Elka Solist 505 (late 1970s)
The Elka Solist 505 is a fully polyphonic, 61-key synthesizer from the late 1970s, built to combine a string synthesizer, organ, and synthesizer into a single unit. It was positioned as a lower-cost alternative to larger polyphonic synths of the era, aimed at home musicians and performing keyboardists who wanted one keyboard that could cover multiple sonic territories.
Under the hood, it uses traditional analog architecture with two oscillators per voice, a separate section dedicated to strings, low-pass and high-pass filters, envelope controls, an LFO, and a built-in chorus effect. It is entirely preset-based — no memory, no MIDI — and offers a headphone jack and audio output. The Solist 505 sits in Elka's Solist series, a sibling to the more fully-featured Solist 707 and related to smaller models like the Solist 2 and 3.
What little period documentation exists is thin, but the reputation that survives is consistent: the Solist 505 is praised for its warm, lush string ensemble sound, while its synth capabilities are considered limited. Build quality is generally regarded as average. As with many Italian instruments of this vintage, reliability is a genuine concern — failing capacitors in the power supply are a common issue, and the keyboard's rubber contacts often need reconditioning or replacement. Parts are scarce and repair services are rare.
On the current market, the Solist 505 typically sells between $1,000 and $1,800 depending on condition. No original price, production years beyond "late 1970s," or detailed specifications like weight or filter type are documented.
Known Specs
- Polyphonic synthesizer, 61 keys
- Two oscillators per voice
- Low-pass and high-pass filters
- Chorus effect, envelope controls, LFO
- Preset-based — no memory, no MIDI
- Headphone jack and audio output
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