Korg Polysix: The Dream Sounds

korg Polysix with kiwi mod (and Eventide Blackhole).
Here are an array of sounds, many of which i built from scratch. This is a new synth to me. i have only owned it 1 week, so i can't really give a definitive sense of how well it stacks up to my other synthesizers... I never like the "this is the most amazing synth I've ever used!!! I just bought it today." because feelings change and time tells us a lot more than our initial impressions.
That said, I am finding this to be up there with my favorite synths. it has a tone that I never experienced with Juno's, JX series, Matrix 1000, or Polaris (in terms of pure analog synths). The Polaris is theoretically superior due to the two oscillators, but yet, I don't quite feel it has the same character.
The JX-3P is very sturdy, its character is mostly in the Chorus. I actually quite like the chorus in the Polysix, but it is mono so no stereo effect as in the Juno.
I've owned a Juno 106 but sold it because i felt the Matrix 1000 sounded superior (was a dumb move to sell it but I feared the osc chips were going to die and at the time there weren't replacements like there are today). i've borrowed a Juno 60 too... in all cases i prefered my JX, apart from the interface and some features. i still think the JX is a great synth and i appreciate the aesthetics of the thing. The Korg feels like its on another level. Knobs spaced apart just right. Not a lot of features, but they still feel right. I could get lost in the design without feeling like the UI was separate from the instrument... ie, the whole thing feels right.
When my Polaris is back from the shop, i plan to do a shootout between the Polaris and Polysix. I'm curious which one I can more easily create sounds I like with....

[@cybernaumemusic]

Excellent sounds. Not boring pop sounds for 80's.

[@MIDERA]

Thanks!!

[@KingCrimson82]

nailed it

[@robertfritz9327]

and what around the "Blade Runner" background sounds.... ???

[@soulslip]

100% the best polysix video there is on the internet. Love these sounds and note progressions. Fantastic. I just got one recently and it is definitely my favorite synth. Cheers

[@MIDERA]

Thanks! I had a lot of fun making this - sadly I don’t have the Polysix anymore. I had too much gear and it was between this and the Juno 6 and so the Polysix left :/

[@Seekdnb]

You are really going in on the Polysix. Nice!

[@MIDERA]

Yeah. I did sell it :/ but it was fun!

[@lasideasfugazes]

Best demo on the internet of this synth. 0 doubts. Thanks! You've made my mind to get one.

[@MIDERA]

Nice! Let me know if/when you get one. Post your tracks if you make any, would love to hear it!

[@johnsaunders6510]

Great sounds from a vintage synth. Sounds like a soundscape to a 80's sci-fi movie. Lovely stuff indeed.

[@MIDERA]

Thanks :) Yeah, the Polysix is a special synth for sure!

[@jagserdigalltid]

Best demo on the internet of this synth. Ewer. Love from Sweden.

[@MIDERA]

Oh hey - thanks so much :) I appreciate that!

[@sydbarrett1345]

I simpy love it. 1983 I become this synth as a birthday present... You play like me. I love You too. I did some radio jingels in '80s..I opened and experimented so KORG sent me the plans, but after that i got a stop from them. Never mind, Love and Peace. :)

[@MIDERA]

Thanks Syd! It’s a great synth. Appreciate it!

[@soulslip]

I keep coming back to this.... very Tomorrow’s Harvest esque vibes like BoC.... love it so much!

[@MIDERA]

Thanks! Yeah, this was a fun track to make!

[@Narrowboatnumberthree]

I thought exactly this !

[@josephramone5805]

Great video! This is a classic example of what happens when you add ambiance, in this case the Eventide, to an otherwise sterile patch. Adding ambience, whether through delay or reverb, or both, will change the character of a Minimoog, a CS-80, and everything in between.

[@MIDERA]

For sure - yeah. Funny because I can't listen to this and don't really like this video, hah. But I guess I had a lot of fun making it when I had it! Thanks :)

[@epicon6]

@@MIDERAI love listening to this

[@Treenote]

Sounds lovely. Both the Polysix and the Mono/Poly really appeal to me. I’ve had the ipolysix app for a long time and I really enjoy the sounds I get out of it.

[@MIDERA]

I should make some comparison video of the polysix and ipolysix but I’m pretty sure a good video exists of that. So far I’m really enjoying it. Thanks

[@Treenote]

MIDERA That is a cool idea. Though you’re probably right that it’s already been done.

[@MIDERA]

@@Treenote kzbin.info/www/bejne/rHyWgJ-EhMulnJI There it is - sounds almost the same actually. Only real difference was in the high resonance test... Otherwise, very close. Though I think the tactile experience of the original cannot be matched.

[@Treenote]

MIDERA Wow, the software is very close. I agree though. I find programming ipolysix on the iPad tedious enough let alone programming VSTs in my Daw. You really can’t beat playing with a real synth.

[@MIDERA]

Yeah, I was surprised by how close they sounded... but there’s definitely never a time I sit around going “I can’t wait to play that on my iPad...” I’ve wasted I don’t know how many $100s buying iPad apps that never get used. I’m glad they’re available, but they just never do anything for me. That said... I love even cheap synths, so - I think people could make great music even with some junk if they’re wanting to use hardware.

[@nunofernandes4501]

Oh man, the Polysix is beautiful. I only play it in VST form and I love it, the real thing must be a pleasure to play with!

[@MIDERA]

I have the iPolysix - I have seen some comparisons between the iPad version and the original... not sure I've seen the legacy version vs original... I should look.

[@nunofernandes4501]

@@MIDERA I use a VST suite by Korg that has the Polysix, Monopoly, MS-20, M1 and Wavestation and they sound good to my ears. I used the Polysix a lot for synth bass in my demo.

