Synth: Yamaha CS-5
Review by: Matt"bandwidth-hog" Haines

Summary: monophonic, limited-capability pre-MIDI synth with cool sound

Years Made: ?
Polyphony: no
Multitimbrality: no
MIDI: no
    Note on/off:
    MIDI controllers (aftertouch, CC, etc):
    Sysex patch dumping:
    Sysex parameter control:
Other external control:
    CV/Gate: yes in/out (Hz/volt CV, -10v negative-voltage trigger)
    Clock: no
    Other CV: no
    Audio input: yes (with envelope trigger threshold)
    Proprietary (DCB, etc): no
    Programmer: no
Patch storage: no
    Patch dumping (tape, MIDI, etc): no
Voice architecture:

        1 VCO with square and saw waveforms
        mixer section for square, saw and noise/external signals
        1 LFO, selectable sine, falling saw and s/h waveforms (can mod VCF,
VCO,
                VCA, pwm)
        1 resonant filter, switchable LPF/BPF/HPF (will not self-oscillate)
        1 EG
        1 VCA with EG depth, initial level
        pitch bend slider, non-spring loaded
        external input with variable trigger threshold (for triggering EG based
                on input source)
        white noise (noise and external are mutually exclusive)
        portamento (keyboard only, not external)
        pwm (no initial pulse-width setting, only LFO will modulate)



Sequencer/Arpeggiator: no
Keyboard/rack: 3-oct keyboard
Known problems:
Accessories:
Related synths/gear: CS-15 is essentially two CS-5's in one
Price range: very cheap
Availability: somewhat rare (CS-15's more common)
Comments:
    Strengths: the *resonant* bandpass and hipass filters are a great and
                unusual sound. Oscillator is quite stable. External input,
                especially through bpf/hpf is a unique tool.
    Weaknesses: no volume control. only the one EG to control *both* the filter
                and VCA (no 'gate on/off' option with the VCA). non-standard
                trigger input requires modification to work completely (s-
                trigger moog-style inputs work somewhat, but effect the EG
                in strange ways). Hz/volt cv means spending extra money on
                MIDI/cv interfaces or build your own.
    Overall:    Even though there are severe limitations, the filters are
                killer. Simple synth, very easy to make modifications to.
    Other:




Matt Haines  haines@cloverleaf.com

\co/ntrol-X
 \to
 /\abort
/  \transmission.

I am NOT a Wack-A-Mole.