DS-8

Korg DS-8

Released: 1987

MSRP: $1295US?

Synopsis:

Korg's attempt to make Yamaha's 4 operator FM technology (see Yamaha FB-01) more user accessible by providing a subtractive synth interface. Architecture Class: FM.

Ebay Description:

The Korg DS-8 is a pressure and velocity sensitive 61 key (8 voice, 8 channel multitimbral) dual oscillator synthesizer, featuring saw and square waveforms, dedicated pitch, amplitude, and timbre (FM) envelopes, LFO (triangle, saw, square, S/H waveforms), portamento, digital delay, and MIDI. The 100 user editable presets can be saved via MIDI SysEx or memory card.

Physical

Form Factor	Dimensions	Weight	Audio Input	Audio Output	Communication Port	Control Input	Control Output	Switch Input	Power
61 keys	W:1020mm (40.3") D:317mm (12.5") H:101mm (3.7")	10kg	no	stereo	MIDI:In/Out/Thru	MIDI	MIDI	sustain program+ assign	16W AC

Interface

Compatibility	Multitimbral Memory	Program Memory	External Storage	External Programming	UI Input	UI Output
DS-8 707	10 MCR-01:10 MCR-02:20 MCR-03:40	100 MCR-01:100 MCR-02:200 MCR-03:400	MIDI RAM card:MCR-01/MCR-02/MCR-03	MIDI	menu based	LCD display

Architecture

Multitimbral	Polyphony	Unison	Architecture
8	8	yes	DO1+DO2

Output

Effects	Pan Modulator	Volume Modulator	Headphone
delay (manual, long, short, doubling, flanger, chorus)	MIDI-CC10	MIDI-CC7	no

Control

Arpeggiator	Arpeggiator External	Sequencer	Sequencer Memory	Sequencer External	Continuous	Program Change
no	N/A	no	N/A	N/A	pedal joystick MIDI-CC1 MIDI-CC2 MIDI-CC6 MIDI-CC7 MIDI-CC10 timbre-slider EG1rate-slider EG2rate-slider	pedal MIDI

Keyboard

Key Pressure	Chord Memory	External Control	External Sustain	Key Scaling	Velocity Curves
yes	no	MIDI	pedal MIDI	yes	1

Source

Name	Signal Class	Waveform	Octave Range	Amplitude Modulator	Harmonics Modulator	Pitch Modulator	Wave Assign Modulator
DO1	digital	saw square bright-saw bright-square	0.5-15	aftertouch AmpEG1 MG	aftertouch key joystick MG MIDI-CC2 ring resonance TimbreEG1	joystick MidiBend MG PitchEG portamento	no
DO2	digital	saw square	0.5-15	aftertouch AmpEG2 MG	aftertouch FM:osc1 key joystick MidiBend MG MIDI-CC2 ring resonance TimbreEG2	joystick MG PitchEG portamento	no

Envelope

Name	Level	Rate	Loop	Polarity	Trigger	Level Modulator	Rate Modulator
PitchEG	start attack release	attack decay release	no	yes	no	no	no
TimbreEG1	attack sustain	attack decay release	no	no	no	velocity	key
AmpEG1	attack sustain	attack decay release	no	no	no	velocity	key
TimbreEG2	attack sustain	attack decay release	no	no	no	velocity	key
AmpEG2	attack sustain	attack decay release	no	no	no	velocity	key

LFO

Name	Waveform	Delay	Polarity	Sync	Delay Modulator	Level Modulator	Rate Modulator
MG	triangle saw square S/H	yes	no	no	no	aftertouch joystick	no

FM Models

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