Unstable - Yamaha CS-80 Emulation

expressive · emotional · evocative.

Inspired by the pinnacle of analog synthesizers, UNSTABLE takes on the legendary Yamaha CS-80 — and gets closer to the real hardware than anything else out there. Soulful, organic, and with a mind of its own.

ANALOG OSCILLATORS.

UNSTABLE features two synthesis layers, each offering a noise, sawtooth, and pulse wave oscillator, with adjustable pulse width and variable speed pulse width modulation. Unlike the Yamaha CS-80, the level of each oscillator is adjustable, allowing for free mixing of the waveforms, which are closely modelled after the original.

Waveform comparison across octaves: real Yamaha CS-80 (grey) vs UNSTABLE (purple).

FILTERS.

The CS-80 features two state-variable filters in series, which allow for a unique subtractive sound synthesis, unlike most common synthesizers. In UNSTABLE, the high-pass filter is modelled after the original; I put a little more beef into the low-pass filter, however, providing a vaster range of musical harmonics.

RING MODULATOR.

The Yamaha CS-80 features the most musical ring modulator ever built, and I did my best to model it as closely as possible, with its own analog-style attack and decay envelope modifying the modulation speed.

RIBBON CONTROLLER.

Use the innovative on screen ribbon controller to pitch bend your sound up to an octave.

POLY PRESSURE.

UNSTABLE supports full polyphonic aftertouch, just as the original hardware did.

ARPEGGIATOR.

UNSTABLE features a sophisticated 16 step arpeggiator with variable note and modulation values.

ANALOG DRIVE.

A dedicated drive circuit adds analog warmth and subtle harmonic distortion for loudness and crisp presence that cuts through your mix without sacrificing dynamics.

EFFECTS.

UNSTABLE features the popular effect engines of DarkStar Reverb and Delay, as well as the luscious WingMen Chorus, to bring your sound to the next level. Imagine a CS-80 with something along the JUNO-60 Chorus and Blackhole reverb.