Dexed VST versus 1983 Yamaha DX7 | Orgy of 80's riffs and over-used presets
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 2 ม.ค. 2017
- Let's put a real Yamaha DX7 from 1983 head-to-head against DEXED VST to review how closely the virtual instrument emulates the sound of the real synth. Yamaha DX7 demo, Dexed VST demo, dexed vs dx7.
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My father accidently broke his DX7. He was devastated. Then i recommended Dexed to him, and good lord he's so happy.
omg
Loool
You're a good son!
now recommend him Arturia DX 7 V
you just made me love your dad.
In my opinion, the Dexed sounds so close that arguing about it really isn't worth the trouble. I owned a DX7 for years and knew it inside-out. One *huge* advantage of the Dexed is that you can see all the edit parameters; on a DX7, you had to jump around from one to another on the LCD. I have Dexed and use it a *lot*. Great vsti!
i loaded DX 7 banks in a volca compatible with DX7. ALL are definitly close. But Hardware is allways a bit warmer. "out of the box" Blind test with 3 non keyboardist people with hardware through the same soundcard as the one used to run DeXed led to same conclusion. Dexed is one of my favorite tool though (with PG8X) but in term of sound, i often
prefer the Volca and even TX. But i agree with you: it's closes, definitly! and it s more e fellowship than a competition; i think they can all give the best of both world! Owning the hardware without Dexed would definitly be a shame! and producing without a "real" DX is possible with this great and free instrument. For live i will allways prefer an harware instrument, with no computer though.
Very apparent even from my smart TV is the lack of bass from the vst... It sounds thinner, nasal and more fake.
Yes. That one digital thing is a lot warmer and richer than that other digital thing.
Do you hardware snobs even realise how dumb you sound at this point?@@lovecraftmusic8717
I use both, a tx7 controlled by dexed. Some patches sound better dexed, nice to have the options.
This is incredible. Possibly no VST is as close as DEXED as to its real unit.
The power of FOSS
I think it is much closer to the TX802 / DX7 II than to the old DX7. Minus the fancy stuff that you can do with the 8 separate module sections in the TX802 in performance mode.
I think it's because it's a digital synth to begin with, so no simulation required.
I've got Dexed and recently just bought a reface dx and honestly I think dexed sounds better. Not sure how a free VST can emulate a 30 year old keyboard better than Yamaha can but it blew my mind.
reface dx is only 4 operator, which is unfortunate
@@TheBBQify reface dx is not a dx7 remake and is amazing despite its limitations
@@zackhartmann yeah ngl i actually would love a reface, i just cant justify buying one when i already have dexed
@@TheBBQify i can justify it for u if u need
Reface can loop back to some operators to get close. It’s basically a dx9 upgraded or a CX5M.
Incredible. Just think about how incredible is that someone is able to give this to the world for free. Great video!!!
I love that this is the most polite music channel where everyone seems reasonable and there's no trolling or Fanboy stuff going on. Hope I haven't Jinxed you with that Woody. Anyway, my 2 penneth is that the advantage of the real thing is when you're playing solo for yourself so that you'd notice the slight thinness/brightness of the VST and I agree there's a certain disconnect when playing via a VST. It's nice just to switch on a keyboard and play 'it'. Thanks for the video. 😎👍
Jackofalltrades what disconnect? It's all in the mind. You can construct your own module with a cheap computer set up to load your vst once you turn it on and with an ssd it will boot up in no time. Go watch Fairlight videos as that is the closest retro synth to the vst generation.
Fuck you, you fucking moron. Nah, just kidding. Lol. Couldn't resist.
@@PaulTheSkeptic You actually concerned me for a bit, good job lol.
Yes you can hear here, the vst is lacking some body and also some shine on some presets (mainly body tho).
You sir, understood how an A/B test should be made. Great work! Just picked a Yamaha TX7, and now I know I can rely on Dexed for the patches. Thanks for the demo.
It's possibly a little easier with this comparison than, say, analog, because the patch libraries for the original exist and can be loaded onto the vst
I think it's so cool how one can do all this synthesis purely in software nowadays. Technology sure has come a long way!