[@sOnIcBo0mBoY]

Really nice, had to listen to it twice to be sure ... probably will again .. (just got a Behringer Monopoly; which is also very nice)

[@MIDERA]

Hey great. Thanks :) enjoy your monopoly!

[@lefunghi6151]

I’m looking for my first poly at the moment and took my time on a 6h train ride today to look at some demos (and scour ebay for stuff). Somehow this thing just really resonates with me, I have no clue why. Watched some OB-6, Minilouge, Rev-2, Junos and other demos but this is the first that reaally made me want a piece of gear.

[@MIDERA]

I have some REV2 demos... and after having the Polysix, I sorta wish I still had the REV2. I think the Polysix looks great, but it is limited, with no ability to layer oscillators. Just make sure it’s not the FX I’m using that are making you think this is the best. I’d check out other demos of the Polysix if you can. Also - it depends on the price. While I think the Polysix is a great starter synth, you may outgrow it quickly. That said, when I got it I loved it.

[@lefunghi6151]

@@MIDERA thanks for the reply! I would be able to get the Poly and Rev2 at around the same price but figured that I’d get the Rev2 first and a Poly down the road. A vintage synth is probably better used as an addition and not a main piece in a setup. (Depending on the synth ofc, but won’t be spending Prophet 5 amounts of money anytime soon haha) Will look into your rev2 demos too, the content I have seen of you so far was fantastic! :)

[@MIDERA]

Well - the only reason I could see getting a Polysix for is just because of how they’ll go up in value and be harder to buy down the road, but I think the REV2 is maybe the more interesting synth.

[@lqr824]

@@MIDERA For the center of my keyboard setup I have a Fantom G7 and would upgrade to a current workstation as soon as I could spare the time to study them. The new stuff actually sounds killer, and can do an incredible amount. The G7 (a circa-2008 synth) can basically do anything a Jupiter 8 or any of the other analog synths can, and while the analog synth filters are kind of special, you can get 99% there with something far cheaper that can also do a very good piano and every other instrument. I also have a Clavinet, Minimoog, and Korg Mono/Poly as sort of adjuncts. The Mono/Poly and Polysix have one killer feature: they use the SM2044 filter chip which I think is the most beautiful: a very silky sound, whereas the Moog instead sounds tough. Midera is of course right that the Polysix only has one osc per voice. But in addition to this, it has 1) an LFO (Korg calls it an MG: "modulation generator"), 2) a second dedicated LFO for PWM, 3) a THIRD dedicated LFO for the built-in FX. Then, arguably, 4) you could also call the arpeggiator speed an LFO in a way. And while it lacks the second osc, it does have a sub-osc which isn't nothing. In comparison a Prophet 5, say, has 10 audio oscs, but only one additional LFO. I would summarize that as saying the Polysix will make a simpler basic tone than a Prophet 5 or Jupiter 8 or what have you, but it can give you more motion in that tone, and that motion gives a richness and complexity of its own. Yes, it is less capable than the front-line vintage classics. But not as far back as you might think at first.

[@iSirTaki]

Go and listen to it dry, then think again. This video is no reference, its shows the best possible

[@speedboot4000]

love this synth. it's supposed to be a bread and butter synth (like the juno synths) but it sounds too dark and moody to be one. maybe it's just the age of my polysix? i don't know. after 10 years of owning it, i'm still not tired of it.

[@MIDERA]

My Polysix sounds nothing like the Junos either, very dark and moody as you say. I also can't get my Polaris to sound anything like the Polysix, they're just two totally different types of sound (Polaris is very brassy/harsh - maybe 'prophet' vibes and the Polysix is just... as you said, moody). I will admit, I'm finding the Polysix difficult to use in my music production, I'm not sure why, but I'll get there.

[@DaveDaves]

We get the vibe that it's bread n butter because it's rather simplistic structurally - single DCO per voice, 2 EGs etc. But the particulars of the oscilators n filters n effects? Oh, so wonderous! The Polysix I had for several years came w a broken 'programmer' (read: patch storage) section which meant all knobs were permanently in live mode - it really forced me to learn in a cool (sometimes frustrating ) way

[@MIDERA]

@@DaveDaves I definitely don't think I'd mind it being always in manual mode per se - I think it's super easy to dial in sounds, much like a Juno 6. There's actually only 1 EG though - not two. It's really a great sounding synth - sometimes I prefer it to the Prophet 5/10.

[@DaveDaves]

@@MIDERA Yes. Did I say 2 EG? nop! Shared by all! yea it ended um being a blessing that mine came that way bcuz it forced me to learn 100% analog dial-in for the first time in my synthlife. But it was hella frustrating when I'd do some epic shit n not b able to recreate it!

[@christ5826]

@@MIDERA check out china crisis songs, it was their main synth

[@marcmistermarc]

I bought one of these last year because of this demo! Mine has Tubutec full midi retrofit and a cloned programming board as battery acid had killed the original. I use it with an Earthquaker Afterneath reverb.

[@MIDERA]

Oh that's great. I hope you enjoy it! I think the Tubbutec mod would be better and less confusing than the Kiwi mod.

[@soulslip]

Awesome! I have one with Tubbutec as well as the voice expansion although have no idea how to use those functions. I want to mod it again to have full stereo out... sad this amazing synth is only mono out

[@shponglefan]

Love the Polysix, it's my favorite analog synth in my collection. There is just something about those SSM filters that helps produce a wonderful sound.

