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I was just looking at DX7s, and was wondering what there are in terms of all-in-one synths these days that cover that territory. Full keys preferred.

I dug around for a bit and wasn't finding anything right off the bat. What's out there? I love those bell-ish operator tones, would love to have something like with a very tweakable control surface. I know Yamaha has the Reface DX, but I'd like something a little knobbier. Plus I don't wanna pay $400 for something with mini keys. I have big hands and just don't like those things.

Any recs would be appreciated. Thanx

The keys on the reface don't feel too small. they're definitely compact but i found it easier to get acquainted with them than any other synth with smaller keys i'd tried.

The thing is, FM synths are an absolute bugger to program and i can't even think of anything that's been produced that's 'knobby'.
I think the best way to get an easily tweakable FM setup now would be to either get a MIDI controller to pair with a VST (there are a ton of great FM synth VST's), or use like a Volca FM with a midi keyboard or something.

There are also some euro modules that are capable of fm synthesis if you want to go that route?

Monomachine with a good midi controller?

I thought there was another one that I saw recently, but I was wrong (I think it was Modol and it is a VA).

Pray for roland to make one for the system 1.

Just go with the DX-7 and get an external controller (I havent messed with midi on the DX's in a long time, but I thought the DX-7s was one of the non-limited ones like FB01). Way cheaper for a better overall package than anything availiable.

The closest thing to "knobby" is probably the DX200, but that doesn't have keys.

popvulture wrote:Plus I don't wanna pay $400 for something with mini keys. I have big hands and just don't like those things.

1) sale weekend, open box ($300-340)

2) MIDI slave

Yep, I was aware that programming them can be kind of a pain in the ass, and I was also wondering about using the DX7 with a controller to get around that problem. Is there a dedicated one for it, something like the external controller you can get for the JX-3P?

The thing that got me thinking about this issue is this here:

https://mmontag.github.io/dx7-synth-js/

Pretty cool. More parameters to edit than I've seen on a hardware FM, though I have limited knowledge of all the options.

As for modular, yeah... I've thought about it so many times, but have avoided it for many reasons, but mainly just because I don't wanna go down that potentially very expensive gear hole.

One thing that's been great for learning a little more about FM and getting a virtual-ish taste of modular: Reaktor 6. I'm intrigued but wary.

popvulture wrote:Yep, I was aware that programming them can be kind of a pain in the ass, and I was also wondering about using the DX7 with a controller to get around that problem. Is there a dedicated one for it, something like the external controller you can get for the JX-3P?

Or the Jellinghaus DX, looks like the same drill plot but in blue (and with actual switches).

I honestly wouldn't know whether to laugh or cry.

That thing costs 1200 Euro??? LOL

If you're into DIY you could build/program your own using Axoloti.
http://www.axoloti.com/product/axoloti-core/

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNApFGcJSZQ[/youtube]

Shit. For $80 I might try to do that!

wfs1234 wrote:Shit. For $80 I might try to do that!

I know! I am currently debating this against a deal I could grab on a TX81Z. Axoloti is a lot more flexible, but adds the complexity of learning to program it...

Just get a DX-7II and i'm sure someone made a MIDI Map for the Behringer BCR2000. Actually, Or a TX81z. Or any DX. Or say fuck it and get the Reface DX because i've only heard good things about it and you can get it with a warranty and the DX-7's are notoriously crappy keyboards with impossible to divine interfaces. But Trent Reznor sure did look cool breaking a bunch in the early 90s. (He broke them because he hated them)

Honestly, get the Reface DX. 4op instead of 6op is not really the biggest deal breaker (weirdly, lots of people like 4op better, or at least find it easier to coax the kinds of sounds they want from it), it's got massive polyphony, a keyboard i've only read good things about (and enjoyed my experience with), and an interface that will make the DX-7 look like a dystopian sci-fi wetdream nightmare.

psychic vampire. wrote: dystopian sci-fi wetdream nightmare.

Eagerly anticipating the screenplay.

It's called "i'm going to make an homage to every crappy movie i love, but it'll be a huge success because i'll dub it on VHS a few times and give it a good period piece sound track and nostalgia trips have been the only profitable genre fiction for a decade now."

But that's just the working title.

I'm talking to Rob Zombie and Eli Roth about directing, but i can't decide which whiny man-child is more in line with my vision. Do i prefer to hypersexualize women, or make ham-handed anti-feminist creeds about misandry?