Yamaha DX7

So once we start getting into these, this is the ones I'm really interested in and on this one, it's LC instead of L, a laser sweep and, as I understa...

Modulation, synthesis and it was able to produce very unpredictable sounds so the artists would have a brand-new palette of sounds to pick from.

Ended up pulling the trigger on a DX7 off reverb a couple of weeks back… Unfortunately it wasn’t packed too well and I received it in a state much worse than I anticipated. Hoping I can work something out with the seller, but is what it is I suppose - has anyone else had similar experiences?

Additionally, you can change the the harmonic character by changing the integer frequency ratio between operators, add or remove atonality by making the ratio more or less non-integer, and add warble/vibrato/wah-wah effects by detuning the operators like you would two independent oscillators on a subtractive synth. And of course, you can put an LFO on the pitch of the output or even on each individual operator’s level or ratio. This is a rather full set of features, and that’s with only two operators.

After the Elektron Digitone and Volca FM were launched the prices of these skyrocketed to at around $600 which in my opinion it is NOT worth it. I have a DX7, and it sounds amazing but the itch for a DX200 still lingered, because the DX7 cannot be tweaked live (without a supermax card). So browsing the local ads I found one guy that was selling his, he had it in storage since 2003, he wanted 600 (because of internet) prices, we talked and we agreed on 400.

It's a historical relic and while very cool, you can get the fm sound for free via a vst like Dexed, or you can look at some of the other available fm options. The dx7 isn't fun to program and the midi is more limited than the more rare dx7mk2. If you haven't already, I recommend taking a look at the korg Opsix, which is a wonderful 6 operator fm synth that's modernized and enhanced in more ways than just UI.

Not worth it. The DX7 is so well emulated on pc and on ios/android that allow for better programming and patch management that getting the hardware is a bit silly for the sound alone, and there are plenty of other, better late 80s / early 90s synths that feature the FX20 or FS style keybeds of the DX7. Getting an SY77 makes more sense.

To be honest, unless you are an incredibly specific kind of person, you will be much better served by an opSix, the software Dexed, or any other modern FM instrument. The learning curve to get great sounds out of the DX7 is steep, and the user interface is a slog.

As with most synths, the strength is once you design sounds on in and the dx7's large parameter set and small interface takes some getting used to. As for getting rid of the dx7, I'd say hang onto it for a few months and make a real effort to learn to design sounds on it (consider using software to give you a simpler interface); if you don't feel like you gel with it, then keeping it because it was a good deal seems pointless.