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Average Price: $55,770
High-end/Boutique
$500
$1501+
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Description
Immerse yourself in the world of rich, analog sound with the Yamaha CS-80, a game-changer in the realm of synthesizers. It's not just an instrument, it's a piece of music history that powered some of the most iconic tracks of all time. From the unmistakable tones of Toto's 'Africa' to the atmospheric soundscapes of Vangelis' 'Blade Runner', the CS-80's influence unraveled a whole new dimension of music creation. Experience the power of 8-voice polyphony and 2 analog oscillators per voice, empowering your creativity with unparalleled musical expression.
Key Features:
- 8-voice polyphonic synthesizer
- 2 analog oscillators per voice
- VCF with independent highpass and lowpass filters
- Weighted keyboard with aftertouch
- 4 memory patches
- 22 presets
- External modulation input
Product specs
| Brand | Yamaha |
| Model | CS-80 Polyphonic Synthesizer |
| Finish | Black |
| Year | 1977 - 1979 |
| Made In | Japan |
| Categories | Analog Synths, Keyboard Synths |
| Analog / Digital | Analog |
| Key Size | Full Size |
| Keyboard Action | Synth Action |
| Number of Keys | 61 Keys |
| Polyphony | 8 Voices |
FAQs
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Is the Yamaha CS-80 synthesizer polyphonic or monophonic?
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The Yamaha CS-80 is a polyphonic synthesizer, capable of producing up to 8 voices simultaneously, allowing for rich and complex chordal textures.
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What makes the Yamaha CS-80's sound engine unique?
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The Yamaha CS-80 features a dual-layer sound engine with two independent synthesizer layers per voice, enabling complex sound design and expressive performance capabilities.
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How does the Yamaha CS-80 handle pitch and modulation control?
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The CS-80 includes a ribbon controller for pitch bending and modulation, offering expressive control over the sound, which is ideal for dynamic live performances.
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What type of keyboard action does the Yamaha CS-80 have?
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The Yamaha CS-80 has a full-size, synth-action keyboard designed for smooth and responsive playability, suitable for both expressive and technical performances.
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Does the Yamaha CS-80 offer any unique performance features?
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Yes, the CS-80 includes a polyphonic aftertouch feature, allowing for nuanced control over each note's dynamics and modulation, enhancing expressive capabilities.
Videos
LOOK MUM NO COMPUTER
Yamaha CS80 - Why Is It Worth So Much?
Yamaha CS80 - Why Is It Worth So Much?
LOOK MUM NO COMPUTER
Synth Wizards Episode 9: Holy Grail: The Yamaha CS-80
Syntaur
Yamaha CS-80 Demo
Perfect Circuit
The Mighty CS-80
GForce Software
Yamaha CS80: The Most Iconic Sound Machine of All Time
Andy Whitmore
Yamaha Synth Space History | CS-80 | Krzysztof Pająk
Yamaha Synths Official
Top 3 Most Iconic Vangelis sounds on Yamaha CS80
Jose's Vintage Keys
Yamaha CS-80: The Ultimate Synthesizer (Blade Runner Tribute)
Syntaur
CS80 Improvisation
musicJCR
Yamaha CS-80 inc FX | 36 Iconic Riffs by Vangelis, ELO & More!
Andy Whitmore
Reviews
PROS
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Unmatched expressiveness with super-controllable polyphonic after-touch
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Unique warmth and power that plugins cannot replicate
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Excellent performance instrument, often requiring only one take
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Prestigious and sought-after, adding to its value
CONS
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Extremely heavy and difficult to transport
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Requires expensive external effects like reverb for full potential
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Maintenance is costly due to rare, custom Yamaha LSI ICs
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Can sound dull without skilled programming and additional effects
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High second-hand price limits accessibility
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Some tones may seem dated or overly specific without modification
Owner Insights
We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Yamaha CS-80.
