You should bypass the effects section on both instruments. Volca has only a simple chorus and I can hear lots of reverb, delays and what not on DX7. It's nearly impossible to compare the sounds.
Hi paul, many thanks for stopping by and your feedback. There are parts where no effects are used at all. There are also parts where FX is used to recreate the tone of the 80's original. Where FX is used, it is used on both, so this shouldn't be a problem. For example: 2:31 Marimba Volca FM NO FX 2:50 Marimba DX7 NO FX. However, the first part 2:12 of Marimba playing the original 80's song - a delay FX was used. Ultimately this isn't a scientific test - just a quick look at the two - and a bit of fun. I hope you can enjoy it this way.
When you play "One more night" the sounds are very different, but sure, still fun to listen to. I was very curious cause DX7 was a dream synth of my youth ;)
I thought that too. A fairer comparison would also have seen the Volca FM with a Retro-Kits RK-002 MIDI Processing lead with the Volca FM firmware upgrade in the Orange connector.
Sure, the DX7 sounds better overall and has more voices, so if you're playing at home with plenty of space or in the studio, it's the better option. But if you're playing gigs and you've got your drum machine, your analog, your sampler, etc, no one has the space for a DX7 too! The FM has surprisingly great sound and deep functions for incredible versatility, and can fit in your coat pocket. So convenient! I have a feeling that they'll be looked back on as a classic from this era 36 years from now, just as the DX7 is today.
Hi Sean. Thanks for the comments. I can see your reasoning fits in well with that. I have both - so I'm not likely to take out the DX7ii anywhere - although it does have a nice flight case :)
I agree with you too, but, i m considering to replace my Nord Electro with a DX7 for the unique EP - i really dislike the Nords sounds, Triton Extreme is too fragile, Yamaha S80 is to heavy...and i wouldnt buy a Motif or montage just to use A couple of sounds...Probably the best would be a TX7 + Volca kind of duo...
This comparison would sound much closer on Volca FM Mk2 because of velocity over MIDI support added in second revision. Mk1 owners can also have velocity with unofficial firmware. I got unofficial firmware 1.09 on my Mk1 and velocity works flawlessly (Minilogue OG as MIDI keyboard). Unofficial firmware also improves compatibility with sysex patches and fixes some LFO bugs which might make some patches sound different or even wrong. Still there is some sonic difference between Volca FM and Dexed and I presume DX7 too - without real DX7 and testing it myself its really had to say but FM and DX7 do feel slightly different. That said I wouldn't conclude DX7 sounds better or that Volca sounds better - they just sound very slightly different.
I think the sad truth for DX7 enthusiasts is that the Volca FM approximates the DX7 well enough to reasonably fill any need for FM synthesis, albeit at a compromise. The problem with this demonstration is you are not hearing the synths mixed in with the other musical instruments, a process that sometimes involves EQing out the very frequencies that make the DX7 sound richer. For $200 (including the RK002) I have a portable 3 voice DX7 that can be controlled with my MIDI controller of choice. I don't want to lug a DX7 around. Compromises. :)
Hi Haze Anderson! Hands down the Volca FM is Korg's best Volca. I love the others, but they all have crazy stupid limitations. This one is full featured. Glad you got the RK002. I'd like to try one out. My DX7ii sits packed away most of the time - so you're probably right about it being big and cumbersome :)
Seeing as I just bought an original mint DX7 for $300, I can't say it can. This video is awesome as it compares the two but sadly, it is comparing a DX7 II-FD to a Volca FM. This is a 16bit version of the DX7 being compared to a 16bit version of the DX7. The original was 12bit and really truly does sound different. While the Volca FM is decent (especially if compared to the 4-operator Reface DX), it's far too crisp to give you that true feel. Now, a volca FM through let's say a Korg ES-1 decimator effect, you might get a bit closer. Personally, for the extra $100, I'd rather have a full board that feels amazing and not have to squeeze fingers into tiny places to making any changes or anything, not to mention the teeny-tiny-eye-strain-o vision.
