Alesis QS8 - 88 Key Expandable Master Synthesizer

January 18, 1996 -- Alesis Corporation announced the introduction of the new QS8 64 Voice 88 Key Expandable Master Synthesizer. The QS8 will begin shipping early this year. "The QS8 is an incredibly powerful instrument which is designed to be the flagship of the Alesis keyboard line," said Jim Mack, Alesis Director of Marketing. "Its incredibly responsive keyboard combined with its huge library of sounds and extensive interfacing capabilities make it the choice of any serious musician desiring a powerful synthesizer with the sound and feel of a fine acoustic piano."

The QS8 features a full-size 88-key, weighted, hammer-action keyboard with aftertouch and release velocity, resulting in a very authentic piano-like feel. Drawing on the powerful QS Composite Synthesis used by Alesis' TEC Award-winning QuadraSynth and their QS6 64 Voice Expandable Synthesizer, the QS8 incorporates 16 megabytes of new and enhanced onboard sound ROM. It features a brand new phase-accurate stereo grand piano voice, as well as a full complement of all-new organs, strings, drums/percussion, brass, woodwinds, and rhythmic/sonic loops. It also features several banks of both new and classic synth textures, including waveforms from Keith Emerson's famous analog modular synthesizer. The QS8 offers 640 Programs and 500 multitimbral Mixes, which may be expanded to offer 1660 Programs and 1300 Mixes (32MB of ROM) using its two PCMCIA sound card slots and Alesis QuadraCards. All of the QS8's internal and external ROM and RAM voices are immediately accessible without installing expansion boards or waiting for disk drives. QS8's extensive master controller features include four fully-assignable real-time control sliders as well as pitch and modulation wheels. A sustain pedal jack and two assignable pedal inputs are included on the rear panel. The QS8 also incorporates the powerful QS Modulation Matrix, allowing users to assign virtually any controller source to any modulation parameter. The onboard effects processor utilizes four totally discrete effects busses for powerful multieffects that include reverb, delay, rotary speaker simulation, distortion, chorus and much more. Using Alesis' new Sound Bridge 2.0 software and any Mac or PC, the QS8 can write AIFF and WAV samples as well as Standard MIDI Files and Program data to PCMCIA Flash or SRAM cards. Standard MIDI File sequences can then be played back by the QS8 without the use of any external sequencing device. (Note: see accompanying press release on Sound Bridge 2.0 for more information).

For direct digital connection to ADAT recorders and compatible products, the QS8 includes an ADAT Optical Digital Output. Also included is a serial data port that provides direct connection to a Macintosh or PC without a MIDI interface. Four independent 1/4" audio outputs are also provided. The QS8 includes a CD-ROM in Mac and Windows format that includes Steinberg's Cubase Lite(TM) Alesis' new Sound Bridge_ 2.0 and Freeloader software, General MIDI sequences, additional sample and program data and other third party software. The QS8's strong all-metal chassis includes black solid oak endpieces for support, and is designed for use both in studios and on the road. Dimensions of the QS8 are 51" wide x 1 6a deep x 4a high, making it easy to transport the QS8 in a compact car. Also, the QS8 will feature a built-in demo sequence that is an original composition of keyboard virtuoso Keith Emerson (of Emerson, Lake and Palmer fame).

For more information, visit their web site at www.alesis.com.