Yamaha DJX

The Yamaha DJX. Lot's of people 'av em. For the money, there good keyboards. Don't expect Korg Triton for #150.I needed a master keyboard and thought might as well get this - I'm a bloke who likes playing with knobs and my DJX certainly pleases me. The DJX has 5 knobs - filter/reso/groove/assign and something else. You can't assign any controller numbers to them - they are fixed controllers but it's ok (remap anyway in Cubase or Logic). Don't expect 88 note hammer weighted action either. The manual is ok, very basic but so is the machine. Nice squidy buttons and LCD screen.

Word of warning UK people. There is a certain big music store selling these cheaply as 2nd hand/referb. Guess what? POWER SUPPLY NOT INCLUDED! Pay another #30 for the supply! It's a brick psu as well-so you can't be sure if your standard Argos #4.99 power supply will work. Anyway all I can say is you know who you are and you're ripping off punters for not advertising this in your advert. Nuff said!

IT has XG sounds/2MB set( I seem to remember) - 32 poly. They're ok but no Gigasampler 1GB piano on here! It's great for jamming - the drums - they rock mate! - if you're into a bit of Ringo and Paul you'll love the drums - they're raw and great for a bit of rock and roll. On board Speakers are loud too. Light keyboard - good for gigs. The action is well errrr as good as any other standard 5 octave master synth. ON board sequencer - well it's really basic. Easy enough to use. It's great just to sit down and play without the PC being on. I've done that alot I must admit. I bought this 'cos I've had 2 88 weighted pianos made by err a certain well known company and they've both died so I can't be bothered to fork out another #500 now.

I read about it and just bought one (they're hardly going to encourage you to demo this kit in a store for #150 are they?) . The filter is good for a machine this price - good 303 in there. Techno on the cheap. The drum kits are really good! God knows how to program any of them though. Man, Yamaha, please, no more "yeh" or "ooo" samples. Who the hell uses these sounds? Best of Ibiza from Woolworths Albums might make use of these sounds but I can't - and my cred went down when me mate heard these cheesy dance samples. Anyway back to the review, 3 velocity hardness settings, keys bit flimsy but it's cheap so great to gig around - very light as well. Ribbon Controller people! It's the poor man's Prophecy. Well err not quite.
Switch off the Reverb and Chorus - the effects are your stock XG - not bad but not great -reverb bit metallic. The demo tunes are good - even the trance tune sounds ok! WE WANT A PROPER DRUM AND BASS DEMO next time please Yamaha. Get someone British who knows about drum and bass (only joking fellow foreign musos!). In a dark smokey room you could be mistaken for playing a Novation Supernova II. It would have to be a very dark room though. The Rhodes all sounds identical with XG. Nice enough to play. Rock organ is good. Piano is ok, bit synthetic but I've used it alot as it cut's through things quite well. And the drums do sound raw and boomy like Ringo's kit.

Yes. Let's hope the PSU doesn't burn out eh?

I would use it at a gig. It's so cheap you could pour lighter fluid all over it and set it alight and then buy another just for effect. Most of my mates thinks it looks cool which is the main reason for buying music gear isn't it?. The knobs are useful - for quick reverb changes or filter changes.

Yamaha - they made so many of these. If it goes I will be a Korg Trinity ( yeh right! ).

If you are like me and you just read the review and then go and buy the thing go and get one! you can't go wrong at this price. Anyone on a budget should get one of these. The speakers are loud, you could in theory plug a mic into this and you've got your one stop solution for gigging. Don't rely on the on board piano sounds though - the whole Rom is only 2MB. Anyway it's good for the money, it works fine as a master keyboard, it's the same price as any other master keyboard with 5 octaves, and it has GM so go and get one all you skint musos!
Oh and do ask for a receipt and IF THE POWER SUPPLY IS INCLUDED!

Presets are very standard, especially when you compare the sounds to models like the PSR-630, which i also own. The built-in speakers on the DJX must be crap, coz they sound standard and they dont seem to have any bass-reflex for more dynamic "dance sounds", again which the 630/730 and even 530 have got!
Very easy to use, you dont even need to be able play properly, as this machine is full of budget-sounding dance sequence effects and stuff.

If Yamaha are flogging off a model for a cheap price with 32 note poly., 61 keys etc. then this is definetly budget. The psr 330 costed more than this, and that is crap, so there has gotta be something wrong!! My 630 has similar sequence patterns on the multi pads, and it sounds alot better when played than the DJX, the DJX is a total beginners keyboard/future DJs machine. Fairly good effects choice for the price though- I think.

Nothing is realistic really, this is really only for begginers creating standard "dance music". (Also see Ease of Use).

