The Mighty CS-80 

...and the Oscar for perfectly demonstrating one of the greatest synths ever goes to....

We had a used CS80 in the music store I worked in in the early 90s and couldn't get rid of it, I could have had it for a few hundred quid but thought it was old fashioned compared to the M1 I was saving up for. Story of my life !

One hour of high quality CS-80 geeky insights? This is the pinnacle of RU-vid for me, and I've been on this site almost daily since 2007...

This has to be one of the most perfect and beautiful demos of anything. Ever.

The polyphonic aftertouch and the pitchbend ribbon allow the creation of such beautiful sounds. It's hard to believe they come from a machine full of wires.

Used my savings from Burger King job, and a small bank loan, to buy one in 1979. Quit the BK job a week later and joined a band. :-) The poly-aftertouch is SO FINE!

in 1976, Yamaha had a CS80 on display at the trade show in Sydney, Australia. I was only 16 at the time and saw the beast in person, although I'm sure I had little idea of the significance of this machine, in spite of all the hype surrounding it. I was there for the Yamaha Electone festival national finals (where I won the Aussie junior level and got to play at the Sydney opera house). Sorry for the gratuitous self promotion but it was a bloody good year for a young fella. Thanks to GForce Software for showing me everything I didn't know then. 🎹

This documentary is a thing of beauty, much like the CS-80 itself.

It's an emotional machine, brought to life by amazing minds and kept alive by people like Dave and Kent. The sound still captures my soul. Deeply. Every time. "All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain.", if you guys weren't around. THANKS!

This is the only polysynth that legitimately makes my knees tremble. And I've never heard it outside of albums/youtube.

"It is THE LAW to run the CS-80 through a reverb at least 60% of the time!" - Dave Spiers, 2020

For an additional shout-out of CS-80 users, both David Paich and Steve Porcaro of Toto used the synth as a core sound of the band from the first album through to Toto IV. Especially "Africa"-while the Yamaha GS-1 (the OG FM synthesizer) was used for the kalimba-like sound in the hook, the brass sound was all CS-80.

The opening track actually gave me chills when the brass came in. What a synth!! Thank you for the video David.

I just spent a full hour watching a demo of every knob and feature of a synth I never owned and never will. And it was fantastic. What a great demo, and what a great instrument. The subtleties and opportunities for expression in a live context are mind boggling -- but you have to have a master like David Spiers. Oh, and the end credit track sounded like it was multi-tracked numerous times, but then you see it being played live, due to the abilities of the instrument and player. Amazing.

I never really "understood" the CS80 until this video. Many thanks to Dave and Kent for bringing this to us

I scored one of these at a garage sale the other day for $45. I was so excited, I couldn't believe what was happening to me. Then I woke up.

OMG THANK YOU!!! Stunning video quality and attention to detail. Your detailed demonstration of every feature showing *operator position + key depressed + quality audio recording* is now a global archived reference of a perfectly working unit to assist in restoration of others. Evidence is great that less than 800 CS-80's were ever made. Eight is prosperity after all. I don't believe a serial number BEFORE 1000 exists and nothing over 1800 found either. Let me know if you ever find one that is less than serial number 1000. I will gladly pay $500 for information from anybody that can provide me the CORRECT CS-80 filter calibration data. Filter calibration voltages AND intended frequency control range for each HP and LP filter. I can use any working CS-80 as reference, but no two CS-80s sound exactly alike after 40 years of aging. I want the original factory settings so it sounds day 1 of life perfect. The service manual that is floating around on the web from Yamaha has completely incorrect filter calibration data. The filters won't even operate with the voltage values they give. Working CS-80 filters are operating at completely different voltages, not even close. Somebody out there surely knows what the exact "factory fresh" frequency range limits are for LP and HP filters...the guy who designed Decker's Dream would know. I have two CS-80's completely rebuilt, just need actual true factory calibration data vs "calibration by ear". Until this video, I had to refer to 1980's audio recordings/virtual software to try and match the CS-80 filters best as possible. Also working with a company in China to make replacement force sensor assemblies for these synths. Been difficult to find somebody with the ability to make a 40 year old Japanese component. I finally found a place that claims to have the ability and sent samples off. Hope to have them available in the future.