Funny thing is Yamaha did all this in software in 1983. The DX7 is purely digital and it's all software generated synthesis! One of the first to do so also. At least in the more affordable consumer space (Although it was quite expensive in 83, but not like a house)
@@Magnus_Loov No, the DX7 did it with hardware-assisted synthesis.
@@jimbotron70 No. If so could you please explain which part were hardware assisted synthesis? Because that would mean some analog components like filters, LFOS etc would be involved. DX7 used FM and it was generated digitally to a 100%. Then every synth has to do a conversion via a DA to an analog outpout, but that isn't synthesis!
@@Magnus_Loov The 8-bit processor and the ASIC in DX 7 didn't have the processing power to handle the sound synthesis in real time, in fact the DX 7's FM relied upon "operators", or tone generators, this is why it's called hardware-assisted synthesis. In Dexed and other VSTs it's all done purely in sofware.
@@jimbotron70 Haha! "Operators" is the term still used in FM terminology. It is still software only. The fact that i was 100% software in the DX7 BUT not in real time still doesn't negate that it was software.
Crazy how good these sounds are. Still blows me away.
The DX7 sounds so spectacular still. FM synthesis is awesome. My first synth was a DX11.
What an amazing VST. I'm blown away by how true to the sound it is.
i was waiting for something like this. thanks a lot!
The real DX7 may have just an ever so slightly fuller sound ie a touch more mids to lows, but in a mix I'd challenge anyone to pick the real from the VST it is so slight. And besides, in a mix, you have so much competition for space in the "mud" range that the VST might actually function better in a mix because it is a very small touch clearer for lack of a better way to put it. I have an original DX7 from the early 80's. raised it from a pup. Loved it. Best keybed on a synth ever. Still works great, at least last time I fired it up, but that's been a while. I now use DEXED when I need those sounds, and there are thousands available free on the net, It is much easier and certainly the interface wins hands down over the little readout on the DX7 itself. It's a no brainer for me. I love Dexed. (Quick edit here: It just dawned on me that the original DX7 only responded up to 100 on velocity where as the DEXED can do either, so if you have it set to respond to the full scale, that might explain the ever so slightly brighter sound. Still, I doubt most would even hear the difference.)
Thank you Woody! While there will always be differences this is an excellent emulation overall. I really enjoy your yt videos as they are very educational. Best of luck to you!
thanks goaway, couldn't agree more!
your playing skills are great and this makes any sound comes alive . i enjoy just listening you playing
awesome to hear this feedback, big thx
Dexed is certainly close enough, obviously a bit cleaner and more HIFI. Great demo, thanks Woody!
man, this demo is very helpful. thanks!!!
I just saved a lot of money by switching to Dexed!
EQing down the highest highs a bit often helps to get digital emulations closer to analog sound. I've noticed that this "trick" applies to almost all digital modeling synths. Just cut the brightest highs a little bit. :)
Works for a JV 2080 as well. And then run it through a Tube Preamp.
There is nothing "analog" about a DX7 lmao.
@@bradylasserre9320 Very interesting. Can you post a video showing your DX7 with digital output.
@@bradylasserre9320 there is, but it's the very last stage of its sound output, which is where additional character comes in
a more extreme example would be the sega mega drive, especially the later model 1 and earlier model 2 units with their strong low pass filter and not strong enough resistors after the DAC stage
THATS WHY SATURATION MAKE DIGITAL SHINES LIKE THE REAL THING
After owning a dx7s years ago along with the ii and iiFD which i regret selling all of them I was really glad when dexed came out, I now own the original dx7 and its brilliant that it can link together along with the volca fm with good old midi. The dexed creators deserve every accolade.
Oh my god that's an impressive VST
I've worked with the original DX7, DX7IIfd, SY and TG77, and now Dexed. They all sound 'slightly' different with the same patch loaded, but its so subtle as to be a non-issue. Working with Dexed has been a blast to the past and a joy 👍
From one of the first demonstrations back in the 80-ies I fell in love with this "totally different sound".
In the store there also was a Jupiter 8, but it then sounded "lame" and "same" against the DX7.