I wouldnt depend on it at all, I borrowed it from a friend for a while, and I'm glad I didnt make the mistake of buying the waste of plastic. I havnt played the DJX2 yet, but it must be better! (I hope)Hahah, I wouldnt want to take this pile of s*** to a gig, I would much sooner take my PSR-630, coz it sounds WAY better, and some of the effects are better, plus it has more possibilities ^_^!

NA

If you are looking for a machine which you can be easily amused by and really want to take up the role as a DJ, are on a tight budget and havn't used a reasonable keyboard before, then this may be for you! (if you can get it second hand, then great). However, I think the DJX2 is being sold for the same price now?! (That annoys me, especially when I bought my PSR-630 for #700 with no adaptor, and the 640 comes along for about the same price!) I suppose you would expect a Yamaha model for less than #300 to sound budget anyway, so the DJX is fairly good value if you cant get a better keyboard for second hand.

The presets are ok but DO PLAY IT IN "DUAL MODE". Each indiv. preset is linked to its own "dual" sound, making the presets more interesting.
Manual is good

PLEASE NOTE::::: The DJX sends MIDI CC messages from its KNOBS, RIBBON and pitch wheel.
This means you can create KILLER realtime fx - albeit on your other modules - and record the CC info into your sequencer.

Example - I use it as a master controller with a JV1010. You can tweak stuff like envelope attack/filter rez/reverb depth with the DJX knobs.

I was able to get KEWL filter fx using the dedicated REz knob + ribbon controller.

You name me a synth out there under $200 that has knobs to send MIDI CC messages!!!!

PLUS, for pads and stuff, the DJX does pretty well

PLUS you can sample, and tweak the sample in realtime - storing the changes in your sequencer.

NOT a stand-alone-do-it-all module, but VERY useful IMHO

Use it for Pads and SFX

Some of the sampled loops are cool.

Dual mode provides the most interesting sounds.

Then there's always that realtime MIDI CC..........

It doesn't have the greatest velocity response, so if your planning to sequence the Italian Concerto, look elsewhere.

But with optional battery back-up, it's sample memory is non-volatile.

Again, name me any sampler even CLOSE to this price range with non-volatile RAM

I've actually contacted Yamaha regarding MIDI bank switching and YES, they got back to me - many times.

Excellent.

I have a TON of gear and was considering buying a dedicated MIDI controller, until I discovered the MIDI CC capabilities of the baby.

Yes, I would replace it - you can find them for next to nothing used [coz folk don't know about the MIDI stuff]

Get one. Use it as a controller and/or pad maker (it even has 3 fx sends - controlable via MIDI)

I write my own software and the DJX, being a (Cheap) Workstation keyboard is perfect really. If it gets stolen, someone else will bound be selling one at around 100 quid (because they can't get any more out of it than the dumb pre-sequenced stuff), great!!!. It's a wicked Keyboard if your hacking the MIDI ports, other than that, the only switches that are any use are the Power I/O, the numeric pad (to select an instrument) and the Cutoff knob. Don't buy one unless, your doing what I do. P.S. Sounds wicked on a 5K Rig in a Night Club Live!!!

Final word; Good Sounds, bad interface.

Good Sounds.
Moderate Effects.
Missing an Effect Depth Knob, Later added on the DJX-II (You *$@^&# YAMAHA!)

ETC.

No Backup Battery (Very annoying), but Very stable Firmware. P.S. YAMAHA how did you get all that stuff on 2 Chips?

Don't know.

I write my own software and the DJX, being a (Cheap) Workstation keyboard is perfect really. If it gets stolen, someone else will bound be selling one at around 100 quid (because they can't get any more out of it than the dumb pre-sequenced stuff), great!!!. It's a wicked Keyboard if your hacking the MIDI ports, other than that, the only switches that are any use are the Power I/O, the numeric pad (to select an instrument) and the Cutoff knob. Don't buy one unless, your doing what I do. P.S. Sounds wicked on a 5K Rig in a Night Club Live!!!

Final word; Good Sounds, bad interface.

a bit tricky at first but when you get used of them its a doddle.
the effects are ok but considering Yamaha didnt bother to change them.(Theyre identical to the psr225,psr230,AND the psr340!

real time control knobs: this is a fuck up because you cant record to the "onboard sequncer"the midi is ok ;i never really use it.the velocity sensitive keys piss me off apart from these its ok

EXCELLENT FOR DANCE/TECHNO/RAVE but Yamaha really should've included a single user pattern.Voices as Yamaha call them are ok but FORGET about guitar sounds they are crap!I love just turning off certain phrases then recording them to the 'sequncer'then doing overdubs; sounds better but takes a hell of a lot of time

never really used at a gig but i intend to do so.I did drop it on concrete when i got it out of the box first but 2 yrs later it still works!

