The SQ-80 is basically a reved-up ESQ-1 with a total of 75 waveforms, a 61-note keyboard with velocity & aftertouch, floppy disk drive for storing patches and sequences, and an enhanced sequencer. Great for organs, analog-type sounds, pads and sound effects. Like the classic ESQ-1, the SQ-80 functions in providing analog-type 4-pole lowpass filtering and editing of digital waveforms. Each voice can combine up to 3 of the 75 waveforms. These waveforms include multi-sampled transient attack waves such as violin bow, plectrum picks, mallet, hammer, breath attacks and percussive sounds. There are also 5 sampled drum sets. Three LFOs are onboard for some pretty wild modulation of the sounds you create or edit. Complete MIDI implementation makes the SQ-80 great for any studio or live use too.

As for playing the SQ-80, it is a dream! Its 61-note keyboard is full, responsive and has polyphonic aftertouch. Polyphonic aftertouch simply means that each key pressed will respond to aftertouch independently of the other keys. The aftertouch can be used to control a variety of modulation parameters such as the LFO. Pitch and mod wheels and plenty of front-panel buttons and a few sliders make accessing and editing fairly easy and hands-on. The keyboard can be split or layered. The pattern-based 8-track multitimbral sequencer is great for creating short to complex sequences live, or in step time with quantization, bounce-able tracks, 60 sequence patterns and 20 songs. And they can be saved to disk along with any patches you've created and any SysEx Midi data. Unfortunately, the SQ-80 has no built-in effects. The SQ-80 is certainly a classic analog/digital hybrid of the late eighties which still holds up well today. It has been used by filmaker/composer John Carpenter.

Bohemian86

February 15, 2011 @ 10:21 pm

Out of my many gear changes, nothing has survived as long as my SQ-80. Yes, the keybed is loud and has far from the best action. Really the synths only major flaw. Once you adapt to the action the SQ-80 becomes a true instrument that you can emote with. Modulation routings, poly-aftertouch, velocity, layering, and that warm filter make the SQ-80 something truly unique, in a good way. Can't think of a synth in it's price range that has so much character.

Joel Galasso

January 9, 2011 @ 10:28 pm

I love this synth! Lo he programado durante horas, semanas, meses y siempre logra sorprenderme. Lo he usado mucho para sintes solistas o para colchones en composiciones para películas. Si lo ven a un precio razonable cómprenlo, no se arrepentirán nunca jamás.

rlmz00

September 27, 2010 @ 5:44 pm

I find those comparisons hard to believe as they sound exactly the same. heard those when I first got my sq and tried my own comparison...copying the patches exactly and the results were quite a bit different from one and other though somewhat similar. I will say however that the software does sound pretty cool in its own right.

purloin

September 25, 2010 @ 3:01 pm

here´s A/B comparison sq80 and sq8l emulator done by chris huelsbeck (programmer of the turrican soundtrack):

http://itec.uka.de/~buchty/sq80/sq8l/SQ80vsSQ8L.mp3

xh9o

September 21, 2010 @ 1:20 am

@chris

sure, its never like the original. but compared to overhyped va-vsti software this plug is simply amazing. not in every field though, but if boosted way up it delivers better dx like basses than a dx ;)

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