Yamaha AN1x

I think this is my second or third review here of AN1x. I finally sold mine because the limited space. In this review, there is same things as I have said before.

After over 8 years I learned AN1x inside out. Editing patches is easy. You can make most of the job with the eight knobs and few buttons. The bad thing is there is no data-slider. Also presets are bad in my opinion. There is good ones in the net but it takes time to get what you want. AN1x is fairly complex, much more than JP-80x0 and Nord Lead for example(they are very basic but not said that's bad thing, no). You can get the free editor from the net which I used at the beginning.

Only opened the manual when was checking some CC's etc, not much for editing.

For me, AN1x was more (complex) pad/string machine than bass/lead synth. That's why using dual layers and long release times, 10-voice polyphony wasn't even near enough. But it's OK.

For my playing style, keyboard was the best for price range and aftertouch was just perfect. Also I used knobs for controlling other synths and sequencer (volume, AT, pan, jomox airbase99 filters etc) but also you could straight edit Roland JV/XV/Fantom and other yamaha synths (FS1r) straight from the knobs. It could be turned to use standard CC's. So you turn filter knob from AN1x Roland JV-2080's filter changed. Nothing stunning today but back to late 90's for me it was great addition.

Sounds were always hard to get sound good in the mix. It always needed quite much editing.

Othervise sounds are quite nice and easily spoiled with too much of internal effects(as with many synths). I think only tempo-delay is very usable but small amount of other fx are also ok. As many times mentioned, it's a bit Prophet 5 sounding and there is some nice other sounds too. Biggest surprices are great emulations of strings (named "Sibelius") and great church organ sound. They sound great but again polyphony is fast cut down.

AN1x is not only good synth for electronic music but I think it's fairly good keyb for progressive rock etc too. It can make some nice pads and leads but also some fx/noise. I have seen two opposite live sets using AN1x: Yes "House of blues" Igor Khoroshev using the same a bit lame portamento-lead sound in every song and Yes "Symphony" where Tom Brislin used his AN creatively and sounding good.

All in all, there is so much to edit and explore. I could buy it back, if price goes even lower.

No problems. Never gigged. Freezed only couple of times.

In my opinion Korg and Yamaha supports are the crappiest around.

I don't know why they didn't make upgraded version of AN1x. You can hear AN1x in my all older tracks. It's great value today. I wouldn't buy it for trance, go for Virus/JP for those. Just contact, if you want some samples or listen the older tracks (can be listened in homepage).

deadzonemusic.com

I???ve installed v1.04 which has to ordered as a spare from Yamaha although many countries don???t have them in stock anymore.
Presets are s**t and clean uninspired and low in volume. There are plenty of good user presets knocking around on the net.
The front panel is ok for simple edits but not intuitive for in depth programming. There???s a good freebie software editor from Yamaha but I use mine with a Doepfer Drehbank which really makes this one of the bests synths for programming that I own.
Manual is crap in fact this is my second AN1X and I???ve only just got my head around the power of the 16 path control matrix no thanks to the manual.

Ok the AN1X is one of the first generation of VA???s with only two part multi but for the price they go for this isn???t a problem as your getting a decent master keyboard (on par with a K2000) with aftertouch, nice arpeggiator and an excellent and versatile analogue style sequencer that???s transmits note, gate, velocity and any MIDI CC you want. Each saved sequence can also be spread across each key the first half of the keyboard and you can transpose it with the other half which is great fun.
There is also a free EG which is kinda like a built controller sequencer for recording real time knob twiddling. This can be set at a max of 16 seconds or a eight measures and is fantastic for constantly morphing sounds although the resolution does step a little which is noticeable on some parameters like cutoff. Use the step and free EG together and things get very exciting.
You can also morph between two patches which works best with changing parameters of two sound that don???t step i.e. like waveform selection, pitch semitone.
Most of the AN1X???s parameters will respond to MIDI CC which as I???ve mentioned works brilliantly with a Drehbank. All sound parameters are on bank A with sequencer steps on bank B.
I???d say its not quite as in depth as a Virus, Q or Ion but its not far off and considering that the AN1X predates most of these machines by a fair few years its fair to say it was way ahead but sadly no one realised this due to its compromised interface and crap manual.

