This was absolutely a budget priced synth (list was $1,395 upon release in 1986) yet, as Brad says, the large 40 x 2 VF display (made by NEC) was very large for ANY synth at that time (maybe expensive PPG Wave had as big or bigger). The big display and a whopping 10 soft keys (5 of which were, unusually, ABOVE the display) made for a super elegant DIGITAL style interface with absolutely no menu diving. Each programming button was situated within a graphic representation of the synth architecture and allowed you to change a full 10 parameters with the soft keys and accurate data slider (numbers instantly updated with no lag that you might see on a standard LCD). The loop-based sequencer on the ESQ-1 was super easy and fantastic , as well. It rounded out one of the first synth "workstations" ever, with multitimbral operation (Sequential Six Trak was earlier, with less capability). Also of note; the ESQ-1 main digital oscillator chip was the same used in the Ensoniq Mirage sampler and the Apple IIGS computer. It was the brainchild of Bob Yannes, who left MOS Technology after designing the legendary SID sound chip used in the Commodore 64 computer.
Great video as usual! More synth repair walk-through please! A tip to remove stubborn pot/sliders knobs is to use a hair dryer or heath gun (careful with the latter) and warm up the plastic gradually until they soften and give up.
Loved this! And great commentary. Really informative. I had the metal version for years and years and sold in working condition. I just picked up a plastic one in IMMACULATE condition except I need to do the battery of course and update the OS. Am hoping the rumors are true that the OS chips (x2) are socketed and not soldered like the metal. Otherwise it will go to my local tech who can service these older boards.
The ESQ-1 is one of my favorite synths, i have two of them, both metal body versions. The transformer blew in one of them, so i need to locate the proper type that goes with the power supply in the metal body units.
I had one as I was 16 years old. I wish I knew about capacitors cause it went kaputt on me, fuses blown, me bridging the fuses sockets with aluminium foil, worked for a while and died, then I ended making a lamp with the keys. It was quite a cool keyboard, I used a tape recorder so store and load sequences and patches. It was my first experience with digital equipment. As I said, I wish I knew better so I could repair it and still have it.
Nice video! Watched the whole thing. I needed to load the factory patches back in as they were all lost when the battery died. and all from an MP3 file recording of an old audio cassette from my phone.
@@trebleboost7 Yes worked fine. I also eventually upgraded my firmware to the "latest" which completely got rid of this problem. But that is not a super easy thing to do.
Well I for one found this very interesting, thanks. I bought one in 1986 (U.K.) but haven't used it since around that time. I also had a Korg DW-6000 and a Yammy CS70M. I still have them all but now I know a little of what I'm likely to find if I do ever try to power any of them up again. Just bought a new Yammy MODX8+, which is all I use now other than an M-Audio controller for DAWs (the MODX will do this but I haven't set it up yet). 😁
I use to have one back in 2011 i bought from a music store for 200, had some family issues going on and just got so mad/depressed that i sold it on ebay for 20 and some one in Maryland drove up to NJ to pick it up. I do miss that keyboard as it was awesome but didn't have enough time to really experience its full potential. I also had one of the crystal carts as well and that thing was awesome! Now I got a korg sp-500 from good will for 20 that works just needs the headphone jack replaced. Also I just noticed that your version is slightly different from mine. Mine had a huge heavy heat sink on that upper top side and I think the top control panel part was metal as well not plastic like yours. It was very heavy >
Thanks for posting such an in depth video on this. I just acquired an ESQ-1 and although full working has a background continual buzz and whine. I am assuming its power supply related as it sort of makes me think of mains hum. I'm hoping replacing the Capacitors in the PSU will solve it.
thanks for the advice from a excellent video i have all my music cartridges and expansion cartridge and brought a battery holder for the Panasonic br 2/3 3 volt they recommend solder to the board however if i add painter tape to hold the battery in there isn't the risk of the battery falling out. yes please can you do a video on the capacitor replacement. I'm hunting down the capacitors for the ensoniq esq 1 i brought in 1987 ah memories!
Great video! Very helpful. My esq1 won’t boot past the welcome screen. Could this be the power supply? I’m thinking about replacing all of the caps on the power supply. Other than that I can’t think of anything else to do.
Hello, 1st of all thank you for all this shared patience and knowledge, I have a problem with fixing my esq: it power on but stay only on selftest, I have done the hard reset but no sign of booting … any chance that you can help ? Thank you
14:49 Dat display! Actually, they are not that power hungry. Early backlit LCD's consume way more. And never remove it. VFD's don't die. The 35V circuit can be broken, but the display itself will go on and go on. Worst that can happen is that some pixels get dim.
Another good video. I have the SQ80, mine needs the caps done and I'm not 100% sure yet but the aftertouch seems to only be working on the black keys? Or was that the SD1? I've also got one of those usb floppy replacement drives to fit. Never ending.
Really wish I had held onto my ESQ-1. I don't know when, but about 20 years after getting it, I sold it for $50. The battery had been replaced, and it was working fine, but then it wasn't anymore... and I don't know why. I figured it was time for a new keyboard... but I really miss the easy sequencer and song/track building this had built in. Would rather use it than a computer...
Is the VFD something that can be replaced or retrofitted with a new display if a VFD is no longer available? I love the look of the VFD but I'd hate to lose the whole synth over a faulty irreplaceable display.
I have one of these keyboards and loved the sequencer, it was so easy to use. But one section of the keyboard produces no sound; It is 8 consecutive notes I believe that do not work. I hate to throw this keyboard away but I don't know if I can get replacement parts for it. If anyone has any ideas I would appreciate it very much.
