TheSteven

Thanks for posting this. The electric Pianos & Organs have been missing a lot longer than 2004. I remember discussing this between '87 to '89 (odd memory - I don't remember who I was discussing it with only where and that locks in a time frame) that the banks had an "E" patch but not the pianos or organs with others DX7/DX7II owners and we just accepted it as a known glitch. So the DX hardware couldn't import the bad patch names either.

So if you remove the "." from the file name FM8 imports them OK?

Yes, FM8 Factory only has the 2 Reed Instruments. If you unselect FM8 Factory from filter you may see more presets as then you'd be applying filter to your entire library. A number of soft synths also come with an FX version. As you correctly surmised - it's so you can use the synth's FX section as an effect VST.

I've heard similar complaints with other DX synths. Apparently not all softsynths import/interpret the syx files the same. Another thing maybe be because the FM8 was modeled after the DX7II, if the Arturia's DX7 V was 'accurately' modeled after a DX7 that might also account for some of the differences. Per EvilDragon on GearSpace about DX7 (hardware) vs FM8 sound differences: "The math is the same, yes. Now, it depends on the calculator which does that math. DX7 had limited CPU power and I would think that samples in it weren't calculated as 32 or 64-bit floats, which is what FM8 is doing. That's why FM8 sounds "cleaner" and not as "grungy" - it has more precise calculations."

There's another page on this website that has DX7II patches: https://yamahablackboxes.com/collection/yamaha-dx7ii-fd-synthesizer/patches/ You can import the 'voice' patches (16 banks, 32 patches each) into FM8 but not the 'performance' syx files. Another source of DX7 Patches: https://homepages.abdn.ac.uk/d.j.benson/pages/html/dx7.html#patches 4 Brian Eno DX7 patches - these are just the settings, you'll have to enter them manually and save them) or download the PDF here: https://reverb.com/software/presets/reverb/2715-brian-eno-yamaha-dx7-patches

Ah ha! I forgot where that site was!

Don't know if it helps you but from what I recalI most of the issues are on non-windows machines. Regardless, the dev keeps updating his plugins so I assume the issues will get ironed out eventually. I don't know if I'll use it (don't really use these type of plugins) but I bought it anyway. At $3 it's a cheap way to support the developer.

... double post due to stupid frikin missing edit button...

Main differences I've seen/heard about... CPU usage is lower with FF. Didn't know about this, handy to know. + to FF Analog Emulations - not in FF I'd consider this a solid win for Kirchhoff if it didn't nuke your settings when switching models. As currently implemented this for me is useless, hope they fix this soon. Possible bonus points to Kirchhoff but needs work. Dynamic EQ More advanced options than FF, but no auto mode. So to me is a 50/50 for both. 50/50 to FF/Kirchhoff. Kirchhof has a variety of filters not offered by FF. + to Kirchhoff Kirchhof has a Mixed Phase mode (linear phase for hi frequencies) + to Kirchhof? I've stopped using linear phase eq - because greater hit on CPU, I can't say I've heard the difference, and supposed issue with ringing (that I haven't AFAIK experienced). I'll have to play with this (Mixed Phase mode) to see how useful it actually is. Is there some other difference I'm missing or misstating? I have both (thanks to my lapsed Forever29 subscription) but haven't really dug into the Kirchhoff yet because ProQ3 is my go-to EQ plugin and haven't had the need for the advance surgical features.

Slightly different opinions on Kirchoff EQ

Original sounds? I don't know - I've had it too long to recall what came with it and what I added or downloaded from my DX7II. At one point there were multiple places on the web where you could download the patches from the original ROMs that came with the DX7. Same for the DX7II which had its own initial patches. I opted for FM7 because to my ears it duplicated the sound of my DX7II - not the DX7. I never really cared for the DX7, always thought it had a transistor/metallic sound and every time (now I'm dating myself) a band brought one into the recording studio I always had to massage (EQ, compress, add FX, etc.) the crap out of the tracks to make them sound good and work with the other instruments. When the DX7II came out I was wowed. It had the warmth & brass that I always thought the DX7 was missing and was stereo instead of mono. I was impressed enough that I took out a loan and bought one. I know a lot of people can't hear the difference between the DX7 & DX7II but that's on them (a lot of people can't taste the difference between butter & margarine either), maybe that I was constantly working with them in a professional setting made the differences more audible. As always YMMV. Nowadays when I listen to a DX synth or a one that can do DX I no longer judge it against Yamaha hardware I judge it like I would any other soft synth - tonality, presence, quality of the patches, etc..