Its strange that being my second AN1X that it still sounds as good as when I first bought it even against all the newer equipment I???ve owned and tried. The ring mod sounds good, you can take the edge of the upper harmonics on the waveforms (good for HPF sounds), four different FM algorithms, PWM on sawtooth waves, very hi frequency LFO???s with a comprehensive variation of waveforms, an excellent multimode filter that doesn???t sound too artificial when used correctly and a feedback function that really brings out the organic nature of the AN1X like overdriving the filter on an old analogue to fatten the sound.
The FX are also good, a deep flanger, grungy auto wha, Yamaha???s symphonic chorus FX (essential for Synthex impressions), a licence Aphex exciter (will help blow away any other VA when used right), tempo and cross delays and a useable reverb. The quality isn???t quite a Boss VF1 but they sound richer than my KP2.
The sound can really be fattened up with VCA feedback and unison mode and the synth sounds good across the range from basses to hi frequency FX especially when the Apex enhancer is used. The crap presets really don???t demonstrate any of these virtues which combined but when used creatively the AN1X really blows most other VA???s away; more beef than a MS2000 or JP8000, better hi frequency sounds than a Virus or Novation.
The thing I like most about programming the AN1X (with my Drehbank btw) against many other synths is that you???re not trying to work around its inadequacies as its more a case of ???I haven???t tried that yet??? which usually pays off and is very rewarding when creating new sounds.
It doesn???t quite cut it against a real beefy analogue but in this respect I find the sound works better polyphonically and deep lush pads are one of the AN1X???s strong points.
I can get an excellent Synthex sound without the Synthex price and fruity hi frequency modulating FX without alaising like other VA???s.

The step sequencer has its faults like not responding to MIDI start stop and the timing isn???t as tight as my Quasimidi gear when recording to an external sequencer but this is really only a problem with syncing tight percussive sounds which isn???t the AN1X???s strongpoint. The tempo delay resetting glitches are also addressed in v1.04.
Other than that its rock solid.

Got my new OS ROM on my Visa from the nice lady at Yamaha UK without any hassle no future developments for a discontinued synth almost a decade old is to be expected.

You can pick up an AN1X for around the same price as a decent brand new MIDI master keyboard or average softsynth, which makes it a bargain for those who want something in the real world they can touch and play.
If you spend a little extra on a good MIDI control surface you???ll have the full power of one of the most underrated VA???s at your fingertips.
Thinking of buying an decent polysynth without the real analogue unreliability (worth it on some analogues tho) MS2000, Nord, or JP8000 then you should check out the AN1X first.

Hello everyone, i'm from chile, so my english is't god.

The manual is excelent, everything is there with examples and good information.
About editing patches, is not so good, 8 knobs for all the parameters, so you have 8 submenus to modify all of them, not so intuitive as a nord lead for example.

10 voices polyphony, excelent for a V.A.
nice effects, reverbs, delays and multieffects, sounds very good.
every sound has two scenes, so with one sound you can have 2 "little sounds" and can be switched in any time or even play at the same time.

Wooooooooow, thin machine sound amasing!!!!!!!!
everything is perfect.
you can do wakeman leads, emerson leads, everything from the old glories of the rock prog of the seventies.
The bases are strongs and punchies, and with the arpeggiator, you can do some nice trance music.
the pads are awesome, with the pwm thay are soft, warm, bright, etc. The pwm can be asigned to any wawe (saw. pulse, etc), so the pads can be very complex.

REsuming, excelent sound for 400 dolars in chile.

Everything work excelent, nice hardware
the case is plastic but strong.
The knows are great, far better than a ms2000

I never contact with yamaha

Very strong machine to emulate the old analog synths

Good price, nice specs.
If you can buy it, don't think twice

There's banks of reasonable presets out there. Editing patches sucks on its own interface, but is pretty sweet with the PC editor. The manual is a complete waste of time and paper.

10 notes poly. The keyboard action isn't terrible, but fails to impress; like most synths, old and new. It has no sequencer in the classic sense, only one for controldata, which is excellent.

For me, the strength of this synth is in its synth strings. Especially in 5-voice (doubled) mode, the strings are silky smooth and evocative. It would be one of my favorite synths for that if I bought it again. You can coax some pretty sweet, expressive Rhodes sounds out of it, if you work at it. I didn't really like the leads, but I'm sure I could improve on those I had preset if I worked at it; I don't really have a need for them though.

