Yamaha DX7II VSTi

[beely]

dunno,im normally all up for old 80's hardware synths inside my pc but im totally on the WTF bandwagon as far as the DX7 goes,what is so good about the dx7?...yamaha's SY series were much better keyboards(to be fair they came a little later on) but the DX7 is like the most overblown synth of all time imo,im actually hitting my forehead right now

The SY77 can pretty much do all the DX7 can and a lot more, but came many years after the DX7.

The DX7 was a *game-changing synth in many many ways, google it's history if you do not know it. It is the third largest selling keyboard of all time.

*Note: That's *actual* game-changing, not just crappy marketing speak.

[Numanoid]

*Note: That's *actual* game-changing, not just crappy marketing speak.

Yup, musicians stopped tweaking, and just used dry presets instead It was a horrible watershed for electronic music

[SODDI]

*Note: That's *actual* game-changing, not just crappy marketing speak.

Yup, musicians stopped tweaking, and just used dry presets instead It was a horrible watershed for electronic music

Which is different from now, where if you want a "sound" you just go out and buy a new synth that makes it, run through its presets and then buy another that makes another "sound". Or you can buy third-party presets - just like in 1990.

[Uncle E]

the DX can't come close to emulating the range and quality of FM8.

Agreed. FM8 is an awesome instrument AND it sounds different from a real DX.

[Uncle E]

Bo Tomlyn and my mentor Cosmo Watts did some great sounds for the DX back in the day.

I just had lunch with Cosmo last week! We talked quite a bit about the DX7, which is incredible timing because I've known him for years and this is the first time it has ever come up. He's still very much involved with programming, maybe I can talk him into re-releasing some of his old patches for FM8.

[Teksonik]

If you don't know the difference between a TX802 and a TX81Z the you really don't belong in this thread........

We are not talking difference like the TX802 is a MiniMoog Clone and TX81Z is Arp, now are we

According to information the TX802 is a heavier equipped FM module, than the TX81z:

http://www.vintagesynth.com/yamaha/tx802.php
http://www.vintagesynth.com/yamaha/tx81z.php

Even if the TX81z got less OP's, it is still very capable of making FM type sounds.

To make an anlogy: many people would still prefer the Arp Odyssey over the Minimoog, even though the Minimoog got one more OSC.

Now you're just babbling gibberish.......

[TheSteven]

My 2 cents.

Overall I never really cared for the DX7.
The tones tend to sound transistorized (thin, plastic) but with a little studio messaging (eq, fxs, etc.) you can minimize that.

On the other hand I really like the DX7ii.
It has the balls and warmth that I found lacking in the earlier DX models.
I still own a DX7ii and it's still one of my favorite synths.

FM7/FM8 emulates the DX7ii perfectly.
I spent a lot of time comparing the output between the 2 (FM7/DX7ii) on my favorite patches and they sounded identical.
Since I got FM7 (then later FM8) my DX7ii has been living in my closet.

I am not surprised that DX7 patches don't sound exactly like the DX7 on FM7/FM8 because in the same manner DX7 patches don't sound exactly like the DX7 model when played on a DX7ii.

[Numanoid]

Now you're just babbling gibberish.......

? Did it take you five hours to reach that conclusion? Wow, that is some quick thinking!

[bluedad]

please quit the bickering.

[Teksonik]

Bo Tomlyn and my mentor Cosmo Watts did some great sounds for the DX back in the day.

I just had lunch with Cosmo last week! We talked quite a bit about the DX7, which is incredible timing because I've known him for years and this is the first time it has ever come up. He's still very much involved with programming, maybe I can talk him into re-releasing some of his old patches for FM8.

Holy crap really ? I haven't seen Cosmo in years. I had an e-mail exchange with him a while back but that's it. Last I heard he was in Arizona working for Line 6 after working for Korg ? I used to work with him at Mo Mahoney's Drum Shop here in Vegas. I credit him for getting me started on this life long addiction to synths and patch programming. Yes if you see him again tell him Hoppy says Hi and please do talk him into releasing his old DX patches again. I've searched the net but never found any of them and lost most of them when my old Atari ST DX Droid disks died.. I tried to get him to join KVR as I'd love to hear what he could do with the soft synths of today.....small world......

[Numanoid]

please quit the bickering.

OK

[Uncle E]

Propellerheads PX7 may have already done that.

Cool! Does it sound good?

[Uncle E]

Holy crap really ? I haven't seen Cosmo in years. I had an e-mail exchange with him a while back but that's it. Last I heard he was in Arizona working for Line 6 after working for Korg ? I used to work with him at Mo Mahoney's Drum Shop here in Vegas. I credit him for getting me started on this life long addiction to synths and patch programming. Yes if you see him again tell him Hoppy says Hi and please do talk him into releasing his old DX patches again. I've searched the net but never found any of them and lost most of them when my old Atari ST DX Droid disks died.. I tried to get him to join KVR as I'd love to hear what he could do with the soft synths of today.....small world......

He's still with Line 6 and loving it. The new Variax HD's came out the other day and he was like a kid in a candy store, raving about how they finally nailed them. He just really loves music technology.

I'll send him your best and talk to him about those patches!

[jdoo]

I'm selling a pretty well used DX7 original version... Beat up, but everything works (as far as I know) and it has a good battery (reads 2.8 )... Eventually going to put it on Ebay. I bought it a while ago but other than testing it with presets and playing it here and there haven't used it much. I just bought a TX-7 in order to save space. Last time I checked (it's been a couple years) there was a huge difference between the same preset sounds of N.I.'s FM7 and the real DX7, which shocked me. Not only did the basic architecture of the sound differ more than I expected, but also the added converter noise, punch, whatever etc... FL Studio's Sytrus also imports DX7 presets, but the sounds were WAYyyyyyy off from the original, still gave you a starting point to work on a new sound or whatever though.

I don't know what they're going for these days... I'd take $175 shipped or best offer, in the continental U.S.. I could take pictures and stuff. Just throwing it out there since people are looking to buy one. I don't know if that's a good price or not for one that's seen a lot of use.

Carry on...

Interesting. I sold my DX7 last year (Sacramento area) for $400. It sold the weekend I posted it on Craigslist. I had purchased my DX7 in the late 80's and had used it for a couple of years (cover band). I had stored it in my garage for about 10 years, then put it back to use as I joined another cover band. Everything was in pristine shape. After a year or two of playing bars and what-nots... my DX7 went back into storage. Last year -- I realized I had not fired it up in 10+ years and gave it a go. The battery warning had now popped up omn the LCD, but it still played perfectly. I had u-he Zebra... and no need for the ePiano 1 sound (the only real DX7 sound I still found sonically of value at this stage) - so I sold it. A ~ 30 year old piece of hardware, which was built like a brick (and had the weight to match). The fella I sold it to, had two other DX7s - but said that mine was in the best shape of the others in his fleet. He also had performed the battery replacement surgery on the others - and had no problems with it.

If it is just the ePiano 1 sound -- there are at least 3 Zebra patches I have which are every bit as expressive, and sound so close - that even a trained ear, or someone with the hardware right in front of them, could hardly differentiate. Believe me - before I sold my DX7 - I had it side-by-side with my current setup, checking that the ePiano 1 I was getting.. was going to fit the bill.

[bluedad]

I still have the dx7 I bought in the 80's. I've kept it, because I don't think there's anything I ever really wanted more than that synth. If I turn my chair 180 degrees, it's right there at my fingertips.
If the midi out on it worked, I'd be gigging with it still.