If mine were stolen I'd replace them immediately. Well known and understood instruments in the hands of capable , experienced players will always dominate the "latest flavour of the minute."

I've been playing, professionally, for 35 years.....whew, time sure flies when you're having fun! I came up as a Hammond player, went through the days of transistors and have happily settled into the realm of silcicone chips, bits and bytes. During my time I've owned or regularly played most keyboards manufactured from about 1970 through to the mid-90s, when I stopped being ruled by the market enigineers by deciding to examine exploiting the potential of what I already owned, as you can see from my gear list.

I've been the owner of a pair of '85s since '93. I'm also the owner of a pair of SY99s, an SK20 Yamaha drawbar organ clone and a pair of EX7s, plus various and sundry rack gear. All the synths are gigging all the time, live and studio applications. I can honestly state that the ONLY worthy successor to the '85 is the EX7, (excepting the sequencer portion!) That being said, if I could only choose a single synth, with which to spend the rest of my days, and which would continue to feed and clothe me, the choice would be the Yamaha SY85.

I expected to have unloaded my '85s long before today, but the user-friendliness of these synths have ensured their rightful place amongst my most valued gear. While many manufacturer's claim their products are continually updateable, few in actual fact are ever supported beyond their retail shelf life. The onus is on the owner to explore the potential of their instruments and then to exploit that potential to the max. I'd recommend the sample memory upgrades for any 85 user. It'll prolong the synth's life for an indefinite period by allowing you to keep the most current wave forms available to you.

As a work station, it has few peers; as a live performance instrument, it has no equal. I perform, as a "side man" in all musical styles, classical excepted, and this synth produces the right sounds EVERY time. For amusement, I often apply a strip of duct tape over the Yamaha logos and I'm constantly amused at the public's comments......"is that the new (insert flavour of the month) synth?"

The sequencer is good enough to provide an entire sets worth of music, at one go, if the programming is done expeditiously. In 12 years of use, I have NEVER experienced any kind of crash, freeze, brown out or display difficulties. in fact, I only recently changed the back-up batteries!!! The 85s have worked in Arctic cold and Mojave heat, without a single glich.....ever. The instrument is engineered and built with regards to the highest quality, commercially acceptable standards.

The only improvement, which could be made to this instrument, in my opinion, is the addition of a hard shell case!!! If you have the opportunity to acquire one of these excellent synths, DO IT!