For hard, Tangerine Dream like sequenced lines this will do fine, and its bass if good for that. However, for playing basslines, this isn't so hot IMO.

It can sound very smooth or very harsh. It's up to the programmer, i.e. you!

It's nice and lightweight, so carrying it around is fine. It's all rather plasticky, but I had no problem with lugging mine around to gigs. Would gig without backup unless the gig was so good I could AFFORD a backup =]

Haven't had to deal with Yamaha yet.

The AN1x is definately on my short list of 'much synth for little money'. I'm usually just selling gear to buy other, but if I had some cash to burn, this would probaby be in my little studio.

I've been playing for over twenty years, was 'raised' on organ and accordeon, and got to my synth lust via a Casio SK-1 and a Roland Juno-6 to an Elka Synthex and beyond. Having owned some twenty or thirty synths in that time, the AN1x can hold its own.

I love the sounds. I love the PC editor, the ribbon controller, and the morph function. I hate the interface, but that's true for about 90% of digital synths. Somewhere along the way, common sense seems to have left the people who design interfaces on synths. I'm getting an Ensoniq ESQ1 later today; now THAT's an interface! Yamaha also makes about the densest, least readable and useful manuals in the industry. None of it makes much sense to me.

The AN1x is a great buy at its s/h price, and I can't imagine it disappointing anyone too much. A musician's synth, because of the control, and because of the detailed sound editing (with the PC editor).

The an1x features an intuitive and easy interface, where the eight knobs are used to control up to seven different editing aspects depending on which section is selected on a separate LED-button grid. Thats 56 functions, 8 being assignable, and by pressing the knobs it is possible to receive clear info on current settings whilst also decreasing the incremental changes in value while turning the knobs. It is not, however, the perfect real-time environment, incomparable at least to one-knob-one-function boards but more than sufficient.

Further to the right of the board is a LED screen that while not showing us a satelite images of our house like modern synths will eventually do, is fully capable of providing all required information is a concise and non-diverting manner, which is ideal for any real-time synth.

The presets, like most synths are not good at demonstrating the power of the engine. I never know why the factory programmers insist on being so foreign to the concept of interesting electronic sounds for which this synth is ideal, that they provide generic and dated sounds that will turn off many at the shops. At least the manual is exemplary, being clear, detailed, with a wealth of information of how to program and definitions for functions, thus being ideal for the programming beginner. Under this category, I would include the fact that being light-weight at about 7kg is very useful for moving around while still having with you a 61 keyset and synth engine.

Keyboard is so good for my own playing tastes (a firm but bouncy movement) that it has become my master controller, so that I in fact have no other keybeds in my possession. Polyphony is 10, which perfectly adequate for the sounds at which it excels, as explained below.

No expansions, and a slightly limited memory for only 128 programs. MIDI capabilties are perfect, all sorts of weirdness occur between the combined 100 knob functions of the an1x and waldorf microwave xt.
Sequencer is fine for basic use but i rarely use it because sequencers are not my style. Also, a good performance enhancer included is the ability to 'morph' between two separate scenes/voices using the modulation wheel.

I tend to favour digital synths with a unique and intriquing sound character. The waldorfs have it, the additive kawais have it, and then i decided I should try va. We all know how jp8000s are vastly overused and limited in their sound architecture, similar things could be said for nords and virus'. While these boards are the staple of all modern music and are perfectly adequate for your basic pads and leads, where is the love? Or more technically, where is the unique lush, vibrant and simultaneously dark personality hidden in every sound. I think the an1x is ideal for this.

The most extraordinary feature to the engine is the breadth and range of the sounds capable, but its strengths definitely lie within the task of making the perfect lead sounds, and also producing the basis upon which to create a full-bodied and analogish melody for anything with dance, electronica, dub and ambient. I wouldn't naturally choose it for the majority of basic 'filling-in' pads over other synths, though it is certainly capable of them, and it does have some great strings. But the leads you can create are awesome, ranging from beautiful strange entrancing bell sounds that I can't avoid playing around with, to dark and other-worldly pulses that really can't be explained.

