Fusion 8HD Review by Joseph B.

[Jesse]

https://reverb.com/item/81744534-alesis ... -condition

Fusion 8HD Review by Joseph B.
Whew!
Joseph B.
This is a monster. Audio specs on this are excellent, sounds very clean. I've auditioned FM sounds on this that are unique, even for FM. I've programmed/owned an SY77 since these came out in 1989 and I can duplicate alot of those sounds with this. It is amazing what clever programming can do with the control knobs and modulation routings which can be used for instance as 4 drawbars, or anything else you can think of-like a modular synth without the patch cords if you know how to use mod routings. Can load any soundfont you can come up with except the largest orchestral libraries or pianos, which usually are over-bloated anyway. It's a stereo sampler-with a huge sampling library created by at least 2 genius programmers among others. 192 MB but uses voices in tandem with 2 192MB modules, so can go bigger than 192 depending on what you do. You can use the sampling inputs patched to the audio recorder inputs as a kind of "direct box" for guitars since the 8-track audio recorder is line level, or to add programmable effects in the effect chain to the audio tracks by sending the Fusion audio outs to the sampling inputs. A little complex but it can be done. The design is compact compared to other 88-key controllers or workstations. No wasted space on the sides or front. It's heavy, isn't plastic, very solid. Steel top panel and bottom. Solid plastic endcaps can take a beating. Has the same TP40 Fatar as the newest TP40 workstations-and this 15 years ago, with aftertouch. One of the few weighted actions that let's me play fast organ runs, and classical or jazz piano on the same key assembly. I think its the same as a TP40L, lighter action than my Korg RH-II which is also actually a Fatar. This was destroyed in the market due to early operating systems that were pretty buggy-by version 1.24-a number of features were added, bugs were fixed-but too late-except for those who kept theirs. For example, formant filters were added. Sync between recorded audio and midi tracks corrected. Programmable looping independently for each midi track. You probably don't know what a Novachord is, you can turn a Fusion into one with Steve Howell's amazing sampling of this instrument that created almost all the early science fiction movie soundtracks, among others. KPR also has dedicated a ton of sample libraries for this. And there is huge support at the Alesis Music group. Very nice.

[Jokeyman123]

What a great review ! You know this is me, right?

Thanks for posting it here jesse. Not often I am this impressed with a musical instrument-but wanted to be sure people know, almost 20 years later, what a useful instrument the Fusion still is in 2024. But then, I just had my TEAC 3340 completely restored and am using it to record with. Not easy finding a tech who could do it and it sounds amazingly good, even compared to all the digital/computer recording equipment I own. And i still play records on my turntables which except for the pops and clicks on my old albums, also sound surprisingly good. Sometimes newest isn't best. Lately it's seems worse in some areas. There is a reason many of us like to restore the older "vintage" stuff, whether its an old Coke machine, or an Indian motorcycle. Or an Alesis Fusion.

[Jesse]

Joseph B. Jokeyman

Yeah I have managed to keep all my old gear up and running except for my old Webcor 7" reel to reel tape deck
https://www.tapeheads.net/forums/

I enjoy listening to a record on my old Sony PS-X6Direct Drive Turntable every once in awhile
I think I should search for a replacement motor for it in case it ever craps out.

[url]Diversity is the ultimate key to beauty – just look around you and you’ll see.[/url]


I enjoy listening to a record on my old Sony PS-X6 Direct Drive Turntable controls

I enjoy listening to a record on my old Sony PS-X6Direct Drive Turntable every once in awhile
I think I should search for a replacement motor for it in case it ever craps out

[Jokeyman123]

Very nice-direct drive, definitely better than belt drives. And it has adjustments for different size records or "platters" as some used to call these. there are web user groups for "vintage" equipment like ours. I know this because I needed to find someone who could understand and repair my old Lafayette LR-9090 receiver which still sounds fantastic. part of my basement looks like a "vintage" hi-fi store! And the Chinese have jumped on people's interest in this vintage gear-I've seen some amps and receivers that look like they copied the vintage high-end Mactintosh stereo amps, tubes and all. and my new turntable is a Chinese-made. I'm not a big fan of Chinese copies, but this turntable is pretty quality, works well, but uses a good American-made cartridge and stylus!

[Jesse]

Yeah, I remember years ago when Kenwood sold his company the new owner was making cheap crappy products with his name on them so he bought the company back and restored the quality to his name and products

I have a real nice old SANYO 4 channel Stereo from the early 70's it's still good, but I need replace to one of the power transistors which is relatively easy to do, I should have done it a long time ago. I believe I still have one 4 channel stereo record, but I don't believe my turntable has the ability to play discrete 4 channel stereo

It's only 10 watts per channel, but it's 10 watts RMS not the inflated wattage they use on a lot of products now days:)

I have a set of 4 old Radio shack book shelf speakers I use with it, I placed them in the upper corners of the room, it sounds great

SANYO DCX3000K 4 Channel Stereo

SANYO DCX3000K 4 Channel Stereo controls

[parametric]

Talking Record Decks - This is my Technics Sp10 - Direct Drive THREE Speed . . . .

Predecessor to the more famous Sp1200

It's monstrously Heavy and came with a 2U PSU to power Two of these . .

The Arm is an SME 3009 - that needs servicing . . . . .

The pair were being discarded from the Journalism Studio at the Uni - think I paid £30 . . . .

The SP10 is up to speed in a 1/4 of a revolution of the T/T . . . .

Chris

[Jesse]

Nice Chris, it's nice to be able to listen to some of our old favorite Records once in awhile

One of my many projects is to repair my Grandmothers old Victrola, the spring is broken and for some reaso one of the gears is missing

However as kids we would place a record on the platter and spin it with our finger, needless to say there were a lot of variations to the play back sound do to the inconsistent speed we turned the record at, but interesting variations to the sounds

[Jokeyman123]

Now that's what I'd REALLY call....."Back in time Records!" My wife's sister still has one of these in her basement and threatened to give it to me.

Years ago, my family had a few "Red Seal" RCA Victor Caruso 78 rpm records. My mother threw them out because we didn't have a 78 rpm turntable to play them!!! Imagine my grief, when several years later as I visited the NYC Metropolitan Opera House (only been there once) and saw one of those same records on display behind glass, armed with security alarms. If only mom had thrown away our Lawrence Welk records instead. At least mom had an operatic voice, sang around the house, better than Caruso records. I blame her for my brother Jon and me making careers (well it's a living sort of) out of our meager music skills. Actually Lawrence Welk didn't do so badly. We still have the "Polka Hour" on TV here in PA, and it would be blasphemous to say anything bad about it! I digress.

[Jesse]

There are a few more records in the Victrola, I probably need to photograph and document them