The QuadraSynth was introduced in 1993 by Alesis, and it was their first major synthesizer. It's a 64-voice, 76-key digital synthesizer that also came in a rack-mountable version: the S4 Sound Module. It had a whopping 16 MB of sample ROM, and was the first synth to offer the ADAT Optical Digital interface. It also featured the same multi-effects processor as the QuadraVerb 2, drum kits based on the D4 drum module, 4 assignable control knobs, one PCMCIA card slot, 48kHz clock input, and 4 audio outputs.

The QuadraSynth is undoubtedly a powerful and flexible synthesizer capable of creating rich sounds - both acoustic and electronic. It uses digital additive/subtractive sample playback synthesis to create high quality stereo grand pianos, organs, strings, drums/percussion, brass, woodwinds, new and classic synth textures, and more.

Released in 1995/1996 came the new and improved QuadraSynth Plus synthesizer (pictured). The QuadraSynth Plus has more ROM (24MB expandable to 32), many more program patches (640) and mixes (500). The General MIDI library has been added, as well as an 8MB stereo Grand Piano sample (also found in the stream-lined QS7, QS8, QS6.1, QS7.1, QS8.1 and QSR models), and a PCMCIA expansion slot. For an all around versatile modern synthesizer that isn't focused just on dance or trance, be sure to consider the QuadraSynths.

20 VISITOR COMMENTS

martin

December 17, 2011 @ 10:32 pm

Got an original QuadraSynth. Still works fine. The MFG date sticker shows 3-14-94, #S50001575. Didn't know they were still popular. Bought it in Orlando, FL in 94. Really like the rich synth sounds. Used primarily in a studio setting for multi-track recording. Although, my nephew's band borrowed it once.

Arthur "Aardcore" Gardner

September 21, 2011 @ 6:53 pm

This is one of those synths I wish I could feel and reap the most out of and I turn green with envy when I see fully functional, outstanding, glorious sounding Quadrasynths on YouTube and such. I bought one, a risky purchase, off EBay a while ago and it was a sham. It was a miracle I even got the thing to work (the guy I bought it from kept it in a dingy garage and basically let it RUST to near death). Opened it up, cleaned it out (there were actually rats living in it if you can imagine...) and did everything I possibly could to bring it back to life, just barely. But wow oh WOW the sounds!

Colin Drummond

July 6, 2011 @ 2:20 pm

Don't know whether this has been mentioned by anyone else, but I had to try resetting my own QS7 (it had frozen) by following the advice to hold down buttons 1 and 4. This didn't work, but then I figured that buttons 0 and 3 were actually the 'first and fourth' buttons. So I held these down, repowered, and hey presto, my synth was reset and cured!

Brenton

April 30, 2011 @ 10:07 pm

Has anyone had luck with resetting the keyboard? Alesis' website says to power on by holding buttons 1 & 4 but it doesn't work with my QuadraSynth Plus Piano.

Brenton

April 30, 2011 @ 9:45 pm

It doesn't have weighted keys. Purely synth action.

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