The plastic casing has numerous advantages that outweigh the fact that it 'could' be suseptible to damage which, from my experience so far, it isn't. The only slight quirk with the functionality is that if I happen to turn the synth on at program no. 48, it starts making strange crackling sounds. It appears that I programmed the patch in a way such that the engine can't handle it while loading up. I don't really know whether I should be proud about out-synthing the synth engine it or not...

Not yet involved with them.

I would buy it again without a doubt if stolen, as nothing (Nothing!) can compare at its price second-hand.

The An1x was released in the late 1990's, which is surely one of the golden ages in synth history where a majority of modern music originates from machines of that vintage. The an1x is one of the cheapest of those on account of its appearance and that it was less user friendly than some of its competitors and consequently did not catch on to a similar bandwagon to the nords and jp8000s. Nethertheless, it maintains a character and capability that few other can match, and thats why many users cry out for a follow-up machine to enjoy too(an2x etc) but we sadly know that isn't going to happen thanks to the damn market for workstations that yamaha concentrates on these days.

The an1x sits right in the middle of my studio as a controller for pc and the rack, while its sound engine quietly waits, because it knows that i am bound to use it eventually for the sounds that define a track. I use it mainly in conjunction with my other digitals, the Microwave xt and k5000r, and after some time they have all become the best of friends. I sure don't need more digitalness, especially not another va, as the an1x does it all and more

I rate this a 7 because of the manual. Yamaha seems to have 2 modes for manuals: 1) blissfully easy to understand (like my dx200 and this) 2) geek speak engineering specs (like my motif rack and my FS1R). The layout on this isn't intuitive at first glance, but it is logical after a little study. I own quite a few synths, and I have to say the panel layout and tweaking is a bit different than the rest.

I've had this for about a year and a half now, and maybe because I bought it 5-6 years after is was manufactured, the specs never impressed me much. 10 voice polyphony, 2 part multitimbral (sort of). Effects are decent quality to me, which usually seems to be the case with my Yamaha synths, and these are decently easy to program. Haven't used the onboard sequencer much, but it looks ok to me the couple times I dorked around with it. The manual covers explains working with it well.

My only real complaint is with the build of the keyboard. Though mine is in good shape, and has held up well, it's just VERY plastic. Knobs, keyboards, body...they're all very plastic and not near as solid as some of my other synths.

THIS is where this puppy shines. I'm not sure what the reviewer from 05/15/2005 was smokin (say what??? "Sound carries flavor, and the best musicians are those who recognize, on whatever level, that they work in synaesthetics; the art of stimulating different sensorial reactions") but lacking the influence of any LSD, I can say this thing pulls off analog emulation and fatness quite nicely. I have an Alesis A6 and a Micron, and this thing carries its own weight quite well along with those 2 keyboards.

Pads, basses and leads all work nicely on this thing, and to my ear, it reminds me of an old Prophet quite a bit. Flexible enough to program easily for expression with the wheels, X-Z Ribbon Controller and assignable knobs. Unison mode is easy to use and helps fatten the tone up quite a bit.

I'm ready to sell my JP-8080 (I'm clearing house), but despite the low polyphony, I'm keeping my AN1X

So far, I've had no problems using this thing, but then I also don't gig with it. Has a wall wart for power, which isn't good, but it's usable. Plastic body doesn't give me confidence, but it works fine in the home studio.

Haven't had to deal with Yahama for support directly, but I am impressed with all the support on-line. Easy access to FAQs and manuals for the used equipment I've bought, and easy upgrades and software access for the new stuff as well.

I'm not sure if I'd replace this if it were stolen (for sub $200, maybe). My biggest complaint with it is the real estate it takes up, for the less-than-ample polyphony it delivers. Other keyboards I have take up as much or less space, and deliver more bang for the buck when keyboard stand space is scarce. BUT, I find myself turning to the AN1X for certain brass, pad, and bass sounds frequently enough, so for the near future, I'll keep it as a sound source for sure.

