Synth Wizards Episode 4: Desert Island SQ-80 

I found out about your channel only today. The quality, the fantasy, the irony, the content... You deserve 10X more the audience, I'll help as I can.

That LCD screen screams 80s, GOD I LOVE IT. RIP turquoise buttons :(

LOL I just ordered a key for my juno 106 from you guys!! Had no clue y'all had a youtube channel. This is all very cool.

Oofff love you guys but retro Miami Vice 80s colors like turquoise is actually very cool, especially now. Came back in style big time.

removing the Turquoise buttons was a mistake!

But the turquoise buttons were beautiful :(

Man am I glad I found this!! This could be a PBS show: 'This Old Synth" 😄 the ESQ-1 was my second synth and at the time I was a big Commodore 64 user--had no idea they were cousins!

Ensoniq were simply great. Musical instruments designed for musicians. They had a philosophy. Got an Ensoniq EPS and it's my favourite sampler / keyboard.

I've been a synth head for 25-yrs. or more.. Had a Roland Jupiter 8, Yamaha TX16, Korg MS-1 & MS2000, along with a CASIO CS-01. Love your channel and the great effort you put into making it entertaining, as well as informative. Great job Synth Wizards!!!

Very excited at the brief excerpt of Suzanne Ciani's "The Eighth Wave" at 6:05. I instantly recognized it.

No question my favorite RU-vid channel. The documentary style and over all production reminds me of watching PBS as a child for some reason, which I love. The Korg cave flick!!! Fabulous! Thank you for being my RU-vid comfort food.

shoulda never got rid of the turquoise buttons!

I would love to see a Synth Wizards episode on the Ensoniq Fizmo!

that's funny. in 5th grade people asked what we wanted to do when we grow up. I said WORK AT SYNTAUR! I'm 36 now and I still want to.

Synth Wizards makes the world all right. No fakers, haters and drama. Just like in real life. Don't know how to put this stronger. If this was on TV, I'd watch TV. :)

Another cool episode, really was a pleasure to watch! Awesome how you included questions to Bob Yannes as well. I actually like the original Miami Vice like color scheme though, I think it adds a fun bit of flavor.

I love this channel. Each video is a learning experience

I'd heard about how good the SQ-80 was from a friend of mine, but had no idea how good until i saw this video. The fact that Bob Yannes of the legendary 6581 MOS (i still have a spare PLUS the working one in my original c64) was behind this, means i can only hope i can get my hands on one for a day or two; especially now that i know it has polyphonic aftertouch, which is rare as rocking horse plop. The irony is that i had multiple opportunities to buy one in the 90s, but bought all manner of analog synths for my studio , which were used extensively ( and smelt odd at times, when being on for hours on end). Thank you for uploading this. It was a treat to watch.

I never minded the Turquoise buttons.

Love Synth Wizards! Make it a weekly show on HBO!

Great RU-vid channel, Sam! I've been a longtime fan of Syntaur Productions since the Transoniq Hacker newsletter days from the late 80's - read every issue cover to cover and learned so many great programmibg tips for my ESQ-1 and VFX - both of which I still have - 30 years later! All hail the mighy Transwave! Cheers!

Just got mine as a gift from a friend today. The synth belonged to my friend's dad who were the first guy to start a guitar workshop in South Africa and was great friends of Paul Reed Smith. Although he was a guitar guy, he loved this synth!

this has become my favorite thing on youtube after only 3 episodes

Can't believe I just discovered this series. I'm incredibly captivated by all of this. Keep 'em comin!

With this one episode I've gained additional appreciation of Syntaur. This show could definitely make it on TV. I don't care what anyone says. I live in Texas, will visit someday!

Watched this for a second time today. Love it. I love my SQ80 - this makes me remember it definitely needs the Syntaur SQ80 key upgrade kit!

Great videos, so glad Syntaur exists. I like the turquoise buttons, gives it proper character. Can’t hide what it is, an 80’s classic.

The turquoise buttons are my favourite bit :(

Removing the turquoise buttons is a downgrade.

Thank you for properly teaching the history of Ensoniq

Nice to see some love for Ensoniq ! I'm also a big fan of the C64 and I didn't know they shared some history.

I’m enjoying these in Yorkshire. Thanks for the coolest content dudes!!!!

This is such a great show! I hope you make more of this style program. Very GOOD!

