Zero vs PX7 vs.. ?

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Wobbleburger
Posts: 260
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06 Dec 2018

Hey dudes and dudettes. I love FM synthesis. I have room for another synth. I was wondering if you guys like Zero or PX7 more for FM synth. I am looking to make reece basslines and complex neruo dnb sounds. I have Serum but I'd like to go the RE route to keep things tidy. I already have Expanse, FM4 and a grip of the other top rated synths. Having Europa and these, would Zero or PX7 add something that I don't have?

Any dnb/dubstep/dark techno producers prefer any of these?
In the 90s, my midi music was on the Baulder's Gate site. That was my life peak.
Reasonite since 2000. My music (and my old midi) can be found here:
https://futurewizard.org

antic604

06 Dec 2018

Zero really surprised me with quality of its presets! It has much more features than PX7 (various waveforms, a subtractive filter(s), etc.), but at the same time - and because of this - is much more complex to program and noticeably more CPU heavy. PX7 on the other hand is basically a "player" for hundreds of thousands of DX7 presets (you can obviously program your own, too) and you can stack several of them on top of each other even on weak hardware.

Having said that, I think Zero is more suitable for the genres you've mentioned (and just now went on sale again)

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theshoemaker
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06 Dec 2018

Have you fully mastered the FM Modulators of eXpanse and Europa? But anyway I love to buy new synths just for randomizing them and having an option more to fiddle with. But whether it adds new stuff you need, should probaybl answered by someone who also owns Zero... I'd really love to buy it myself :)

EDIT: PX7 is qreat ... but I don't like the way it looks and how to programm it. Zero has been far more fun when giving it a trial.
:PUF_figure: latest :reason: V12 on MacOS Ventura

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EnochLight
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06 Dec 2018

Wobbleburger wrote:
06 Dec 2018
Hey dudes and dudettes. I love FM synthesis. I have room for another synth. I was wondering if you guys like Zero or PX7 more for FM synth. I am looking to make reece basslines and complex neruo dnb sounds. I have Serum but I'd like to go the RE route to keep things tidy. I already have Expanse, FM4 and a grip of the other top rated synths. Having Europa and these, would Zero or PX7 add something that I don't have?

Any dnb/dubstep/dark techno producers prefer any of these?
Full disclosure: I have both. If you want a good Yamaha DX7 emulation, then PX7 is your RE - full stop. You can even load actual Yamaha DX7 presets into it using the preset convertor, though there's a refill you get that has virtually every Yamaha DX7 preset ever made (there's over an almost laughable 160,000 presets in the refill).. :lol: :lol: :lol:

If you want "a little more", then Zero might be up your alley. You can edit harmonics in the display (can't do that on PX7), and you can load Yamaha DX11/TX81Z and Sequential Circuits Prophet VS waveforms. It also has built-in effects for a much nicer "out of the box" sound, IMHO.

Have you tried them both to see which one works better for you?
Win 10 | Ableton Live 11 Suite |  Reason 12 | i7 3770k @ 3.5 Ghz | 16 GB RAM | RME Babyface Pro | Akai MPC Live 2 & Akai Force | Roland System 8, MX1, TB3 | Dreadbox Typhon | Korg Minilogue XD

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Wobbleburger
Posts: 260
Joined: 14 Sep 2018
Location: Austin
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06 Dec 2018

EnochLight wrote:
06 Dec 2018
Wobbleburger wrote:
06 Dec 2018
Hey dudes and dudettes. I love FM synthesis. I have room for another synth. I was wondering if you guys like Zero or PX7 more for FM synth. I am looking to make reece basslines and complex neruo dnb sounds. I have Serum but I'd like to go the RE route to keep things tidy. I already have Expanse, FM4 and a grip of the other top rated synths. Having Europa and these, would Zero or PX7 add something that I don't have?

Any dnb/dubstep/dark techno producers prefer any of these?
Full disclosure: I have both. If you want a good Yamaha DX7 emulation, then PX7 is your RE - full stop. You can even load actual Yamaha DX7 presets into it using the preset convertor, though there's a refill you get that has virtually every Yamaha DX7 preset ever made (there's over an almost laughable 160,000 presets in the refill).. :lol: :lol: :lol:

If you want "a little more", then Zero might be up your alley. You can edit harmonics in the display (can't do that on PX7), and you can load Yamaha DX11/TX81Z and Sequential Circuits Prophet VS waveforms. It also has built-in effects for a much nicer "out of the box" sound, IMHO.

Have you tried them both to see which one works better for you?
I have trialed Zero and it was great. I opted for Expanse instead. After reading y'all's responses, I think I may be better off mastering Europa and Expanse like what was suggested by TheShoeMaker. I just saw all those FM knobs in the Zero matrix and got excited. I don't fully understand FM synth beyond the 1 wave changes another factor. I think I'll keep the synths I have and just spend my remaining subscription points on compressors and other goodies. The PX7 sounds awesome but I have no nostalgic attachment to the Yamaha. I already have The Legend and the Korgs for that retro vibe. Now.. one more question: The Legend vs PX7 for legacy sounds?
In the 90s, my midi music was on the Baulder's Gate site. That was my life peak.
Reasonite since 2000. My music (and my old midi) can be found here:
https://futurewizard.org

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EnochLight
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06 Dec 2018

Wobbleburger wrote:
06 Dec 2018
Now.. one more question: The Legend vs PX7 for legacy sounds?
You're comparing apples and oranges. The Legend emulates a Moog (an analog synth); PX7 emulates a digital FM synth (a Yamaha DX7). Which sound are you after for your work?
Win 10 | Ableton Live 11 Suite |  Reason 12 | i7 3770k @ 3.5 Ghz | 16 GB RAM | RME Babyface Pro | Akai MPC Live 2 & Akai Force | Roland System 8, MX1, TB3 | Dreadbox Typhon | Korg Minilogue XD

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Wobbleburger
Posts: 260
Joined: 14 Sep 2018
Location: Austin
Contact:

06 Dec 2018

EnochLight wrote:
06 Dec 2018
Wobbleburger wrote:
06 Dec 2018
Now.. one more question: The Legend vs PX7 for legacy sounds?
You're comparing apples and oranges. The Legend emulates a Moog (an analog synth); PX7 emulates a digital FM synth (a Yamaha DX7). Which sound are you after for your work?
It would be more for Vaporwave and Synthwave. Yea, I'll just have to try the PX7 and see what's up!
In the 90s, my midi music was on the Baulder's Gate site. That was my life peak.
Reasonite since 2000. My music (and my old midi) can be found here:
https://futurewizard.org

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retreed
Competition Winner
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Joined: 18 Sep 2018
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06 Dec 2018

Do not forget about open source VST dexed: https://asb2m10.github.io/dexed/
(which can load .syx directly instead of using the patch converter)

EDIT: And then buy PX7 when you like dexed to have the RE you requested in your first post. :)

EdGrip
Posts: 2343
Joined: 03 Jun 2016

06 Dec 2018

Just have a YouTube search for DX7 - you'll instantly recognise it as the sound of 80s pop. It was notoriously difficult to program, so people tended to stick to its presets, and so those presets were the basis for lots of 80s tracks.

You get PX7 for those same presets, I would say. There's a refill out there that has about 30,000 unique presets (and removes the repeats that push the *other* refill up to 200k). But most of the recognisable patches are in the original factory soundbank(s).

PX7 can definitely do modern aggressive sounds too, and Navi Retlav did a Refill that explores that. But you're probably going to be better off with Zero for that kind of thing.

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