Hi, I got an ESQ-1 with a battery issue. i replaced the battery and still get the warning. Did the full reset. The analog test shows Batt: 255. I then tested the old one and it was at 2.9V. New one is 3v. Resoldered twice. I'm not great with soldering but I do think it's got contact. I'm assuming the 2.9V battery before probably should have still been enough too which someone else soldered in. I'd appreciate any ideas. Thank you!
I know this is another beast. But I've found hardly anyone repairing Ensoniq's on RU-vid, so I'm going to ask anyway! I acquired myself a TS-10 for Poly-AT. But the pressure is so stiff, I imagine some rubber must have stiffened somewhere and it has almost no give left. I'm very nervous about opening it up. Should I just have a look? Or will this thing die on me the moment I start poking around in it?
I got an ESQ-1 by mail, and one of the keys popped up. The seller sent a new key, however it looks the same as the one that came out, and it wont stay down either. Is it possible that my issue is the smaller spring has stretched out and wont hold the key down? Thanks
If you look at 26:23, I believe the keyboard measures the time taken between breaking the contact with the top wire and making contact with the second wire. Shorter time elapsed between the two events = faster velocity. Voila!
Dude you are a boss! I have to take mine apart soon to probably replace the battery among other things but this video will be super useful. Do you have any good info on where to order parts for this?
@@bradthx Thank you! Do you have a link to the capacitors that you replaced on the power supply as well? I'm not that literate with this stuff so i'm having some trouble figuring out which ones I need. Thanks again!
Hi i got same one turn on but no sound No warning batery low. No idea of something wrong. With it. If you can get me a lead with these issue. I will thank u a lot.
Brad or anyone know the TYPE OF PLASTIC used on the chassis, the kind with the "swirled" pattern, visible on the underside of the opened front panel? It looks exactly the same as plastic often used in expensive European Playmobil toys. I'm wondering if it's fiberglass filled plastic or something. I see it in various products once in awhile and am dying to know what it's called and WHY it's used when it is.
Disculpe soy de argentina:Consulta amigo me compré mí primer sintetizador el ensoniq vfx sd y me sale "error 33 calibración"como puedo solucionar este problema y si ai algún manual en español
When you say direct digital, and that it converts the waveform to analog sound, what do you mean exactly? Does it have DCOs which are controlled by the sample? or does it simply feed a sample into analog filters and vca?
Well, in theory, I'm not sure what the difference between those two would be ... however, from my understanding, the ESQ/SQ have a custom Ensoniq voice chip, which is basically a wavetable based DCO. It would be hard to say *exactly* what it's doing as it's a custom IC (a DOC5503), however there is some documentation for it online. However, after generating the voices, the of the voices are fed through 8 CEM3379s which are your typical 80s "analog filter + vca on a chip" - with the one notable exception of these being one of the few CEM chips that actually support a "panning" CV/output (there aren't many analog or "partially analog" synths in general that supported crazy panning effects).
@@ryanjay6241 The difference i think would be quite significant. DCOs are analog oscillators but digitally controlled, If the waveform is just stored 1s and 0s thats not analog thats just digital waveform no matter the form they are stored in. The ambiguity around the sounds source of this synth is quite intriguing, because a wavetable controlled DCO is very much analog. that is in practice digitally controlling a digitally controlled analog oscillator. Every page i read about this says the voices are digital, stored waveforms, so if its not that, but is in fact wavetable controlled DCOs, that is very interesting, and i might buy one!
@@Unshapenkris So, I guess in this case it shouldn't be considered a "DCO". At this point it's really all about naming, but from my understanding a DCO is a purely analog oscillator that is controlled digitally - which obviously wouldn't be capable of playing "custom waveforms". There is actually an amazing resource for the ESQ/SQ series, that details a lot about many things about these units www.buchty.net/ensoniq/ According to it, the "The DOC consists of 32 time-multiplexed digital oscillators based on phase accumulators". According to some things I've read, this would most likely be what a numerically-controlled oscillator (NCO) is. That being said, I have an ESQ-M (rackmount) and I wouldn't say the oscillators sound analog to me. They have a "glassy" sound IMO almost like a JV1080, which isn't really a bad thing. However, it does allow control of many of the parameters of the oscillators that you'd expect on an "analog" oscillator (semi, fine, hard sync, AM, modulation of freq and vol). The filters however (and the unique panning effects + modulation capabilities) are the selling point for me, as they are and do sound very analog. It's not however a unit I would pick up for creating classic analog sounds with. There are cheaper units better suited for that. Also, IMO the term "DCO" to me is considered loosely. I've heard modern units with "DCOs" (i.e. Tetra4) that do not sound analog at all to me. They're as clean and precise as a VST. There are vintage units (like the Korg EX800 or Akai VX90) where the DCOs are as sloppy as any VCO, which is why I take the term lightly ...
@@Unshapenkris ahh, an esq-m owner.. the one thing I always regret is getting a esq-m cheap as an add-on fro my esq1 when they were 100-150$ odd so. Stupid me. Now you hardly ever find one in the wild
If the ESQ-1 (and more specifically, the ESQ-M) is a wavetable synthesiser, would it be fair to say that it's like a Waldorf Microwave, but at one third of the price? Or is that perhaps a bridge too far?
The use of the name "wavetable" is a bit of a misnomer, it's not THAT type of Wavetable synth, they're just sampled waveforms stored in RAM that's refereed to as a Lookup Table, it isn't the type where you can scan though multiple different waveforms within a main wavetable.
@@Black_Agent_Seattle Thanks for the explanation. Meanwhile, I managed to get both an ESQm and a Microwave II at a reasonable price, so I can test for myself. 🙂
