The next generation of CS synthesizers is here, with added sampling and features from the AN1x synth! In keeping with the new CS-line trend of analog emulation for dance and electronic music, the CS6x offers real-time and assignable knobs, scene memory and morphing, MIDI controllability and excellent sounds. Yamaha says that this IS the machine for Trance. Its awesome arpeggiators, filters and phrase sampling are proof of this claim.

First the sounds, they're just great! 64 voice polyphony allows for some thick sounds. Excellent (AWM2) Advanced Wave Memory samples provide emulation of classic analog synths is truly possible with the CS6x enhanced abilities. It has a Bit-depth switch which allows you to degrade its output creating 'Vintage' lo-fi quality sounds, which can be cool. And filters... the CS6x has the best one yet with 2,3,4-pole filters with 6,12,24dB slopes and low, hi and band pass filter types (see technical data below for specifics) for just about any imaginable filtration method you can use to shape its sounds.

The CS6x allows you to sample sounds or load in samples using the 4MB Phrase sampler. All the features and functions a pro-quality 16-bit linear sampler should have are found here with sampling at 44.1kHz. Up to 256 Phrase sample clips can be created and used as loops in your performances or sequences. Apply effects to your samples or synth sounds using the vast array of quality digital multi-effects. The built-in arpeggiator is better than any previous CS synths with 128 patterns and filter patterns. The CS6x will also play SMF playback sequences (Format 0) loaded in from a disk. The CS6x is expandable with two slots for Plug-In Expansion Boards which add polyphony, sounds, effects and more! For performance and control the CS6x has a pitch and mod wheel, ribbon controller and 6 assignable knobs. The CS6x also has a built-in 3.3V smart media storage drive. This stores the phrase sample clips, SMF sequences and other synth data on 4, 8, 16 or 32MB cards. Simply the biggest and best CS synth from Yamaha. It has been used by Faithless and Depeche Mode.

gilzad

July 9, 2012 @ 8:50 am

I had one until it got stolen. The limited "phrase clips" sampler was disappointing. You'd only be able to pitch a sample using the pitch wheel. But luckily any Pentium was able to act as a good sampler already.
The synth sounds are very satisfying. With a PLG100-VL inside I had some great monophonic wind sounds. Also had a PLG100-VH, which is by far the most natural sounding vocoder I've ever heard. The voice accompany in Tyros sounds the same. Never had problems mixing the cs6x w/ other sounds. Impressively pure cs6x projects needed almost no mastering. Just a final compression & done.

rmsy

June 6, 2012 @ 1:42 pm

I own one for about 9 years now or something and I must tell you, I have the VL plug in board and I play it midi with my roland jv 90. I edited all my sounds one by one, it costs me like 3 years but man when you hear my horn sections and my sounds .... everybody says damn those sounds are great! So you need to spend some time with it. Even the sounds of VL plug in board are more realistic than the yamaha tyros trumpet, sax etc...

gerry

May 23, 2012 @ 4:29 am

I own the CS6x synth & won't be departing with it,as i forgot how great this synth is & can almost make any type of sounds out of it from acid type to early goatrance music.But it lives in a world of it's own...like many synths your gonna find features & sound that you aiso get with any synth.

richard

March 9, 2012 @ 11:32 am

On paper, this seemed to offer a lot of what I needed at the time. But having bought one, it soon becomes obvious the sound is somehow very bland. When you mix it in a band setting it seems to lose any character. The awful paintjob won't help with getting groupies either. And the final nail: it's a Yamaha, so the interface is needlessly obtuse and tiresome. There's a great synth and perhaps great sounds inside, but it's too much hard work to find them.

Caesar

February 9, 2012 @ 7:45 am

@ drlok: No, Motif does not have the patches of CS6 synth but I managed to convert the best ones using the editors. This is a painstaking process. It took me about 25 hours of work to convert 120 of the best patches (didn't bother with flutes and suchlikes). One patch requires about 30 minutes to convert. It's a great synth, but why keep it if it sounds exactly the same as my Motif?

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