A fantastic and majestic synth, but that chorus and tremolo demo starting at 43:40 is just from another planet.

50:01 Omfg... that outro piece... freaking amazingly stunning. master at work.

That was one of the best 54 minutes and 43 seconds of my life. Thank you. And if you’re a mere nobody Dave then the rest of us are still floundering in the primordial soup. #livinglegend

I played one in the early 80s at shop in Chicago, I remember thinking how cool it was to play a synthesizer with a piano like keyboard. I did not, at the time, realize its capabilities. Thanks Dave.

I am three years late to this party but what a fantastic video. Thank you Dave, Kent, and all.

You've done a man's job Sir!

This Video will be as big as the CS80 it self. It will stay for Generations to come, when there is no CS80 left this will still be there to remind people. Thanks Dave.

The end of this made me weep...thank you for all of your videos but this one just takes the cake. This synth is in better hands than you know, brilliant composition that i hope gets put on a record. Still crying...thank you :)

Thank you for making and sharing this video.

FANTASTIC video on this legendary beast. Thank you!

She is THE Queen of all synths ever made. And I'm seriously in love with her.

Great video and long awaited!

WONDERFUL video, Thanks for creating it & sharing the love for this OG beast!

Amazing video, and narrated expertly. This needed to be done. Thank you GForce

Wow!! Thank you so very much for the look at this fantastic synth! Love the presentation!

Excellent :-D Re the weird filter envelope: I must admit it confused the hell out of me until I read that bit of the manual just now. Although I had permanent access to a CS-80 for over a year. ---> 'A' (Attack) is the time between the two levels IL (intial level from 0 to -5) and AL (attack level from 0 to +5). When both IL and AL are at minimum you won't get any movement in the attack because 0 to 0. There's no 'Sustain' level, as that is cleverly defined by the two filter cutoffs. Release is the time it takes to reach IL again. Very "musical" and clever because you are not forced to balance cutoff(s) and sustain level while performing.

I’ve been looking forward to this video for a long time. Almost thought it would never come out. So happy that it did!

Thank you for making this and sharing it with us! Fantastic in-depth love letter to a classic synth…

What an incredible instrument and video, demonstration and sounds. Thank you Mr. Spiers and Team!!!

Another outstanding video, both entertaining and informative with some beautiful music to boot - Cheers Dave!

Dave, this was an absolutely brilliant video. Thanks so much for sharing!

Rewatching this video, and it's still as good as I remembered. Beautiful synth, and absolute the best demo of it. Thanks!!

I appreciate you guys so much! Thank you for all that you do Dave, Kent and all.

That was quite emotional, the sound is something else, great video!

Been waiting for this!!! Thanks Dave!

So relaxing after a long day. Nice one Dave

Dave, this is without a doubt THE ABSOLUTE BEST description and video of the CS-80 on the Internet. Nothing comes close. I commend you with all of your hard work! This must have taken ages.

That sound at 34:44 is absolutely the best thing ever.

Fantastic! This must be my favorite youtube video ever! Thanx alot Dave and Co.

Amazing video thank you for taking the time to dig into the lore of this holy grail of synths .

Great tour of this legendary beast! Thank you!

Always a good day when you guys upload. :)

Thanks so much for creating this informative and inspiring video. Truly wonderful.

Beautiful sharing of the life story and features of this epic synth. Many thanks for creating this clip. Thoroughly enjoyed watching and listening to it.

Truly the best video on the CS80 ever. Great job! Thanks Dave.

The best demonstration of one of the best synths that i heard. Thank you !!!!

Superb work Dave, equally lovely compositions too.

Thanks ! it's very informative. The best CS-80 review I've seen.

An incredible video. Thank you very much Mr Vangelis.

Top shelf doc, instrument, and presenter. Thank you!

Came on to check this out for a few minutes to watch later, but I can't stop watching it!! Awesome insight!!