Fucking excellent but don't expect to have a top 10 hit with it you won't-some one prove me wrong!Considering i only paid less than #300 it was well worth it.I just bought the DJXII compared to the old one i'd say you' have to be a nuclear physicist to work the new one!If you buy one dance keyboard in 2000 get ur paws on the DJX. U wont regret it. I WOULD BUY ANOTHER.THIS MACHINE IS SEX ON LEGS!!!!!!!!

It is very easy to use, but then there isn't much to it. The manual reminds you of the sort of market this machine is aimed at: young 1st timers. They have done a pretty good job with it at that.

Editing patches is easy enough, as is adding the FX, the knobs and controllers make real time editing easy too.

You will have the polyphony/timbrality figures by now!... This machine basically has a few hundred up-to-date dance sounds, loads of modern rhythms, knobs for cut-off and resonance, assignable knob, ribbon controllers and a pretty decent velocity sensitive keyboard.

The "sequencer" is pretty poor. It has very basic record and playback and is not useful for anything other than a scratch-pad. Luckily the MIDI implementation is up to Yamaha's usual standard and very good for this sort of machine. So you can link it to your PC sequencer and control pretty much every parameter.

It lacks MIDI thru and more alarmingly the ability to filter out channels. This means that if you are using it in a MIDI chain that you it responds to all MIDI messages or none at all.

The sounds are quite good. The GM sounds are not remotely realistic but that's not what you buy it for. The dance sounds are not bad really but lack the depth and bite of an analogue modelling synth. They are all recognisable and therefore quite cheezy - you are unlikely to come up with anything new but they are better than some quite expensive pre-set type synths.

With the pitch-bend, ribbon conroller, groove (awful!) knob and assignable controller it is quite expressive. But not subtle.

Very reliable. I would be very surpised if it ever broke!

Good. Phone Yamaha Kemble and they try their best to help there and then. (UK experience only)

Id this is your first dip into dance music making then it isn't a bad start. The keyboard is good enough to use a basic control keyboard for better modules or even soft-synths. No-one is going to write a hit record using these sounds but it is very good value.

Took awhile to get used to the functions, but got a better sound when I fully explored them. Every song I use the DSP. The functions are annoying to keep resetting them when you leave the function mode for the song or style or voice mode and try to go back.

A pretty good beginners variety of voices, I tend to use the GM voices more than the Board ones, as the board voices are pretty cheesy. Drums can basically only be used in patterns which are okay and can be varied somewhat, as the drum kits bite. Tinny, not enough fatness to program your own and the sequencer has only 6 tracks. The DSP makes the sampler even though it's only 6 or 7 sec's fairly decent soundwise. You can manipulate the samples pretty good with the keyboard keys too.

Realtime playing is the only way to go if you're using it apart from a computer, which allows for some mistakes, since it can't loop anything. Good for techno/dance, alright for hip hop until you get too good for it.

Very dependable.

Never needed to.

i wouldn't get it if was stolen, I'd buy something better. This is the first piece of gear I owned and has helped me a lot on what I believe will be an incredible journey og creativity. I love the ease of use, I hate the drum/pattern limitations. I love creating on the keyboard with the voices, wish there was more effects for the voices.
I love playing samples with the keys using dsp. I make hip hop, so the drums are important, and I'm looking for an MPC or something. I'll miss the ease of sampling and creating, but not miss the lack of quantizing and loop ability.

If you download a voice calculator and good studio panels for
Cakewalk, then it is very easy to use via an external MIDI device.
However, just using the keyboard alone can present some problems;
simple controls like volume are often imbedded deep into onboard
function controls. The presets are deep, complex, and, most
important of all, modern sounding, though they are limited to purely
dance-techno styles. The quite prominent, analog-style knobs easily
allow for editing, though there is no way to save edited patches. The
clear manual helps solve the few misunderstandings that one might have
with controlling the keyboard.

The 32-note polyphony is sometimes limiting but usually sufficient.
There are a lot of effects on the keyboard, but they are sometimes
deeply imbedded in the function controls or only accessible in MIDI.
However, the most essential effects are easily controlled by knobs
clearly placed on the panel. The keyboard has most of the common MIDI
functions plus a lot of its own controls. The sequencer does not
allow for much editing but is quite good enough to serve as a sketch-
pad of sorts.

The panel voices are complex and deep, though hard to implement
through MIDI. They are obliviously styled only for dance-techno music,
however. Consequently, the General MIDI sounds are quite lacking. The
drumsets are innovative, though, and are overall great. The onboard
effects are numerous but sometimes quite ineffective and plain.
Touch sensitivity is okay, and its sensitivity can be controlled, but
still it is not very expressive. Most damaging of its expression is
the lack of aftertouch, one of the few common MIDI functions missing
from the multitudes of effects.

I have never encountered any applicable situation.

I have never encountered any applicable situation.