[@MIDERA]

Yep. It's hard for me to say its my favorite because I've only had it a week - you know? I can't stand that when people say how amazing something is when they just got it. But holy shit, I have a lot of experience with synths and subjectiveness and - this one is up there. Just has this amazing amount of sweet spots. It's so good. Those filters are amazing. I do wish it had a second oscillator, but it doesn't really need it. I'm shocked by the P6 versus Juno 6/60 versus Polysix or other synths, and they just seem different, but for me personally... for sure the Polysix is my favorite (haven't actually used the Prophet 6). That said, I have used the OB6 and, the two times I tested it out, I walked away from my friend's house thinking "Man, I preferred the sound of your Virus TI over the OB6" ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[@RayyMusik]

I owned a PolySix in the 80s for 3 years, and I loved it. Its great rival, the Juno-60, was good, but not that good. Since then I have come across three categories of synths: 1. few mod capabilities but gorgeous basic sound (Minimoog, Prophet 5, PolySix, OB-Xa, Prologue), 2. huge mod capabilities but not so good basic sound (Prophet X, Prophet Rev 2, JP-80), 3. mod- and sound-wise outstanding (Andromeda, Matrix 12, Prophet-6, MatrixBrute, PolyBrute).

[@MIDERA]

It seems you would say category 3’s are the best, if they have great sound and an excellent mod capacity. Interesting that the Prophet 6 is in that category. I have not personally heard much that I felt was amazing on that. And it seems on a basic level, more similar to your Category 1 synths.

[@RayyMusik]

Maybe the P6 is the ‘worst’ in category 3, but it sounds *very* similar to the iconic P5, yet is more versatile. Have you watched J3PO’s comparison?

[@MIDERA]

I have! It was a great demo, I probably couldn’t tell them apart in a mix. Heck, I’d probably prefer the P6 for size and mod capabilities... but I have the P5, lol.

[@thesrabbit]

Wow, that BOC sound! Just awesome.

[@BobHoopClassic]

definitely sounds like the Polysix was used heavily on Music has the Right to Children

[@MIDERA]

I thought it was the AN1x that was used more on that, but I could be wrong.

[@BobHoopClassic]

@@MIDERA I have no idea to be honest but its worth noting that Wiki (not always 100% correct I know) says the AN1x was released in 97 (sounds late to me but hey) and MHTRTC was recorded between 95 and 97?... So I'm guessing (again) that older synths are probably used on some tracks? Wiki also states the AN1x has been used by BOC so as with most things BOC its all a bit of a mystery.

[@youcantno3963]

@@MIDERA They used to resample the Yamaha into an Akai S3000xl at lower bit rates to get that grainy effect 👍🏼

[@splintercast8092]

@@BobHoopClassic MHTRTC is mainly Yamaha CS70M and Roland SH101.

[@SulatronRecords]

Wonderful sounds, great job, MIDERA! I love the Polysix since 80s! I also kicked out my Juno 6. Polysix has much more character!

[@MIDERA]

Hey thanks! That’s great to hear :) probably a bad decision based on how Juno 6s go for these days. Polysix is very unloved comparatively.

[@SulatronRecords]

@@MIDERA I know, I have a real superpower to buy expensive and sell for a few bucks. hahahhahaha

[@javiceres]

@@MIDERA But not much cheaper I think.

[@MIDERA]

@@javiceres The polysix has hovered around $1K. I've seen the Juno 6 over $2500 and the Juno 60 at well over $3500 these days.

[@javiceres]

@@MIDERA Crazy. I’ve seen 2 106 sold for

[@PetersPianoShoppe]

Beautiful. I love my Polysix.

[@MIDERA]

Nice! Mine is gone, but it was fun while I had it.

[@Lowerhaightstreet]

Sounds great Midera congrats on the Polysix

[@MIDERA]

Thanks! I love a good deal and this was an incredible deal :)

[@DaveDaves]

gorgeous! n I really trust u since u showin JX luv and most specifically how the chorus is a giant element of it's sonic character; a Polysix w broken programmer section (no load/save) was my first analog synth n I feel about it much like u say that there's a sweetness ive never quite found in anything else. And yes, the chorus is fine on the polysix but being mono it's not nearly as huge as the JX (totally agree). IIRC it was the ensemble effect that for me characterized the polysix

[@MIDERA]

I’ll probably be selling my JX3P. It’s very much replicated in the System 8 (which I own). The Korg Polysix is replicated nowhere. It’s a derelict that just has a haunted soul. You can’t find that anywhere else.

[@DaveDaves]

@@MIDERA hm. I had to part w my JX-8P which I miss dearly - in many ways the JDxA + June106 analog stereo chorus fills the void, but some of my most favorite sounds I can't do anymore; Roland recently released emulation of JX8P which I was excited for n some of the sounds r re-created rather well, but most of my favorites are lacking exactly the distinct edge which make them special to me. That said, I am blown away by the Juno & JX-3P plugin emulations via Roland Cloud! even the stereo analog chorus is replicated very well, at least in a mix I doubt anyone would hear a difference. Watched someone's video comparing polysix hw to sw emulation n while sometimes it emulates rather perfectly, it doesn't come close on others imo. Im gonna buy the behringer knockoff (or is it only the Mono/Poly available from them? then that, ive always wanted one). My polysix eventually died n local repair couldn't fix so had to sell for parts.

[@MIDERA]

Dang that sucks about your JX8P and Polysix! Glad you still have a Juno 106 though. I’ve seen the Polysix HW v SW and I’ve never felt the software to be convincing.

[@DaveDaves]

I just enjoeyed again. WOW.

[@MIDERA]

Hey thanks Dave! My Polysix is now longer mine. I sold it a few months ago :/

[@AxisChemicals]

crazy how this synth remain unloved copared to junos or others... Have some funk players here that hate it ! I personally love it! as much as an...obxa maybe, Incredible character, not that much versatile maybe that's why but I find it absolutely amazing. Some Magically darkfeel in it. incredible video by the way. The perfect demo for this synth, very very well done. seems like this dark reverb is pretty perfect with the poly6 !

[@MIDERA]

It’s definitely less well loved than the Junos, I don’t really know why, I would like a Juno, but the Polysix has a fairly equal sound, minus the stereo chorus. It feels like it plays more like a guitar in a way, plus the knobs are a bit more fun to tweak than sliders. But... it’s not worth have the price of a Juno. I’d love an OBXa, but it’s definitely not in the cards. I have too much gear.