I have both, I use the DX7ii for the studio and the volca FM for live. The DX is another level for sound quality but the volca isn’t bad at all for a cheap run around. The volca fm and Roland boutiques have literally saved my life touring!
+ranzee av No problem! The DX7 strings weren't that analog sounding, but the DX7II strings sounded fat and more analog because of the great dual layering function and overall better sound!
This is a little confusing. As Korgi Polymer noted, the E. Piano sounds much duller in the Volca. When playing the bass sound, it also sound duller until you increase the Velocity slider. Still, when you play a bass line on the DX7, I can clearly hear that some notes get a little brighter due to harder velocity, just as it should be. When the same thing is played back on the Volca, all notes are equally loud. This leads me to a question: Does the Volca respond dynamically to incoming velocity, or does the slider only increase velocity to a higher, FIXED value?
Hi Sven. Thanks so much for your question. The Volca doesn't respond to velocity via MIDI. The slider will allow you to change the velocity value up and down between 0 and 127. I find it difficult to play this in a live scenario. You could potentially get the E. Piano to sound similar - but there would still be subtle differences between the two synths. There are 3rd party tools that can implement velocity via MIDI. Example: RetroKits make a passive MIDI cable (RK002) which has a chip inside that powers off the low voltage of MIDI itself - more info here: www.retrokits.com/rk002/. I've ordered one - but it hasn't arrived yet. Also, I hope you appreciate, that I'm by no means being scientific in this video. It really is just a bit of fun and I don't have any formal experience doing this.
Okay, so it plays at a fixed velocity. Good to know. And also good to know about the RetroKits device. I'll be really interested in learning how it works, once you get it. Please report back. Playing DX7 sounds without the proper velocity range makes Volca pretty useless for me. What a strange shortcut from a respected company like Korg. ranzee, your video is fine! I appreciate you efforts very much and so do many others, I'm sure. :-)
Pointless comparison unless you've got the velocity sensitive midi cable for volca fm. Glider ain't the same in expression. And sometimes when putting patches into the volca, some settings can be changed or not on. Dx7 does sounds better, but you've got to compare price.
Nice comparison! This answered some questions I've had about the Volca FM. I wonder if the DAC in the Volca is more like an original DX7 or the MkII version like yours? That makes a huge difference! I miss my DX7-II. I have an original version with E! now. I mostly just miss the backlight! The other thing is how different the Volca sounds! That surprised me. Very different timbre with the same patches.
Hey Moot :) It can be a little deceiving - the Volca doesn't respond to velocity (without 3rd party intervention), and the DX7 does. The patches could just be sounding different because of the velocity setting not being exact. This is near impossible to do in a demo situation, as you can imagine. The D/A converter in the DX7ii is much nicer than in the original DX7 - and in a mix, you really wouldn't tell. I haven't heard much about what Korg have used for the D/A - a lot of the components in the Volcas are surface mount - and tiny. Perhaps a tear-down is in order? In most cases, I did make sure I wasn't layering voices - so that the patches sounded as close to an original DX7 as possible (with exception to the D/A). Actually, one thing that I find quite pleasing about the Volca FM is the Chorus - it is almost like they've modeled it off the Chorus that Kenny Loggins used ;) Thanks for stopping by mate!
ranzee av Nice video man! And yes, that chorus is lovely! I only just learned about this velocity limitation...even with the Retrokits cable, tis a shame! I hope Korg addresses this eventually.
The Volca's emu core is closer to the Dexed VST (you should hear the difference with the Dx7 on the whistle or Guitar 2 patch), and runs on a small ARM embedded CPU. The emulation isn't really close enough for the DAC to make a difference I'd say.
boptillyouflop Hey, thanks for the comment. I'm not familiar with Dexed so much - I've used it to transfer some sysex - but that's about it. Great tip!
