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.

Ed Gavin

July 14, 2012 @ 8:34 pm

I have one for sale like new. Topicalth@aol.com

f.a.

June 27, 2012 @ 1:44 pm

Had an SQ80 a but sold it as I thought it sounded weak. Picked up an ESQ-m recently to revisit some old projects (just needed the first 32 waveforms) and I swear it sounds different than the SQ80. It sounds ballsier, thicker. In fact, It sounds better overall. If you had the choice, go for an ESQ-1 or ESQ-M. The extra waveforms in the SQ80 don't make up for the lack of sound quality. As far as the keys go, yes, the SQ80 has polyphonic aftertouch, but the keys are noisy and clanky. I found it annoying to play.

Ken

June 20, 2012 @ 8:41 am

I have an SQ80 like new. Willing to sell. Contact me @ k.kleine36@yahoo.com
Ken.

Carlhon

May 26, 2012 @ 3:58 pm

know somebody does battery done of the one of this SQ-80? Tnks...
Carlhon

Carl

May 10, 2012 @ 5:38 am

Yes, u n i q u e sound design possibilities. Not an all in one box. Great for Industrial FX, strings, leadsound. Needs to be explored to get full potential, though. realtime tweaks would be fantastic. Mine is a tricky beast with a couple of flaws. Nevermind. Still you may get this for a bargain since it still a secret weappon. so grab yourself a rare and raw sounding synth.

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