[@AxisChemicals]

@@MIDERA I love my jx3p and would love to get my hands on a j60 as well.. it's kind of a graal for me, but I wouldn't say it's fairly equal to polysix. Has something very unique such as the OBxa or jx3p. OBxa is in my top 5 synth of all time but it's always on repair ! Many many issues now with this beauty, components are slowly dying ! OB can not build new ones as some of them special as chips are not manufactured nowadays, as you probably know ! Everyone would love to get one, pretty sure the future uli Ubxa can not stand comparison with it, same issue with OB6... But well, I ok with that. Anyway i know i've enough synths too buT always need more... Ahaha

[@thankyoufizzle3502]

OB8 is the truth and has way less problems than an obxa , mine plays perfect with no problems however this Korg sounds very creepy I like the vibes

[@MIDERA]

The Polysix is real horror show.

[@foxfoobar]

Seriously, at some points i thought i was watching a nexpo video, especially at 10:00 Nice!

[@MIDERA]

Thanks!!!

[@tybowesformerlygoat-x7760]

It's interesting reading the back-story.

[@MIDERA]

Thanks. I should do that more often.

[@Pamberjack_]

Incredible. And reverb too. Thanks!

[@MIDERA]

Thank you :)

[@vincentc8692]

Hey, congratulations and thanks for sharing this. !?$&@

[@mwmusic29]

Thanks for this demo. Well done!

[@MIDERA]

Thanks Matt!

[@fredkettler938]

Evidently this guy really likes modulation 🤯

[@MIDERA]

Who's this guy?

[@stuartdennis8506]

Awwww yes, I am now going to listen to Boards of Canada for the rest of the day 🙌🏻

[@l8bloomer]

Looking forward to the Polaris shootout. Thinking of buying my first synth and I can get a good deal on a Polaris.

[@MIDERA]

What sort of deal on that Polaris?

[@PeacewiththeGraces]

Man.. you gotta do some tutorials! I just got my polysix working(was giving to me broken) and getting insight on how to really use it would be awesome!!!

[@MIDERA]

Hey thanks! I don’t know what I could really do for a tutorial… I think using a good reverb is the best advice I have!! 🤣 But if I get set up for a nice tutorial, I will do something.

[@PeacewiththeGraces]

@@MIDERA haha!!! Noted!!

[@autoy]

I had one and it's absolutely lovely. The phaser is probably my favorite effect of them 3. Overall it has a kinda dark vibe, sometimes muddy but also wild. In contrast my Juno 6 is shiny and fuzzy warm and absolutely kills the Polysix in envelopes and filter ( and sound flexibility too), plus it's a better general tone for my style. It's funny that after so many decades we're still banging about Polysix vs. Juno :D The JX-3P I also had and while it does more of everything it does it with less strength and personality. Or rather a pretty nervous filter personality I wasn't so fond of, plus a notable lack of lower end.

[@MIDERA]

I didn’t feel a difference in envelopes and filter (do you mean the sound of the filter? I way prefer the Polysix filter, but yeah, that’s super subjective). But they’re both beautiful instruments. The whole “one oscillator = bad” concept is funny since that is partially why I sold my 106. 2 osc are better than 1! But this polysix is just great. I can agree with you on the JX-3P. The filter is nervous in a way. It’s certainly NOT it’s strongest selling point in my opinion. The chorus is great. But if I could replicate that JX sound in the polysix with its chorus, I might part ways with the JX. I don’t really like the phaser though, should give it some more time....

[@autoy]

@@MIDERA personally I love the 1VCO+sub polys. On 2x VCO polys I also dial them to behave these way most of the times. The Juno envelopes have an acoustic feel to them and it's one of its bigger assets for me. The filter tone has a beautiful harmonic resonant sweep that I prefer over the whistly SSM2044. Just a matter of preference or how each adapts to the tracks you make.

[@MIDERA]

That’s interesting to hear - especially since I feel the exact opposite way 🤣 I didn’t hear anything special with the Juno envelopes, but I believe you. Are the Polysix envelopes not analog in nature? I’ve heard they’re sluggish, but it hasn’t seemed at all poor in my mind. The filters to me sound absolutely gorgeous. I usually ascribe whistly filters you being digital, like the Korg Radias. But even they can be musical.... worst filter I’ve ever heard was from the AX80! And I know it’s a famous filter, but I totally disliked it in the AX80... just sounded “sandy” can’t describe it any other way. Anyway, always interesting to hear other opinions. I appreciate it!

[@autoy]

@@MIDERA for sure the Polysix envelopes are analog in nature. Apparently however they always go through the fx board to the final amp and can't be bypassed unless it's modded. This structure is to blame when noticing low end muddiness and apparent lack of snap. Some may argue it's exactly what makes the Polysix sound like it does. It was compared to the Prophet 5 for a long time but they're also so different as well. Prophet, like the Juno, is so very bright and snappy. Polysix instead was an 80s synth that very much sounded like a 70s synth and a rare case of poly discrete VCO design.

[@MIDERA]

I’d love to hear an FX bypassed Polysix and how it sounds with its envelope. I have the kiwi mod on mine, I’m not sure it affects the envelopes, but... we’ll, I guess it is what it is. I have an SH-101 for snappy envelopes! Guess I could buy the JU-60a if I decide to get that “Juno” sound... but I sorta don’t like Rolands style for ACB stuff. SH-01a was cool. The original didn’t have 4 voices so that was a cool add on. Dropping voices on the other ones just seemed lame to me... anyway, off topic.

[@istvantoth7431]

pretty amazing

[@MIDERA]

Thanks!

[@isaquegama7]

9:51 Perfect 😍🎶

[@MIDERA]

Thanks!