As far as my opinion/taste on DX patches - I don't care for most of the piano type sounds that seem poplar & string imitations. I do find it excellent for lead synth, bells, electronic type sounds and sound fx, some of the basses are excellent (depends on range needed as most fall apart if played too high or low) and some pads. FM7 was used for the bass on this track, DAW: Project 5.

Hmm. Could've sworn... Sorry. Odd, maybe they didn't feel like competing with what was already included? Dunno per https://www.native-instruments.com/en/products/komplete/synths/fm8/ near bottom of page. So for $10 (the OP deal) you get 1200 presets and a synth that can import tons of free or 3rd party ones. Still sounds like a no brainer to me.

I love F'em but F'em can only import Tracktion Content (Sound) Packs (unless you care to program your own). That it can't import DX patches or even sysex files is a major flaw/limitation (at least in MHO) and locks you into the Tracktion universe for patches. There are tons of free patches that can be imported into FM8 as well as commercial patches from 3rd parties (ADSR, PluginGuru, theUnfinished, etc.). A great use for those almost useless $25 NI vouchers you get when buying Komplete or other NI stuff is to pickup FM8 or Massive patch libraries. Edit: As pointed out below it turns out NI isn't selling any FM8 libraries, my bad.

Looks like http://soundbytesmag.net/ is now offline. @bitflipper is this an oversight or has SoundBytesMag left this realm and sailed over the horizon?

That's a crazy deal. Since picking up FM7 (then later FM8) I stopped using my DX7IIFD because it/they just nailed the sounds of my patches.

Thanks @User 905133 I stand corrected. Been up all night (insomnia) somehow I didn't see it.

From website: No audio demos on website and no real descriptions of included sounds (e.g. door slams, footsteps, body falling on a wood floor, monkey farts, etc.) other than that some are clock ticks. Maybe this is a great collection of noises but without more information the one sound you won't hear is me opening my wallet even at this price. See post from @User 905133 below

I haven't tried VStomp with clean tones yet but happy with it, as I mentioned previously it as good or better than a most of the amp sims I own. A question to those of you creating ToneX captures (since it's better been brought up multiple times on this thread already) - are you using the TONEX Capture Re-amp Box?

It's back on sale again for $9.99 https://shop.hotoneaudio.com/products/vstomp Maybe they got there license delivery system fixed, so you don't have to engage support to get your serial number.

Yes I did opt out of the cleanup , I have 16.08 and all the VST2/VST3 plugins are dated 7/31/23 9:50+pm Don't know what the time stamps on the beta version were and don't know if that means anything as many devs only update the installer and not the beta plugins if no changes to the plugins were made.

From my understanding you rarely need to run the 'clean-up', maybe when upgrading between major versions and even then the amount of disk spaces saved/wasted is miniscule* - the VST/VST3 files just get overwritten anyway**. *unless you had the MSoundFactory Instruments installed and decide NOT install them this time. **unless you change the VST 2.4 location. I rarely opt for the cleanup, unless you're having issues it's just a waste of time.

Doesn't look like it. Manual implies that if your controller doesn't use C11 that you either need to obtain a different controller or use a utility to remap the controller you're using to C11. Hmm, It's showing up in my Bitwig.

I never got an email confirming purchase, etc. I got the serial from tech support and then had to go through 'help center' to redeem it. The process took a couple of days.

Demos (quite impressive): https://www.synful.com/synful-demos