Yamaha TX816

Very easy. The lack of buttons makes this beast a dream to use

I have a DX7 programming application for a very old CX5M yamaha music computer. Can only program one slot at a time but no problems at all. Without this CX5M I would be stuck! The CX only cost me $30USD on ebay so best investment ever.

What can I say? 1 of these babies will blow your mind, but I have 8 of them. My life is complete! :-)

Built like a tank. Button cell memeory backup batteries need replacing after about 9 years (they recon every 5, but I only had error "4" after about 9

Absolutly superb on the website. Crap on the phone. Most guys working there in the UK were still in school when this beast hit the market so not really much experience with REAL synthesis. :-)

I have 8 of these in my "garden retreat". If one went down, I would replace it. I am always on the lookout for them. I think they are addictive. You spend a whole weekend with one and a decent weighted keyboard and you will search one out as well. The absolute best, Built like a tank. Reliable as a Tax demand and as heavy as a microwave oven. Go on, jusy buy one!

Sure it's easy to play the TX-816. And do make sure you have a decent 88 note pianohammer keyboard at hand...

Programming is something else. Anybody who thought a DX-7 is tough... just mulitply by 8 please.

With it's 8 modules of 16 voices... the unit has some polyphony on offer. All depending upon how you use it. You can use it as one synth - or you can use it as a multitimbral powerhose. Your choise!

No internal FX. All modules have separate outputs - so a submixer is a very good idea.

In my case I got a Yamaha DMP-11. It's an 8 channel digital thing with MIDI and a built in Yamaha SPX90 fx machine. Now - set this up with 32 patches tailored for each of the 32 memories of the TX-816 (if set up as ONE not 8) synths... then you will have - at your hand - a synthesizer that after all these years - yet hasn't been conquerd. In addition you get a unit that have a very similar design in your rack. The TX816 and the DMP11 are unseparable. They are ONE synthesizer... and THE powerhouse of all synths.

The TX-816 works with all kindsa music. You're the boss. Make it do what you want. You've got an insane amount of parameters to work with.

However - the real gem of this machine is the ability to use one module for a slight variaton to the sound of another module and fade between the two using MIDI - for instance by velocity crossfade. Add to this the other 6 modules - and you may (just may) get idea of how expressive sounds this thing can do.

Sure - you can detune and make sligth variations of the sounds to produce overhypermega-animated-superpads... but it's equally able to produce nuances not equalled by any synthesizer - not before - not later.... and place all this control at your fingertips. Which is from the point where we're really can talk about making music.

So I give a 9 out of 10 for soundquality. Because - as anybody with experience with a DX-7 can tell you. It's possible to make patches that will produce a lot of hiss. Multiply by 8... and you know you will have to take this into consideration when programming the beast.

Widely know for being built as a tank. And it is.

However - these beauties are coming of age... so - even if I have yet to hear about people with all dead modules there are some things that may happen to it. The LED's may die... Now you will not need them when playing the TX - but they sure come in handy when you're programming it. You want to know which module you're working on. (From a PC with Emagic Sounddiver that is - it's the only smart way).
The LED's can be replaced. And I recommend anybody to learn how to do it themselves.. the other options are costly.

The second thing to be aware of is the electrolytic capacitors of the powersupply (PSU). Electrolytic capacitors are the only type of electronic component that actually wears out with time. They make start leaking and the day they malfunction they can may kill all the TF1-modules of your precious 816. My advice to all TX-816 owners is this: Get them replaced in time! Our synth is growing old - and there's really not much time left for those old caps (this ofcourse depending on how much it's been used).

I give a 7 out of 10 due to it's old age.

Yamaha keeps online manuals on most of their vintage gear. Let's salute them for that!!!

At $295 this is probably the best buy I've ever done!

I've been wanting a TX-816 since they started making them. But way back
then - it was one of the megapriced thingys one could never afford.

I'd like the TX-816 to be less noisy - like the latest FM synths Yamaha did, but the sound man - the sound!! There's nothing like it in the whole world. Try to fire up 8 instances of NativeInstruments FM7 and play them all simoultaneously. You will then get an idea of what a TX-816 is. But make no mistake - you're not even close! ;-)

Great sounding unit. A friend of mine gave me a disk full of sounds that are awesome. I use the unit primarily for electric pianos although it has great basses, flutes, pads, bells, etc. Everything i remember from the eighties.

Having a patch editor like emagic sound diver deffinitely makes a difference. navigating through the front panel can be tough. It doesn't bother me though.

The features on the TX816 are awesome. I wish more synths had balanced outputs. it makes such a big difference. The TX816 is built like a tank. Many of the early yamaha and roland synths are. This thing is as old as iam and it functions perfectly. So far using the module has been great. I haven't had any problems.