However: I never had the money to buy one and now I don't care too much about the little (imaginary?) differences in sound with the Dexed.
Add to that the scary interface to program a sound on the DX7, I give the Dexed a triple thumbs-up.
And the best thing is: I can afford it :-)
Thanks for the compare and all your videos!
cheers Dan, thanks for the encouragement
where can i find these sounds preset? In dexed's library there aren't !!!
Man your playing is superb and those tones
thanks paul, really made my day!
with a little EQ here and there i could just about make dexed sound close to the real thing. in any case I am sold .....
I was thinking the same thing
anyones ears would still pick the real dx7 witout the eq
How can you be sold when it's freeeeeeeee?
@@ChrisNova777
People's ears would however pick up the sharper high end of DEXED even if they didn't recognize that it wasn't a real DX7. Depending on what you're mixing it into, that might be desirable or not.
Personally, I prefer it in most contexts. I tend to like my FM to have a bit of sharpness to it, and DEXED manages to capture that without sounding thin, because the DX7 wasn't thin. I'm going to wager that DEXED does a good job of modeling the DX7 synth on a chip level, but doesn't model whatever output circuitry that the DX7 had, which was dulling the high frequencies.
How can you be sold if its free? ;)
Nice mix of tunage... went back to my childhood! :) I actually referenced this video for me getting an actual DX7IIFD for myself. Dexed is totally awesome if you don't want the hardware. I happen to like the hardware. First keyboard I ever recorded with. Thanks for the video!
Hi Woody, I rarely comment on YT vids. Just wanted to let you know I subscribed because of your great vids on these awesome retro synths and for the Dexed VST comparison in particular. I'm an 80s kid and am getting back into noodling around on some synthwavey stuff for fun. Getting stuck into Dexed now. Thanks for the inspiration boost and keep up the great work! Cheers
glad you dig the channel, thx for the sub, cheers and good luck with the hobby!
Probably Dexed needs a little equalization to enhance the bass range.
exactly
Some tape
yes
Amazing!
Now I have the DX7 in GarageBand. Great stuff. Thanks!
I was born in 1992, and I am proud to say that I recognized all the songs you played lol
I own both the real DX7 and the VST one. Both are fantastic. Love them
I really enjoyed this video. Your playing is very good too.
i appreciate the comment, thx
I got Dexed purely because I wanted that tubular bell preset. I've loved that sound since I first heard it in the '80s. Used it, too, in a recent composition!
I've been searching for that for a long time, because I wanted that low "BONG" from the Top Gun anthem.
And god damn here it is, and for free?! I thought I was going to have to spend over a hundred on the native instruments plugin.
Thank you Woody! greetings from Brazil!
I found a soft brass, perfect for Wish You Were Here-Pink Floyd
Dexed is a great synth. I remember when the DX7 came out. It was So different, so cool, so difficult to program :) The fact that you can stack as many as you want in your PC, and for free, is amazing. I finally understand my dad. Kids these days don't know how easy they have it lol.
In some kind of things, yes, we have it cool, but in others.. but, i must say that to have this sort of things, for me, is a biblical gift.
Fantastic video!
Jeez woody you're some player. Deadly stuff.
So very close - I listened on headphones very carefully, and Dexed (for the price) certainly can't be beat! Unfortunately, what adds to to the complication in evaluating them side by side is that in Woody's demos the Dexed output is just slightly quieter than the DX7's output, which will make the DX-7 sound more "lively", and Dexed more "thin" and set back in the mix. If they were at exactly the same level, I think the comparison would have been closer. Also, if instead of playing live he had played a Midi file into each, that would have eliminated slight differences in playing. When I get my own Dexed virtual synth into my mixing panel, I'll add effects and probably an equalizer to sweeten the whole thing. As to whether it's a "perfect" emulation, to my ears it's wonderful, easy to work with, DEAD-easy to edit (compared to working directly with the DX-7's multi-function buttons) plus it's compatible with all the DX-7 SYX files one could want to scrape out of the web. For the Nth degree of warmth (as far as the DX-7 can be said to be warm (maybe arguably warmer than Dexed), one could always create a patch in Dexed, save it as a .syx and send it down to the DX-7. Lastly, the way that old PCs powerful enough to run Dexed are dirt cheap these days, one could build up a cheap stack of small form-factor desktops running Dexed (and other virtual synths) and save the cost of trying to find a TX-816. Well done to whoever created Dexed, they have reinvigorated interest in FM synthesis for a whole new generation.
