Unlocking the Yamaha E70

[MultiMan]

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!

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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!

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Hi Multiman,

Any news on that EX1?


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

Thanks Marc for your efforts with the mods. Yes many boards are shared with the E70 so no problem to follow your guide.
I have made a restoration thread about my organ here: http://www.organforum.com/forums/sho...modifications)

[Guest]

Thanks for the update - saw the photo's you posted on the separate thread. So you've experienced a bit of intermittent behaviour - perhaps you can pull and reset all the cards and connections - big job on it's own!

[Marc Brassé]

Golden Rules

Dear All,

I'd like to repeat something which I have just posted on Multiman's separate EX1 thread. I have actually mentioned it before but this cannot be repeated often enough:

If you buy an instrument of this age first let it acclimatize in it's new surroundings, especially when it has been stored in a place where conditions where different (cold damp cellars or drafty lofts come to mind). But even if the space was properly heated the trip to its new surroundings will also have been under different environmental conditions. In his (in)famous Sound On Sound article about the GX1 Gordon Reid advised to leave an instrument as is for 14 days before switching it on for the first time. That might seem somewhat extreme but I've always heeded his advice.

Furthermore: If you buy an old Electone the very first thing to do is have a look at the power supply and at least replace all old milar capacitors with new alternatives. Such capacitors deteriote over time because the milar ages chemically. Both my Polycheesy and the SGX lost their amplification systems because of this. On the E70 it actually blew up both amplifier circuits and the rotary speaker. By now I know better.


Cheers

[Ewaves]

[seamaster]

[mseven]

Hey Marc,

You'll be pleased to know we have a group of three people modifying three Es... (2x70 1x50)

Good points about turning on old electronics. I've heard of the "dim bulb" test that is supposed to be helpful.

I hadn't looked at the Son of GX manual for a while. It's pretty great, especially the update. Thanks

Dear All,

I'd like to repeat something which I have just posted on Multiman's separate EX1 thread. I have actually mentioned it before but this cannot be repeated often enough:

If you buy an instrument of this age first let it acclimatize in it's new surroundings, especially when it has been stored in a place where conditions where different (cold damp cellars or drafty lofts come to mind). But even if the space was properly heated the trip to its new surroundings will also have been under different environmental conditions. In his (in)famous Sound On Sound article about the GX1 Gordon Reid advised to leave an instrument as is for 14 days before switching it on for the first time. That might seem somewhat extreme but I've always heeded his advice.

Furthermore: If you buy an old Electone the very first thing to do is have a look at the power supply and at least replace all old milar capacitors with new alternatives. Such capacitors deteriote over time because the milar ages chemically. Both my Polycheesy and the SGX lost their amplification systems because of this. On the E70 it actually blew up both amplifier circuits and the rotary speaker. By now I know better.


Cheers

- - - Updated - - -http://www.brassee.com/files/How_to_...X_complete.pdf

[Ewaves]

Hey Mark

Yes, I have seen the Son of GX mods.
But for me the first thing to do is to clean up the contacts and inspected the organ.
While transporting I move it on the side and have some bad connections, I also want to check al the voltages.

[mseven]

Sounds good. Even one dirty key contact makes a big problem.

I think most will be cleaning. If you use a product - use DEOXIT (industry standard) - don't ever use a lubricant.

Shouldn't be much in the way of loose connections. These things are beasts. Might want to wiggle connectors.

Hey Mark

Yes, I have seen the Son of GX mods.
But for me the first thing to do is to clean up the contacts and inspected the organ.
While transporting I move it on the side and have some bad connections, I also want to check al the voltages.

[Ray Fenwick]

Hello all
Just a quick update, even though I've not been back to England yet!

As you know I have a D80 and a D85, (and a C605p, but I'm not planning to change that - so far!), but I am very seriously considering an E45 that has appeared for sale. As I understand it, this is basically a D85 but with bigger keyboards and no solo synth.

Hypothetically speaking, if the best bits of all 3 could be combined into one cabinet, which way would you go?

