Peavey DPMsi

Software version is 1.3, don't know what year this is, I purchased it used. Presets are clean, all the major instrument groups are covered, some are outstanding, none sound cheesy or poorly sampled. Although the acoustic piano is not as realistic as some, it is evenly sampled and isn't terrible, but it sounds like a sampled piano. The string sounds are very good, as good as any I've heard. Good rotating speaker effect for organs, drums are clear and not too bad-with some editing actually sound very workable. Analog sounds, electric pianos, brass, woodwinds, can't find a bad sound in this. Editing patches is very easy-it is simpler than most instruments I've used. The manual is good, but even with years of experience studying manuals, this one still befuddles me for certain functions-I think it's more due to the operating system than the manual, which isn't as intuitive as it could be-too many functions need to be cross-referenced with the same buttons. You need to study the manual to get around in this instrument. Basic functions are drop-dead easy to access, but other functions take some getting used to. There is an excellent tutorial about programming sounds and operating the sequencer-great for beginners.

32-voice polyphony, keyboard is a lightweight spring action 76-key. Not bad, feels solidly built. Velocity sensitive, adjustable and channel-pressure aftertouch. I can hit it pretty hard without worrying about breaking it. 2 built-in effects, including an "exciter", delay, reverb, distortion and chorus. Effects can be configured in series or in parallel, and can be sent to the 2 main or 2 auxiliary outputs (called subs)or both. Fairly easy to use and sounds very good, even by today's standards. It has an expansion slot for a RAM card, but I can't find these anywhere. There is a removeable metal panel underneath which was supposed to be for upgrading the OS by replacing the program chips, but it never happened. Excellent MIDI capabilities, it can send four midi channels from one combi, and there are 100 memories for combi splits and layers, 200 slots for ROM presets and 200 more for RAM presets that can be edited and saved. Onboard sequencer is excellent-easy to use and 80,000 event memory, usual editing is all there, quantizing to 64th note triplets, copy, merge, insert, delete by track or keyboard range, and event editing for anything you'd need to do such as program change, note velocity and anything else you could think of. There is even a re-mapping function for sounds, so although the instrument is not GM compatible, by re-mapping your sounds, it can be.

This is a tough one, since sounds are so subjective. I have played everything from early analog (Pro-One Sequential) to hybrid (Korg DW-6000 & 8000 and DSS-1) to modules, Sound Canvas, GEM, Yamaha MU-80 and MU-15, software synths and samplers, Yamaha DX, SY-77, and Ensoniq SQ-1+, KS-32 and TS-12 and even an early Roland MT-32 and MT-100. At first, I was disappointed in the snare and bass drum samples and acoustic piano-everything else on this instrument is very clean and useable. After doing some editing (drums are very programmable-as good as anything I've worked with, better than most) I've been able to improve these sounds quite a bit. Amazing what a little resonance (yes there is a programmable resonance filter in this machine) can do to some of the acoustic sounds-the piano actually sounds clearer and more playable. The data entry slider can be programmed to vary many parameters in real time, filter, modulation of effects, rotating speaker, etc. Muted trumpet opens and closes with the mod wheel-very nice. Drum sounds can be individually edited for pitch, panning, etc, but also for filter, decay and effects bus-very nice. Onboard effects are 16-bit and sound very clean. Reacts nicely to velocity and aftertouch, both of which are programmable. As far as styles covered-I think it could cover just about anything with the right amount of work. Only the heaviest, most complex sounds are not immediately apparent from listening to the presets, but with the ability to layer up to four sounds could probably do this too. There are some nice-sounding special effects type sounds. The more I work with this keyboard, the more powerful it seems.

I haven't owned it very long-since Peavey doesn't support their keyboards anymore as far as I know, if it breaks, I'm stuck. It seems very well-made, steel and aluminum, only the end panels are plastic (and the keys). It is put together very simply-one steel box holds everything inside the external casing-all boards and electronics. Keyboard assembly is easily removed as one piece, with two ribbon connectors and a pin connector easily disconnected to separate the keyboard from the electronics-I've done some keyboard repairs so I checked this out. Not sure if I'd gig without a backup-I usually back up any electronic instrument I use.

There isn't any customer support, except for a downloadable file of factory sounds and sequences on Peavey's website. Sad, because this was a powerful instrument for its time (and still is) with some very beautiful sounds and well-made. Without support, these dinosaurs are doomed to extinction and I couldn't recommend on that basis, unless you are a tech yourself and I'm sure getting replacement parts is virtually impossible.

If it were lost or stolen, could probably not replace it. Have other instruments to back it up. I've been playing keyboards since 1979, drums since 1966. Own two drumpad controllers (Kat and Roland), a Yamaha DTX drumset, Yamaha SY77, Roland Mc50mkII, Ensoniq TS-12 and KS-32, Yamaha PSR-85, Kurzweil RG-200 piano and the DPMsi. Compared to all this, I like the simplicity of operating the DPM. Better acoustic piano and a few more drum samples-kicks and snares would have been an improvement. As powerful as other machines are-the complexity of sounds make it difficult to create. The DPM is easier to work with because the basic soundset is more straightforward. A simple sawtooth wave is easier to compose with than a sound that has 6 different things going on at once, right! Unless that's what you're into. I like this instrument-it's powerful if you want to get complex sounds, but is simple if you want to create quick and easy arrangements-some of the brass sounds for instance alone sound weird but in context are amazing. There is a preset called "Thad" that is a dead-on combination sound Thad Jones (a famous jazz flugelhorn player and arranger-a contemporary of Dizzy Gillespie and Duke Ellington and every bit their equal) used in orchestrations (with the real band, not this keyboard!) Who would even know to put this sound in! Weird, but amazing. But that's the Peavey DPM, weird but amazing! If there was still customer support, I'd have given this a 10.