Love your vids guys, when I see your shop full of vintage gear I get so jealous "hahaha" but seriously keep the vids coming 👍👍

Great Work, Thanks! I could watch these type shows every day.

EXCELLENT VIDEO ❤️ So informative and fun!!

This series is incredible! Not just entertaining but very educational when it comes to the inner workings of old synths. Nice job!

This is the first episode I have watched and I really like the editing style and format. Great job. Fun and entertaining.

Wow!! Thank you very for such a cool video! Just me and my brother bought and we are so exciting to start making sounds with it!

Still have mine and still love it. The only synth I've had since the mid-80s. And I've had a ton of cool ones.

this channel is amazing, the music, the narration, everything. It's like an old 80's geology documentary, but about something that's a lot more interesting!

Ensoniq got me into synth playing and programming. Loved my SQ-80 back in the day. Two of my sons got ahold of it from time to time.and did some original music that I did not have the imagination to do, and gave me more respect for my boys.

I've finaly fixed my Ensoniq TS-12's keyboard for a week ago. But there was a standart Fatar/Roland keyboard mechanism. Also with polyphonic aftertouch, ofcourse. Ensoniq made great synthesizers.

THANK GAWD FOR SYNTAUR!! BIG FAN HERE

Thx for doing this show - its so fun- my synth History - Kory model S? 74 , mini moog - mini korg- CAT synth! - jx3p - dx7 M1 - Alesis quadra - and many many more -- now- MODX8 and Kork Karmas - Prophet rev2 Toneclone organs

omg two of the most formative pieces of gear of my childhood were from the same people??!! mind blown. Love your videos. Still have the SQ-80. wish I kept the Vic-20.

Loving these videos guys, I really hope they grow in views and you continue to make them!

The synthesizer never fulfilled it's promised potential. As viewed from the 60s

0:30 stumbling around helplessly, desperately trying to find a power outlet! Gold.

I love the ensoniq screens back in the day

i didn't know billy bob thornton was a synth head

This was brilliant! Thoroughly enjoyed the tear down and modding. Gosh, back then we still used screws and we could fix and mod stuff.

I'm with Barbie on that one, the other buttons would like so suit a pink upgrade

Wow! Bob Yannes moves and sounds like the animatronic Lincoln at Disney World! Loved the interview!! In retrospect I wish I would've picked up the SQ80 instead of the EPS, but I thought back then a sampler would 'future-proof' me. I hope you guys will do some biographies on how you got into synths. I really enjoy your video series!

That was my attitude 100% back in 1994, the idea of a desert island synth workstation that would replace the Roland U20, Boss Dr550mkII and a sequencer + digital effects. While waiting for Roland's workstation version of the JV1080. The contenders were KORG X3, Ensoniq SD1, Peavey DPM Si, Kurzveil K2000 and Yamaha SY99 with KORG winning the title with the 01/WFD as "THE sound of the 90s".

... coool!! Fun vid as always - got the ESQ-M which is fab :) Thanks for your spares BTW over the years - we all well appreciate your business in keeping all our classic kit going ....

I had an ESQ 1 back in the day. It absolutely blew the DX7 away both sonically and with that very intuitive on board sequencer. Loved it.

2:08 I see my keyboard! I bought a Kurzweil sp76 for $250 as a practice piano and I love it. What a steal

binge watching y'alls vids, crazy good content

Two years later, and I'm still ok without the turquoise button covers.

This channel is awesome! Had to pause this video to check the internet auction sites for SQ-80s

In 1995 when I got my first own synth it HAD to be a desert island keyboard due to steep prices and portability...so it became the TV-star KORG 01/WFD I got from a freelance musician. Though it lacked things like portamento, arpeggiator and sample playback/capability, it became the heart of my studio-setup for 10 years...still got it :)

12:26 Keyboards, keyboards everywhere but not a broken DX7 in sight. Tanks they are. (I'm sure there's a few in there somewhere!)

Top made story and video about the famous SQ-80 and Syntaur - happy new year!

Really glad I picked one of these up a few years back for about 200 euro! Another awesome video from you guys. I hope I can visit your wonderful museum one day...

This show is so good even in the 20's

Cool! Does this mean the SQ-80 rebuild kit will be in stock again?

i discovered you channel.....and i love it!

Ensoniq made some amazing gear. I remember my Mirage was so musical; intuitive to program even through that tiny display. Even though just 8 bits the preset disks had some amazing sounds. It blew my DX7 out of the water especially live. I later got a Casio 16 bit monster heavy sampler keyboard (FZ-1) but it was very poor sounding compared to the Mirage. I had no idea Ensoniq came from Commodore.

