Unlocking the Yamaha E70

[Guest]

You've got the right idea, Marc did indeed manage to wedge it in there pretty good. It's no wonder that people are shedding themselves of these, to free up a bit more space. ; )

The CSY is a bit more raw vs. the D80 and the CS lineup as they use discrete IC's on the CSY-2AE and epoxy modules (on the CSY-1) vs. the CS chipsets on the CS lineup of synthesizers. The original SY-1 and SY-2 were also epoxy modules.

This is what I would call the Defacto demo for the SY-1 (similar for SY-2) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkVzook6iIw

One interesting thing on the CSY synths (including SY-1/SY-2) is the touch control, which you don't get on the CS lineup, until you get to the CS50 and up. The D80, D85 have a small keyboard that wiggles vs. using 'touch'. The arpeggiator on the D80 is like the E series, better than the D85 which is more like a preset keyboard.

You can find the service and user manuals for both the Yamaha D-80 and D-85 here

http://www.owner-manuals.com

http://www.owner-manuals.com/index.p...x=0&y=0&brand=

That's actually echoed the way I've been thinking... that a CSY + E75 would be the best option. Having looked at Marc's combination it definitely seems like the way to go. I have thought about keeping instruments unmodified, but space is always going to be a premium, and for the footprint Marc's combination is superb. I have a Technics G100 in storage waiting until I move to a bigger place, so a very analogue Yamaha and the very digital Technics would be a good complement for each other. Plus we have a Technics PR840 (currently in the only available space)...

Interesting how the D80's CS10 vs the CSY would compare...

[wx2bu]

Got a E-30 Lately and i'm on the process of modding it! I've realized how it is a cutdown version.

[Ray Fenwick]

Sounds good. Keep us posted.

[mseven]

I assume you're doing the Son of GX mod? Sure the E-30 is the bottom of that E lineup, but the mods open all the frequencies up to you.

[MultiMan]

Hello all this is my first post on the forum after lurking for a while now.
Just about to get my first organ in many years... the mighty EX1.

Having read through most of this thread, the manual, service manual and Marks excellent guide I'm excited by the possibilities.

If I do go ahead with the mod I want to style it on a large version of the GX1 programmer which I think would compliment the EX1 nicely. That will be quite a project though and likely to take a long time.

Before any of that though I have the huge task of getting the organ home... it should be fun lol. I also need to experiment with the organ with its standard features which are many!

Great to see this thread still going, thanks again for all the contributions and I'll post some info about my organ in another topic when I get it.

[Guest]

Safe to say, this is a first for this particular thread - you have the envy of many here.

You wouldn't be the first to have to deal with transporting one of these - maybe you would do well to contact them ; )
http://www.organforum.com/forums/sho...d-a-Yamaha-EX1

You must have found the service manual by now: http://www.owner-manuals.com/EX1-ser...al-YAMAHA.html

The Solo Synth is much like a traditional CS10 or slightly higher in the series, uses pretty much the same style of CS chips.

The Orchestra voices are pretty much like the E70 style PASS synthesis, though having some very desirable added features included with the more advanced Rhythm section.

Otherwise, the original GX-1 is the one with the old style epoxy modules (a superset of what was used in the SY-1 ) so more of an analog brute having a total of 36 voice cards with 36 oscillators, 72 envelope generators, and 144 filters. That one would be prohibitively expensive/rare vs. the more modern EX-1.

You certainly have lot's to work with - the programming options will be massive - good luck and keep us posted.

[Marc Brassé]

EX-1! Dzoing!

Man (er, men), I had lost access to the thread ages ago (forgotten passwords, changing internet adresses, you know the drill) and have been thinking about going through the process of rejoining ever since but this time I could no longer resist actually dong so.

The EX-1. I'v ebeen hoping to catch one ever since I did the original "Son Of"-mod but could not find one, not for reasonable money anyway.

The very good news is that an EX-1 is basically aan E70/EX2 with a single osc analog solo synth slapped on top of it. Functionally it almost literary is and electroncialy probably also. So there is a 99 % chance that my customization guide is totally applicable.

About the solo synth: I'd say it is probabaly very much CSY related. Again I expect it to be almost literaly so but one will only be sure when one opens it up. There are even some very clear differences between the CSY-1 and the CSY-2 (The 1 for instance having the potted GX1 oscillator and the 2 a totally accesible descrete component built one. Gues they must have been running out of those little boxes).

