Yamaha DX-200...Anyone using one?

[Sibanger]

A friend of mine is interested in buying one of these FM puppies, if the price is right.

Any problems/issues using one of these in Live?

I've heard using the editor in windows can cause crashes.


Cheers,

Si

[Jacqueslacouth]

Been a long time but I had one some years back. The FM sounds are good enough, pretty stock standard stuff. The drums probably wouldn't cut it today, but if I remember rightly their was a real issue with the sequencer missing the first note in patterns under certain circumstances. To be honest, its greatest advantage was easier tweaking of FM, however, FM8 has that more than covered with a basic controller these days. If you really want a hardware FM synth, try hunting down the FS1R, it craps over everything else, but still an ass to program....it is soooo fucking deap.

[Sibanger]

Thanks for reply Jacqueslacouth.

I had a feeling that FM synthesis had moved on since the DX 200 ,
and that FM8 had it covered.

[stjohn]

i have one and i love it. its great for creating weird grooves quickly and it sounds WHOPPER! the filter screams, and you can ge really nice round sounds with it. i got mine for cheap (€220 i think) but its worth twice that to me. if you are getting good price go for it. the samples are ok.... and if you use them wisely, you can layer them with the synth part for some added effect.

[Sibanger]

Thanks StJohn.

Do you have any problems with the synth editor crashing your system?

What Op System are you on?

Cheers

[leonard]

yes thanks

[djsynchro]

Yamaha made a bunch of 4-operator synths that differ in details, I have a DX-11 used it on a lot of my old records but it sounds too aggressive/dirty something to do with 80's 1st generation digital convertors. If you like that go for it, I'm much happier with Operator.

[juncmodule]

I remember hearing stories several years ago about these. They use the same boards as some other synth (DX7?) or are compatible with, or something like that. Anyway, if you are buying one used and have a chance to test it, do. I guess people used to take out the boards and then sell them. Maybe I'm thinking about the AN-200...

Other than that, I used to own one and really liked it. Sorry, no help on the Live interaction, from my pre-Live days.

As far as programming FM synthesis in a piece of hardware, they really did get it right with this machine. I still always like the TX81Z over all of the other hardware FM synths, but only because it was my first one, it was terrible to program.

Operator takes care of those needs for me now though

Good luck,
-junc

[Sibanger]

Thanks for your comments guys.

Seems like everyone is pretty happy with FM software.

Operator/FM8 do sound great and with the way software integrates with DAWs these days........

[stjohn]

Thanks StJohn.

Do you have any problems with the synth editor crashing your system?

What Op System are you on?

Cheers

im on winXP, but I only ever used the dx200 as standalone im afraid, although i would like to know more about the editor. it seems quite stable in general, despite how light it is. but you should try it out definitely.

[WaveRider]

It's a pretty fun device but the sound is not up to my taste -should at least have separate outs for drums...

but it's a good idea pad (and step sequencer) for short 16 steps patterns when you do not use the inbuilt sound and send the midi into live

I am selling mine soon

[Emissary]

I got me a DX7 about a week ago for £80, cant stop using it, its great for metalic weird sounds. Although i love operator, the DX7 really pisses over any virtual synth (including fm8)

[WaveRider]

really pisses over any virtual synth (including fm8)

yeah I think so too

my TX802 sounds wonderful I also process it with a Lexicon MX400

[emef]

i had a dx200 for quite a while, never got the editor to work properly with it
he editor wouldn't update to show what the actual settings of the dx200 were
the editor is important cos there's a bunch of very useful parameters that are only available from the software editor
its a great synth though
i bought it cos i was a long time user of the dx7 and i wanted a bit of hardware to use alongside my laptop setup
got bored with the editor not working properly in the end and went back to using fm7, then onto fm8

[leedsquietman]

I had a DX100, and a DX11 in my misspent youth. Cut down versions of the DX7, which wasn't one of THE best selling (if not THE best selling) synths of all time. The DX100 with minikeys, no touch sensitivity and about 4 useable presets was still cool, you could put it on a shoulder strap and do the Jan Hammer keytar thing. It still had the famous 'rubber band' bass sound as heard on a zillion 80s synth based albums.

Yamaha's SY77 and SY99 were the kings for me, more advanced FM combined with PCM wavetable synthesis. The FS1R was a great synth though and should have been more successful.