Conference napalm::commusic_v1

    hmmmmm, "tis the season"....rumors, that is. Related:
    
    A conversation with Kawai indicates the the new
    midi controller is also destined for Jan Namm prevue,
    and then on the shelf Feb. at dealers. (Promises, promises)
    
    Good news: Multiple outputs that can control 64 synths
    		(apparently 4 midi outs times 16 midi channels)
		assignable controllers, other goodies.
		$1700 target price. (!)

    Bad news:  The action will not be the same as one of their
    		pianos (the prototype shown last NAMM DID have
    		this) To keep the price down (or the profit up),
    		weighted wood is used, but its a new action.
		That could be why its been so long comming.
        	Who knows? It might feel just right.
    
	looks like a nice new year...
    ron
    

    Alll right time to SPECULATE!
    On the DX end? What more can they do??????
    Look at it from a marketting (read:price) slant:
    They've got 'cheeper' DX-ish units. (21,100)
    They've got DX's without KBDs (TX7)
    They've got 'big bucks' DX's without KBDs (TXn16)
    They've got 'cheeper' DX-ish units without kbds (FB01)
    
    What could 'replace' the DX? Choices:
    
    1. Fix the "less_than_optimal_features" of the DX.
       But otherwise not much change. maybe price cut?
    
    2. A multi-timbral DX for same-ish price. Or some
       other 'advance' in technology. Could cost a bit more (I BET!)

    Given the Fb01 8-voice 4 operator chip is history,
    I place my tarot guess that the new DX will be a
    6-operator 8 or 16 voice MULTITIMBRAL synth. It
    has to have a kbd to replace the DX7 of course.
    Maybe a sequencer since like mamy of the <$1500 units.
    
    Alright, your turn for 'engineering guess'....
    ron
    

    Rumor has it that there will be a floppy disk for storing voices,
    a full MIDI implementation, and alternative tunings. 
   
    But again these are just rumors.

    Just spoke with my Yamaha dealer and he confirmed the "enhancements"
    mentioned in 579.3. It will have 16 voices and also have split and
    layer configurations- 8 and 8. Not fully polytimbral. Seems that
    this info came from a newletter release in Japan about a new DX-7
    II being introduced there. The drive is a 3.5" micro floppy. Data
    is compatible with existing DX-7's. Price will be around $1800 I
    believe.

    The DX7 II D/FD is here. Just saw an add in a german magazine.
    Here are what they list as new.
    
    MICRO TUNING, every key is individualy tunable (for tempered tuning)
    FRACTIONAL SCALING (didnt the old DX7 have that too?)
    Single-Split-Dual modes
    2 x 32 internal memory
    32 performance memory
    Patches compatible with DX7
    Unisono-poly-mono modes
    Random pitch for "analog" sound
    2 sliders for changing params live
    New Pitch-EG, can be controlled by after-touch or breath controller.
    LFO-multitrigger and stereo pan effect
    Bigger display with light (2 x 40)
    New ROM with 128 sounds + 64 performance data + new params.
    New RAM-4 with 64 sounds + 32 performance data.
    
    Two versions DX7 II D  DM 4500,-
    and DX7 II FD with built in 3.5" floppy DM 5300,-
    
    This is translated from german so mistakes may be included.
    
    Svein.
    

    Has the DX-7 II appeared in this country yet?  Has anyone heard
    one?  I read the writeup in the latest Keyboard mag; but am anxious
    to hear it and hear what others think of it ...
    
    -Jim

    
    Same review. Different subject: I wanna TK81Z. 

    Cant wait for the DX7s oldies to drop in price!
    
    ron
    

    Nah, Ron - how much ya wanna bet their "value" goes up as people
    complain about how the new ones "just don't sound the same".  Sorta
    like vacuum tube amps, ya know?
    
    What're you gonna do with your two FB01s when you get a TK81Z?
    
    (No, I don't want'em, I'll get a TK81Z myself!)
    
    len.
    

    
    	Say, this TK81Z isn't multi-timbral, is it?  Just in terms
    of 'voices' and simultaneous note capacity, what are it's
    capabilities?
    
    	I guess what I'm asking is, how similar to my TX816 is it?
    
    						- Karl

The TX81Z has more in common with the FB01 than the TX816, from what I 
understand.  The numbering is similar to indicate it's a professional unit.  
From what I have heard, this will be the hottest thing Yamaha has unleashed 
since the original DX7.

Too bad it's not six operators vs. four.  A passive NOTER who reads but does 
not write notes here informed me (if my memory is correct) that the six 
operators are really necessary for strong and long decays on many sounds.  
Possibly the new approach would make that redundant?  I don't know.

