New Lync is almost here.

[zeronyne]

I’ve probably jinxed them now, but the new folks making Lyncs are getting much more communicative about a few delays in launching the LN4000, but they’ve added a thumb strip that can send most CCs. 
 

This remote keyboard brand’s journey from the 80s to being reborn this year is remarkable, and maybe the new owners will share the tale someday.

 

I’m looking forward to this because the Ax-Edge is meant for someone much taller, stronger and/or cuter than I, and the AX1 with a wireless pack is just janky looking. And obviously, this is not going to be most people’s cup of tea.

 

49 Full-Sized keys.

Carbon Fiber body. (6.4 Pounds)

500 feet Wireless Midi.
Midi Receiver and USB cable included.  

4 split zones.

Assignable touch strip and Mod wheel. Touch strip will be able to become a pitch strip in a future firmware update.

Sensitive Pitch wheel.

Layer up to 4 sounds at the same time via MIDI.

64 Preset locations.

Strap and "Dunlop Strap-Loks" are included. 

Programmable aftertouch.

6 hour Rechargeable battery life. 

USB port for firmware and feature updates. 

Fully licensed copy of UVI Digital Synsations software instrument.

 

[AnotherScott]

News to me... very nice!

[analogika]

Price point?

 

[stoken6]

And 5-pin MIDI capable? Or USB only?

 

Cheers, Mike.

[wineandkeyz]

Manufacturer's webpage for the LN-4000

 

I have to admit, I'm tempted.

[MAJUSCULE]

Oh. Hello.

[ABECK]

Very nice.  I always liked the aesthetics of the version they had out in the 80s.  Way more appealing than the KX-5 with the tiny keys that was popular at the time.  I vividly remember all the Jan Hammer endorsement pics in Keyboard Mag.

 

[AnotherScott]

Their page says "Lync is the only brand of MIDI KEYTARS that allows you to split your keyboard into 4 parts, and layer 4 channels simultaneously." But unless I misunderstood something, the AX-Edge does that,  too.

[Key hairman]

I think I must have one! I know I must have one! 

[zeronyne]

3 hours ago, stoken6 said:

And 5-pin MIDI capable? Or USB only?

 

Cheers, Mike.

That’s a good question. I’ll ask the company. My understanding is that the wireless transmitter is built in, so there may be zero ports on the keyboard. But I don’t know if the receiver is usb only. That would be a bit of a miss. 
 

I’ll do a demo on YT as soon as I get one. I preordered against my better judgement…I am NOT an early adopter-type.

[zeronyne]

1 hour ago, ABECK said:

Very nice.  I always liked the aesthetics of the version they had out in the 80s. 

The Jan Hammer model had the pitch and mod wheels repositioned so he could address the controls with his thumb from the back. I though that was pretty cool because it made the signature model actually usefully different. They then made a really cheap one with no breakout box (LN1000). I have a very oddly colored LN4 that has finally been put out of its misery. It sits somewhere between mucus and saliva on the Pantone scale. I think it was called “Pearl white”. It most definitely is not.

[AUSSIEKEYS]

Wow i always wanted one in the day as they were arguably the best looking one available and with heaps of features not on others but alas i could never find one in Australia. I tried hard to find one but no Sydney shops had them and id never heard of or considered shipping in anything. That was weird.

 

I started with the wooden Korg or a sh101 cant remember which was first and even a poly800 then rolands copy of a Lync the AX1 a blatant lookalike i thought.

 

A casio AZ1 i still have and a yamaha i still have and a rare Sequential Circuits remote which i still have but no longer have the P5 (seen in my avatar) so its not usable without a P5 as its not midi but Sequentials  premidi design with a Special connection and lead (which also was used for the optional sequencer) (Any aussies wants a rare addition to their vintage P5 i might let it go)

 

Like my Casio (a brilliant "sling-on) the lync id still have today. But i dought id chase the new one as at 30% lung capacity theres no way i could play one. Instead of looking like im playing a "squeezebox" Id look like im playing a "wheezebox" hee hee.

 

But Im so impressed and excited someone is doing this and i wish them success.

 

Edit they need to make a 76 note master controller with those features as modern master controllers are nothing like the zone controllers of the past. Always made for the computer synth noodler not a live performer simple zoner of the past.

[The Real MC]

Oh this is cool, I may grab one.  Four years ago I acquired a barely functioning LN1000 which eventually went dead.  There were no schematics available and I have pretty much given up on restoring it.  I always like the Lync products better than the toys put out by Korg/Roland/Yamaha/Casio.

[EscapeRocks]

pardon me... I need some alone time with my iphone

 

 

Hmmmm......  yes please

 

[Tom Williams]

5 hours ago, AnotherScott said:

Their page says "Lync is the only brand of MIDI KEYTARS that allows you to split your keyboard into 4 parts, and layer 4 channels simultaneously." But unless I misunderstood something, the AX-Edge does that,  too.

