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Yamaha SY-55

Music Synthesizer (1989)

Synthesizer 61 keys keyboard

"Digital workstation based on samples-playback, digital filters and an 8 tracks-sequencer.
 The first Yamaha rompler workstation,a bandoning the DX7 FM synthesis"

 Main Data 

Yamaha SY55 made in Japan

Company: Yamaha
Model: SY-55
Class: Synthesizer
Keyboard: 61 dynamic
Dates: 1989
Country: Japan
Weight: 9,7 kg
Dimensions: 911 (w) x 90 (w) x 325 (d) mm
Price: 150€

Synthesis: PCM rompler
Resolution: 16 bits
N.sounds: 74 PCM
Polyphony: 16 voices
Multitimbric: 16 parts
Oscillator: 4 PCM
Filter: Digital Low pass
LFO: 1 modulator
Envelope: 3 EGs
Sequencer: 8 tracks
Sync: Midi
Midi: IN / OUT / THRU
DAC: PCM56P
CPU: Renesas H8/523 


KEYBOARD 61 velocity keys with aftertouch.
Main panel features a 16 X 2 display, 39 push buttons, 1 slider data and 2 wheels for modulation and pitchbending.

Rear panel terminal connectors:
- Midi interface (IN / OUT / THRU)
- breath controller input
- damp footswitch
- expression pedal input
- click out (metronome for sequencer)
- master audio outs
- headphones out
- 2 card slots for PCM waves and datas (see expansion) 

 FACTORY RESET PROCEDURE
1.Turn Power on, wait for display to initialize and enter normal mode.
2.While pressing the [SELECT] switch, press and hold the [EXIT] switch, then the [Utility] switch. You will now see the ROM version and date.
3.To reset to FACTORY SETTINGS, press the [EXIT] switch, which will execute test 31 – Factory Settings. Test mode will then exit

- DOWNLOAD 400 FREE PATCHES


- No official VST plugin
- no known samples library

Have some SY55 sample set you want to share? CONTRIBUTE :) 

owner's manual download

Have some SY55 sample set you want to share? CONTRIBUTE :) 

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 In details 

Sy55



 VOICE CPU H8/523 unit manages 16 voices polyphony based on 16-bits AW2 Advanced Wave Memory 2 synthesis (IC YM7119 also filter) the SY55 DAC is a Burr-Brown PCM56P.

PATCH architecture is composed by 1, 2 or 4 PCM samples or ELEMENTS read out from internal ROM wavetable.

Each PCM ELEMENT can be individually edited with various parameters:
- volume mix
- pitch tuning
- effect amount
- keyboard zone
- special drum kit mode assigns 61 PCM in a single patch.

keyboard technical data

WAVETABLE internal 2 MB ROM contains 74 PCM ( PCM LIST) waveforms sampled at 32 / 48 kHz organized 3 categories: acoustic, digital and drums:
-  50 PCM acoustics samples e.g organs
- 8 PCM basic digital waves e.g sawtooth
- 16 PCM various acoustic drums and percussions .

A collection of set of DATA / DATA +PCM cards were available.  AI2 PCM cards are compatible between different Yamaha machines, so you can use SY-99 cards , TG77 RY30 on any 55 series. Note: This list is not complete. 

NAMECards SN PIC
Analog synthesizer M. Shinoda1VC5501WYES
Brass 2  S5504-
Digi synthesizer sound M.Shinoda1  VC5502WYES
Drums 12  S5502YES
Modern Artist Soudscape1  TG-502YES
Modern Artist Soundsource1--
Modern Rock classic Soundsource1-YES
Rock Pop2  S5501 -
Sax 12  S5501 YES
Synth goes live1 EMS55-R002YES
Synwave 12 S5531YES

LFO / EG / FILTER

Filter

FILTER 

Based on a custom IC YM7119 featuring 2 digital resonant filters in cascade, each with a -12dB slope:

- Filter 1 mode is both lowpass and highpass
- Filter 2 mode is only lowpass

TIP: Cutoff can be controller by LFO or dedicated EG, but not both at the same time. 

LFo

LFO

single delayed digital modulator (shapes: saw up, saw down, triangle, sinewave, square, triangle and sample& hold) for each ELEMENT and 3 destinations:

 - AMOD: LFO to amplitude
-  PMOD: LFO to pitch
-  CUTOFFMOD : LFO to filter cutoff.

Envelope

Envelope

3 EG families per element:
- AEG amplitude : 4 segments + 5 levels and octave scaling setting.
- PEG pitch: 4 segments + 5 levels and octave scaling setting.
- CEG1 filter: 6 segments + 5 levels and octave scaling with special breakpoints
- CEG2 filter: 6 segments + 5 levels and octave scaling with special breakpoints. 

SEQUENCER up to 8 tracks, recording mode in either step mode or real-time with a 1/48 resolution max. The time signature can be user defines in quite all manners (1/4, 4/4, 1/8/, 8/8,1/16, 16/16) in addition it is possible to used dotted, triples and ties.
sequencer Some extra sequencer functions: event filter, track mixdown, insert, copy, delete and note gate time

SYNC
sequencer can be slaved to external Midi clock or internal tempo from 30 to 260 BMP.

sequence programming functions

EFFECT SP YM 3413 handles 34 fully editable effects, including reverb (x8), delay, stereo panning delay, gate and digital distortion. Full effect LIST 

keyboard Performance

SY-55 Performance

Multitimbric

Keyboard manages up to 16 parts each with assigned
reserved polyphony, pitch tuning,  stereo pan position, volume
and effect level
TIP: the global pitch amount can be assigned to aftertouch or randomized for each note..

Midi

The Special CONTROLLER section (in utility mode) allows to assign some parameters like filter cutoff, volume, modulations to any control changes on the Midi list.
Full sysex implementation is supported. 

MEMORY:
- 64 ROM patches (PRESET LIST) + 64 RAM
- 16 ROM + 16 RAM performances
- 999 sequencer measures
- 8000 sequencer notes.
RAM is doubled using memory cards model MCD-32 or MCD-64.
Battery replacement: a cr2032 3V soldered to mainboard 

Yamaha SY55 battery replacement

MODDING and BENDING
we did circuit bent a poor Sy55, some rich digital textures and glitched noises are at fingertips.
Some demo into the demo section below

Our Verdict 

"The Sy-55 is good for 90' sweeping pads at really cheap price bargain!"

Sound 
quality

Interface

Build
 quality

Rarity

Quality / 
price

Overall

CONS

- polyphony
- some dated internal waves

PROS

- sweeping filter
- cheap

Are you an SY-55 user? do you like it? You do not agree with our review?  Let us know in the comment field just below 

DISQUS COMMENTS WILL BE SHOWN ONLY WHEN YOUR SITE IS ONLINE

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Yamaha SY-55 Yamaha SY-55 Digital Synthesizer
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