[Guest]

Hey Ray, wow, quite the variation in model numbers and features - didn't know the E45 existed. Interestingly enough, somebody made a midi output interface for the D85 and E45 - way back in 1995 an 2002 respectively - why they didn't make a midi input is beyond me, but I guess the fellow had his reasons. http://www.carlopetrini.it/index-e.html

If you're talking 'theoretically' (it would be impossible to actually combine these organs without an incredible amount of work, but if one made the MIDI in feature with the MIDI out, then you could stack the upper and lower manuals from one organ to another - it would be quite the feat. ; )

Features:
D85: digital all in one upgrade of the D80
- programmable patterns (it has a CMOS RAM for backup)
- Special voices Choir/Choral voices, Preset Voices, Custom Voices (all digital samples?)
- symphonic chorus (ensemble triple chorus, as found in the old string machines to give that big sound)
- all the digital upgrades/features that allow coupling, layering and substitutions of upper/lower/pedal manuals

Can't stand the arpeggiator, too dinky vs. the basic classic found in the E70 and D80

P.S. While other organ synths are mostly separate construct, which can be removed and house separately, due to the nature of the wiring, the solo synth in the D80 cannot be picked up and dropped into the other synths.
The Solo keyboard in the D85 has digital control of the analog synth vs. being a pure analog as found in the D80 (basically a Yamaha CS10)
AFAIk The presets in the D80 are more analog vs. the D85, the D80 uses the same CS VCF chips to filter tones and to add wah effect etc.

- the ability to set the sustain time on the manuals is a great one, especially for the arpeggiator


Just to repost the links to the D80 and D85 service manuals:
http://www.owner-manuals.com/D80-ser...al-YAMAHA.html
http://www.owner-manuals.com/D85-ser...al-YAMAHA.html









[QUOTE=Ray Fenwick;450469]Hello all
Just a quick update, even though I've not been back to England yet!

As you know I have a D80 and a D85, (and a C605p, but I'm not planning to change that - so far!), but I am very seriously considering an E45 that has appeared for sale. As I understand it, this is basically a D85 but with bigger keyboards and no solo synth.

Hello all
Just a quick update, even though I've not been back to England yet!

As you know I have a D80 and a D85, (and a C605p, but I'm not planning to change that - so far!), but I am very seriously considering an E45 that has appeared for sale. As I understand it, this is basically a D85 but with bigger keyboards and no solo synth.

Hypothetically speaking, if the best bits of all 3 could be combined into one cabinet, which way would you go?

[Ray Fenwick]

Some definite food for thought there. Thanks keyman2

[Larrytow]

Yesterday I was at a rummage sale and picked up a 1978 Aug / Sept issue of the old Sheet Music magazine, and the very first organ ad in it ( the only organ ad in it actually ) was for the E70. I thought of this thread as soon as I saw it. So, I scanned the ad, and will attach it here so all you who are into these models can see what Yamaha had to say to promote it.

[mseven]

> didn't know the E45 existed

Hey Keyman! I have one. I'll post photos.

You guys and Magnus' work have me wanting to hook things up better for sound.

[Guest]

old E70 advert

Yesterday I was at a rummage sale and picked up a 1978 Aug / Sept issue of the old Sheet Music magazine, and the very first organ ad in it ( the only organ ad in it actually ) was for the E70. I thought of this thread as soon as I saw it. So, I scanned the ad, and will attach it here so all you who are into these models can see what Yamaha had to say to promote it.

Ironically, I'd picked up on the E70 decades later, only to see it all over my collection of Keyboard magazines.... somewhat delayed subliminal advertising ; )

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Good to hear you're still at it MSEVEN... I've still got plans afoot but lot's of other priorities/distractions, the typical hobbyist approach

[FlametopFred]

the first time I saw an E-70 was in 1978/1979 and had no idea what is was except somehow related to the CS-80 (the coloured program buttons) and was very expensive ($12,000 then I think). Saw it at our local summer fair, where there was a Market Place exhibition, with sales booths for RV's, Pong Consoles, and Home Organs.

I'd seen the CS-80 at our local music store, had read up on it in Keyboard magazine, and new it was on a few records of the time. Also noted that both had "Electone" on their console. So knew they were related.