At any rate, after lots and lots of consumer products and no new 
"professional" equipment for awhile, it looks like Yamaha finally got their 
act together.  This looks like an answer to the CZ101, perhaps cementing 
Yamaha as the all-around industry leader in keyboards.

Aha, but what does Roland have up their sleeve?  Apparantly, they and Korg are 
doing nothing more than copies of FM now that the initial two years on patent 
of FM technology are up.

No new keyboards from Yamaha except DX7 II (not sure what that is, but it 
doesn't have weighted action).  Guess the KX88 is it, unless Kawai's actually 
comes out and is as good as their electric pianos.  I've heard it isn't ready 
and also that it's out in late March.  I've heard it's weighted and that it 
isn't, that it's 73 keys and also 88 keys.  Man, this is going to be some 
complex keyboard controller!


				Mark

    > 6 operators... necessary.. for long decays...
    
    I'd like to hear the logic behind that.
    
    Edd doubtful_but_no_FM_genius

RE: Note 579.10 by REGENT::SCHMIEDER 

>Too bad it's not six operators vs. four.  A passive NOTER who reads but does 
>not write notes here informed me (if my memory is correct) that the six 
>operators are really necessary for strong and long decays on many sounds.  
>Possibly the new approach would make that redundant?  I don't know.

	One thing the Keyboard blurb brought out about the four-op configuration
on this new module is that it is capable of producing more than just sine
waves in the oscillator - thus bringing more flexibility per operator.  It said
that it used to take all four operators to produce a sawtooth, which will now be
available using only one.  And it will have 8 different waveforms, not just one!
Sounds like a real winning product.

	Correct me if I'm wrong, but it also looks like it will be fully
programmable, unlike the FB-01.  Did the rest of you get that out of it?
I'm beginning to save my pennies!

	Dan

    Ok. Upgrade your FM programs to multiply sawtoot and
    6 other waveform choices (besides sine) together. Dont
    know...think the result may pretty 'clagourous'. 
    
    16 voice multi-timbral with front panel programming in
    a single rack. 12 bit D/A insteada 10. $499 list.
    Best(?) price so far: "$439. I'll have some this wednesday".....
   
    Do I have $439?  Well, do I, punk?  

    Will it make my day? 
    
    Well,4 operators go a loooong way on most sounds. Fb01 took
    some short cuts on velocity, but I am quite pleased with Fb01. 
    Havent heard an argument yet that *requires* 6 ops......oh, and
    gee you could use all those 4 sawtooths slightly detuned for
    a string section.... and THATS only 1 of 16 voices. well, what
    will the other 15 be, sir?
    whew.
    
    rjr

    The DX7 II D is now available in the shops here in France. I just
    saw one in a shop in Cannes last week. It was not connected and
    I did not have enough time to stay and try it out.
    
    The guy said that if I would put 16000,- FF on the counter I could
    take it with me at once, well I didn't.
    
    Svein.
    

    I just played the DX-7 IID (the one w/o the floppy) at Daddy's in
    Salem, N.H.  The store was noisy, so I didn't get to critically
    listen for improved sound (due to the 16-bit DAC) but I'd say from
    what I remember there *WAS* noticable improvement.  I'd like to
    test it againt my 'old' DX-7 in a quiet room!  Having 32 'performance
    memories' is nice, to store your frequently-used splits, duals,
    with voice number, split point, lots of other parameters.  
    
    No detailed review here until I get more time with one ... they
    were asking aroun $2,400 for the FD and $2,200 for the D.  They
    also had the new TX81Z (I think that is what it's called) for $499.
    
                           -Jim

I may be obtaining an _original_ DX7 during the santa holiday.

Can anyone say what the major limitations of this device are?
Is it velocity sensitive? Pressure sensitive? How many voices?
How many patches in memory?

(I seem to recall something about MIDI channel limitations.)

Thanks,
/Mitch

	The original DX7 is velocity, aftertouch sensitive, has 61 keys...

	Its limitations:  Can only transmit on MIDI ch 1 and does not transmit
all velocity values (I believe it is limited to 118 on the upper end, as opposed
to 128).  The sound is good but not void of noise/grunge.

	Dan

	There *are* mods available to get past some of these limitations - most
notable is the one made by E!.  I don't have any details on it, though.

	Dan

    The E! mod is well worth it, if you can get it.  I'm not sure
    many dealers are carrying it any more.
    
    I typed in a lengthy review some time ago, but I can't seem to find it.
    
    By the way, the most I ever saw out of my unmodified DX7 was velocity
    = 109.
    
    I still like my DX7 very much, especially in light of the 6000 free
    patches that I have.  I don't forsee selling it any time soon,
    and I have never had any trouble with it, in 5 years of mileage.
    
    Steph