anyone help... usage of a DX100

hey people, i recently aquired a DX100 at a bargain price, i kinda figured i might not be able to use it properly until i sort a mixing desk out but i was just wondering if its possible at all for me to use it with what i have

the soundcard is an EMU 0404 and has balanced jack inputs free at the moment, would it be possible to take the output from the DX into one of these, and connect the midi as normal?

any help appreciated, its no biggie not using it now but id like to as its just sitting here since i got it

thanks

I`d flog it. It`s a digital synth, and seeing as it`s processor is nowhere near the power of current day PC`s, it`s more of an expensive paperweight than anything.
Why anyone buys digital hardware these days is beyond me.
If your gonna get hardware, then get analogue. True analogue. Rather than analogue synthesis, as it`s processor based.

What I would advise is doing a dig for rolands DX7 preset library, as they can be loaded into Native Instruments FM7
These roland banks are hard to get unless you are mates with proper studio bods, but they are worth getting.

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Originally Posted by dirty_bass

I`d flog it. It`s a digital synth, and seeing as it`s processor is nowhere near the power of current day PC`s, it`s more of an expensive paperweight than anything.
Why anyone buys digital hardware these days is beyond me.
If your gonna get hardware, then get analogue. True analogue. Rather than analogue synthesis, as it`s processor based.

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wot about the Virus Ti synth's they kick the arse of any software synth i've ever used!

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Originally Posted by fresh_an_funky_design

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Originally Posted by dirty_bass

I`d flog it. It`s a digital synth, and seeing as it`s processor is nowhere near the power of current day PC`s, it`s more of an expensive paperweight than anything.
Why anyone buys digital hardware these days is beyond me.
If your gonna get hardware, then get analogue. True analogue. Rather than analogue synthesis, as it`s processor based.

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wot about the Virus Ti synth's they kick the arse of any software synth i've ever used!

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I haven`t found much in any of these new synths you can`t do with good soft synths.
Most people just don`t know the good stuff as they stick to old tried and tested names.
Native instruments etc.
There is some astonishing stuff out there, that blows away the hardware market, that`s still basically stuck in the same old analogue replication loop.

Try

Wusik Station
Void
Performer
for a start.

i think one of the main issues with hardware vs softsynths is the converter aspect, soundcards have converters that are designed to be all things to all sounds whereas the ones on a hardware synth are soley dedicated to making that synth sound as good as possible.

You will find that most hardware synths, have an exciter over the output.
That`s all it is.
There are plenty of good exciters in software versions out there.

Theres a few angles to look at it:

Theres analogue, which is just DIFFERENT (not better or worse) to what you can do with computers.

Theres proper "instruments", synths and shit that just work best because of their interface. You play them. They have some sort of character that makes them unique.

And another reason to use hardware is to save your CPU usage or when playing live.


With that said, I also don't see why some people buy into the majority of overpriced results of corporate marketing out there. But when you know what you need and what you want, there is some great kit around that software doesn't come close to touching. And vice versa. Computers and softsynths are just brilliant.

errr well ok, it was cheap as chips so snapped it up whilst i was a little flush, so was really looking for getting a little use out of it... had a play around with it and there are some cool sounds so id definately like to at least try and get it going how id like...

thanks anyway

you might have to fiddle with timing offsets in your sequencer to get it to sync up with what's going on inside the computer, but lots of people go mixerless with their external hardware coming straight into the comp.

Erm, I don't mean to be rude but what all these Nooobs (thats newbies not knobs) forgot to say is that the DX100 is to Detroit what the TR303 is to Chicago. Yes Native Instruments FM7 does the same stuff, but its very processor intensive and I cant say I trust the code they churn out. Abletons Operator will also produce very similar sounds and is a good synth despite what all the whiners on the Ableton forums say. Normally I'm pretty pro-software (all my stuff is done in purely in Reason these days) but I'd say keep it if its classic Techno sounds that youre after. Check out the people who have used one - off the top of my head Derrick May, Jeff Mills, Kevin Saunderson. The DX100 is a 4 Operator FM Synthesizer not a PCM sample based Workstation.

