Yamaha DX-7

Presets are crappy, editing patches is a torture. Everything hidden away in menues, without some sysex tool you're lost. Crap.

Keyboard action is pretty good, no complaints there. Would be a good controller. Only too heavy. Expansion cards possible, but the contacts need cleaning and corrode easily. Unimpressed.

Most overrated synth I've ever had. Sold it quickly. Presets are crappy except for two effect sounds and the electric piano (that's a classic, of course). But even the e-piano left me unimpressed. Reacted nicely to key-pressure etc. but I've got better e-pianos in cheap expanders. As for fatness: it can't come near analogue stuff, so why bother. As for digitalness: maybe if you spend half your life reading fm-books you'll be able to tweak it into something good-sounding. I was more impressed with the tg33 module. Much better effect sounds. I think the DX7 is the most overrated synth out there. Forget it.

Metal case. Well built. Problems only with the cartridges and the cartridge slot and with the rubber buttons. Scores well. Like those old and ugly shoes one had to wear as a kid: the uglier, the longer they lasted. But you can still use it to smash building in. Best use for it.

Never dealt with them.

I resold it (for 170 euros hehe. Thank God it's got "cult classic" status, there are always fools out there willing to buy rubbish once it's labelled classic.) If you consider buying it: check cartridges, check buttons, and, above all, check sounds. Then run. If you need a controller you don't want to move and can pick it up cheap - o.k. If you need a synth you can actually use: almost anything is better than this. I bought a tg33 afterwards, these things are cheap as dirt and have more possibilities and better sounds than the dx7. Overrated piece of shit.

I haven't started with the editing or programing yet, just downloaded the manual online...this is not light reading, but you can following along.

Now what I came across in a little pawn shop in was this DX7 with a E! Grey Matter card!!! How fuckin' cool is that? The bad thing about it is that I didn't know a thing about keyboards!! I'm a guitar player trying to put another instrument under my belt. So after investigating online about this keyboard and the E! card, I went back to "haggle" over the price. (he wanted $450, I got it for $350). My DX7 E! plays wonderful, vintage 80's sounds! The keys are great and still have wonderful action.

Now some of the instuments are cool, not bad but you know it ain't the real thing. The pitch and modualation wheels are on the money and programable! I think it reacts very well to velocity and aftertouch, shit! this keyboard was built to last! I know this synth has seen a whole lot of work but this bad-boy is sturdy.

As I stated this synth is old and still plays wonderful, so I honestly believe this "ironman" of a keyboard is dependable! I've played with guys who owned them when they came out (reason I jumped on it when I saw it in the pawn shop) and they would always praise this synth, now I know why! As long as the battery is fresh, you can gig without a backup.

I got what I wanted (the manual, downloaded from the site). Other than that I've never used them...hopefully I won't have to either.

I know the DX7 are now consider "classics" and with the fact that you cannot get the E! Grey Matter card for it anymore (no longer manufactured), just makes this gem more valuable to me. I don't know if I would replace it if stolen, but I will make damn sure it is not in a situation that someone can steal it!! Been playing music for years, Keyboard? just got into them. I love it, nothing about it for me to hate, I knew what I was buying. I will buy another synth (a new one) in the future. It didn't come with the RAM/ROM Carts (one reason why I got it a little cheaper), but I founds somebody selling them...still looking for more. I'm still experimenting while using it to learn to play keyboards, plus I use it for recording in my project home studio. Great classic synth, with or without the E! card I would had bought it for nastalgia reasons because they sounded so great in the bands I played in back in the 80's.

If you find one, get it! If you have one, keep it! NUFF SAID!

I dont really have to say much here really as so many people love it. So do i. Its not that easy to use. Programming takes time to learn. Well worth learning to program.

No built in effects, it sounds great with chours & delay. Good midi.

Classic 80's sounds. It will work with all kinds of music I have used one for ethnic stuff too.

Built like a tank!

Yamaha are good with customer support for this product they are very proud of it.

Wonderful!

I actually have a DX7s (two of them)
I just bought on ebay,the DX7 Voice rom #4, which has on it "A Orchestral & Percussive Group", and "B Complex & Effects Group (nb82830)."
I am trying to collect all ROM and RAM cartidges that are out there so I can have a full selection of new sounds at my finger tips.
But I want to make sure they all are distincly different from each other in sound.
What is a RAM cartridge anyway?
Also I am looking for the adapter that allows me to use the DX7 cartridges in my DX7s keyboard.
Thanks
Mark

After finding this gem in a pawn shop I brought it home and plugged it in. Yuck. All the patches had been messed up. I went looking on the internet for oem sound modules. Not much luck, until I found a DX7 editor
and 4848 different patchs. I was able to load my choice of patches into a bank and inject them via midi. It was better than Christmas. Now I am able to get vintage sounds of the 80's as well as modern sounds.

I'm not into programming yet. I have four keyboards I use to perform solo and with a band so I have been learning the songs. But with my almost 5,000 patch library, programming can wait till I have time. The features my DX7 provide are more than enough.

Touch sensitive and very expressive. The pitch bend and mod wheels are very nice and I use it to solo with a B-3 sound. It ROCKS!!!