Beautiful! ..thank you for keeping the legend alive.

That closing piece is out of this world. Thank you for all this, it was a pleasure to watch.

One of the best, if not the best videos about an iconic synth. Very well done and I think I finally get the hype about the CS-80...

masterful. definitive. clear, comprehensive, musical, wonderful. great job, dave (and kent!).

This is absolutely brilliant Dave! Congrats !!!

Fantastic film Dave - just what us CS80 devotees have wanted for ages. Great music too. Thank you.

Wow! Every Dave Spiers synth demo video is a treat, but this is something else. Absolutely brilliant!

Absolutely brilliant in-depth display of CS-80's prowess..

Thank you Dave! You’ve showed me so much about a synthesizer that I’ve known very little about, yet had so many questions without good answers. Fantastic video!

This demo is the best I’ve seen for any synth. Fantastic job.

Just beautiful. I enjoyed this video very much. It brought me back in time. :)

simply brilliant presentation Dave and wonderful music

A glorious love letter, such a pleasure to watch. Cheers Mr Spiers.

An incredible tribute to a legendary synth. Amazing work and music, thank you for putting this video together and sharing the sounds of your and Kent's CS-80 with us.

Truly top notch work. This will stand the test of time as a reference work for this instrument generations from now.

What an amazing video. As a synth fan, I was blown away by the quality of this story of the CS-80. Utter brilliance, and thanks for posting :)

Wonderful, the best synth ever, and the best video demonstration

Great review, Dave

Bless you. Your Oberheim Eight Voice video was flawless, and incredibly inspirational for me personally. This video continues and expands on that legacy. Thanks Dave and Kent!!

That's REALLY an "in depth" DEMO. Brillant. Necessary. Perfectly done.

Thanks so much for this! Amazing that all these decades later, there is hardly anything that is this expressive or rich in tone!

This video is magnificent. It is the best explanation of the CS-80 that I’v ever seen. Thank you.

Wonderful! Thanks for making, playing, caring and sharing! The album run through at the end was interesting! Thanks again!

Thanks man. Brilliant demo, brilliant docu.

great video unveiling the alluring mystery of the cs80 interface. beautiful synth.

It's funny to me that, as of now, 32 people dislike this video. This is the most comprehensive look at this classic synth. Excellent work; thank you for making this.

The love letter this instrument, one of the most incredible ever made, deserved. Thank you!!!!

Thanks 🙏🏻 This video is so amazing! I could listen to you talk about this, and play with it for hours ! The CS80 is truly magic! I have an SY99 that I get lost in for days!

The CS80 pads are truly something else, thank you for this quality video.

Great! Thank you! And, the piece at the end is wonderful!

Wow, this is so great! Thank you, Dave!! Your plugins RULE!

Easily one of the best synthesiser videos I've ever seen. Thank you.

still one of my favourite RU-vid Channels. Thanks a lot!

Pure love for the CS80 awesome video!!

That was so well done and beautiful. Fantastic !

The CS 80 is phenomenal and your video is just as good. Thanks,

Oh man what an amazing synth. Cheers Dave always love your videos, you can always tell when you love a synth and are really honest about it too. Your playing brings out the most and is a genuine insight. Take it easy.

Well done. I owned & played one of these beasts back in the day - bought it new in 1979, complete with enormous Anvil ATA case. Sadly sold it off in the mid-90s to Wes @ Analogics as I needed $ and it needed some serious refurbishing. There is literally nothing else like the CS80. I miss playing the real thing, however I do not miss having to cart it around - at least 2 people were needed to carry it. (I even got sound designer Clark Spangler to sign my owner's manual when I met him at a Yamaha synth clinic.)

This is by far the best presentation/demonstration of an electronic musical instrument I have ever watched on RU-vid in the years I have been here. I was transfixed from beginning to end. Thumbs up.

Beautifully done - kudos!

Finally! A FULL examination of this classic instrument, that gives insight into every aspect of it, including the important factors that made it so desirable. I've never played one, alas! But now I understand the attraction. Thank you for taking the time to make this.

Such a treat, thank you!!