Polysix Programmable Polyphonic Synthesizer © 1981 Korg.
The Korg Polysix was a 6-voice analog polyphonic synthesizer designed as an affordable alternative to high-end instruments such as the Prophet-5 and Oberheim OB-series. It used a classic subtractive architecture with one VCO per voice, a resonant low-pass filter, and a single envelope generator per voice. It became known for its rich, wide sound thanks to its built-in analog effects section, which included chorus, phaser, and ensemble processing.
The Polysix provides 6-voice polyphony, each voice built around a single VCO plus sub-oscillator, giving it a surprisingly full sound despite its simplicity.
It uses a resonant analog low-pass filter (SSM-based design), contributing to its warm and musical character.
A key feature is its built-in analog effects section (chorus / phaser / ensemble) based on bucket-brigade delay technology, which significantly thickens the sound.
It includes 32 patch memory slots, which was a major innovation at the time for an analog synth.
It features an arpeggiator with multiple modes (up, down, latch, etc.), making it useful for sequenced-style performances.
It uses no velocity or aftertouch, typical of early 1980s analog keyboards.
It was designed as a cost-effective competitor to the Prophet-5 and Roland Juno-6, targeting the emerging affordable poly synth market.
It became famous for its lush pads, string sounds, and wide stereo-like motion (thanks to the ensemble effect).
A major historical issue is the battery-backed memory system, which can leak and damage the internal circuitry over time.
It was one of Korg’s most influential early polysynths and directly led to successors like the Poly-61 and Poly-800 series.