Yamaha DX200 Desktop FM Synthesizer

6-operator, 16-note polyphonic FM synthesizer. 16-step analog-style sequencer.

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Overall User Ratings

Overall:: 9 out of 10
Features:: 9 out of 10
Quality:: 9 out of 10
Value:: 8 out of 10
I Want It:: 9 out of 10
Sound:: 9 out of 10
Ease of Use:: 0 out of 10
Support:: 10 out of 10

"A GREAT FM synth... at a super price!"

Overall:: 10 out of 10
Features:: 10 out of 10
Quality:: 10 out of 10
Value:: 10 out of 10

User: a customer from worldnet.att.net

Submitted: 9/9/2002

Style of Music: Ambient, Ambient-Techno, Hypno-Hop, Trip-Hop

Location: San Francisco

zZounds has verified that this customer bought this product from us.

Beautiful implemention of FM synthesis with analog-type controls: this sure beats programming FM synths from scratch. The onboard presets are very good and can be modified infinitely, or just construct your own sounds and play your own licks. Also a very good selection of drum presets that can be modified to your liking or dropped out of the mix entirely, if you just want to work with the synth.

LOW learning curve, but this doesn't mean that this isn't a serious professional box for live or studio work: it just means you don't have to sweat through pages of tech material before you can get down to producing your own music.

Enough knobs and sound-sculpting options to keep you going forever: an especially nice touch is the ALGORITHM setting, which allows you to dial through various combos of FM interaction in real time (something that took a major effort on older standard FM synths).

At the very least, use it as a 'groove box' for excellent FM synth sounds... or plug in a keyboard (or you can use the button row in keyboard mode) and use it as a straight FM synth: either way you won't be disappointed --at the current low price you'll be getting much more value than you can imagine. I, personally, wasn't expecting anything anywhere near this good. Now you can't pry me away from this baby!

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"Great value"

Overall:: 10 out of 10
Features:: 10 out of 10
Quality:: 8 out of 10
Value:: 10 out of 10
I Want It:: 10 out of 10

User: a customer from aol.com

Submitted: 11/25/2002

Style of Music: pop, techno, jazz, r&b

Location: Columbia SC

The other raters seemed to think that it was overpriced at >$200, but at the current price, it's a steal. It is basically 2 boxes in 1; a loop-techno type of box with a rudimentary sequencer and some cool live features, and a DX7 "under the hood". I bought it for the DX7. The factory presets are mostly techno, not much in the way of classic pop DX7 sounds (e.g. rhodes pianos). So you have to use the software & hook it up to a PC. If you are afraid of programming you can program the box from the knobs, but this only allows you to get at a limited number of functions. The software, on the other hand is awesome, and allows you to program the guts-e.g. all the envelope generators for each of the operators (sine wavs). I haven't figured out how to load DX7 patches into it yet, but I would assume that there is a way to do that. The software is actually a plug in that runs within a sequencer programmer, the light version of which you get for free with this box. Basically, think of it as a soft-synth except that you are not sucking up any CPU power. (after all, soft synths can easily run you $200).

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"A Must Have!"

Overall:: 9 out of 10
Value:: 10 out of 10
Sound:: 9 out of 10
Support:: 10 out of 10

Style of Music: Electronica

Location: Illinois, USA

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Overall:
The DX200 is a compact, inexpensive, user friendly, better sounding DX7 - What's not to like?!!! There are so many DX7 patches available that are compatible with the DX200, it's like a treasurechest for anyone who's into electronica and/or 80's music. FM may have faded from fashion but it's incredibly versatile and I wouldn't want to be without this piece of kit. (I bought the DX200 to use as a synth module so I won't comment on its sequencing functionality. )

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"Great idea, unfinished products."

Overall:: 6 out of 10
Features:: 8 out of 10
Quality:: 2 out of 10
Value:: 6 out of 10
I Want It:: 8 out of 10

User: a customer from mail.china.com

Submitted: 1/22/2002

Style of Music: electro

Location: Slovenia

The note dropping bug (when switching patterns) makes it unusable as a groovebox/synth&sequencer combo. It's good as a module, but one can get FM modules used for 1/10 the price. If Yamaha fixes the bugs in the software, I'll buy it, otherwise not.

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