The Ensoniq SQ-80 can provide the answer to these and hundreds of other sonic questions with a technology called Cross Wave Synthesis. Cross Wave technology involves grafting the attack charac teristics of one sound onto the very beginning of another. So you can recreate the sound of acoustic instruments with startling accuracy or invent new sounds with real character and personality.
Some of the available transient attack waves are multi-sampled bow, pick, mallet, hammer and breath attacks, as well as percus sive and synthesized variations. The SQ-80 has a total of 75 multi-sampled and synthesized waves on board, including 5 complete multi-sampled drum sets. Because of its large selection of waves and wide-open voice architecture, the SQ-80 is the perfect replacement for any analog, FM or LA synth. The SQ-80 also features the new Ensoniq Poly-KeyTM pressure sensitive keyboard. Poly-Key pressure adds new dimension to the idea of aftertouch. Each individual key can respond to how hard you hold it down with dozens of dazzling effects. There's finally a synth that lets you really use the magic of MIDI in live performance. The on-board 8-track sequencer can control the dynamically assigned, multi-timbral internal voices (differ ent program on each track), and outboard MIDI gear as well.
In addition to programs and sequences, the SQ-80's built-in 880K disk drive can save and load MIDI system exclusive data sounds for voice expanders, patterns for drum machines, set tings for signal processors and MIDI samples. So you can plug in your MIDI cables, power up, slide a disk into the SQ-80 drive and be ready to play before the guitar player tunes up. Each disk can store up to 1728 different programs and 10 full sequencer banks or system exclusive blocks. So you can finally take your favorite studio tricks up on stage with you.