Setup and maintenance
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Restoring a CS-80 often involves replacing all CMOS and electrolytic caps, wiring, and designing a new SMPS to handle power more efficiently.
Source -
Adjusting the 107 trimpots related to the aftertouch can be time-consuming, with owners designing custom PCB adapters for better access during alignment.
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CS-80s require specialized care; only a few techs globally can service them, with costs potentially reaching $20k due to complex internals and rare parts.
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CS-50 is considered more stable with lower maintenance needs than the CS-80 due to fewer components and lower internal temperatures.
Source
Features and functionality
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The CS-80 is noted for its big, unstable analog sound that can become muddy, necessitating frequent use of high pass or bandpass filters for clearer output.
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CS-80s have dual-layer architecture with 16 voicecards for richer polyphony, unlike the CS-50 and CS-60 which have fewer cards and features.
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The CS-80 uses custom-made ICs by Yamaha, contributing to its unique sound but also to maintenance complexities due to part scarcity.
Source
User experience
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Playing a CS-80 can be overwhelming; users often have to spend considerable time dialing in sounds compared to modern synthesizers due to its complex controls.
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Transporting a CS-80 is impractical due to its 220-pound weight, often requiring custom crates for shipping, which can be very costly.
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Owners often recommend driving the CS-80 to a tech within a few hundred miles due to the high risk of damage during shipping.
Source
Use cases and applications
Comparisons
Build quality
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The CS-80's large through-hole components are easier to repair than modern surface-mounted ones, but parts scarcity remains a significant challenge.
Source
Critic Reviews
5.0 out of 5
Based on 1 Review and 23 Ratings
Artist usage
Add artist
"I think some of the instruments go with the eras, really. The early synths, the genuine synths as opposed to the sampling instruments, that give you those fat sounds which are very present on albums like A Curious Feeling and albums around that period when I first started using synths, which I guess was around Selling England by the Pound, I suppose. Of the last one of those I used a lot was the [Yamaha] CS-80 which had a nice fat sound and was used on Duke and things. Of course, the Prophet [5] kind of took over after that being an important instrument on Mama and Abacab. "
Used on Directstep, as specified in Herbie Hancock’s Electronic Instrument Glossary from September 14, 2016.
Yamaha CS-80 – A polyphonic analog synthesizer released in 1977 that featured eight-voice polyphony and a basic memory system to remember the musician’s settings for each sound. Herbie used this instrument on his 1978 album Directstep.
"There's one synth that I'd used a little bit on my first album, but which Daniel Lanois re-introduced me to, and that is the Yamaha CS80. It has a great breathiness to it — human breath and its musical uses have always fascinated me — and a kind of organic character which I like."
List of equipment used by Klaus Schulze, from the February 1993 issue of Sound on Sound:
4x Akai S1000PB (32MB) 2x Akai S1000KB (32MB) Akai S900 Akai S612 Akai S7000 Moog Modular CIII 2x Moog MiniMoog Studio Electronics MIDIMini Mellotron Yamaha CS80 Yamaha CP70 Yamaha TX81Z Yamaha SY99 Korg M1 Korg M1 EX Korg T1 Korg T3 Korg DVP1 Roland U110 Roland U220 Roland D50 Roland S50 sampler & monitor Roland Planet S & editor Roland Super Jupiter & editor 2 Roland TR505 Roland Octopad Roland JD800 Roland Super JX10 4x Hohner HS2/E sampler 5x Hohner HS1/E sampler Hohner HS1KB sampler Waldorf Microwave GDS computer synth Misc. Crumar keyboards Fairlight CMI Series II SCI Prophet 2000 SCI Prophet 2002 Emu Proteus/2 Emu Proteus/3 World Emu Emulator II Kurzweil K1000 Kawai K4 EMS Synthi A PPG Wave 2.2 Linn 9000 4x Oberheim DPX1 Yamaha RY30 drum machine Sonor timpanies and octo toms Paiste gongs and cymbals Martin 12-string guitar
In an Instagram post, Mark Ronson mentions using a Yamaha CS-80 while working on music inspired by Greta Gerwig's film.
