Ensoniq SQ-2
The Ensoniq SQ-2 doesn't have much of a paper trail. What is documented comes mostly from period listings and synth directories, and what survives is spec-sheet facts. There's no deep technical analysis and no owner lore.
It was a 16-bit synthesizer with 21 voices of polyphony, a velocity-sensitive keyboard with polyphonic aftertouch, 180 preset sounds, and 30 drum kits. The preset types are listed as MDI, TPI, and SDI. It measured 41" W x 13" D x 3.4" H and weighed 20 lbs.
The sources disagree on one point. vintagesynth.com specifies a 61-key keyboard, while a Sweetwater for-sale listing describes it as a 76-key synth. The 76-key figure is plausible, but there's no third source to settle it, so the page doesn't pick a side. A current market price of $329.00 has been recorded. No production years, original MSRP, or voice architecture details have surfaced.
The SQ-2 doesn't appear in the period magazine coverage that survives in our corpus. The Ensoniq models that got reviewed were the KS-32, TS-10, and others. Audio-Collection (August 1993, p.47) covered the KS-32's weighted action as part of Ensoniq's "affordable workstations" line. EQ Magazine (June 1991, p.83) discussed the company's Poly-Key™ Pressure keyboard and Patch Select buttons in general terms. The SQ-2 itself seems to have gone unreviewed.
Known specs:
- 16-bit synthesizer
- 21 voices
- Velocity-sensitive keys with polyphonic aftertouch
- 180 preset sounds, 30 drum kits
- Preset types: MDI, TPI, SDI
- 41" W x 13" D x 3.4" H, 20 lbs.
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