This is an after-the-fact review as I sold my SI when I found out that Peavey had lied about its synth line; I think that was in 1997. You'll get more on that at the end of this review.

I never dug much deeper than playing the sounds and doing some external sequencing. The manual was OK and most things sensibly laid-out. In fact, so sensibly that it made other synth company's convoluted systems even more absurd. For example, the Peavey designers allowed you to make a "combi" patch based on 4 different sounds. Want to use both combi patches and single patches in sequence without having to jump through flaming hoops (or not being able to do it at all)? The DPMsi was your baby.

Nice display, good keyboard feel, sensible, light-weight design. Not bad at all.

Introduced: 1995

It's a rompler with 10 megs or PCM samples (still nothing to sniff at); 76-key, non-weighted keyboard (but nice) with V/AT/split; 32-voice, multitimbral; sounds/combis : 200 presets + 200 prog. / 100 combis; 2 multi-effects; 80,000 note/16-track sequencer; LCD (2 x 40) backlit; sound-card slot; MIDI In/Out/Thru and Stereo out x 2.

Peavey licensed samples from a number of well-known 3rd party companies and while one would think this would yield a "best of the best" it inevitably was a mixed bag. The Rhodes sound was (is!) one of the best I'd ever heard. Guitars and basses were what you'd expect from Peavey (did they license another company's Peavey samples?); orchestral instruments were comparable to Korg/Emu/Roland/Yamaha. Organs were another plus. The effects were tastefully added, unlike SOME companies that have to put delay/slapback/rotary/flange on a simple oboe. Yeesh!

Since Peavey said one day they were in the synth market for the long haul and then, with not a peep, snuck out the back with their MIDI cables between their legs, I wouldn't trust it, OR them, at all.

Peavey is, at the very least, a friendly bunch. Still, I couldn't get an answer as to why no promised SI upgrades EVER appeared.

It actually had a ROM slot (not user upgradeable) and the tech guys and I talked about perhaps being able to add a Spectrum Synth or Organ. It was doable, but never happened. Nothing ever happened.

Peavey promised that none of their synths would become obsolete: Peavey was in the synth market (!), it was in to stay, and it would support its synth customers with continuous software upgrades, sound upgrades, etc.

Well, don't say it if you don't mean it. For cryin' out loud, Yamaha, Korg, Kurzweil and others have kept some of their synths going nearly as long as Peavey's whole synth history (I don't think Peavey keys stayed afloat longer than 5 or 6 years)!

And the frustrating thing is, they were in it with some VERY good products, of which the DPMsi was one. Frustrated? I was. But if Peavey didn't have the chestnuts it takes to go keyboard a keyboard with the boys from Japan, Europe, and (yes, still) the USA, then what can I say? Toodles.

Still, there's marketing hype and out-right lies. Peavey muddied itself with the latter. And lost a customer for good

The software version is 1.75. As far as the preset they are good and solid, but forget the piano. I do very little editing, but there are few patches I fiddle around with so it okay. The manual is laid out in a logical manner it explains what you need to know.

The polyphony is 32 voice and the keyboard action is solid. The unit have two independent signal processing modules on board and it pretty easy to use. As for expansion it accepts cards which are nonexistant or hard to find, but Peavey has on their website where you can download sounds for this model and other models. MIDI consist of In/Out/Thru. This model has an on-board sequencer 80,000 notes, but no disk drive. The unit is very flexible and easy to use.

Most of the instrument sound good they are workable. The piano is no good. This board will do good in a rock,pop, and in a live setting. The on-board effect are good and solid. This board react very well with my playing.

This thing is built like a tank. Very solid construction and I would use without a backup if your doing Rhoady type sounds or B-3 yes, but if need the piano sound use other gear. Can be used as a controller.

As far as the company they are very friendly, but since they are not really in the keyboard market it not that supportive of this model. Never had to have it repaired. Things is rock solid.

If it were stolen would not buy again because of it's a endanger species it's so hard to find, but it was worth what I paid for it. I've been playing for a some years now. The other gear I own is Korg DW6000, Roland D70 a RadioShack MD1700 and Yamaha TX81Z. I love this keyboard it have a unique voice a decend sequencer for a board that old and if Peavey would have sampled a better Piano and added a disk drive this would have been a hot item. What I wish I can find a Cartridge for this baby so I don't hate. It's a rare find. Did not compare with any other products. Like I said before if it had a decent Piano and disk drive this would have been a hot item. As for me it give my music a uniqueness to it because everybody pretty much have the same gear. So it have added different quality to the musicI make.