I haven't had a bit of trouble so far (Knock on wood) The nice thing is it's built like a tank and I've seen some really abused DX7's still cranking it out night after night. It's a workhorse synth.

Yamaha was very nice but not much help.

Overall I give it a 10.5 With a wealth of on-line patches and a fan base that is world wide, I would say the DX7 is here to stay. If it were stolen I'd get another tomorrow. In fact, I will be looking for more DX7's in every city I tour this fall. I also play a KORG i3, (Try finding an on-line manual for that beast) a Roland JX-3P, and an Optimus MD1200 from Radio Shack. (Don't laugh, it have a very realistic sax patch and the strings are A+) As far as I can tell my DX7 is a long term relationship keyboard, and I'll keep it till death do us part.

Is a DX7 really easy to use ? Without manual and further literature
it is a heavy beast.Because the user does not know what FM really is.
On the other hand,the DX/ is now really easy to use,caused by the
massive Internetresources.

The DX7 is the most sold synth ever,and also it is explained like that.
The manual itself is not a big help,because FM is explianed very
rudimentary.
FM like PD is not an intuitive Synthesizer like the anlog fraction.
Just twiddle a knob and get a sound of it.This is not FMs sense.
On the other hand FM offers a new dimension to synthesis.

The DX7 itself is easy to use.But when going to programming,the DX7
can be nervecracking.For these ones,who do not know how this synthesis
works.
At least it must be said,that the DX7 is easy to use.
The library of DX sounds is maybe bigger as the Bible.

Well the original DX7 offers 32 algorithms with 6 operators.
It does not offer the Microtuning,wich the DX7 II had.
Also Velocity goes in Midi only to 100.
The EGs are to rudimentary.Better as simple ADSR,but miles away from
Casios eight step EGs.

You have 32 algortihms to shape a sound.This is immense.But these fine
algorithms lack power by its limited EGs.
Nevertheless the DX7 offers a wide varity of sounds.
If you want to hear a sound,wich is like a frying pan clutched into your
face,then the DX is something for you.
Forget imitating sounds of natural instruments.Each cheap sampler can it better.
The DX is well known for its percussive sounds and weird FX-sounds.

The DX7 was a masterpiece in "Mass"-Synthesis.A decade before John
Chowning developed this synth.His "Sabelihte" shows all what FM can
do.
Yamaha launched later on the SY77/99 series,but only the underrated
FSR1 brings FM to new light.
So if you want a modern FM synth,choose the FSR1,if you want only
nostalgic FM Sounds,then choose a DX7.

Well,my Casio VZ1 works still at new.
I am a great smoker and also does not handle such devices with gloves.
The DX7 is not as reliable as the VZ.
But anyhow,the DX is still in good condition.

Yamaha has usually a good support,also for models wich faded away
in nostalgia.

The original DX7 is still a good buy.You have the biggest synth library
outside.Maybe millions of sounds has been already discovered.
The DX7 is a must have synth.
It only lacks in EGs.There was Casios CZ and VZ series much better.
But PD and FM are not similiar.Anyone who tries to tell it to you,kick
him to outerspace.....Like Bin Laden.....

Forget this old DX typical sounds and try to develop something new.
The DX has the possibility for that.

The biggest advantage of the old 80ths synths is the enormous potential wich is still not researched at all.

Before wasting money for a virtual analog synth,take a minute if
one of this academic synths can not do it better.......

Well, for my first synth it was an enigma. But i was able to find and print out the whole manual, and after going thru it a few times i kinda understand how to program it. The miniscule screen doesn't help make it any easier. I'm partial to analogue and computers, so it was quite a trial.

I'm making some crazy metallic noise come out of this thing. It's also my controller, and it seems to be working good. I could care less about it's mono output, if i wantit in stereo,i'll fuck with it in Soundforge.

Very cool, if you can crack the cryptic interface. I belive this is really great board that could fit into any style of music if patched right. I haven't ran it thru any external effects yet, i'm still grasping it's sounds as they are and i don't feel the need yet. There are thousands of patches to download

This this is a beast. It could take a shotgun blast in stride. I'd gig with it in a war zone without fear. Well, it's not completely flawless; my F2 key is acting up, but i bought it that way.

well i printed out themaual rom Yamaha's website and that was all i needed, so what the hell i'll give Yamaha a 9

if it were stolen i'd find the asshole and put the fear of god into him. I just really started getting in to real gear, computers just don't feel right. I think it has more good karma in it than any computer could have. I was obsessed with synths and this was one. When i walked into my local small shitty music store, lo and behold, the DX7. I was overcome with a madness to purchase and made some girl i go to school with take me to my bank to get money. For only $230 and the incredible varitey of sounds, it's gotta be one of the best deals around.

I considered a DX7 about three years ago and was somewhat disappointed by its sound, but the opportunity to buy one came up again in May 2001. This time it seemed to sound so much better, and was in very good condition too (just a couple of superficial scratches in the paint here and there). In the first three months of owning this synth I was already creating custom patches which were sounding good - some synth sounds, and some good perc organs and electric bases. It's lots of numbers, but the key is to find out which numbers to what, find out which algorithms produce your favourite sounds. The more you play around with programming this synth, the more attached you will become to it's unique personality. The screen isn't backlit but so what, you haven't got to worry about the bulbs burning out!

