Members Chummy Posted August 16, 2014 Members Share Posted August 16, 2014 hey guys, I have the YAMAHA KX5 For a few years, amazing though it has no sounds and I am a HUGE 80s fan. So I've been thinking of getting the YAMAHA DX7 II D, because it really resembles the 80s. I just wanna know before I make a move if this thing is hard to maintain... Since my YAMAHA KX5 keytar's keybed SUCKS pretty big time, I hope The DX7 IID being made a few years later may be better. One of the keys of my keytar lost the "weighted" feel so when I press it it just falls down instantly making a noise (the MIDI signal though and sound works, its just a keybed problem). So any problems I should know about bf buying one? THNX Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jazz411 Posted August 17, 2014 Members Share Posted August 17, 2014 It might be and idea to look into the Yamaha TX802 it is a rack version of the DX7 mkII. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RockPianoman Posted August 17, 2014 Members Share Posted August 17, 2014 I have both the DX7IIFD and the TX802 and the TX802 is so user unfriendly I would avoid it......it doesn't even have a volume control (not even in settings !!!!) and that is ridiculous.....even the TX81Z has a volume control......you have to adjust operator output levels to adjust volume......I can't believe Yamaha would release it that way......you can adjust voice volume as one parameter in performance mode but then once again, you can't adjust total performance volume (all voices in a performance combined).....also, don't buy a DX7IID, definitely get a DX7IIFD.....the floppy is soooooo useful even if it is old technology.....try to find one with the Grey Matter E board installed which will allow you to play up to 8 sounds at once (the TX802 can play up to 8 sounds at once but no volume control is a bummer)......the TX802 can be much better driven from a keyboard that can adjust its volume on it but still, no floppy makes it a pain in the butt.....every rack synth should have built in removable storage and not those super expensive cartridges.....the DX7IID & DX7IIFD also have 2 sliders than be assigned to any parameter which is super nice and the TX802 doesn't have those..... The Yamaha SY77 has a much better DX7 built in and has a floppy too.....if the floppy ever acts up, just change the belt on it and you're set....the SY77 has a 16 track sequencer too (16,000 note) and a really nice effects section (the DX7's have no effects).....the DX7 sounds much better in the SY77 too.....once again, don't buy the rack (the TG77) as it has no floppy and is a pain in the butt....try to find an SY77 where they have replaced the backlight for the display or even better, put in a better display......the original backlights get dim until they finally have no light but with an improved display you're set.....the SY77 also has 112 samples that can be mixed with the DX7 sounds.....they can actually modulate each other (RCM technology).... The Yamaha SY99 has improved effects and 76 keys instead of 61 and the ability to add your own samples and it also has more samples (if I remember right).......I've owned all 3 in the past and still have a TG77......all three have a much larger display than the DX7's before them.....check this stuff out on Ebay.....here's samples of how the SY77 sounds (these samples are taken from the rack which has identical sound quality): http://www.synthmania.com/tg77.htm If you listen to these demos using Google Chrome, right click on each one and select "Open link in new window" and you can listen to them without needing to download them..... There are a lot more sounds for the SY77 and TG77 than the SY99........the effects on the SY99 are not compatible with the SY77 & TG77 so any of these sounds have no effects when loaded and often the effects can really make the sound.....the same is true loading SY99 sounds into the other two and then you have the problem of the SY99 having samples that aren't in the SY77 & TG77 which makes them even less compatible with each other....I guess I'm trying to say that even though the SY99 seems superior, maybe it isn't......there are tons of great sounds for the SY77 & TG77 and they will only sound right in the SY77 & TG77.... I have an Alesis Data Disk hooked up to my TG77 and I've converted my sounds to that format....it works good to load sound banks but the floppy in the SY77 is way better and more convenient and useful.....with a MIDI Merge I would have a better setup with the Alesis Data Disk as I would be able to save and load freely (MIDI Echo needs to be turned off & on in the Data Disk depending on whether you're playing or loading sounds)..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Chummy Posted August 17, 2014 Author Members Share Posted August 17, 2014 Well, some guy just Emailed me that has has the II FD in an excellent condition. Is it worth it?What do I need to check if I come to his house to look at it?What does the Floppy Disk thing give me that the normal II D won't? And last but most important question. I have the Hexter VST from cutevst. Does the real hardware sound better than THAT certain vst? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wesg Posted August 18, 2014 Members Share Posted August 18, 2014 "Is it worth it" - tough question! I suspect that depends a lot on where you live and what the asking price is! The E! card mentioned above is a great upgrade for these, *particularly* if you are going to be using the unit as a performance synth. I have no idea what Hexter VST is. But a DX7-II sounds pretty much like a DX7 with less noise. The floppy disk will allow you to load/save patches and so on to disk without using MIDI. Wes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RockPianoman Posted August 19, 2014 Members Share Posted August 19, 2014 I would still take an SY77 any day over a DX7.....the DX7 inside it sounds sooooo much better and is much more advanced....45 algorithms VS 32 in the DX7's just to point out one great improvement) plus it can have feedback on more than one operator at a time.....also, the built in sequencer is way better than the sequencer you get when you have the E board installed.... Listen to the SY77 demos at the link above.....those sounds are infinitely better than the DX7's sounds The floppy disk drive on anything can save and load ANYTHING you make from sounds to songs or patterns....make backup copies with floppies just in case.....Line 6 makes a MIDI Mobilizer that save and