I hear "One more night" and I quickly hit LIKE! :) Just a tiny question... Do I understand well that you can basically send patches/samples directly to the internal memory of your volca fm? What will happen to the default sounds once you do that? Is it semi-permanent in a way that once you turn off your device, the sounds will be still available somewhere when you turn on your device or am I wrong? I think that I'll purchase the volca fm very soon. Decided that it will be more suitable for me compared to volca keys. Would be glad to get some things sorted out. Cheers mate.
Hi oDJOldskull! It has been a long time since I did this video! But off the top of my head, I think you're correct in your assumption about it going to a temporary patch memory. There's some good unofficial firmware progression on the Volca FM since I filmed this - and it may make it more attractive to get. There's videos on my channel detailing this.
@@ranzee Superb! Can't wait then :) . However, my friend is selling a Korg Monologue and now I'm all like "Which one should I get" :) Obviously price tag is one thing, space is another but the features the monologue gives to the hands of an amateur... simply amazing.
Even if there is some sacrifice in sound I must say that the lack of push button menu diving is refreshing. I do miss the full size keys of the DX but I'm tighter on space now than I was 20 years ago so... Honestly I'm just happy the Volca is brown like my old.
great vid, very interesting, it's close, the famous bass patch sounded thinner on the korg. is it the same number operators, what's the poly on the korg?
Ok so I've heard the fm on its own and it sounds cheap but at the same time it has a sequencer that can record knob movement...you can save presets and have a delay and a few other cool features. I feel like I can get a more beefy sounds with a little processing or maybe just a preamp? Correct me if I'm wrong
I have a tx7.. but i never used it .. i think i'm going to have to set it up .. i still want a volca fm for when i do backpacking trips in the woods.. .. can you make patches on the volca and save them to the tx7?
Hi jetset808! Thanks for the cool question. AFAIK you can interchange patches on the TX7 with the DX7, so therefore you should be fine with the Volca FM - as it is basically a DX7 engine. Give it a try and let me know - :)
Well the volca defo sounds bad compared to the DX7! Similar timbre, but totally different harmonic content. Sounds like most soft synths. Also the video is a bit confusing - did you load the patches from the dx7 on to the volca to compare? That was implied but not very clear thanks.
You should match the velocities on both synths. We can't really compare Volca which has a fixed velocity set with a slider with a DX7 being played dynamically with a velocity sensitive keyboard.
Hi Rok, I think this video was a fairly early one of mine - I probably should have done a lot of things to perfect it :) Thanks for watching. Hopefully my newer content is improved :)
@@ranzee You could play both with the same keyboard and a velocity filter in between, so DX7 would play at the same velocity as the Volca. And I think the most important thing to judge when comparing DX7 clones to the real thing is the heft and 3D-ness of sound. Most emulations can't get there. DX7 sounds very physical, very tangible and has weight to it.
Honestly I'd be more interested in seeing someone try to program a patch that sounds the same on the volca FM - just because the parameters don't map perfectly to the dx7, doesn't mean its not capable of making a similar sound.
Hi gavin! So we can do this from scratch, using the parameter controls - However, it does have the same algorithms - so I'm guessing the SYSEX dump vs programming by hand isn't going to render anything of distinction. I think the subtleties lie in the D/A circuit differences, and the obvious lack of velocity (which has been discussed at length in these comments). Thanks for watching :)
Hi Simon, there's a new firmware (unofficial) that enables better patch transfer from dexed and also a velocity fix - no need for 3rd party hardware - and it's free! Details in my video: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-LpsWfjiwGUg.html
during noodle time i found that the harmonics started sounding better. I think it just needs to be tweaked more to get closer to that upper harmonic content that the DX7 has. either that or it might have been different gain staging??
Hi Elijah :) Nothing that elaborate - the setup used a MX-1 mixer :) The same settings for all of the vid. My ears probably aren't as tuned as yours - but I do think its due to the D/A's being different.
Thanx for your very nice work of comparison! I think, old DX7 sounds much better than new volca FM. Now I have to save money to get that old synthi. I really like old Equinoxe theme - I have to look for old LP in my cellar ;)
ranzee av Finding A dx7 in good condition without completely dead membrane buttons working sliders and decent looks is much tougher than it sounds . The ones in good Condition are around 600 bucks now.