[@fatcharliethearchangel5122]

My first hands on experience of a synth was a Polysix. Used to plug a fender strat into the trigger port to make wacky sounds. I'd love to own one.

[@MIDERA]

Cool idea! I did a similar thing with the Yamaha SK30. It was crazy, although didn’t really do anything I expected so I gave up. The Polysix is great, but the Kiwi installed in it kinda made it weird.

[@SuperAcademie]

has this polysix had a kiwisix upgrade? I love your sounds! Very very inspiring

[@MIDERA]

Hi, it does have the kiwisix upgrade, but that won’t affect the sound in any way.

[@mattwaters6987]

Very cool!

[@MIDERA]

Thanks!

[@jeremythornton433]

Very cool! I have a Polysix that I bought new back in the day. I really do need to get it repaired so it's back up and running. Nowadays though, I use the PolysixEX in my korg kronos. I do notice the lack of knobs when I'm playing it but I don't really notice much of a difference soundwise. Could be my tired old ears but if I turn off the effects, it sounds the same. Others may disagree. Still, I DO need to get my old girl fixed! Thanks for the cool video.

[@MIDERA]

Nice! I’d guess your PolysixEX doesn’t have a ton of noise in the outputs at least! The Polysix is a beautiful synth though.

[@jeremythornton433]

@@MIDERA No, it's much quieter. It's also in stereo. With the Kronos, you can actually have 2 Polysixes running at the same time.

[@MIDERA]

Nice! I’d love to hear a comparison between the two!

[@jeremythornton433]

@@MIDERA I'd be happy to oblige but it's going to be quite a while before I get around to repairing my old girl. Too many more pressing expenses. Need a new car and a new mixer first. I'll see if I can find time to do a video on the PolysixEX ion the Kronos although I'm sure there are already a few out there. Cheers!

[@naakkve10]

polysixes apparently universally have a battery leak issue and eventually become unfixable money holes. still absolutely glorious sounding synths and kinda cool and weird they are all only going to exist for so long so we get these sounds for only as long as they last.

[@MIDERA]

Yeah, my unit had the board that contains the battery completely replaced by the kiwi mod. It worked really well but there were quite a few annoyances about the mod (extra noise and the way the arpeggiator was activated) that eventually I sold it. One a very few that has been sold actually. But I did love it when I had it. It just got displaced by the Juno 6.

[@StudioMagnetique]

As long as you catch it before, it's a simple matter of unsoldering the battery and dropping in a battery holder and battery so it can easily be replaced in future. Really easy fix as they are easy to work on. A few screws and the control panel hinges up, making it simple for anyone buying one to take a peek. The battery is easy to find, and if it has leaked, the resulting damage is easy to see all around on the board. One done, they will soldier on for years to come.

[@dartme18]

11:41 that's a proprietary knob turn; can't let you see it.

[@MIDERA]

lol - it's a flaw with my DSLR which can only record up to 12 minutes before stopping. I use magic lantern which tells the DSLR to start recording again, but I usually lose 1-2 seconds of data, unfortunately.

[@dartme18]

@@MIDERA Ah, I see :-D Rock on!

[@AlexBallMusic]

Such great sounds. I'm also very interested to play this synth (and the Polaris) at some point. Will look out for your comparison. I have the Juno-6 which I don't think I'll ever sell, but I sold my JX-3P, so I was interested to read that you prefer the JX.

[@MIDERA]

If you’ve played the Matrix 6/1000 - then you probably have a decent feel of the sound of the Polaris, in my opinion. I managed to port over many of my matrix sounds onto the Polaris and often preferred the matrix. I think if I do a comparison, it’s to start from a scratch sound and see how they develop over time, not exactly a direct comparison of similar sounds, but I’ll have to see. I could see never selling a Juno 6. The 106 I sold for fear of not being able to fix the oscillators... so I don’t know how id feel today. But the JX is a little more useful to me. But it’s not a perfect synth by any stretch and I don’t find myself drawn towards it. It’s interface, even with the PG200, is not ideal.

[@Lowerhaightstreet]

Alex you need to make a USA tour

[@spazkong]

It's much fuller than the Juno 6/60 and an absolute bastard to tune to their accuracy. Each existing machine sounds completely unique.

[@MIDERA]

The Polysix goes into tune within seconds of turning on... although it appears to get out of tune as I go up the scale. I agree they sound totally different, but the Junos just never sounded as interesting to me.

[@spazkong]

@@MIDERA There are two pots mounted on a small PCB just behind the keyboard near the middle, This is used to adjust the keyboard scaling/dividing octave voltages or is it multiplying, I can never remember. Anyway, quite an easy adjustment to make. It's the oscillator tuning that becomes a pig when you get started!

[@MIDERA]

@@spazkong oh that’s fantastic... I should dive in and fix that! Thanks :)

[@mencodie]

Korg Please bring back the polysix

[@MIDERA]

That would be something!

[@ALLRED1999]

10:15 🌠

[@Conforce]

the kind a sounds I was hoping to hear! amazing.. tempting for many years to jump on board.. having the monopoly I feel it might just not be needed but I think p6 sounds more lush.. although the MP being the more experimental of the two... do you think in general the p6 has a vintage tone? I think so compared to the MP (because it has more modulation options). anyway great demo and sounds.. these simple synths have a vibe.. a plug can not replicate it.. they can replicate a vibe but not take the character.

[@MIDERA]

Glad it sounded good! I will say it was aided by some good reverb. That said, I sold my Polysix. I much preferred the Juno 6 when I had that. But I got rid of both of them to eventually purchase a Jupiter 6. I still prefer the Juno 6 to all of them -_- I will say the Polysix was a joy to play, it just felt nice. I liked the look of it a lot too. The filter was great, but the Juno 6 felt more like a luxury synth in comparison. I've never used the Monopoly though, so I can't really speak to that one. Looks great and I've heard it sounds better than the Polysix.

