KEYBOARD 61 keys with basic velocity system., quite sturdy and heavy about 19kg! Main panel features 23 sliders and 62 buttons for edit process; central slider is assignable to one of the 14 available parameters while on the right side there are 2 levers for modulation and pitch bender. NOTE: POLARIS II Should be same machine at 100% with different outfit for Japanese market
MEMORY 132 sounds RAM
+ 12 RAM sequencers.
Data backup can be done by MIDI SYSEX or tape storage - several hardware modifications expands the storage capacity.
Terminal connectors:
1- mono audio out (high / low impedances)
2- headphones out
3- tape interface
4- Midi interface
5- sync IN or OUT for sequencer synch
6- custom chroma interface connector (for APPLE II computers)
7- pedalswitch inputs (x2)
8- pedal input
| oscillators | Polaris Oscillator 1 | Polaris Oscillator 2 |
|---|---|---|
| SHAPES | sawtooth / square | sawtooth / square |
| pulse width | YES | YES |
| volume bal | NO | NO |
| hardsynch | yes | yes |
| ringmod | yes (fixed depth) | yes (fixed depth) |
ENVELOPE ENVELOPE 2 EGs:
- EG1 VCA: 3 stages ADR
- EG2 AUX: 4 stages ADR + 1 extra time.
FILTER resonant 4-poles lowpass filter based on Curtis CEM 3372 with cutoff and 8 fixed resonance levels.
Keyboard tracking attenuates filter effect over octaves (to both low or high part).
LFO a single delayed low oscillator (range 0,1 to 10Hz square and sinewave) modulates:
- DCO1 & 2 pitch
- PWM pulse
- VCA amplitude
- VCF filter (the "SWEEP").
SEQUENCER single track polyphonic, about 700 notes that can be recording in either real-time or stepmode. Of course Polaris can be also played byt MIDI with a great full Midi implementation: in fact all sliders sends the relative control changes.
REPAIR and MAINTENANCE some common issues:
- keyboard velocity system may need also to be periodically calibrated.
- power supply drains too much and it has been reported various issues of faulty power supplies.
- buttons membranes is infamous for being highly unreliable and needs cleans or technical cares or remplacement by third part (pic below with my old mate Alessandro Petrini)
Type: analog polysynth
Country: USA
Keyboard - 61 keys w/ velocity
Polyphony - 6 voices
Oscillators - 2 VCO's: sawtooth / pw
LFO: 1 modulator Sine or square
Envelope: 2 EGS
Sequencer: 700 notes 1 polyphony track
Sync: analog / midi
Midi interface: yes (primitive)
Memory - 132 patches
Price: 1500-2000€ up
CPU:Intel 80186
Weight: 19 kg
Dimensions: n/a
Fender Rhodes Chroma Polaris
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