thx for the comment! yeah, it's real important to match the levels, but it's harder than you think to get the same perceived volume. i use my ears and vu meter, but due to differences in frequency spectrum between the two, the volume can sound different depending on what system you are listening too. people tend to prefer loudness so it's something i pay attention to when mixing these comparisons. the playing is identical on dexed as I recorded the midi as i played the dx7, then played midi into dexed :) agree with all your praise about the plugin :)
I think also there's bound to be a different in perception re: loudness since your DX-7 is a Mk1 model (for which midi velocity 100 is the absolute max) whereas Dexed most likely adheres to the current MIDI standard where 127 is the absolute max, so a Mk1 DX-7 should sound 127/100 (multiplied by your playing velocity) more "live".
Effectively you'd have to strike the keys 27% more aggressively in DEXED for the filters to open up to the same extent as they do on a DX-7 Mk1.
I'm sure I'd encounter that if I loaded a voice designed for a Mk1 into my DX7IID - I'd likely need to "relax" the filter and other velocity-tracked values to allow them to track all the way to 127 rather than stopping/maxing out their effect when played at veloicity of 100, so they don't stop their effect there but continue to track all the way to the DX7II's real max of velocity=127.
I love your videos - you're dead keen and your enthusiasm is infectious.... and we both live in cold/cool Northern countries (Canada for me, Sweden for you). Cheers mate!
Hey, I love your videos, thanks for all the information and entertainment! Do you think the brighter dx7ii would sound more similar to the dexed plugin? I wonder how much of the sound difference comes down to the DACs in either device.
"Do They Know It's Christmas?"
Loved it!
Dexed is extremely close for most patches, although there's a few where you can hear a bit of difference. Still, if it was a blind test, I don' think most people could tell reliably.
I wonder if a bit-cruncher would make a difference? It would be easy to dial back Dexed's fidelity to 12-bit and that might make it grittier, dirtier and closer to the Mk1 original.
in the vst's settings, theres an option to make it to emulate the sound of the 12-bit mark 1's sound engine, and it makes it sound much closer to the original
awesome plugin i am definitely using it in my productions
wow - I'm impressed. I will definitely check it out.
Incredible. Just incredible
Excellent comparison :)
Nice video! I love Dexed. I have a Yamaha TX802 and can use Dexed on the go to create and modify patches and then send them to the 802. Highly recommend this plugin.
Yes, this is amazingly close. Cheers! S
The brass at 0:48 is incredibly 80s, absolutely lovely! 😄
I use both, depending on how much space I have. I've recorded stuff with Dexed and then gone back over with the DX7, and there's little difference. You'd only notice any minute differences in a direct head to head, and even then it's so subtle.
In the Kidsongs song "I Got Wheels", the Yamaha DX7 internal patches "Electric Piano 1" and "Bass 1" and Roland Juno-106 patch "Brass" were heard.
i remember playing on the dx7 in music class back in 83
Great video man! & fellow Howard Jone's lover (and The Stranglers) .... A younger me would have perhapes went for the plug-in for being cleaner and better sn ratio ... But now I love the 'whole' part of the sound being 100% original with the higher noise floor and digital aliasing girth.
i find the main advantage of plugin is much easier to work with when composing tracks, otherwise you are messing around with midi and audio cables and interfaces. glad you like the video and my taste in music :)
Wow! Those sounds!!
I tried out Dexed myself today and have to say quite impressed. I have a TX7 with some presets I made years ago and they sound a lot more like the TX in Dexed than the conversion to FM8, which I think doesn't quite get the envelopes right. Theres also a slightly more woody less hifi sound in dexed which is nearer to the DX than FM8 and even any of the later DX's which polished up the FM a bit. Possibly in FM8 they didn't model the 8bit oscillators and dac in a bid to cater for all the more modern 6op patches ?