[@77advanced]

There is something in polysix.. it is very organic and is one big sweetspot, you just cant make it sounds bad.

[@MIDERA]

Yeah, I agree. It's a great synth.

[@ultrajayme]

Just bought one on Reverb that was fully serviced in 2021

[@MIDERA]

Nice! What do you think???

[@ultrajayme]

@@MIDERA haven't gotten it yet.

[@cmroosen]

Beautiful demo! Wonder how you created the bell type sound on 24:05? Lots of resonance perhaps?

[@MIDERA]

Yes, that was very much filter resonance. It doesn't key-track to pitch very well, which could be good or bad I suppose! Thanks :)

[@Digiphex]

I can't figure Korg out. Their Mono/Poly and Polysix are loved but they focus on the ARP, which was never their heritage. If I ran Korg we would have a Poly Sixteen with full digital effects and a sequencer and a Mono/Poly with the same.

[@MIDERA]

Yeah, that is strange. I think I wouldn't mind a reissue Polysix just in general, it doesn't need to be 16 voices. I think this thing is a classic, no need to change it at all IMO!

[@shponglefan]

A reissue of those would be great, although they'd need a new way to produced the original SSM filters (since the original chips are not longer made).

[@MIDERA]

@@shponglefan Yeah, that's true - I agree there. These filters are beautiful. Just absolutely beautiful. How similar are the Prophet 6 chips?

[@shponglefan]

@@MIDERA While I don't own a Prophet 6, my understanding it uses a modern filter design. I believe it is based on the Prophet 5 filters (for which the Rev1 and Rev2 models used SSM2040 chips). Whereas the Polysix uses SSM2044 chips.

[@MIDERA]

That makes sense. While I know the P6 and OB6 aren’t the same, my short experience with the OB6 was not that great. Great looking instrument though. But nothing vintage about it. There must be someone who did a P5 versus P6 demo...

[@WrvrUgoThrUR]

Yet another vintage synth I bought for a song back in the 80s that I sold, only for it to skyrocket in price. Great memories though.

[@MIDERA]

Yeah. That’s happened to me with some gear. Sold a Juno 106 for $350… now it’s worth $1500+

[@Hhajsjeieirhrbbr]

Sick!! Getting some Higher Intelligence Agency vibes!

[@MIDERA]

Thanks :)

[@pointsurrender]

An absolute gem of a synth. Oozes character. Thanks for the long form demo. Is it all sweet spot or did you learn the sweets spots?

[@MIDERA]

I've been thinking - so far... the whole thing feels like a sweet spot (to me - because I like how it sounds no matter what I do). I feel like this synth is super under-rated. Compared to the Juno 60/106? I never really liked how it sounded. I wanted one ONLY because I liked how they look, but the sound never really inspired me. Maybe today I would think differently, but I had a Juno 60 last year for a bit and I was like 'meh' but not at all do I feel that way with the Polysix. I think if I could only keep one analog synth, for sure 100% it would be the Polysix. Polysix > Polaris > Matrix 1000 > JX-3P... Although, I like them all pretty well. Absolutely the Polysix is my absolute favorite. Actually, might switch the polaris and matrix. If Matrix had the same sort of interface as polysix/polaris it would for sure be up there with the others. JX-3P is great - don't get me wrong, and I love it in my tracks, but it's not something I run towards to get sounds I love out of, if that makes sense. 100% the Polysix (recall - I've only had this one week) - is right now just amazing. I love it quite a bit. The fact that I got it for $600? Unbelievable.

[@pointsurrender]

@@MIDERA I hear you. I played around with a Deepmind again for a few days and got plenty of Juno tones out of it. Then I went back to my Prophet 12 for a minute and immediately lost all interest in the Deepmind. It's not a bad synth by any means. It's just missing the kind of tone I prefer. The Polysix definitely has it and I could see it fitting well into your studio.

[@MIDERA]

Prophet 12 seems amazing. I wonder how it is as a DX style synth with its FM synthesis... seems it could do a whole lot.

[@pointsurrender]

@@MIDERA I've explored the AM on it a bit. But I haven't tried any FM. Not a fan of FM myself but it would be fun to explore. I just might have to.

[@javiceres]

@@MIDERA That’s a great price!! Don’t you find the saw wave in the Matrix 1000 a bit too quiet?

[@cfibb]

Nice vid. I too have a PolySix with the Kiwi mod.…how did you get the root-5th interval on this single VCO synth?!? Is it the Eventide pitch-shifting?

[@MIDERA]

Hi - I think you're referring to the sound at 20:00, correct? If so, the way I got this was by doing chord mode, which plays a chord on one note. It was not polyphonic. Hope that helps. I did sell my Polysix by the way. Just had a lot of goofy quirks about the Kiwi mod that made me give it up.

[@cfibb]

@@MIDERA oh, I get it now!🤦‍♂️😂 What were the goofy quirks regarding the Kiwi mod that made you give it up?

[@MIDERA]

@@cfibb hey sorry, late reply but KZbin never informs me of replies. The kiwi was annoying because the sequencer was flawed, once you put in your first note it acted like note 0, you could never get back to it. Turning the arp on required you to go into the menu and adjust the rate because it was set so slow you’d never hear a sound. And going into the menu can screw up your settings if the knobs are oriented differently than the setting, even if you don’t move the knob. Say the edit knob is set far left, but your setting was actually far right, now the synth thinks you’re set to far left, potentially affecting all sorts of crap. It introduced lots of noise. I was able to remove a lot of it, but it still persisted.

[@Jhihmoac]

Some used to call the Polysix "The Budget Prophet 5", even though it wasn't all that much less expensive than the Pro 5 back in the day...

