This is one of the most complex sysnths ever created. You could write a book dedicated to the dx 7, and this is a lot more powerful than the DX7 so I guess this one deserve's an encyclopedia. It has 8 operators, and 8 unvoiced operators. It has 88 algorithm's. When the filter section isn't in use it has 32 voices but with the filter on the number of voices drops to 16. It also has "FSEQs" which make speech like modulations. Its efx are quite nice for a synth, but they aren't "Phat" like the effects on the access virus. 4 parts multi timbral.

Price paid

$500

UTILIZATION

Editing this synth is a miserable experience from the front panel. This is as bad as it gets. So, be advised that if you are adverse to using software editors you will struggle with this synth. It was designed with a software editor in mind I think; no one rack space sized synth could amiacbly accomodate so many parameters with a hardware interface; I doubt a synth which take's up an entiure rack could do that either. WIth software its a breeze, without software its torture.

SOUNDS

The sound quality has greatly evolved from the dx7's: Better converters, more waveshape's and algorithms, more operators, a filter, vocal formants... The presets are awful, and it take's a lot of time to program this synth. If you ever buy this synth you should buy some sort of book which explains FM synthesis and understand how the different ratio's of operator pair frequencies lead to different sounds, and accordingly that interacts with the algorithms. if you don't have some basis for setting your feet down at first you will want to sell it since it's a tricky beast. This is related to sound imho, because FM synthesis is much more powerful than subtractive. Instead of having a LP filter to blanket out partial frequencies with an FM synth different ratio's of operator pairs and their settings can control the partial content, or sideband frequencies as they are called by FM synthesists. And, with an FM synth the range of control is far more precise which in a nutshell means there's many more opportunities for things to get ugly, I mean really ugly if you don't know how to program it, or if you have bad taste(which is kind of subjective). Over all though I'd say it's sound is quite punchy. Its filter isn't a VA filter, its very Yamaha'ish, and is useful, but a lot of the stuff you'd control with filter cut off or resonance can be achieved without a filter on an FM synth. The filter is great for acidy sounds though, and there's even a 18 db. filter if you want to do FS!R faux TB 303 impressions.

OVERALL OPINION

This thing is built like a tank and quite stable. This will take you to the top, it will win the war, impress the girls, get you points in your next contract, and of course it doesn't take up much space.

When I first bought it I didn't like it because I didn't know how to use it. You must be very careful with the FS!R because, as i previously stated, if you don't know what your doing you will not find the superb sounds it is capable of producing- and that would be a shame. Used in a cool context this thing shine's, especially for a little contrast to Analog or Sampled sounds. Heck, this thing can make really hard sounds and buzzy noise or really soft pure sounds...it can even sing(literally) or pierce your ears with sounds similar to a guitar feeding back. Also FM synths are capable of a far wider sp