Yep - that's why I got the DX7II - because of my dislike of the membrane. For the die-hards, the only major difference is the D/A - but really it is negligible in the mix. They are built better too. Better keyboard, voices, layering, UI, everything ...
Dread Shade Thats right. I remember 10 years ago you couldnt give a DX7 away. Now theyre changing hands for 400 to 800 pounds in decent condith. I have an old MK1 the casing has damage on each side. But the internals work perfectly and the keybed is still one of the best ever.
I have a question. When you are in the menu and the volume parameter means something other than the volume (let's assume it's feedback) Is it going to change the feedback feedback by giving automation to the volume knob ???
DX7 beats the Volca FM for sure; however, I'm curious if the plain could be evened with some clever EQ work and a quality chorus pedal. Regardless, for 140 bucks, the FM really exceeds expectations.
Hi DigitalFacts! Thanks for the nice comments. Kenny sure would :) Dangerzone was the song for anyone else reading these comments and was wondering what we are talking about ;) It featured in the movie Top Gun.
Hi Adamski, a keyboard split can't be done afaik without 3rd party tools. you can detune using the parameter edits, FM synthesis is a bit different to subtractive, but it is possible.
Hi Hrafn, thanks for the question! You can download these DX7 patches from the Internet (and many more) - there's plenty of sites which provide them freely - and some that also do charge for the service (I wont link them here - as I'm not going to single out anyone unfairly to the others). You can then use programs like Sysex Librarian (Mac) or MIDI OX (PC) to transfer them to your volca :) Good luck :)
Thats very cool - my earlier comment I was asking about that, as it seemed like thats what you were doing, but I thought my imagination might have been dolling it up a bit lol
a lot of the sound variation in this video is directly tied to the volca velocity, 3:42 if the Volca velocity was up just a little higher the timbre would be a lot brighter right there, it's very sensitive.
The volca is a nice attempt, but honestly, the DX7 being made by Yamaha and the Volca by Korg, there's bound to be differences in sound. DX7 sounds fuller, Volca sounds thin to me, but I sure wouldn't mind having one. It's the same principal when installing DX7 sysex files to the Korg Kronos, of course it's going to sound better when loaded to Montage.
Hi Wentzel, I don't think I had any issues. However, it may be the velocity or the LFO rate. Some people report those being different when importing patches.
it's definitely a problem with the lfo wav shape being s + h . if i switch it to 0 (triangle?) the glitches go away. shame because i think s+h is the most interesting wav and i can't have a faithful portable fm with the original patches like i intended. im actually annoyed because korg advertises that you can import dx7 patches.. but doesn't mention that some will be glitched..
i've tried dumping the original 32 dx7 patch bank from 3 different programs dexed being one of them . every sound sounds fine on that (that i notice) besides brass s h ..no matter which program i use. when i turn lfo off the glitches go away, but then i lose the lfo effect that makes that patch so it becomes pointless
if your plan is to play the midi into the fm to use the sequencer why did you overwrite all the patches on the volca fm? it's midi so it's not utilizing the audio function anyway except from the main source of audio on the dx7.
Hi Clayton, I did transfer the banks from the dx7 at the start of the video. I'll explain: I'm not showing how you can use a DX7 via MIDI as a "MIDI Controller" - I'm showing how the DX7 sounds compared to the Volca FM. Both instruments need to have the exact same patches (sounds) in order for this comparison to work. The beauty of the Volca FM - is that it accepts the same Sysex data format as the DX7. So the start of the video shows how I transfer the patches from the DX7 to the Volca FM - in order for them to both have the same sounds. The video should show when I switch the audio between the two synths - over a few "famous" examples. By all means, it wasn't meant to be scientific - just a bit of fun :)
@3:04 One More Night by Phil Collins. Nice comparison. It seems like the DX7 has a fatter sound. The Korg sounds thin in comparison. Very cool that you can transfer patches. I didn't know about that. I'll have to give that a try on my DX7.