Well, I've had my AN1X for a couple or three years now and the longer I use it the better I like it. Geez people, there are some harsh reviews on this synth! I'm just not getting it. However, like any really good synth, it takes time to really learn what it will do. This is a really deep VA/FM synth and 20 years ago people would have killed to have one. The user interface is logical to a fault, apparently. If you aren't logical you are going to hate it. YOu have to be a bit organized in your thinking to approach this monster. Other VA's may have more physical knobs, but actually the AN1X gives you nearly instant access to 64 parameters - more than the MS2000. Punch the right button for your set of 8 and then twirl away and see what happens. All the parameters are labeled right on the front. Makes perfect sense. You turn the knob and the LCD tells you exactly what the current value is. ONce you get familiar with the layout patch programming goes very smoothly. If you don't learn the layout you're going to be frustrated to death because it's all there in front of you but you don't know what to do with it. The matrix is a bit more complicated, though. You'll have to read the manual to make sense of that part of the architecture, but it is WELL worth it! You can make or break a patch in that matrix. The free editor works great, but honestly I do most of my programming on the board these days. There's something clinical about using a computer to design patches... I like to be able to play a note or chord and listen to what I'm doing. That's not as easy with the editor, though it does make many chores much faster. Now the manual is another kettle of fish. It's all in there, but sometimes finding it is not so easy. Also, some of the explanations are a bit arcane. But show me a synth manual that doesn't suffer from those problems once in a while! This is not an easy synth to program - it's far too flexible to be easy. However, once learned it is a joy to work with. I have no trouble tweaking patches on the fly at this point. But, hey, I've had it like three years...

Other reviews have covered this very well... Learn to use the free EG feature - really, really powerful. Also, the equalizer section can really change (for better or worse) the sound of ANY patch. If you find a patch sounding dead - it's probably the VCF or the equalizer that's doing it. Well, could be the edge settings, too... To get the best out of any VA you have to know what you're doing and that takes time and knowledge and experimentation. Of course, that said, if you want a plug and play synth get a rompler, but you're missing all the real fun... This is a VA/FM synth, so it doesn't do everything, but it can do a lot within it's range. Part of the difficulty of this synth is the wealth of features. It's a lot to get your head around and it won't happen the first time you sit down to it, or in a week. You definitely have to learn this machine to get the best out of it.

I like the sound of the AN1X. It's not as harsh and in your face as a Micro Q or an ESQ, generally, though it can be harsh. It's not as liquid sounding as a Matrix 1000 and it will never be a Wavestation, but it can do great things. In my experience, bad sounding patches are usually the fault of bad programming. Programming is an art, definitely. The synth is extremely capable and can sound great. It can be super expressive with 8 knobs, touch strip, two pedals, velocity and aftertouch... YOu can easily program mush on this board, however. Too much of the wrong settings and you have mud, but you can do that with any VA. Likewise, you can make a patch so sharp and shrill that you will get that fingernails on the chalk board sound. The range of the board is extreme, so you can make extremely bad patches or extremely awesome ones. You can also overdrive the internal system and drive it into sporadic distortion if you're not careful. Just depends on what you do with it. It's nice to have the effects for some sounds, and you don't have to lug another FX box around to a gig. It's easy to get carried away with them, though. Several people have said not to judge this on the presets and I have to echo that. To hear what it can really do you have to experiment.

Yamaha makes solid gear. I've still got an amp I bought 27 years ago and it works like it was new. I wouldn't go dropping the AN all over the place, but it should hold up if you are reasonably careful with it. I have not had any problems with the knobs or switches.

Never had to use it.

I've come to love this board and would hate to see it go. I hope it has a long and useful life... Other gear... I have a bunch of synths bought over the past 11 years. Wavestation SR - amazing, Micro Q - hard to compare but it's good, Morpheus a bit thin, but powerful, FS1r - #$%^& to program but fantastic sound, VZ-10m same as the last but doesn't sound as good, XL-7 super lush, deep sounds when tweaked, k5000s unique and beautiful, TG-77 FM wonderbox, Matrix 1000 wish it had knobs, Karma most amazing and difficult synth ever - definitely, 2 ESQm's great sound, flexibility and character for cheap - no knobs... Even so, I still find myself programming on the AN1X a lot. It grows on you... And in its own way it stands up to the other synths I have without difficulty. It's a unique synth and that in itself makes it useful for getting different sounds. On the negative side, it doesn't reward you without effort. You have to earn it. But, that's one of the reasons it is fun to program. If it were too easy it would be boring. At the current street price it is a great board, but only for somebody who will dig into it.

As with any hardware synth, the AN1X is very easy to use straight out of the box if you like the presets, which hardly anyone does. It's very easy to change these using trial and error if you are new to using a synth, but if you want to create sounds from the ground up and are a n00b (like me), consult the manual, which will you you a step-by-step and how to create new sounds.