I would rather have a cell phone so I can call someone to come get me off the damn island. 😂

Oh wow! Thanks, that was much needed! You guys are awesome!

very interesting episodes every time :)

3:05 - 'Not to be used as a flotation device.' Made my day.

Note to self: 7:32 "secret" pages on SQ-80/ESQ-1 :) Record + Upper Left Soft Key (#1) -- reinitialize keyboard Record + Lower Left Soft Key (#6) -- reboot keyboard Record + Master -- display OS software version (3.5 is latest ESQ-1 OS) Record + Compare -- analog test page (press lower-right Soft Key #10 to refresh readings) Record + Filter -- tune filter ICs (ESQ-1 should read between 140-160, see p4 of service manual) Record + Split Layer -- recalibrate keyboard Record + Mode -- display credits screen

The Korg M1 was released only a few months after the SQ80 and many people then said that the Korg would be the ultimate desert island synth because of its excellent acoustic instrument sounds and great on board effects at the time. Perhaps the SQ80 would have been much more successful if the M1 wasn't released at that time? Saying that, I loved the SQ80 and other Ensoniq instruments and owned a TS12 for a number of years.

I worked for Ensoniq from 1984 onward and this brought back many memories. Convey my best regards to Sam Mims. Fun video.

When will the Key Bushing Set be back in stock? - sign me up - take my money, ect..

I'm thrilled to have discovered this channel.

I have always admired ensoniq in general and the sq-80 in particular

How this contact-less key trigger never became "a thing" Keyboards would have lasted much much longer.... Maybe that would be the problem :)) Thank you for amazing video!!!

These episodes are excellent - keep it going

If you don't have 900 bucks or whatever these are going for these days, the SQ8L is a pretty good sounding VST emulation of this and it's totally free. Unfortunately the developer passed away, so it's not being updated anymore, but it sounds great. It's one of my favorite plugins of all time.

This is really helpful. Showing us the system shortcuts is great. Thank you!

ha...great video. SQ-80 has some great sounds

This is such a glorious synth! I'd love to have your job - great work!

You just made me wanting a SQ-80 ;p :)

I am a long time Ensoniq lover and user (have a VFX, VFX-SD and 2 SQ-R+/32 rack units). I used to subscribe to the Transoniq Hacker and remember all the adverts from Syntaur. I am glad they were/are there :) If I consider the 'what synth to take with me to a desert island' question, I would almost, every time, say the Ensoniq VFX-SD. I bought a Korg PA700 arranger back in September 2017 and have fallen in love with that too. I have over 16 synths in my studio and I would say that my desert island board would be both the PA700 and the VFX-SD. I would also need a few extra SD cards for the PA700 and a few boxes of floppy disks for the VFX-SD and a MIDI cable :)

My 1st Ensoniq synth was : SQ2.. lovely sounds with very nice sequencer. All it was missing was a disk drive to store my songs and demo tracks. If only it had usb storage drive back than ..

Always great work!

Great stuff guys! First one of your vids I've seen and I just had to subscribe. I'm currently rocking the Yamaha DX-21, Roland SH-32 and Arturia Microbrute. Keep up the damn fine work, I'm off to watch more of your vids!

Hey, welcome back!! Love this show, you really need to make it a regular thing.

Very informative. Ensoniq EPS was my first synth/sampler. Great to hear bout its history

Man I love these videos

Excellent idea and concept. Your are doing a great job.

Ensoniq: Looks like we made Barbie's first synthesizer. 😂 Casio: ...Hold my beer.

Never give a timeline on gear storage, always keep it light and breezy.

Great video! One factual error at 5:45 - the ESQ-1 was not the first synth with a multi-track sequencer. That honour would go to the Sequential Six-Trak, but the first really usable multi-track sequencer was in the Sequential Multi-Trak. The ESQ-1's sequencer was definitely a step up, and was continually improved on subsequent Ensoniq synths.

..i had ensoniq eps sampler workstation as a kid there's no way google/youtube could know that, to recommend this video theyre reading our minds, for video & ad suggestions. they figured it out.

I would watch this every week. One tip, when you film ppl taking to each other show the text of what they are saying, I couldn’t hear it. Syntaur is now the only RU-vid channel I allow my phone to alert me when there’s new videos!!

the background music is great