You have a classic, good piece of equipment there! Keep it and, more importantlly, use it!

Yeah, saunderson etc still use the bloody thing, which is why their sound has progressed by a Rambo`s leap of an inch in the last 20 years.

maybe they dont want their sound to progress tho, maybe he's happy doing the tracks he's doing, if so, u cant argue with that really...

again, anyone with useful suggestions lemme know

In terms of midi, what you suggested should be fine.

The DX100 is a great 12bit synth and has a lot of crunch to it, and sounds a hell of a lot better then the FM7 at times, but it depends on what your after and programming ability !YES the the FM7 can be used to make and load Dx100 sounds but they don't sound as good in our opinion and we've tested it repeatedly , I'm a lover of all synths hardware and software and its your own right to by any synth you feel like ,weather its hardware or software that you think will express your creativity ...all this software vs. hardware debate is crap ... cause they both rock.

I think the point is, is that it is a processor based synth.
To replicate it, just download the sounds into an fm7.
Wack it through a bit crusher set to 12 bit.
And then an exciter.
Magic.

IMO the DX100 is a winner. I used to have a DX21 till it broke, and I agree with the others that FM7 doesnt sound the same (I love FM7 though) for the gritty bass sounds the DX is famous for... in fact I might score myself a DX100 from somewhere...

i'm not going to argue that some of the new software doesn't sound really good, because it does. but i don't think the cpu power comparison says it all.

with digital hardware there can be different ways of implementing the synth. some digital hardware uses the exact same philosophy as a computer, with a strong cpu doing most of the processing, and the rest of the electronics just providing knob inputs and such, and of these kinds, i think the comparison is fair. but there are also digital synths that have a more analog philosophy, using more descrete parts. they might have a smaller/slower cpu, but dedicated dsp chips and custom made ic's for different functions, giving them all the power they need, and making them harder to replicated in software.

i know that my sampler from 1999 is like that. it's cpu is noticably sluggish and you have to be patient when changing screens or loading samples, but the circuit board is covered in dsps, and it has enough juice to play 128 notes with 72 filters, 72 eqs, and 6 reverbs. my 2 year old P4 couldn't run that many plugins to save it's life.

yeah, but we are talking about a DX100 here.
I had both a DX7 and a DX21.
Both which have been sold as I transferred all the banks over to PC, and with correct processing, found I could make the same output.
It is nice admittedly to have the hands on of a keyboard.
But with the DX series, they weren`t exactly hands on keyboards.

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Originally Posted by dirty_bass

But with the DX series, they weren`t exactly hands on keyboards.

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I totally agree there man. I get way more fun out of FM7 tweaked with the midibox on the fly. Assigning controls takes 2 clicks and a knob twist letting you get very creative.

With a DX(x) keyboard, everythings a pain in the arse.

Aaaanway. I think driving the DX via midi on the pc, and then routing back into the soundcard should be fine. You may have to mess with the sync delay a little.

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Originally Posted by dirty_bass

I haven`t found much in any of these new synths you can`t do with good soft synths......

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2 notes here...

1. I sold all my digital hardware synths and went all analog hardware (+vst's) on the same thought process.. However one exception to the rule is the Electron Monomachine. I added it as the only digital synth of my studio. This thig produces sound that I can't touch with any of my VST's and I love programming on it. But otherwise... f**k digital hardware.

2. I find the key to softsynths is get a good soundcard with low noise ratio and invest in an external analog processor/tube to run an analog efx loop. Almost every VST in my collection goes through my Resonator before I render it down. It's a night and day difference in presence.

f**k digital hardware

thats a bit silly, and not really the response i was lookin for.... synths such as the DX series have played a huge part in bringin dance/techno to where it is now, so to say "**** digital hardware" is, imo, a rash and pretty unjust opinion.... maybe u could of said they are not to your tastes personally ;)

Steve... cheers, that was the help i wanted ta mate, il try and get it goin as soon as possible