I have had a whole range of keyboards over the last 20 years and have to say the SY85 is the only one i would never part with! The keyboard action is wonderful...it just feels..right! Aftertouch is superb...so controllable.

Sounds are rich and lush and although some are obviously dated...it is a ten year old synth! most are still very usable straight off.

The sequencer...although some have said it's a bit fiddly, i have found fairly straightforward and certainly a quantum leap over my previous Ensoniq SQ1+. The addition of the 100 preset drum patterns is a nice touch to get you up and running fast.

Only two things i would like to change. The floppy drive from a DD to a 1.44mb HD...if that can be done please let me know! :-) And the memory..the non-volatile strips seem hard to come by and are still relativly expensive. Although of course you can use standard sims...dirt cheap these days and probably free if you can find an old PC laying around.

So all in all...definitly the best synth i have owned and i shant be parting with it.

If anyone want's to know more....if your looking for a permanent source of resources, manuals, patches etc just drop by the "Yamaha SY Forums" at http://kickme.to/syforums We cover the whole SY/TG range. Cya there.

atb Saul

I expected to have unloaded my 85s long before today, but the user-friendliness of these synths have ensured their rightful place amongst my most valued gear. While many manufacturer's claim their products are continually updateable, few in actual fact are ever supported beyond their retail shelf life. The onus is on the owner to explore the potential of their instruments and then to exploit that potential to the max. I'd recommend the sample memory upgrades for any 85 user. It'll prolong the synth's life for an indefinite period by allowing you to keep the most current wave forms available to you.

As a work station, it has few peers; as a live performance instrument, it has no equal. I perform, as a "side man" in all musical styles, classical excepted, and this synth produces the right sounds EVERY time. For amusement, I often apply a strip of duct tape over the Yamaha logos and I'm constantly amused at the public's comments......"is that the new (insert flvour of the month) synth?"

The sequencer is good enough to provide an entire sets worth of music, at one go, if the programming is done expeditiously. In 9 years of use, I have NEVER experienced any kind of crash, freeze, brown out or display difficulties. in fact, I only recently changed the back-up batteries!!! The 85s have worked in Arctic cold and Mojave heat, without a single glich.....ever. The instrument is engineered and built with regards to the highest quality, commercially acceptable standards.

The only improvement, which could be made to this instrument, in my opinion, is the addition of a hard shell case!!! If you have the opportunity to acquire one of these excellent synths, DO IT!