loads via an Ipad, Ipod, Iphone.......this is way more reliable storage than floppies....you can backup anything you store to DVD.... Yamaha SY77 http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from...a+SY77&_sop=16 This one is an outstanding deal......new floppy drive belt, new backlight and new battery (this was a $3000 board new)http://www.ebay.com/itm/Yamaha-SY77-w-DX7-engine-new-belt-new-battery-w-New-Backlight-/331178349460?pt=Keyboards_MIDI&hash=item4d1bc49394 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wesg Posted August 20, 2014 Members Share Posted August 20, 2014 Remember that pretty much anything that takes floppies can be easily converted to use SD memory nowadays if that's convenient for you, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RockPianoman Posted August 20, 2014 Members Share Posted August 20, 2014 Good point......I've seen floppy replacements on Tiger Direct that have a floppy drive, USB and an SD card slot and are the same size as a standard floppy drive....this would allow you to use standard floppies made for the synth too..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Outkaster Posted August 20, 2014 Members Share Posted August 20, 2014 Yes SY77 and SY99 are really good boards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RockPianoman Posted August 21, 2014 Members Share Posted August 21, 2014 I used an SY77 as my only board with a band for quite a long time.....it provided everything I needed......acoustic piano is much better on newer boards (like the Motifs) but even the existing acoustic piano in the SY77 got me by......it can be much better than stock if you tweak it.... The filters in the SY77 are excellent....it does a good job of emulating old analog synths..... I always wondered why they didn't put a DX7 in the Yamaha EX5 as it had many types of synthesis in it.....the Yamaha EX5R was the rack version and it even had a sequencer and a floppy disk drive...usually on the rack version you don't get those 2 things from Yamaha..... The EX5 & EX5R have a large selection of built in samples and subtractive synthesis for those, they have virtual modelling and an analog synth emulator and they can sample too.....each of these technologies is a full blown synth in it's own right....I had an EX5R for many years....size (just like the TG77) is the big drawback at 3 rack spaces.....I enjoy the larger display on those two synths, but still, 3 rack spaces each is huge.....(I still have my TG77).....there is no reason they couldn't have fit it all in 2 rack spaces and kept the display the same size..... I would much rather have a Roland XV-5080 than my XV-3080 to get the larger display and sampling, but they ask too much for those used......they are usually $600 or more on Ebay and with a little patience you can get a Roland Fantom XR rack on Ebay for that.....the Fantom XR rack can sample and has removable storage too.....(the XV-5080 and XV-3080 have a max of a 128 MB Smart Media card unless you hook up to the SCSI).....the XV-3080 doesn't have SCSI.....the Fantom XR rack can have a lot of storage if you get an adapter for the PCMCIA card slot.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members OPEN OCEAN Posted August 24, 2014 Members Share Posted August 24, 2014 its around 200 - 300 for a mk1 and even more for a mk2, get them and most of all USE THEM, cause all these are just means of expression. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RockPianoman Posted August 24, 2014 Members Share Posted August 24, 2014 I remember I almost bought a DX7IIFD when it was first released and I waited and shortly after the SY77 came out and I bought that instead and I was always glad I waited as it was soooo much better.....I've bought 3 DX7IIFD's since then (I still have one with the E board installed) but the SY77 is still in my opinion much better.......on the DX7 and DX7II the sounds all had that DX7 "flavor" to them.....on the SY77 the DX7 sounds are like samples without that annoying DX7 "flavor" and it is way more advanced too..... Another bad thing about the DX7 and DX7II is EVERYBODY spent countless hour making acoustic piano sounds for it and NONE of these are any good......the DX7 never did good acoustic piano and soooooo many sound libraries are overflowing with these failed acoustic piano sounds ......you have to sift through all those when looking for new sounds and there are TONS of them..... If you want the best acoustic piano sound for the money, buy a Yamaha P-35 piano for $450 new (free shipping and no tax)......it has 88 weighted keys and really plays and sounds outstanding......I have the Yamaha P-70 (it's an older version but the P-35 is exactly the same) and when I play my P-70 I sometimes forget that I'm playing an electronic instrument..... http://www.harmonycentral.com/forum/...-70-piano-demo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Vito Corleone Posted August 25, 2014 Members Share Posted August 25, 2014 Love my SY77. Can't part with it. It only sits in my studio as it has no real place in my live rig anymore, but there are sounds on that board I just can't find anywhere else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RockPianoman Posted August 25, 2014 Members Share Posted August 25, 2014 I have a TG77 now to provide all the SY77 sounds (I am running out of room here as my main keyboard setup is in the living room).....I still prefer the Yamaha Motif ES6 as my main board but if I ever lost all my gear I'd get a Motif XS7 as my main board.....no doubt about it.... The Yamaha P-35 still has better acoustic piano than any of the Motifs as far as real acoustic piano feel and sound, but the Motifs do a good enough job on acoustic piano that you could get by with the acoustic pianos inside them....the newer the Motifs, the better the acoustic piano.... I have a Motif 8 in storage in the basement that used to be my main board for gigs so even the PowerGrand in the first Motif is acceptable and got me through a zillion gigs but my Motif ES is way better for this.... If you tweak the acoustic pianos in the original Motif they can be greatly improved but I would recommend a newer Motif mainly to get USB storage......the save and load times are very slow in the ES and the XS is way faster (USB 2 in the XS).... http://www.harmonycentral.com/forum/forum/Keyboards/acapella-18/31241409-free-acoustic-piano-fix-for-the-original-motif Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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