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From: tjt@twitch.UUCP ( T.J.Thompson)
Newsgroups: net.music.synth
Subject: Re: New Yamaha DX-xx machines
Message-ID: <286@twitch.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 27-Feb-86 22:59:19 EST
Article-I.D.: twitch.286
Posted: Thu Feb 27 22:59:19 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 1-Mar-86 03:06:46 EST
References: <11070001@acf8.UUCP> <2636@pyuxd.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Holmdel
Lines: 48

> Has anyone else seen the new DX-xx series of machines?  ...
> .....    Anyone with further info or clarification
> please post to the net, as it would seem to be generally useful.
> 

I picked up a DX-100 for $399 about a week ago; I'll be
happy to provide a few details.

It does FM synthesis using 4 'operators' (in 8 algorithms), as opposed
to the 7 in the DX-7.  It has 192 (!) presets in ROM, 24 user-programmable
entries, and a 'bank' of 96 entries which are essentially pointers
to the other presets (i.e. you can use this bank to arrange the
192 presets (or your own sounds) in whatever order you like, typically
for performance-oriented applications).

It has MIDI in/out/thru, and responds to velocity information, although
the mini-keyboard is not velocity sensitive.  I tried the DX-100 with
a KX-88 and it responded to the velocity.   The velocity sensitivy can
be assigned separately to each of the 4 operators;  I'm not sure whether
other DX-series keyboards have more flexibility in assigning the velocity
input.  A foot switch can control either sustain or portamento, and a
breath controller can be used.  There is no ROM/RAM cartridge, only a
cassette interface.  Apparently sound data for the DX-21 can be read
into the DX-100.

In Monophonic mode, the portamento can be set so that it only engages
when you keep a key pressed down while pressing the next one.  This
makes for some pretty natural-sounding riffs (e.g. bass, or harmonica).

As far as I can tell, the only differences between the DX-100 / DX-27
and the DX-21 is that the DX-21 has split/layering capability, and
also (I think) has a built-in chorus (at least I recall seeing that
in the Keyboard review).

The sounds are good, ie.  typical DX-type sounds.  There is a
feedback guitar that is outrageous.  Some of the pianos are suprisingly
good (for synthesized pianos).  There are the typically useless but
impressive sound effects, thankfully kept to a minimum.  The large number
(192) of presets is a VERY NICE feature, and there seems to be a high
percentage of usable sounds in them.  Unfortunately, only a
few (2 or 3) of them are velocity sensitive, so that you may end up
using the 24 user-programmable entries to make copies of the good
presets, in order to modify them to be velocity sensitive. 

Overall, it's a good buy.  Great as a MIDI slave (or 2) in a sequencer
setup.

    ...Tim Thompson...AT&T Bell Labs/Holmdel/NJ...ihnp4!twitch!tjt...