So Nice!
Excellent ! regardless of any criticism you can't argue with FREE, also surprised Arturia came so late to the FM party.
Thanks for that Video 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Got both, use both. I primarily use Dexed to program patches to send to the hardware. They sound almost identical in most applications, but there are some areas where the DX7 performs better, at least as far as I'm concerned.
Plus the DX7 allows portmanteau. I've spent hours looking over Dexed to find that feature.
dexed was my favorite plug in before i even bothered to check what was a DX7.
Watching this you realise how mammoth an impact the DX had.
Amazing how the VST is almost similar to the DX7 !!!
Close enough honestly, I'm certainly happy with it
very cool, bro!
Excellent comparison!! DEXED does the job, no doubt about it, but...there's something missing from the original. (I'm not a purist, I intensively use VSTs), maybe the 12 bit thang, and the fact that the original only reached 100 on velocity, and the plugin can make sounds brighter, passing this threshold...anyway, as good or even better than comparing an Oberheim with the OPXII VST. :)
Cheers.
I'd like to hear Dexed bit reduced and run out through some external analog gear and a low pass filter. And then I note that free is not so free when one adds the computer and the rack gear. Happy medium? Experiment and program in Dexed, play on the DX7. :)
Perhaps also the age of the electronics affect that. Maybe the Dexed is a "perfect" DX7 with pristine "DACs"
No new DX ever sounded that clean I do think it's part of the original design, it's funny how limitations and flaws sometimes add to the sound.
It is not just the number of bits, there is also the architecture of the DACs. Modern DACs use over-sampling to reconstruct the waveforms and get rid of "junk" in the high frequencies. They are also much more linear than the old direct conversion tech. I wonder if there is also a sample rate difference.
I have original DX7, DX7 II FD, TX802, Dexed and DX7 V. Although I did not do a detailed (awesome like Woody) comparison I can tell you that there is quite a bit of dirt, noise, and I guess "digital warmth" coming from the original hardware components. I don't think any software or hardware manufacturer is really going to try recreate that today, at least not to that extent. The software is close enough in most cases, and convenient to have on your laptop. That said, I'm not getting rid of the old hardware boxes ;-)
If you can and if you are really into DX and FM, try to find at least one DX7 in a decent shape for a good price.
The most striking difference to me seems the analog filter on the DX7s (I've heard they have one), and it's emulation having a slightly higher cutoff(?) or just the fact that it's pretty darn difficult to properly emulate your average analog resonant filter in the computer domain (I'm studying Electronic Engineering and Digital Signal Processing is a big part of our curriculum). Or maybe it's something about the post-processing effects (reverb or sth). Apart from that, it's spot on and still seems very fun to play with.
Nice to see some love for FM synthesis!
One of my first synths was a Korg DS, a 4 op machine with a modulator -> carrier, modulator -> carrier algorithm.
I really loved the sounds that came out of that one.
Have you put yourself into programming your own patches on the DX7 yet?
Once you start, it becomes like an addiction.
I don't have a DX7 but I have a Korg Kronos, which comes with the MOD-7 engine.
It can actually load the original DX7 patches from sysex dumps, but what is most satisfying is to get your hands dirty and see what sounds you can make yourself.
I saw in a comment from another upload of yours that you have a Kronos in line for reviewing.
Be sure to check out the MOD-7 engine a little extra when you do. It is fun, weird and wonderful and it is a great way to learn more about FM synthesis.
Since I bought the Kronos, I'm thinking about getting a DX7 mkII, just for the heck of it. :)
i have a mk2 also, i intended to keep the one i like best, but i can't decide :) not done any programming, might play around with the controls in Dexed to begin with, but time is short...
Dexed sounds good to me. Thanks for the video.
Both sound great in my opinion.
Damn i love this sound
Wow, I just learned about this plugin! Granted it's very difficult to emulate the warmth, the grittiness and the soft & noisy low-mids of an analog synth right out of the box, the fact that it's 100% free is truly fantastic. I've been looking forward to replace FM8 for years now, so this might be it then. Also, +1 for What A Fool Believes, long live Michael McDonald!
