This synth really has its own sound. The CS-15's got style. Built like a tank with a lot of nice knobs and best of all, not one but two of those funny sounding multimode filters. It's actually a duophonic / bitimbral synth but you have to connect it to CV (Hz/V like Korg not V/Oct) to get the extra voice. Each of the two VCOs has its own CV/Gate control.

The best things about it are the flexibility of the VCFs and the routings to the filters and envelopes. You can rout VCO 1 to both VCFs and the VCFs to any of the envelopes positive or negative voltage. The VCFs are 12 dB/Oct and are switchable between low, band or high-pass. They are the key to the nice sound of the Yamaha CS family. Other nice features are noise, external-in for processing other sounds, LFO with Sample & Hold for those bubbling sounds and an individual auto-bend for the VCOs.

The CS-15 is great for strange blips, bass and tiny highpass sounds. The ADSRs aren't as fast as the CS-10 but they are ok. A nice feature is the 'brilliance' slider that can control either or both VCFs. At their extremely low prices, the CS-15 is an analog that's definitely worth checking out for yourself. It has been used by Astral Projection, Somatic Responses, Moog Cookbook, The Human League, and Vince Clarke.

22 VISITOR COMMENTS

stu

November 10, 2011 @ 3:33 pm

I've owned mine for 6yrs now n I'll never stop being impressed by it. I'm a synth man; I own a Minimoog 'D', Prophet 10, MS10, TB303, exc, exc, exc... this guy is by FAR the most rock solid and stable old school synth I got. Tuning is unbelievably stable for something of this age and it has a truly unique sound which no other synth can make. I honestly fall in love again every time I use it. They all have their strengths and weaknesses but this one has WAY more strengths. If allowed to own only one monosynth, for pure utility, I'd pick this over the minimoog any day of the week. not selling...

eyeon

October 14, 2011 @ 11:27 pm

Hah, I was (understandably) pretty excited when I wrote that, but its true, I didn't pay a cent for it. Still loving it, and still baffled and disturbed that someone would even consider such an act. Not even placed lovingly on a curb for some lucky bastard, but unceremoniously about to be tossed in a dumpster.

crackpipe mcsmith

August 14, 2011 @ 2:30 am

Every single synth on here has a comment from some jerkoff saying he found one in the bin, flushed down a toilet, up a tree, in a second hand shop for £5 etc..What you lying for jerkoff, its not funny its annoying.

kreuchert

July 1, 2011 @ 6:38 pm

got one about 8 weeks ago. being used to the logics and interfaces of old roland gear, this took me a few days get a grip on the layout. once you get it you understand that this is a masterpiece in its simple but versatile possibilities. in essence you control two totally independent synthesizers that you can layer as you like. only thing I am really missing is x-mod functionality of the oscs. envelopes are beautiful for their minute-long slowness, creating slowly evolving, extremely experimental stuff if you wish so (I do). pretty dominant synth in the mix though.

eyeon

March 16, 2011 @ 6:21 pm

Wow. I scored one of these today. My friend saw his neighbor throwing it away. Yes, THROWING IT AWAY. Luckily he rescued it and delivered it to me, knowing I am into this kind of stuff. I'm having the same constant drone issues as some others have had, can't wait to get off work and mess with some more! I'm in love.

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