Yamaha CS-80 and Lexicon 224XL Sound Sampler

My CS-80 restoration project about 1/3 completed and the instrument's health bar is finally in the yellow and green. Most of the systems are working (in addition to some failed sub-systems. A fussy voice card of the 16 is out of tune at times and makes it known, it can be replaced. Enough is working to present to you what a properly functioning CS-80 should sound like.

Definitely resides in the category "most complex production electronic musical instrument". Over 200 lbs of printed circuit board and wiring. Less than 800 CS-80s were made due to high cost and complexity. Serial numbers started at 1000 and ended before 1800. This CS-80 is serial number 1306, the 306th unit off the assembly line.

Signal path is the CS-80 ---- Lexicon 224XL digital reverberator ---- direct line audio feed into Sony HDR-XR520V HD camera.

Audio AGC circuit (has to be in the camera?) compresses the sound level dynamics. Quiet keyboard is "middle level" and sudden loud sound is distorted. Could be the optical servo gain stages on the CS-80 preamp board that are having problems. Whoooo.... 30+ year old optical isolation gain stage systems. :D 30 year old LEDs... wow.

UPDATE:

This keyboard just makes too much rich sound to be understood at this time, but a hoot to play even when still broken. Back into the secret lab....... touch sensor restoration and preamp repair.

Will have new videos as soon as possible.

Thanks for watching and listening!

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Yamaha CS-80
• Lexicon 224X
• Lexicon 224XL
• vintage
• synthesizer
• repair
• ambient
• electronica
• Vangelis
• analog synthesizer
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• electronic
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[gavincurtis]

Intact Lexicon 224XL EPROM code is available to those that need it for refreshing malfunctioning equipment. Free, just ask. UV erased EPROM memory will lose its data over time.  Erase, reprogram the chip and good for another 30 years.

Killer of old arcade consoles.....

[VoyageOne1]

Love the reverb. The 224XL is a beast!!

[gavincurtis]

@VoyageOne1 Yup. They all need a big hug.

[cprostudio]

if you wanted to show the true sound of both the CS80 and lexicon 224xl, why record through a camera????

The lexicon is responsible for the depth and width of what we are listening too hear. I would have been better to show the sound of the CS80 dry.

[gavincurtis]

@cprostudio Yeah. I have a professional digital sampling mixer on the way....

[TerdFurg3zon]

You've got to let Ronald Jenkees loose on that thing.

[gavincurtis]

@TerdFurg3zon Oh Dear... 2 reasons I can think of.

#1) That kind of man/machine interaction could literally rip a new one in our galaxy; causing all of its dark matter to dump out...

#2) Most importantly! Would I get my CS-80 back because I haven't fixed it all the way yet.....

[missolga73]

@cprostudio They actually sound pretty good together here in this video.

[rovingrepairbot]

@gavincurtis Amazing! What a BEAST of a keyboard! And you DO have some significant talent! I can hear/feel your emotions in the playing. Great musical ideas coming out of those speakers! I love just stepping up to the keys and improvising some melodies and ideas with sound. The Mr. Crowley intro would be great to see you play; it's such a powerful and dramatic opening, love it! Can't wait! How did you record the audio for this video, by the way? The quality is SUPERB on Youtube here!

[gavincurtis]

@rovingrepairbot Thanks, But I am not that good but it is me playing. It's the keyboard that makes it sound so powerful. Takes 200 watts electrical power from the wall outlet + mechanical input force and converts it into 3 magical audio line level outputs.... left, general/center and right.

When I get the mute organ sound memory patches working (literal diode ROM)... would like to try the Ozzy Mr Crowley intro which was CS-80 in the early original albums.