[@MIDERA]

I looked up the prices from Wikipedia and it looks like the Polysix went for $1095 and the P5 went for $3,995. It seems like the P5 was 4X expensive! Maybe the actual sale prices were lower? I have them both, and think they're both good in their own ways.

[@Jhihmoac]

@@MIDERA - I don't know... I couldn't afford either back in the day... I only knew the pros all went for the PROphets... >>> Incidentally, Dave Smith HAS returned back under the Sequential brand, along with totally new 4th Gen more modern computer interfacable versions of his iconic Prophet 5 and 10s! The cost is almost $4500.00 for a 10, I hear! Let Roland and Korg even TRY to keep up with those sounds that only a Prophet can generate!

[@MIDERA]

Yeah, understandable. I did buy the new revision of the P5. It’s very nice, but still enjoy the Polysix!

[@77advanced]

There is somthing in polysix.. it is very organic and is one big sweetspot, you just cant make it sounds bad.

[@MIDERA]

Yeah, I agree. Although I did list it for sale and want to keep the Juno 6 :/

[@77advanced]

@@MIDERA He he, I sold my juno 60, but I will never sell my polysix. But this is, of course, a matter of personal taste.

[@MIDERA]

Oh wow. I don’t know why, but I just prefer the Juno. However, I also have the System 8 which sounds identical to my Juno, so that would make more sense to sell

[@l8bloomer]

@17 mins that's the classic early Boards of Canada sound for me. Funky but drifty and slightly haunted.

[@l8bloomer]

Maybe that's just vintage analog polys though :) ....

[@MIDERA]

At 19:42 I actually do play some BOC. Yeah, I feel the whole synth is BOC material.

[@MIDERA]

@@l8bloomer That's true - could be, hahah

[@pointsurrender]

@@MIDERA I wasn't gonna say it. But I agree.

[@MIDERA]

@@pointsurrender ... with which part?

[@backroadrunner8931]

Loved it, what effects are you using here?

[@MIDERA]

I think just Blackhole VST.

[@ssajjess]

Looking for a poly synth that really captures the sounds of boards of Canada, would you recommend this? It's the first I've seen that's really caught my attention, but you probably have a lot more experience, so i'd like to know your opinion...

[@MIDERA]

I think the Yamaha AN1x would get you closer. The Polysix is good, but I’m not sure if it can pull those sounds better than an AN1x. I think they just do a lot of heavily processed stuff by feeding synths into samplers and doing a lot of other post production stuff that it’s hard to really just get that close with only a synth. But while I think the Polysix is the cooler looking synth, the AN1x is probably the closer synth for getting you there. Yeah. I think that’s the best option out there tbh. The AN1x is not without its challenges though. The UI was not my favorite and the build quality was also sub par. The controls had very limited resolution, it was sometimes very frustrating to use. I did sell it. However, I thought it sounded great.

[@ssajjess]

@@MIDERA thank you so much. Very aware of the post processing aspect, just looking for the right source

[@MIDERA]

Well, I think the Polysix or an1x will get you there. I just think the AN1x is the better fit.

[@ssajjess]

@@MIDERA it has been purchased after watching your demo :D you make the best sounding demos of anyone I’ve seen on KZbin, PLUS actually reply to the comments. You have earned my subscription, have a wonderful day sir!

[@MIDERA]

Thanks! What did you purchase? A Polysix?

[@Lowerhaightstreet]

Polaris is in the shop? what happened. Mine lately the voices cant stay in tune.

[@MIDERA]

During Memorial Day weekend I flipped it on and it immediacy shut down my studio. The circuit had blown. I turned it back on, same thing. Sent it in, turns out the last owner had spilled coke or something in it. It melted on there and ended up causing massive issues. I got it back and found one of the voice chips had it’s pitch tied to the pulse width... no idea what’s happened since. Hoping it survives!

[@HaroldMaude]

How do you rate PolySix now?

[@MIDERA]

I sold the Polysix, if that tells you anything. I loved how it looked. I loved how simple it was. However, it did not hold a candle to the Juno 6 in my book. The Juno was in every single way better. However, my unit had the kiwisix mod and that made it challenging in many ways, ruining the simple experience with it. Not only that, but it added extra noise to the whole thing, making it even worse. If you had both a Polysix and Juno 6 in your possession, you would feel the difference in build quality and be shocked at how bad the Polysix felt. But it reminded me of a guitar in how it handled. I enjoyed it. I would not scoff at anyone who had it as their only synth. It would do a great job by itself. I just had a lot of other gear and felt it best to move this one on. I have a review of it online too if you want to read that :)

[@itchyvinyl]

Owners: Does your Poly6 always end up needing repair? It was my fave synth, but it was always in the shop. It was a money pit. I had to break up with it. :( (nothing to do with battery leaking)

[@MIDERA]

So far so good, but only had mine a few months. Mine is in rough shape, but works fine. I also have the KIWI version, so maybe that adds some stability. Hopefully others will respond.

[@itchyvinyl]

@@MIDERA I wish your P6 good health and long life. I also hope you know a good synth doctor just in case.

[@MIDERA]

@@itchyvinyl I absolutely have a few good synth doctors I know! Thanks :)

[@DrFaceHead]

@@itchyvinyl my Polysix needs tuning every two or three years. It’s a complicated process so you need to make sure you trust a tech in your area. I would not ship one of these. Or tour with it. Absolutely gorgeous synth, but it’s advisable to keep it in studio for sure. Replace battery first if you haven’t already. I have the Kiwisix upgrade too and it makes it very capable. The thing is you need to be mindful of it having tuning issues over time. Also my speed setting on the arpeggiator seems to run all over the place at times

[@itchyvinyl]

@@DrFaceHead Everything you said cements the fact that I have no business owning another. I just don’t have the space or money to devote. I’m getting things done now with smaller more reliable gear.

