Synergy had a short commercial run – over 3 years – less than 1000 copies were produced since it ended up overshadowed by Yamaha’s rampant success with the much cheaper DX7. It is estimated that the actual number of instruments produced is less than 700 units, and very few of them have survived over the past 30 years, making it an extremely rare instrument.
Additional Information
Rarity, prestigious origins and synergy’s impact on pop culture are only part of the intrigue. Synergy was a controversial tool by design, especially at the time of its release. It offered an incredible sound engine with 32 oscillators, dual 16-step envelopes and a velocity-sensitive 74-note keyboard. At the same time, it was built with extremely prohibitive editing functionality, so that it looked like a more pre-installed player than its busy contemporaries. While Synergy programming is far from intuitive, it is possible, and the results can be truly stunning.