The EX-1 will be an ideal candidate. I always imagined replacing the perspex music stand by a shallow box. To use the actual stand would also be great (imagine all the wiring behind it) but drilling perpex is notouriously difficult and having to make 4 sections programmable needs a lot of office space anyway (remember that pic of my contraption).

I could go on for hours like this but for now: Congratulated with finding that EX-1, you lucky b@#$%^&* ... er Multiman!


Marc

[Ray Fenwick]

Hello again guys. Just a quick update to say that I now have a D80 and D85 sitting in my storage place, with another D85 and an dead E3 coming too. The vague plan is some kind of D80/D85 hybrid in the bigger cabinet with the bigger keyboards and looking pretty stock. Probably the closest I will get to an E70 for a while to, as they never came to England As always, suggestions and advice are always welcome!

Thanks
Ray

[Guest]

The D80 is like a super version of the CSY-2, actually containing a CS10 type synth, though the wiring is bundled in with the main harnesses. You have the opportunity to breakout the presets control voltages.

The D85 is more digitally interfaced, envelopes and such are supplied by the LSI electronics. At least is allows the more complex layering or coupling whereas the D80 is less capable, but at least it has the same style of E70 arpeggiator whereas the d85 is more like a home keyboard version. Overall, I prefer the D80 for analog type tones since it uses a number of the CS filterchips for tones and has some preset polyphonic tones as well. The D85 is the more advanced, also having the built in 3 part BBD Ensemble Chorus as you find in string synths - that along with the Vocal Ensemble are unique along with programmable rhythm, coupling etc. make it a unique beast - maybe more like the E75.

I just chopped the D80, but not the traditional way of top and bottom, but the front manuals part, stacking it on top to minimize the footprint. This is a simulated view in paint, but it shows how I moved the top controls to the front bottom, so as to keep the whole works below the top of the cabinet and adding room for a control panel above the mini synth keyboard - to break out the CS10 controls etc.



http://www.owner-manuals.com/D80-ser...al-YAMAHA.html Same site has the D80 manual and there is a prior link in the Forum for the PASSE theory and service guides.

[Guest]

Hello again guys. Just a quick update to say that I now have a D80 and D85 sitting in my storage place, with another D85 and an dead E3 coming too. The vague plan is some kind of D80/D85 hybrid in the bigger cabinet with the bigger keyboards and looking pretty stock. Probably the closest I will get to an E70 for a while to, as they never came to England As always, suggestions and advice are always welcome!

Thanks
Ray

The E3 is not that desirable since it's not part of the PASS (PULSE Analog) series, it's the older generation of organs and is not modifiable like the newer PASS and doesn't contain anything related. I believe the minimum in the PASS series is the E30, then E50, E70, E75...

E-30 / E-50 / E-70 (1977–1980/1981)
E-45 / E-75 (1981, export model)
E-500 / E-700 (1981–1982/1983) No idea about these last two which might be variations on the E-50 and E-70
EX-1, EX-2

[Ray Fenwick]

[Marc Brassé]

Dear Ray,

Hm, either you are an excellent negotiator or people in your vicinity are really desperate to get rid of these things. Most organs are to be got for nearly free here as well but an D85 still tends to command a few hundred bucks.

Anyway. Much luck with your project(s). I am a bit less of a D-series "expert" since my first/last good look in the circuit diagrams revleaed that the D85 is too digitized to make it fully progammbale, which is of course the E-series biggest forte.

The D80 always stayed a bit below my radar because I supposed it would be too similar to the D85 in hat respect. Keymans insight that the solso synth is more of a CS10 rather makes me sit up. I've been doing the "bad stuff" with a 2 CSY's and since their synths can already be turned into very flexible little beasties I might be tempted to also use a D80 for a next project. (As if I need another project).

So in short. D-series: not (yet) my thing but I might have some tips for modding that D80 solo synth. Mechanical stuff is actually my real forte, much more then electronics but shoot away if you have any specific questions anyhow.

And have fun! Patience and fun!

- - - Updated - - -

hi guys! new to the forum but read most of the pages over here. i made my son of gx 75 with the great guide from marc.
here is the documentation if you are interested:
http://jacobkorn.de/studio/yamaha-e-...ification.html

i was curious what happened to the idea of hacking the keyboard scanner with an arduino mega to get a midi in? thats what iam trying at the moment.
any help with the code appreciated! cheers, jacob

Hi, Jacob.

Sorry for reacting so late but I have been out of the loop of this thread for quite a while.

Thanks for so gracefully mentioning me in your video. I am actually working on an update of my website and will then also include the picture of your mod that you sent me. The one where you so neatly put a page from my guide beside the programmer. Made me all fuzzy and warm on the inside.