when asked their best synthesizers during an AMA on reddit svein responded with:
WeareRoyksopp Röyksopp 28 points 3 years ago S: Top 3 in no particular order:
KORG MS-20
Roland Juno 106
Mellotron
The Yamaha CS-80, but it needs a true genius to be played right
In a 2011 photo taken at Subconscious Studios in Los Angeles, cEvin Key is seen using a Yamaha CS-80 synthesizer.
"For the last 2 albums I've used a Multimoog for bass and some lead lines, and a Prophet 5, a polysynthesizer made by Sequential Circuits, for most leads on Arc of a Diver. I also used a Steinway piano and a Yamaha CS-80, too" Steve Winwood
"Met a new friend today, we clicked right away! Lets have some fun????"
At the 0:04 second mark of the video Benjamin is shown playing the Yamaha CS-80
At :10 in the video you can see the Yamaha CS-80 in Alicia Key’s Studio.
Album Usage
The Yamaha CS-80 has been featured on the following albums:
Lavender Haze (Acoustic Version)
Taylor Swift (2023)
Doctor Who - Revenge of the Cybermen
Peter Howell & The BBC Radiophonic Workshop (2023)
The Cruelest Summer
Taylor Swift (2023)
Barbie (Score from the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Mark Ronson & Andrew Wyatt (2023)
Mass Effect: Trilogy Collection Bonus Tracks (Original Soundtrack)
Sascha Dikiciyan (2022)
CYR
The Smashing Pumpkins (2020)
The End (Live)
Black Sabbath (2017)
reputation
Taylor Swift (2017)
IV
BADBADNOTGOOD (2016)
Captain Future Youtube
Christian Bruhn (2016)
Danger Money
U.K. (2016)
WALLS
Kings of Leon (2016)
Dame Fortune
RJD2 (2016)
Pagans in Vegas
Metric (2015)
Syro
Aphex Twin (2014)
Unflesh
Gazelle Twin (2014)
Bad 25th Anniversary
Michael Jackson (2012)
The English Riviera
Metronomy (2011)
X&Y
Coldplay (2005)
Live At Budokan
Ozzy Osbourne & Ozzy Osbourne (2002)
The Last Waltz (Deluxe Version)
The Band (2002)
Down To Earth
Ozzy Osbourne & Ozzy Osbourne (2001)
Oxygene 7-13
Jean Michel Jarre (1997)
Air Liquide
Air Liquide (1994)
Hybrid
Michael Brook (1985)
Give My Regards To Broad Street
Paul McCartney (1984)
The Green Album (Expanded Edition)
Eddie Jobson (1983)
Pipes Of Peace (Remastered 2015)
Paul McCartney (1983)
Tug Of War
Paul McCartney (1982)
"...Famous Last Words..."
Supertramp (1982)
Thriller
Michael Jackson (1982)
Freeze Frame
The J. Geils Band (1981)
McCartney II
Paul McCartney (1980)
Arc Of A Diver
Steve Winwood (1980)
True Colours
Split Enz (1980)
Visage
Visage (1980)
Paris
Supertramp (1980)
Never for Ever (2018 Remaster)
Kate Bush (1980)
Silent Knight
Saga & Saga (1980)
Love Stinks
The J. Geils Band (1980)
Directstep
Herbie Hancock (1979)
Breakfast In America (Remastered)
Supertramp (1979)
Breathless
Camel & Peter Bardens (1978)
U.K.
U.K. (1978)
Hot Streets (Expanded & Remastered)
Chicago (1978)
Genre Usage
Based on how artists on Equipboard use this gear, it is most commonly found in the following genres.
Used With
Based on how musicians on Equipboard use Yamaha CS-80, it is most commonly used with the following gear.
Community setups
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