General: Step sequencer (16), 25 or so arpeggiator patterns, multiple layers per sound which can be edited and played separately or played together.
It has many different sets of filters (VCO, LFO, etc.) and a ribbon controller that is assignable in addition to the mod wheel. I haven't used the sequencer yet.

Expansion: you will need an external device to archive sounds, but there are a lot of midi control options.

This is an analog modeling synth, so it wasn't really made to mimic real instruments. Instead, it can mimic other synths. The sound can range from old synths to 90s digital sounds. The AN1X has a lot of range and create some crunchy and warm bass sounds and some decent string sounds as well. Dance/EBM music for sure with this, but it seems slightly lacking in the LEAD sound department as far as I have seen.

This thing is very durable. My apartment building burned down and the board had water inside of it. I let it sit for a couple of days and cleaned out the inside and it works pretty damn well. It's a survivor and the simple design helps with dependability as well.

I'm in the process of ordering a replacement knob, otherwise I haven't had to repair it.

Overall a very good synth for the capabilities. If you only have to buy one piece of equipment and aren't into using PC-based stuff, this isn't the board for you, as it is not a workstation. However, if you want an old (and newer) synth feel to your sounds without having to spend the money on an older and less reliable genuine analog, this is the synth for you.

wtf is goin on here? Everybody reads, no one writes. Keep this thing going!!! You need to get used to. It's kind of semi-modular. Knobs are a great help offering kind of easy-edit.

Polyphony is 10 MiniMOOGs. You will love to use it in multitrack-recording. Good synthkeyboard, nothing special. Not expandeble. MIDI is great for the knobs may send any controller and any controller may be reassigned to any parameter. Sequencing I do externally can't say.

WOW! Question is if another instrument will ever sound like the AN1X. For me IT is an original. Works for all kinds of synthiemusic. Although there's little classical literature for synths. It's the mean blue (not green) machine. Blind tested it aainst all other VA- (and A-)Synths around. Sounds hard and harsh, may sound nice too, but that's only disguise. Onboard FX- like everything else are realtime tweakable. Bery dynamic play once you use controllers and knobs. If your planning to buy your one and only synth, don't take this one. If your other synths are way too tame and cultivated (I'll say 10 having a few), get this wild one.

Never had any probs. I nevertheless always tend to take as many synth along as I can carry. And in the end who needs a keyboarder?

Support is what WE make it; especially when it comes to old stuff. Those greenhorns in callcenters don`t know or care too much about oldtimers. They are friendly and they try but they can't.

If stolen I'd get me another. If there was an expander-version (NOT the AN200, that's ?=)($%)&) I'd get it in advance. Played some 25 years everything there was around. Love the raw, wild strength of sounds kinda dirty. I hate buying keys when looking for expanders but couldn't help. Compared to JP80**, Nord Lead(which sounds brighter and more precise), Waldorf microwave and microQ and various soft synths, this is the most powerful, pressive sound; blindchecked them playing 100s of demos in WinAmp randomly. It's a great help at making music MY way, knobs controlling internal and external equippment.
Support's what WE make it.

this instrument takes a bit of getting used to as far as editing... however if you spend the time you will be rewarded. in a huge way.

polyphony is fine. better than my obxa... the fx are very nice. the sequencer and arpeggiator both rock.

i own many vintage synthesizers (arp 2600, mini mood, moog prodigy, moog sonic 6, juno 106 and 60, roland jd 800, korg ms 20, serge modular and others, and this synth makes me smile! it is the best analog modeler i have found. and actually (sorry guys) the presets are great. very representative of the sounds you get with classic analog synths. if you can't get fat, cool sounds out of this then you should play triangle or something without knobs.

ok, this is where the problem is. at least when the instrument was initially releaased. i went through two of them before i got one that worked correctly. i heard there was a lot of bad chips. bummer. the one i have now works like a charm. no problems.

cool company. when i got the bad one i called yamaha and told the tech that my an1x was making strange noises. he said.... uh, it's supposed to make far out sounds.......

if mine bit the dust, i would replace it immediately. they are on ebay often for around $400. (ooops, shhhhhhhhhhh...)
this synth represents a kick arse value. the next best thing to a good old analog synth.