Correct! Thanks - the sysex transfer is so easy. You can download patches and also use MIDI-OX (Win) or Sysex Librarian (Mac). So long as they're DX7/ii patches - it will work :)
i have a dx 9 that sounds better than my dx 7 i used to own or my tx81z but why??? theres something about the dx 9 that the other yamaha fms are missing. maybe the dac is a little different??
Hi chemosis! I think so. A lot of comments even on this video people stating there's a difference between the DX7 and DX7II sound due to the DAC. Thanks for watching :)
That's interesting... I think DX7 sounds better because DX7 seems to have less bits per sample. You can hear it especially at 7:00. PianoBell from DX7 has some grain due to 12bit samples while PianoBell from VolcaFM sounds much smoother (more Sine-like). It gives DX7 sound more live and power.
generally speaking, 16bit era of digital synths is hugely underrated. I think it's because consumer level technology from that era is absolutely horrible, somehow people mix these two. they think anything 16-bit is just crappy. truth is some of 12-bits gear sounds absolutely shit and most of 16-bit gear sounds just fine and professional
Well the volca fm is capable enough to reproduce almost perfectly the dx7 patches but truth be told the real thing has a much more organic behaviour while playing.
Hi jiGGins :) Thanks for watching. All Volcas have a certain "sound" - which to my ears doesn't exude high quality ... hence the old saying: "you get what you pay for" ;)
The Volca sounds much thinner and flatter. The Electric Piano is especially disappointing. Is this a six-Op synth? You wouldn't know. I would just get Dexed, which sounds as good or better.
geoffk777 Nothing will ever faithfully capture the sound 100% from the original DX7. Those old warm creamy 12 bit dacs are lost in the 80s. But I think what Korg have achieved in such a small compact inexpensive unit is pretty special. They have put Yamaha to shame. Who REALLY should deliver to the world a genuine 21st century 6 op DX7 WITH AN ULTRA MODERN USABLE interface. Nothing would cause a bigger stir in the synth world than that.
Dexed is what comes closest to the original DX7. Just because it's free doesn't mean it's less capable than f.e. FM8 from Native Instruments. There's a comparison video on RU-vid where a guy compares Dexed vs the DX7 and they are SO close. Dexed even emulates the original 12 bit gritty sound of the DX7 (vs the D7II).
DX7 and DX7II is pretty damn different :p DX7ii has two dx7 engines in it and has less nice thanks to a better DAC than the original DX7. People gotta stop tagging the 2 as the standard DX7
Hi Louis-andré! The DAC improvements was to get rid of a noisy output that a lot of people complained about on the original DX7. Other than that - the architecture inside is essentially the same. The fact that you can dual/layer sounds, and it has new patches is where the differences lie. If you set patches the same and single mode - it would take some very good ears to tell the difference.
This is sad. I might consider that cable, since I own a volca sample (i guess its the same cable but you reinstall new firmware). I'm not entirely sure yet though, it really is mind boggling how the could miss such an important thing
Hehe Grimly Ghost that's the reason why we see all these tiny volcas and boutiques being released today. The challenge isn't where to store it, it's how often you'd use it. That's for watching!
One thing to consider about this comparison is that the volca fm has the grit of the early dx7 model...you are using the newer and smoother sounding dx7 II
Hi Nathan, this has been discussed here before. The only audible difference between the DX7 and DX7II is the D/A converter. That means less hiss. So, I wouldn't call it smoother. You can use single layered patches on the DX7II and they are identical to the DX7.
A signal passing 16 bit DAC will never be identical to 12bit. This point has been proven. Go into any major forum and look at "comparisons between dx7 & dx7 II" you will notice the term "smoother" is used often....also the original dx7 is described as being "warmer" & "grittier" Don't take my word for it.. (I also own both and agree with the opinion)
Fair enough, we are all entitled to our opinions :) After having both the DX7 and DX7II, I'll stand by my decision to part with the DX7 - as I couldn't stand the hiss out of the DX7 - it was horrid.