16 note poly mocked everything else that was around in 1983, it was a huge amount of poly for it's day. It can get burnt out quite easily on heavily sustained pads, but for most jobs, it's enough. The DX7 was the first MIDI synth created, and could only transmit on one channel at a time. If the DX7 is your only synth and only sound source then this can be extrememly limiting, but because it does have MIDI capability, it is perfectly usable as a studio master keyboard. The keys have a fantastic movement to them (and don't get jammed up like on some synths), so you can also use the DX7s keyboard to control other synths as well.

In general the DX7 sounds are fantastic. OK, so if you want to make swirling, whispering analog pads then you aren't going to get what you want from this synth, but I have found that in comparison to a lot of modern, sample based synthesizers, DX7 excells at creating bass and organ patches. In my keyboard rig, DX7 is the first one I turn to if I want that perfect jazz organ program. My only one gripe about the DX7 is that it has no internal effects. Even a basic reverb would have been nice in-house, but this can be compensated for since most decent keyboard amplifiers usually have a reverb control on them. Also, some sounds through certain amplification systems have a digital buzzing sound in the background. On some piano sounds, this is quite apparent, but can normally be EQ'd out with an amp or mixer.

Fantastic build. This was one of the things I always liked about the DX7. It looks cool because it's built so well. Many people have complained about the membrane control panel, by my experience has told me that this control surface is definitely a plus point. The buttons are still physically there, below the membrane. You can still feel them click like normal buttons, but the membrane stops any dust getting in. I think it's a fantastic idea. perhaps I wouldhave opted for hardwood end cheeks, but then in 1983, that was considered a feature on old fashioned, analog synths, and at the time was totally out of fashion.

I have never had to consult Yamaha as yet for any problems relating to equipment

I think the DX7 diserves nine out of ten. The more you use it, the more you realise you just bought one of the best synths ever made. No wonder it was so famous in 1983, but why no one could program it is beyond belief. Many say it was related to the fact that many synthesists were bought up on analog technology with knobs for every function, VCOs, VCFs LFOs and all the other analog quirks. DX7 lost all of these to it's flat profiled, parameter based display. I started synthesis programming with a digital Korg, and actually found that the DX7 was easier to program. The sounds on my Korg were too good to edit, and that is why I chose DX7 - so that I could make it sound better.

USING A PATCH EDITOR HELPS - LINKS FROM SYNTHZONE.COM ARE GOOD
MIDI IS EASY (ONLY ONE CHANNEL)
MANUAL CAN GET A SLIGHTLY TEDIOUS

ONE THING I THINK YAMAHA GET RIGHT WITH THEIR GEAR IS THE KEYBOARD,
I PLAY "GRAND PIANO ONE" SOUNDFONT WITH THIS VIA PC AND IT CAN MAKE THE HAIRS ON YOUR NECK STAND UP!

THE DX7 SOUND, ALL ITS BAD POINTS (MONO, 24BIT ETC) MAKE THIS BABY SOUND BRILLIANT

THIS IS HOW ALL KEYBOARDS SHOULD BE BUILT - LIKE A TANK!

ONLINE MANUALS THAT IS ETC!

WHEN THE DX7 FIRST CAME OUT, I WANTED ONE SO BADLY BUT MADE DO WITH CHEAPER MODELS SUCH AS CASIO'S CZ1000 ETC. 15 YEARS PAST BY UNTIL I GOT MY HANDS ON A MINT SECONDHAND MK1 DX7, THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT THIS THING THAT GETS UNDER YOUR SKIN - ITS FANTASTIC. MY ADVICE TO ANYBODY WHO'S LOOKING FOR A SECONDHAND CLASSIC OR A CHEAP PC CONTROLLER, SHOP AROUND FOR A DX7 (I'VE SEEN THEM AS LOW AS #80 UKP)
180,000 OF THESE WERE MANUFACTUERED - THERE MUST BE SOME IN BRAND NEW CONDITION - BUY ONE - OPEN IT - USE CONTACT CLEANER ON ALL MOVING PARTS - POLISH IT - PLUG IT IN - PLAY IT - AND NEVER SELL IT!

It was kind of tricky at first, but once i downloaded the manual and fucked around with the thing a little bit, I got the hang of it.

same as the rest

The sounds are amazing. I have wanted a synth for a long time, and at this price it was perfect. I am mainly a bassist/guitarist who is heavenly into Industrial and heavy metal (old shit, not new - deftones) and this is perfect for what I want to do. I am going to start my own band (which I will be doing all the instrumenats) and this keyboard this perfect for what it is going to be.

This is an older synth, but it's built like a tank

I have never dealt with Yamaha

If this was lost or stolen, I would hunt down and savagly murder the fucker who stole it. It is an amazing synth perfect for industrial. I am getting ready to start working on some of my own material on bass and guitar soon, and the DX7 is the perfect tool for the kind of music I am into. For right now, this in the only synth in the world i want, but someday I would like to get some accessories for it.