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About This Listing
Up for sale, a 1980s Korg PolySix programmable polyphonic vintage synthesizer in exceptional condition, fully serviced and complete with the original case.
First released in 1981, Korg designed the PolySix with the goal of capturing the functionality of larger, much pricier synths like Sequential Circuits Prophet 5 in a compact, comparatively affordable package. Setting the PolySix apart from Roland’s entry-level offering were the PolySix’s “real” analog VCOs and suite of onboard features: 6-voice polyphony, 32 memory slots for patches with a cassette port for patch backups, and an arpeggiator.
Freshly serviced by Synapse Audio Systems, this PolySix has been recapped as necessary and fully calibrated. A replacement ssm 2044 VCF Filter IC Chip has been installed on voice 4, and the LM13600 chips have been replaced on the KLM 368A board. Originally sold within Japan with a 100v power supply, the power supply has been converted to run on 120v USA power.
Thanks to the SSM2044 4-pole voltage-controlled filters, the PolySix has a warm, organic, almost brassy sound; more overtly gentle than a Juno-6, but big and bold for 6-voice unison leads. Standard controls include Tuning; Bend Intensity; VCO/VCF/VCA sculpting; EG Attack, Decay, Sustain, and Release; and a small suite of onboard effects. Effects are Chorus, Phaser, and Ensemble Intensity; all governed by a Speed/Intensity knob. The Ensemble effect utilizes a “bucket brigade” analog delay design, able to produce an almost Mellotron-esque thick and rich sound. The Arpeggiator is governed by an independent Speed/Intensity knob, with switchable parameters/arpeggio direction and breadth controls via a pair of three-way switches, and is able to “memorize” and sequence chords. Programming and sequencing features include a range of selectable note durations and functions like transposition and tempo adjustment.
All 61 keys are snappy and responsive, and cosmetic wear on this particular PolySix is limited to a handful of minor scuffs and marks on the wood veneered end caps and base. One of the four rubber feet has pushed through the bottom of the keyboard (purely cosmetic). All of the original knobs are present, and the graphics are virtually pristine.
The original Korg-branded travel case is included.
Developed as an answer to the Sequential Circuits Prophet 5 and similar to the Roland Juno 6, the Korg PolySix serves up six-voice analog polyphony with one VCO and sub-oscillator per voice. Change or thicken your sound using any one of the number of effects, like chorus, phase, and even ensemble effects like bucket-brigade-based delay. With 32-patch memory and a powerhouse arpeggiator controllable with octave, latch, and up/down controls, the PolySix is a vintage synth that's a true force to be reckoned with, earning it fans like Geoff Downes and Keith Emerson.