DX7’s aren’t analog mate...
Well, like everything else this is a matter of taste. I really like Dexed and I use it all the time. I think it sounds pretty awesome.
Not to mention the facts that it's free and I can load it into my DAW.
Great, thank you.
Thanks, subscribed
Had this on in the background and actually cracked up with the snippet from “Also sprach Zarathustra.” Not the riff I expected out of a DX7
I'd probably run the VST through some tape saturation plugin (FerricTDS is free as well) and it should help to create that full sound.
Crazy how similar they are.
It's very close, I haven't figured out how it works yet but it seems accurate.
Other than some slight audio things like maybe volume or equalizer settings, they sound extremely similar to me. Maybe it's my ears, maybe it's my speakers but they sound VERY close to one another to me.
awesome
I am so gratefull that there are some good people that make this kind of stuff free for us. It doesn't sound exactly the same but c'mon it's a FREE Digital representation of the original. And it sounds very good.
omar, what's a free representation, what are you referring to?
Woody Piano Shack Not that they made the sounds up. Freeware as in you don't have to pay for the plug-in.... Representation because it's digital you know 1s and 0s
i absolutely love softsynths!
Do you own any hardware synths ?
Through my monitors the DEXED made bright tones with HF content sound duller up the high end of the keyboard.
But still a creditable facsimile.
Whether that had to do with the different processing, bits and bobs etc, I couldn't say.
I bought mine in 1984 at Sam Ash on 48th street... still works just fine! ;)
You can tell the difference in comparison, but in a mix it would be difficult to tell unless it was the only instrument being played.
the bells!!! I'm here for the bells!!
What I wanted to ask was: Can you program sounds in Dexed and export them? To overcome the weird 32 patch limit. Also is there some video showing the programming process from scratch to finished sound (for the Reface DX obviously)?
When you have to wonder if you are really hearing a difference, I suppose then that it doesn't matter. I owned and still do, a DX7, still works just fine thank you. To my ear, and this is slight, but it seems the DX7 has a slightly warmer or fuller sound. The DEXED is slightly thinner with more edge. But this is so very slight. In a mix there would be very few that could pick out the real deal from the emulation. Whoever did this did a very good job indeed. But then, there's the ease of use which the emulation wins hands down. Just my two cents worth, but of course what with all the inflation we are experiencing, two cents won't buy much anymore lol!
This is awesome, how about a playlist?
Amazing, a DX7 spirit for free !
Very, Very authentic sounds from the DeXed there. Only a couple didn't sound quite as bright/fat on the Dexed. All round... excellent. Nice bit of Hojo Bass in there :)
Both sound awesome. What song is the fourth riff from (the one played on that nice spiky Wurlitzer type patch)? I particularly like that one. Great video!
I can hear the difference, I used to program DX's.. Very selective on the sounds...you are showing...Thanks for sharing this.. for actual or programmers Do's and Don'ts
The DX has some digital bite due to the old days converters that the Dexed can't have. I work with both in conjunction using dexed as a programmer and let my TX7 plays the sounds.
After I discovered Dexed, I dumped my FM7 and maybe that's why Native Instruments dumped it by its own as well. There is yet a slight difference between the two, specially on E.PIANO which on the DX7 sounds with more presence. Maybe it's a mix between narrower bandwidth from the amplifiers and even a bit of distortion. Nevertheless the sound coming from the DX7 is very nice and then maybe our ear memory from the tons of tunes that had the E.PIANO makes us feel biased to that exact match coming from the real thing.
Thanks
very good Woody , hard to tell difference on most of the sounds but some how i would rather have the dx and a good amp than getting lost inside the computer before you get to play a single note, some great riffs you played ! well done, great start to the new year !😎👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
agree 100%, thx for the comment AK!
Lost inside the computer - sounds a little technophobic
great video. You should of did the test blind just to show people they wouldn't know the difference between the 2.
thanks, interesting idea! something for the future maybe!
@@WoodyPianoShack Maybe repeat the video but play the sound of Dexed when you show the DX7 and vis-versa and see how many spot the switch :)
🔥🔥