The CS-50 was released just ahead of its famous big brothers, the CS-60 and CS-80. The CS-50 looks like a scaled-down version of the monstrous CS-80, and it is! This will benefit those who crave the famous classic Yamaha synth sound without the struggle of lugging around the 215 pound CS-80! The CS-50 weighs in at about 100 pounds. The CS-50 is also just 4-voice polyphonic, and lacks the quality weighted 61-note keyboard of the CS-80. The CS-50 has just a 49-note standard keyboard. It does feature pressure (aftertouch) sensitivity route-able to several destinations, however.

The CS-50's sound is unmistakably related to other classic CS-series synthesizers. At just four voices with one osc. per voice and lacking warm filters (at just 12dB/oct) the CS-50's sound can be thin. There are 13 preset sounds of various instruments and synth sounds but, unfortunately, no on-board memory storage for your edited presets. At its low street price, the CS-50 makes a great way to get your hands on these classic sounds without going broke! It's too bad their tuning is just as unstable as the other CS-series synths. It's housed in a built-in travel-case like the other (big) CS-synths. It's been used by Men Without Hats and Herbie Hancock.

Ian

April 10, 2010 @ 7:16 pm

meant to say that it's NOT a fat sounding synth but still amazing in it's own right :) Also these fella's are a little unreliable and parts are a bit of a git to find if any voices go down.

Ian

April 10, 2010 @ 7:12 pm

Backin 1993 a friend of mine had a CS-50 and I have to admit I used to make fun of it a little as I was too pre-occupied with the "in" analogue synths of the day like TB303 and SH101's etc. Anyway about 5 years ago I came across one myself for £250 in excellent condition so thought for that price I'd have a punt. Well I totally fell for it's superb sound. I LIKE the fact that it's another "FAT" sounding synth and really has a unique sound. Superb for emotional pads and the ring mod is excellent. I sold mine after being told by Kenton that it would cost me about £500+ for a midi retrofit though!

Rainer

November 11, 2009 @ 4:55 am

I once plugged an on/off footswitch into my CS-60's "expression" pedal connection, which made the machine to stop producing sound too. It appeared to be a resistor, one of those long, white rectangular ones that look like they're made out of concrete. It's now more than 5 years ago that I fixed that, so unfortunately I forgot where it is exactly. After I replaced that - and only that! - it functioned again! unfortunately the aftertouch is still broken.

Massimiliano Longo

August 3, 2009 @ 4:15 am

I love my CS-50,one of my favorite.
plug carefully, only by mixer and/or CV intrerface.
Today the risk to lose old synths is high( and expensive... )
Patrick kill your friend!!!
If the guitar pedal was active ( with battery) a wrong voltage imput could burn some IC. If passive maybe made a short-circuit.
DONT plug any vintage synth IN or OUT with active devices, also pre!
Or experiment with unknow items.
Cheers
Max

Micke

June 23, 2009 @ 2:49 pm

Also used by Duncan MacKay on Alan Parsons Project's album
"I Robot" (rec. Jan-March 1977).

According to Duncan himself he flew the first CS-80 from Japan into England and Yamaha had lent him a CS-50 to use until it arrived.

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