One of best aspects of the keyboard is its price; for under $200, one
can easily replace it if it is lost or stolen. I myself have been
programming and sequencing MIDI data for 2 years, and I have
used an uncountable number of sound cards. However, I have only used
a few, fairly inexpensive keyboards for controlling MIDI data. This
keyboard is very unique and is one of the best keyboards, in any price range,
for use in dance-techno styles. Its functions are complete enough for
basic use. It is best for accenting music and not for use as a main
instrument, though it is, at times, professional-sounding. Overall,
the keyboard is a not only great sounding but a great value, also.

Nothing tough here...turn it on, pick a voice/style, and that's pretty much all there is to it. Sure, it may a take a read through the manual to figure out the simple sequencer and how to pick a DSP effect or something, but its very straightforward.

Why do i give it a 9? It doesn't have anything that you couldn't get with a high end synth, but the fact is, high end synths cost thousands, and the DJX is a mere $249. Some of its features are comparable to the "big boys," i.e. cross delay(!!!), sampler (sure, pretty low quality, but a sampler is a sampler), built in arpeggiator and ribbon controller. The 6 track sequencer isn't exactly going to let you produce complex songs, but in the right (creative) hands, you could get pretty darn close.

Obviously, the DJX is made for hip-hop/rap and dance/techno. I was especially surprised and impressed when i found that, with the right tweaking, you really can get some screaming acid sounds! Not TB-303 quality, but very nice all the same considering its a $249 keyboard. The drum kits have a few 808 and 909 sounds, and are fairly decent, but hey, for the price they're very good. Thats what i'm really trying to emphasize, what you get for what you pay for is incredible. They should've thought of this sooner. The velocity sensitive keyboard is nice, and adds a certain flavor to your music, but not much else. No aftertouch, oh well, Yamaha had to cut corners somewhere.

Made of plastic. Would probably break under enough punishment, but otherwise i would take it on a gig (with backup). Under normal circumstances and playing, it will do just fine.

N/A

If lost or stolen, i would buy it again, but it would depend on how much money had. I bought the DJX because i couldnt afford some other synths, so this seems to be the perfect solution for the beginning techno musician or one who has limited funds. You decide. The main thing though is that this is only $249!!!! It comes with so much for that price you cant even imagine. The Demo songs on the websites dont do it justice, go to a store and try it out. And i'd just like to reinterate that i was very impressed with the quality of the acid sounds. Best value i've ever seen for a synth. Period.

the presets (which, aside from limited fx -chorus,verb,dsp,ect- and the resonance/cutoff knobs) are all you get- no real ability to create new sounds. having said that, the presets are mainly 'factory' patch emulations of those $2-3k tech-marvels most 'little' people would never have access to otherwise! having such limited sound modification makes for a very easy-to-use box- if you don't like preset #095, move on to the next... can't get much easier than that.

this has been detailed in many, many other reviews- suffice to say it's feature packed for a $200 box, even compared to the 'real' synths it's got a lot- very nice selection of drum kits, huge selection of techno songs for backing... think of it as a 'music minus one' for the rave crowd.

i bought it for use mainly as a controller for reaktor and retro as-1, and even tho it doesn't have after touch, i'm very pleased with my purchase. having all the presets just an 'on switch' away is very handy for putting song ideas down in a hurry. the preset backing, if you turn off everything but the drums/percussion, makes a great beatbox, too.

it's not going to break any new ground sonically- just the opposite in fact. the rap/techno/house/ect thing has been around long enough to be catagorized and cliched, and it's all here, ready to be regurgitated by kids and hobbyists all over the world!
as i mention above, no aftertouch- that limits the expressiveness some, but with the presets the djx has, its not a great handicap... but folks buying it as a midi controller should be aware of this limit.
again, the presets all are very indicitave of the sounds the dance/hiphop crowd is using, in stereo... the output to my roland vs-880 is excellent- in a blindfold test i doubt many people would peg the sounds as djx, i truly believe that.

100% to date... six months of regular use. it is only used in my studio, and kept covered when not in use, so the only problems likely to occur would be internal, and none of those so far.

i spent the extra $20 at best buy to get the 'super' warranty- anytime in the next two years i can bring the (broken) djx back, and leave the store with a new one... worth the money, i'd say.

i wasn't expecting to get a top-of-the-line synth for two hundred bucks, but i feel the overall value of the djx is much more than two hundred bucks... for a hobbyist looking to create 21st century tunes it's a super-bargain... in one box you get a sampler, drum box, sequencer, song backing, general midi compatability, midi in/out,ribbon control, mod wheel, and well over a hundred good-sounding synth presets... this is a unique instrument- i'm very surprised roland/korg/peavey/ect hasn't followed suite! for a cheap 'toy' synth to generate the firestorm of love/hate controversy this little thing has, it must be doing SOMETHING right... imho, it's done just about everything right!

i can hardly wait to see the djx v.2.....