I respect your opinion too! Either way the volca is excellent value and surprisingly deep in its tone capabilities despite the limited voices! I use mine very often! Great content man Cheers :)
Don't know if anyone has pointed it out yet, but that's not a REAL DX7 you have there, doesn't sound like one, has none of the "Mojo" you might as well be testing the Volca FM against FM8 or some other software. The O.G DX7 has 12 bit DAC's, Mono output, different Op Amps, what you have there is just software in a really basic computer, it aint no DX7
The first tune sounds like David Lynch, but can't say for sure. I have the DX7 II FD and after watching this think I'll get the Volca fm to go along with it. I don't really like the Volca fm alone it's a bit too thin sounding, but it would make a great accompaniment for the DX.
Hi Coletta! Thanks for watching. Gosh, such an old video of mine - and hugely embarrassing! However, I still have the DX7-IIFD and my Volca FM! So more than happy to get geeky with discussions on how you are using them together! I run a live stream on Saturdays - and I think this is going to be a great topic for us to explore. 2PM UTC time if you can make it - no biggy if you can't, you can always catch the replay which is posted on my channel later.
Hi Tymosxior, within the 260 comments (and growing) - I'll think you'll find there's a mixed opinion. Listing Pros and Cons might be a good start for you to decide what is best for you. You'll know if your decision is based on features, budget, sound, ease of use, form factor etc. As you can see saying something is better is subjective to an individual's situation. Hope this helps - and by all means discuss with us what your thoughts are.
Seems wrong (right?) to point out that New Order and Kenny Loggins used the same preset bass sound. Your (possible) sins against humanity aside, thanks for this video. Nice work. ;)
Hi syrupcore :) hehe - I was thinking the same thing. It's hard to believe, but back in the 80's there wasn't a lot of "options" - the DX7 was quite revolutionary, and many musicians "just had to have that sound" in their songs. Now we are all "meh" ;) Thanks for stopping by, and the nice comments :)
I was expecting more expression from the Volca. You've sold me... on the DX7II FD. (Now if I can just find the guy I sold mine too (with grey Matter E! card) and buy it back from him, I'm all set.) Wait. I have FM8, which loads all DX 4 Op and 6 Op patches and has up to 64 note polyphony, with effects and arpeggiator built in, for nearly the same price. I wish Korg and Yamaha would make some real product for a change. They could make a Super DX7 on a flash drive if they wanted, instead of building 'toys for tots'.
Hi Edwin :) lol - that's why I'm a hoarder ;) I'm always worried about the day I want my old bit of gear back! I agree with you - there could be much better velocity implementation on the Volca FM (cross fingers they might add it to a firmware update). A few people here have commented that the Reface DX is worth a look - not sure as I haven't really tried it ...
Hi, and thanks for your question :) I don't own a Reface DX (I thought they were overpriced). Although I have played one in the store, and they are OK. They are a little different in specs to the Volca FM with only 4 operators and 12 algorithms (as opposed to 6 operators and 32 algorithms in the Volca FM which is the same as the original DX7). However the Reface DX does have more polyphony with 8 vs 3 on the Volca. I've seen a few DX7 vs Reface DX videos on RU-vid - so you could do a search and watch them? Were you thinking of getting one?
+ranzee av thanks for that additional info. I've been considering a Reface DX and CS... But perhaps a Minilogue and VolcaFM is also worth considering. Cheers
+MrBoxxed Whatever choice you make just know the Minilogue is such a good synth. I have some synths that are by all measurable means better than the Minilogue but the Minilogue still manages to land on great and unique sounds that I wouldn't know where to start in recreating them on the other gear. It is also a lot of fun to play with. Everything is so immediate.