[@KingCrimson82]

Question to you experienced folks: Can i do something "similar" on a poly d , if combined with a reverb?

[@MIDERA]

It’s paraphonic, so probably not entirely. That doesn’t mean you couldn’t do something equally interesting or better. I’d suggest getting a true poly. Although any time you hear me using an arpeggiator (I’m not sure I do here), you can probably get closer. That said, this is a vintage analog using different filters, oscillators, amps, etc. If you’ve got the poly D, you lose nothing from trying, if you don’t, I’d question why you’re looking to buy a square to fit in a circle hole.

[@KingCrimson82]

Hello, thanks for the reply, you think the only restriction would be the 4 voices ? can i modulate the signal of the polies oscilators in a "similar" way? @@MIDERA square, circle, for me 600 bugs are allot and thats why when i decide for something like that i watch tons of videos, and in the process i come across things i am interested in which i would like to do to. Someday its pads(from what i heard the moog is very dreamy so thats fine), sometimes modulating (what you do and yes the poly has an appegiator and a hold button) and sometimes patches that end up in R2D2 sounds(cat, ms20, 2600).

[@MIDERA]

I think the poly D is just too dissimilar. Sure you can try to do it, but it’s not just limited by 4 voices. It’s limited by its architecture as well. It’s paraphonic, it’s not polyphonic. Those two restrictions make it different. It doesn’t mean the Poly D is bad, it’s just not a Polysix. I would think any regular 6 voice polysynth could get you much closer than the Poly D. If you have a poly D, go for it and try. If you do not, I would look to getting something else if this is what you’re interested in. I can guarantee there are other synths in the price range that will do this sound better than a poly D, that’s why I said you’re trying to fit the wrong shape into a different hole. There’s no harm in trying if that’s what you want to buy or already own it. It just wouldn’t be the first thing I’d reach for if I wanted “that” sound. Alternatives to the Poly D would probably be a MonoPoly (but I would get an actual monopoly or behringer alternative), matriarch, Delta CEP A, or pro2 for that 4 voice paraphonic sound. For poly, you will want to think about whether you want analog specifically or if digital is sufficient. Do you need a keyboard attached or not? There are lots of considerations, which I probably can’t advise as well on. To end, the Poly D is probably a poor substitute for a polyphonic synth and would not be my recommendation to achieve this sound.

[@KingCrimson82]

10:47 here you rise that one chord but then the turn comes much faster, do you use a pedal to control a parameter? i also am between the monopoly and the d, even consider the minilouge /deepmind 6 a little torn, i give it some time. @@MIDERAi question about the monoPoly i cannot find a pad sounding like that at all but some say they are close relatives(poly six and mono) ?

[@djcovid-1997]

Dope would you ever consider selling your sounds?

[@MIDERA]

I made most of these up and didn’t actually save them... I have never had the ability to manage my time effectively to sell patches. I wouldn’t even know where to begin!

[@djcovid-1997]

MIDERA you should! Sounds dope! You could make good money doing it. You have a knack for it

[@MIDERA]

I honestly doubt I could make enough money to make it worth it... I feel like the first person to buy my stuff would just sell it or give it away for free. I dunno. Plus all my names are UNTITLED1 or INIT or jfbdbfjkggkvuche - so... whose gonna buy that? Where would I set up a repository? How much would I charge? All these things I’ve thought of, and decided I just don’t have the energy and I half ass everything, including all my stuff on here, and realize that it’s just probably not going to happen :(

[@djcovid-1997]

MIDERA 😢😢

[@Narrowboatnumberthree]

Sounds like a synth boards of canada would of used

[@MIDERA]

Yeah I’m not sure they did but it’s possible!

[@bangkokdangerous2507]

shit this or a juno-106s, i like this more but a 106s is so snazzy

[@MIDERA]

Juno-106S? Why that one (and not just a Juno 106?). I had a Juno HS-60, which was a Juno 106S. I ended up selling it. I didn't really like it. I will say I think the Juno's look cooler, but I've always been partial to the Polysix sound. And to be honest, if it was between a Juno 106 and a JX-3P, I'd pick the JX-3P. If it was between a Juno 60 and JX-3P, I'd maybe want the 60, but not sure. If it was between the Junos and a Polysix - I think I'd stick with the Polysix. I actually think the JX-3P sounds better than the Polysix, but I absolutely dislike editing it, even with the PG200. My recommendation is to get a Polysix or JX-3P. In fact... now that I think about it, I really preferred the JX-3P without the PG200. Polysix is more fun and immediate, but I feel its envelopes are a bit mushy. What other gear do you have?

[@MIDERA]

And I just realized I wrote a lot of this stuff in the description, lol... anyway, guess my updated take on this a few months later.

[@bangkokdangerous2507]

@@MIDERA i play the synths for fun mainly and the 106s is sorta quirky and rare it seems like it would inspire some fun playing, ive only seen a couple for sale so it would be an interesting own. ive got a jupiter 6, a pro 10 rev 4, a deepmind12 a poly d and korg wavestate. yeah im definitely thinking of sticking with the six 👹👍🏻

[@MIDERA]

@@bangkokdangerous2507 Modeless Factory in Japan has a 106S up for sale for a decent price, which I sort of suspected is why you mentioned it - but if not, check it out. Looks like its in great condition. Got my JX-3P from him two years ago.

[@bangkokdangerous2507]

@@MIDERA haha good guess, ya that thing is sweeeeeet

[@takabo4558]

POLYSIXすごいよね！俺のPOLYSIXもいい音出してくれます！！

[@MIDERA]

Awesome! It’s a great synth!

[@mateodeo9161]

Sounds out of tune

[@MIDERA]

Could be.

[@garcongarcon]

it adds character

[@KingCrimson82]

hahaha, good answer ! haha @@MIDERAsounds awesome, i hate dated things and love abstraction thats why i like synth.