Are you getting anywhere with the MIDI mod?

Son Of GX'ers unite!

- - - Updated - - -

Hello all this is my first post on the forum after lurking for a while now.
Just about to get my first organ in many years... the mighty EX1.

Having read through most of this thread, the manual, service manual and Marks excellent guide I'm excited by the possibilities.

If I do go ahead with the mod I want to style it on a large version of the GX1 programmer which I think would compliment the EX1 nicely. That will be quite a project though and likely to take a long time.

Before any of that though I have the huge task of getting the organ home... it should be fun lol. I also need to experiment with the organ with its standard features which are many!

Great to see this thread still going, thanks again for all the contributions and I'll post some info about my organ in another topic when I get it.

Hi Multiman,

Any news on that EX1?


Uh, why are al my answers to different messages going into a single post?

[Guest]

The E3 keybed certainly is useful - weighs quite a bit on it's own and makes you realize what made these so pricy. Between the D80 and D85, you should be fairly good. Being that the CS10 construct is a linear hz/volt synth, you can tie in other Hz/Volt VCO's, like the PAIA Fatman, Korg MS and even the Monotribe etc. Here are some related examples of what you can do by way of tying in other synth circuits and doing things like feeding the upper and lower manuals into the synth filter etc. https://soundcloud.com/synthmans/set...mental-modular

The D85 has a nice string and vocal choir, so between the D80 and D85, you have pretty much the E75 in a round about way. ; )

[Ray Fenwick]

Glad to know you don't think I am completely mad I know I will have lots of work to do, which will have to wait until the organs and I are in the same country, but it's nice to know I won't be bored in the future

- - - Updated - - -

Hm, either you are an excellent negotiator or people in your vicinity are really desperate to get rid of these things. Most organs are to be got for nearly free here as well but an D85 still tends to command a few hundred bucks.

Thanks Marc. I'm very glad to hear from you - you're a big inspiration in my plans.

Anyway. Much luck with your project(s). I am a bit less of a D-series "expert" since my first/last good look in the circuit diagrams revleaed that the D85 is too digitized to make it fully progammbale, which is of course the E-series biggest forte.

The D80 always stayed a bit below my radar because I supposed it would be too similar to the D85 in hat respect. Keymans insight that the solso synth is more of a CS10 rather makes me sit up. I've been doing the "bad stuff" with a 2 CSY's and since their synths can already be turned into very flexible little beasties I might be tempted to also use a D80 for a next project. (As if I need another project).

So in short. D-series: not (yet) my thing but I might have some tips for modding that D80 solo synth. Mechanical stuff is actually my real forte, much more then electronics but shoot away if you have any specific questions anyhow.

And have fun! Patience and fun!

I will, thanks! I'll be making lots of photos and notes as I go, and will happily share with the community - it's a two-way thing.

[MultiMan]

Safe to say, this is a first for this particular thread - you have the envy of many here.

You wouldn't be the first to have to deal with transporting one of these - maybe you would do well to contact them ; )
http://www.organforum.com/forums/sho...d-a-Yamaha-EX1

You must have found the service manual by now: http://www.owner-manuals.com/EX1-ser...al-YAMAHA.html

The Solo Synth is much like a traditional CS10 or slightly higher in the series, uses pretty much the same style of CS chips.

The Orchestra voices are pretty much like the E70 style PASS synthesis, though having some very desirable added features included with the more advanced Rhythm section.

Otherwise, the original GX-1 is the one with the old style epoxy modules (a superset of what was used in the SY-1 ) so more of an analog brute having a total of 36 voice cards with 36 oscillators, 72 envelope generators, and 144 filters. That one would be prohibitively expensive/rare vs. the more modern EX-1.

You certainly have lot's to work with - the programming options will be massive - good luck and keep us posted.

Thanks very much keyman, sorry I haven't checked this thread for a while.
Yes I saw that post about moving the organ and I must have read the manual and service manual a dozen times already.
I appreciate the help though cheers.

The solo synth is very much like an sy1 with very similar features and it sounds great, I love the 32 foot setting and the sample and hold is a really nice feature.
If I do any mods then I could expand the solo too with pulse width controls etc.

The organ section has a few more features than the e70 - mainly an extra stop on the footages including 6 2/5 for the upper manual which is unusual. The lower attack also has repeat which is great with the arpeggio.

My EX1 is a Japanese model and comes with a Yamaha voltage convertor.