The real time controller area is located to the left side of the top panel.

There are one volume and four control sliders that can be assigned to a lot of parameters for convenient real time sound, effect and MIDI control. The D slider can also be used for data entry during editing sessions.

The wheels also also are positioned here, in order to save space.

In this way the 76-keys sized QS7 is just a little bit more long than a traditional 61-keys keyboard (where typically the wheel controls are located to the left of the keyboard).

The display and the mode/edit/memory buttons are located to the central and to the rigth side of the top panel.

The 2 rows of buttons can be used for several functions (as shown on the panel) and are able to assure fast operation, despite the limited size of the display.

The upper button row is labeled with the names of 12 different instrumental families in order to locate immediately the memory area for the required sound type when using the internal ROM libraries.

In addition to this, the two button rows can be also used with the internal SMF Player in order to select instantly the desired song number (for this job a Flash RAM card is required).

The rear panel of the QS7 shows a long line of different connectors.

On the rigth side are located the 4 analog outputs (1 stereo pair + 2 individual line outs) with the headphones jack.

What is following includes digital outputs, MIDI ports, pedal control inputs, host computer port and card slots.

Inside the provided card slots, 2 Flash RAM/ROM cards (up to 8Mb PCMCIA type) can be instantly placed and removed, also during a live performance.

This feature is one of the QS7 hits, allowing fast program/sample/song library changements at any moment, virtually without loading time.

Using 2 cards, up to 16Mb of additional data can be loaded in a fingersnap.

A wide ROM card library is offered by Alesis, while Flash RAM cards can be "burned" using the bundled Alesis SoundBridge software.

Near to the foot pedal control inputs, the HOST Computer port (serial interface) is located.

This is the typical Macintosh serial port, but a MAC/PC selector allows to use it also with any PC-compatible computer (a different connector is anyway required for PC).

Thanks to this serial port, the QS7 can be connected to a computer directly, without the need to use an external MIDI interface.

Near to MIDI ports, the digital out is located, not like option, but as standard.

The QS7 features an ADAT Optical interface that is largely used by digital mixers and recording equipments.

Up to 4 output lines can be routed thru this port, exactly like for the analog outputs.

The Wordclock In completes the interface, allowing to the QS7 to work properly inside any possible digital environment.