Hi Member UUUS, thanks for your feedback. There's definitely a difference - and there's been quite a few comments in the discussion here on that. However, the Volca-FM is actually a 6-Operator FM (PM) synth - and Korg claims it has complete compatibility with the DX7 with 32 algorithms also. What you're probably hearing is more a lack of voices. The problem with having only 3 voices is that the notes sound diluted compared to a 16-voice DX7, and there's more reasons than just pure voice count - such as envelope tails, restarting etc. I was chatting to a friend about the Volca FM sound output vs the DX7 - and there's a constant hiss that comes out of the DX7 - and some people have added in this "noise" back into their Volca-FM recordings to make it sound more authentic. I've also heard of people getting two Volca-FMs ... for the $'s it is quite reasonable to do this I guess. Anyway all food for thought ;) enjoy!
Other than the velocity issues of the Volca (which can be solved with a Retrokits cable), they are very close. Once in the mix - it wouldn't be distinguishable. The Volca FM offers an excellent, affordable way to get that DX7 sound.
Yeah, the song is really cool, and represents one of the finest eras in synthesizer music for sure. I have done several covers myself, but the one thing that is pretty hard for me to hear, is how faltermeyer plays the bassline. It is simple, but also complex. But I never really sat down to try to listen to it an replicate it, not for real :). One day I might. Some years ago my nephew sat at the grand, just playing some stuff from some chords from some of the pop songs at the time that I don't even try to learn the titles for hehe (I'm not good at listening and learning popular music hehe). Then he played a fragment of axel foley main melody, and asked me if I knew that one. Doohh! :). I sat down at the grand and played the main melody and the bassline (the incorrect but good enough way I sorta learned how to play it) together, and it was so fun to see how his eyes almost fell out :P. So yeah, it's a good song. However - I have been meaning to ask you - the melodic / rythmic part in the beginning of the video (before you start playing with the marimba) - Exactly what synths did you use for it? I have owned a DX7 maaaany years ago, but never really played with it a lot (regretting many times I gave it away!!), it didn't really remind me of a DX7. What it instantly reminded me of tho, was the Korg Wavestation :).
This just illustrates a long established truth. The Dx7 has just fantastic D to A converters that are fat & fulsome across the whole audio spectrum. The art of the Digital to Analogue converter was lost LAST CENTURY and it just makes me weep that no one can remember what a D to A is supposed to sound like any more. The volca has insignificant bass presence and no sparkle by comparison. Thank goodness I already have a DX7, nothing FM I've tried has matched it for decades. My DX7 can produce bass that makes all the furniture in the house rattle :-) There's no point pointing the finger at Korg, it's everyone that has lost this art of the D to A. A valuable video though, even though it's bad news I'm not about to shoot the messenger, so thank you.
Hi Processdrone :) Thanks for your comments. I think the DX7II has an even better D/A converter than the original. They fixed up some big time noise issues. Everytime I play my DX7II, it sounds amazing. Hard to believe it is 30 years old tech. Luckily, the Volca-FM serves the purpose for those looking for that sound - but it hasn't in any way tainted the value and respect on these original Yamaha's.
Hi Telemann :) Thanks for taking time to watch and comment! I haven't played my DX7II for a while, you've just reminded me that I need to show it some love!
Hi Nigel - thanks for stopping by and making the time to comment. Really appreciate your contribution. I'm still probably leaning towards the DX7ii personally, just nice having all those voices :)
i've discovered that basic sound is worth fine tuning, and i mean tuning a lot! example: u set wrong velocity, and the sound is ruined. i've managed to tweek my volca bass to sounds some moog would envy, beyond i thought it was just a toy so stick with your gear, push it to the limits, discover new sounds and modes, and you'll be surprised how much of power contains in those small boxes, and that it is about proffesionality more than gathering every synth ever made (call it jean michel jarre fever)
Hi James! Some patches do - you can fiddle around with the velocity and LFO to get them similar. The sonic difference may be attributed to the age of the DX7ii-FD - around 30 years old now! Its also a little noisy in the line out compared to the Volca FM. Some of you have better ears than me, and might be picking up on differences that I can't hear too!