I do alot of programming with this unit. The TX816 is great for that and it can get very deep. The FM electric piano sounds are great. It's my go to module for ballads. At high volumes i can hear some white noise but it's easy to fix.

I've found the TX816 to be very dependable. It's as old as i am and it works fine.

I haven't had any use for it so far. which is a good thing.

Overall this synth is amazing. if it were lost or stolen i would get another one soon.

Well, you can't set much on the seperate TF1 modules except receive channnel, level, tune, keyzone and a few other things like dumping and storing sounds. And that all with 3 buttons and a really cryptic two-digit led display.

Each module has it's own audio output. There is no general stereo out or something, so you must have a mixer with 8 channels free, or use a submixer or so. The outputs are in XLR format.

Playing all TF1's modules at once is really great. Forget the thin DX7 sound. This is FM in optima forma.

Never had a problem. Only one segment of a digit died of one of the modules. Even the batteries are still alive, and not lowering their value the last time I checked. The unit gets really hot though.

I have made an adaptation (editor) for the TX816 for use with Emagic's SoundDiver. With this adaptation you can easily edit all TF1 modules in a convenient way. You can download it from www.soundofmusic.se Goto the synth section and look for the TX816 page.

TX816 is a trouly monster of synths. With 8 TF-1 soundmudules (a TF-1 is similar as a DX7) it can sound clear, warm, fat, metallic and whatever. Best is the DX-rhodes, basses and brass presets.

Yamaha provide manuals on their manual-page. And thats necessary, because theres only 4 bummons on each module.

The best way to program a TX816 is with a DX7, or by Emagic Sounddiver

With 128 notes polyphony theres no other compareing synth from that time.

TX816 is very expressive - I have never heard anything like this. The sound is not realistic acoustic sounds, but typical FM-sounds

It always do what it shall do, exept when digit for come up - se below:

If the digit 4 is comming up when you start the TX816 means that the backup battery is empty or soon empty. You must change it, and thats easy (I have done that a couple times on my TX816): Just release the TF-1 module (three screws on the rear and to on the front, release the battery from the mainboard and put a new there. New batteries can be bought in places like radioshack and so on. It not have to be exactly the same, just same voltage and type.

When musicianfreinds visit they often want to bye my TX816. But I never want to sell it - it's fabolouse.

Please, visit my TX816-page on http://www.soundofmusic.se with much information, pictures, manuals, factotypresets and other presets for free downloading.

How hard can it be? There are only three buttons on each module and the manual is only about 20 pages long; most of which is taken up by descriptions of linking the TX to other archaic Yamaha gear...

However there's no patch editing without a software editor or something like a Kenton Control Freak (I use thelatter and it has endless of DX7 programming profiles).

I was sceptical about the range of FM synthesis (always been an analogue buff) but once you download the million or so banks of patches dotted around the net you start to get a feeling of this machines sonic capabilities...

8 modules all playing the same patch (detuned slightly) gives new meaning to audio fullness, or simply use it as an 8 part 16 note polyphonic sound module.

This was a machine built with people who already had a DX7 in mind, so the lack of programming facilities is understandable, but with software editors the lack of knobs and buttons is no longer an issue.

The pullout card underneath listing the readouts and features is a masterstroke that should be on all synths!

I've heard early FM described as "noisy"; if it is, I can't spot it. This thing sounds as pure as the driven snow to my world weary ears! Unbelievable sonic range is at your reach via the internet.

Built like a tank! If you like your synths to look black and menacing; this is the one. Looks somewhat understated until switched on, then it's alive with leds...

has a tendency to get a bt warm, but leave a space above in your rack and it should be okay.

Yamaha UK were utterly uninterested when I rang them with a problem concerning sysex to midi via my (yamaha) QY700 to TX816. A mail sent to Yamaha America met with similar response. So what if it's a vintage oiece of kit, I can't believe these guys are snowed under at tech support...

I reckon for #380 including the xlr to phono loom I got a bargain. My small setup also consists of a Roland JX305, Akai s3000XL, Novation Supernova 2 (king of synths) and a Yamaha Qy700 for sequencing. (I'm a luddite in that respect; I just use a computer for sound editing and as a librarian! The TX fills a gap in that setup with it's crystal sharp tones. I feel that a studio should encompass all methods of synthesis where possible and with the TX I'm one step closer to achieving that goal.

If it was stolen I'd be distraught as I can't see that many of these things turning up for sale that often. Also, in the same way that analogue synths underwent a huge revival, I reckopn FM's going to be the next hip sound and then TX owners are going to be in posesson of the hottest item on the FM block bar none.

