Yamaha • CS-70M
The CS70M is a great big powerful polyphonic analog synthesizer which belongs to Yamaha's excellent line of CS series synthesizers. Fat sounds, cutting leads and bubbly basses, the CS70M has 6 voices of polyphony each supported by 2 oscillators for a total of 12 analog VCO's! It's got very flexible LFO, envelope and filter controls all of which sound really nice and smooth. The VCF filter has its own independent envelope control as well.
Truly a lush sounding instrument that would please anyone looking for that J.M Jarre or Tangerine Dream sound. Other features include a 4 track polyphonic sequencer, a 5 octave keyboard with aftertouch sensitivity and external magnetic data card memory storage. With only a slim 30 preset sounds that are mediocre, this is the kind of synthesizer that begs you to grab its knobs and start editing (that could possibly explain its big flashy knobs and buttons).
All in all an excellent and large synthesizer that will make any synthesist happy! It has been used by Kajagoogoo. The next step up from this synth is Yamaha's CS-80 which is an eight voice monstrous beast quite similar to the CS70M. The CS70M is likely to be too large for anything more than studio use but if you can find one it is definitely worth a listen!
If one judges it on its own merits and not against a high watermark like the CS80,It does hold it's own.
And i thimk thats why its always had a poor reputation amoungst synth players.
True it does lack that wonderful human-machine interface(velocity,poly-aftertouch,the pitchribbon) that other keyboards have/had...but it is capable of producing some very unique sounds.Deep bass's,shimmering strings,cutting leads(put it in unison mode and IMHO it rivals my minimoog).
Plus the sequencer is alot of fun...I really enjoy emulating the Floyds "on the run" from Dark Side of the Moon.
I just wish i could midi it via its keycode interface...then it would sit nicely alond side all my other kit.