The justification for that is probably by saying that the Ax-Edge is primarily self-contained, as opposed to a dedicated MIDI controller.

[S_Gould]

I still have my LN1000, and it still works. (I did have to repair a ribbon cable in it 20-odd years ago). It's the one I loaned to Jerry Corbetta. Never admitted that when there was some online backlash about him using a keytar.

[Al Coda]

Interesting !

It seems MIDI is wireless exclusively,- no other ports.

 

Not bad,- but now it´s all about MIDI latency and jitter.

Up to now, PandaMidi Midibeam v2 seemed to be the best wireless solution.

Chick Corea used that for his Yammi KX5s.

 

Now I wonder what LYNC is using.

It should at least match or better,- surpass PandaMidi specs !

 

☺️

 

A.C.

[Al Coda]

12 hours ago, zeronyne said:

The Jan Hammer model had the pitch and mod wheels repositioned so he could address the controls with his thumb from the back.

 

This is what I prefer too !

They should make that neck-segment adjustable (rotatable to some degree and lockable).

 

I have small hands and cannot use the Roland models,- former and current.

So, I´m still using my KX-5.

 

But I´d want the Lync if it´s perfectly usable for me.

 

☺️

 

A.C.

[Key hairman]

I’ve always thought about having a keytar but this is the first one that gives me that lustful feeling. I hope it’s more than a one night stand but I’m definitely getting in bed with this one. 😇

[vonnor]

I've always been "meh" on these things due to wireless range and line-o-sight req's. I'll be watching this with interest. Some concerns may be supply-chain/production capability once word get's out.

 

~ vonnor

[Stokely]

As anti-keytar as I am (for me personally, others go have fun!)  I've thought about something that would let me go out front and do a bit of mixing while still playing some keys.  We often run sound from stage, with our lead singer doing that on songs she doesn't sing, but I have a lot more experience with mixing.  Alternatively, if I could get her to play keys on a song that might work!

This is pretty obviously overkill for something like that  

[AnotherScott]

3 hours ago, Al Coda said:

Up to now, PandaMidi Midibeam v2 seemed to be the best wireless solution.

 

Something else I didn't know about, cool!

[synthdogg]

Okay, I'm in.

 

[marino]

Mmm, aftertouch?

The site says "programmable aftertouch". This could mean that it has aftertouch and you can redirect it to any MIDI cc on output - OR it could mean that it doesn't have AT, but you can redirect a wheel or the touch strip to aftertouch on output. I have seen this misleading indication in the specs of several controllers.

 

I regret having sold my Casio AZ-1 in the 90s. Good action, aftertouch, three wheels, good midi. And cheap.

 

 

[Mark Zeger]

[Redknife]

I’m digging it

[AUSSIEKEYS]

3 hours ago, marino said:

 

I regret having sold my Casio AZ-1 in the 90s. Good action, aftertouch, three wheels, good midi. And cheap.

 

 

I still think the Casio was the best of the lot other than the Lync. But i never liked the casios look compared to the Lync. Plus the Lync was 4 zones and totally had the goods on anything else.

 

But casio was the best featured "sling-on" you could get here in OZ but never got the cred it desereved.

 

Mine is still like new and still has its box. I should fire it up soon after decades of storage. Got a jam tomorow with a local solo perforner looking to make a trio. Should i impress him with it? Probably not. Hee hee

 

 

[marino]

13 hours ago, AUSSIEKEYS said:

I still think the Casio was the best of the lot other than the Lync. But i never liked the casios look compared to the Lync. Plus the Lync was 4 zones and totally had the goods on anything else.

 

Well, I'm not sure about the looks, but being rather tall with long arms, I liked the long neck on the Casio. And it had two zones, sort of; you could layer two channels, but no split IIRC. Besides, 4 zones on a keytar?! 

 

 

[Al Coda]

28 minutes ago, marino said:

4 zones on a keytar?! 

 

Yeah,- not urgently necessary w/ a range of 4 octaves.

But make sense when layering patches or quickly jump thru (combos of) zones by muting un-muting these,- if that functionality exists at all.

 

I´d miss true aftertouch and found it always senseless assigning it to another physical controller.

 

Up to now, the new Lync´s functionality isn´t explained well enough and in detail.

Let´s wait for more in-depth specs.

A.t.m., I don´t want to invest a grand for it until I read more detailed specs and positive early adopters´ reports.

 

☺️

 

A.C.

 

 

[zeronyne]

I’m starting to sound like a shill, but they are offering $300 off for the October batch right now (just saw the FB announcement). If you’re a gambler like me, you can save some scratch.