This girl is fairly easy to use, after all, there are just three buttons to access the power of her. Yes there are only 32 voices per bank, but from those 32 presets emerges a multitude of sonic images limited only to the craftsman at the keyboard. Use the instruction manual(yes, men don't read the manual until the project is beyond hope)and start from there; the manual is easy to follow. Yes, today we have the keyboards that can sample anything that walks, talks and crawls, but the TX816 still outshines any other board due to the fact that YOU can create any sound by simply adding waveforms.

The TX816 is only 16 note polyphony but at last count I had only 10 fingers. The limit of 16 note polyphony comes into play only if you fall asleep on the sustain pedal. Mine is coupled to a KX88. Need I say more about the keyboard action? She is velocity sensitive, aftertouch responsive, and very MIDI friendly. No, it does not have expansion capabilities; it doesn't need them. No, it doesn't have a sequencer either. But, who cares? Just play one chord and you let the genie out of the bottle. It blows away any keyboard that is on the market.

Granted, you need to have an basic understanding of Fourier Analysis to create a unique sound, but you have the power of the sonic universe in a box just 19x7x14. Cry and it will cry; there is nothing that compares to her.

Besides having to replace the lithiun batteries every 5 years or lose everything that is in memory, it is bullet proof. Yamaha's surface mount technology reduces the heat and creates a very reliable circuit.

Okay, she's 15 years old. Yamaha technicians called her ancient technology. Give up? Nope. Yamaha is a top notch company; they sent me manuals (free!) on both the KX88 and the TX816. And although they did not have the factory voices for the TF1 modules, they called me back and told me where to download them. Yamaha is a top notch company.

Ever since college (I'm an electrical engineer) I wanted this setup, but couldn't afford it. I had an ARP Odyssey and an organ back then. Life went on and the Odyssey was put away in pristine condition to be forgotten. Last year, I ran across the TX816 for $20! I searched for the KX88 and finally found one in perfect condition. The ARP Odyssey completes the setup. The TX816 coupled with the KX88 is the ultimate setup.

Not that easy if you want to do something else than playing the 15 years old factory programs. But it is worth to spend hours to program this beast.

... ( speechless ) ... you have to listen yourself.
48 operators of FM synthesis!

No problems at all.

This is the god father of FM synthesizers.. I can not live without at least one in my setup.

Using the TX816 without a computer and E/L software in tow is to not use the TX816 at all.
The TX816 is playback only; there's no on-board editing. In fact, there's little on-board ANYTHING you can do with this beast except select patches, MIDI channels, and a very few other things.

The TX816 is the Ginness Book entry for synths, the King Kong of modules!
Black, blank, and foreboding, it features eight TF1 sound modules (TF1s, by the way, only work as part of a TX rack unit, not as stand-alone synths). Each TF1 features MIDI In and Out; tiny buttons of the laconic YES/NO and +/- variety, and eight, two-digit-screens (no patch names!).
Each module contains a piffling 32 patches, not even great shakes by 1984 standards. Polyphony was 16 note, which until recent years was quite respectable.
OK, so you need a computer to use it. It relies on first-generation (noisy) FM which, while it may be making a comeback, is hardly dome- shattering. It's BIG. And it's still not exactly cheap. What good is it?
You can look at the TX816 as a 128-voice synth. Until last year, nothing could come close to that and nothing surpasses it today.
Those 32 patches per module can also be looked at as a single 256-patch library; still an impressive warehouse of sounds.

It's forgotten that before most people could afford samplers or the sample-playback machine was even invented, the closest you could get to "real" sounds was FM. Mallet, bell, and a sundry other acoustic sounds were FM's strength and it did (and still does) a reasonable parroting of those sounds. It can also do some nasty, distorted, other-worldly leads and pads that nothing else (still) can.
That said, here you have the chance to create massive layers over MIDI (think of it as a Multitimbral synth with a thyroid condition) or just use the TX816 for eight individual 16?note synths. Detune 8 of the same sounds against each other. Give 8 of the same sounds slightly different ADSRs or portamento effects. There really are an immensity of possibilities.

This is one of the few synths you can be pretty assured has rarely (ever?) been gigged.
Originally, Yamaha sold a scaled down TX816 for those who couldn't afford the full-number: the TX216. Considering that this was almost half the price of the TX816, despite having only 2 of the modules (and the module housing the other TF1 modules required), this was hardly a chaffer. Yet, FM being what it was in the 80s, TX216s sold reasonably well. Individual TF1 modules were once readily available on the used market, but no longer. If you buy a TX216 (or TX316, TX416, etc.), that's probably as far as your TX synth will get.

Yamaha's customer support staff probably got arrogant around the time of the DX7 and that's probably when you needed them the most. Sad, really, that Dilbert wasn't being written back then.

If you have the room (about 4 rack spaces high with a space above and below if you're concerned about heat) and the mixer inputs (you did think about the need to mix this monster, didn't you?), not to mention a Macintosh or PC and the necessary E/L software, then this is a happening sound piece.