doesn't have any up at all (that i could find). obviously i was dying to test this thing out, and buying a 30-dollar PSU for a 20-dollar synth just to test it... well, that rubbed me the wrong way. i found some pictures of the PSU online so i could at least note its specs and possibly track down a cheaper, and more immediate, replacement. anyone familiar with the original QS series of synths knows that Alesis opted for a large 4-pin DIN "lump in the line" AC adapter. bleh. i cudgeled my brain trying to think of another company wacky enough to use such a bizarre cord.... of course! Korg! away i flew to my E-X Electribes, and sure enough, the supplies were almost the same specs (just a tad more amperage). i carefully unplugged my ESX, plugged up the QS6, double-checked the specs on both models online, closed my eyes & gritted my teeth, and clicked the power button on the Alesis... success!
aside from the missing knobs and heaven-bound B-key (yes, i had to look that up!), everything works perfectly. i am really impressed with this synth so far. first off, it's a tank. it would undeniably survive a bomb blast. it's also heavy; almost excessively so. the key action is excellent; it's a wonder Alesis chose not to use this same keybed in the Ion, as it's undeniably better. the keys are well-weighted, have just the right amount of lift to them, and while they're not spongy, they're also not thunky or otherwise noisy (like my Fantom!). the patch/editing pads have a very nice feel to them, and they remind me of drum machine buttons. lastly, while there aren't a ton of terribly unique patches included, the ones that are there are useful. i like the choirs, some of the pads and "synths", and some of the strings as well. where this thing really shines however, is in the effects. either Alesis was quite proud of the inbuilt effects, or the presets suck without them, but it's moot, as they sound excellent. in particular, the reverb sounds very smooth and not at all metallic and ringy. the flanger is a bit one-trickish and heavy, but all of Alesis' flangers seem to be that way; at least, they are in my Ion and Midiverb.
i've not gotten a chance to really dig into the PDF manual that i downloaded, but i see that the QS6 can use expansion cards, which seems fun and it has some kind of serial port on the back for connection to a pc (?). looking online, i found a few nice webpages by some fellow that offer instructions on how to internalize the power supply, and how to use different types of expansion cards beyond what Alesis recommends. when i get a chance, i'll certainly give those a whirl.
that's all. just sharing my thoughts on my new (to me) toy. anyone else here using a QS 'board? if so, what're you using it for, and what are your favorite patches, or elements that you use in your own patches? can anyone here comment on the expansion cards?
"your B has gone 'up' a half step. it's now a C."
see? it works. also note the Korg PSU in the background.
"SHOCK! NO PITCH AND MOD WHEELS! ALSO, MEOW"
How useful you find the presets will depend on the style of music you play & what types of sounds you need. I don't know how different the sounds on the QS6 are vs. the QSx.1, but on the .1 I like the pianos, organs & several of the synth patches (banks 90-109). Most of the time I use custom mixes, layering & blending sounds together.
