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-- Yamaha RM1X vs. E-mu XL-7 vs. Korg EMX-1
Yamaha RM1X vs. E-mu XL-7 vs. Korg EMX-1
Well I'm going to get a groovebox pretty soon as my start into production, and I'm not sure which one to get. It seems like the best ones available (under the 700 dollar area) are the Yamaha RM1X, the E-mu XL-7 and the Korg EMX-1.
Does anyone have any experience with any of these? I've read all the reviews online and the gist is, they are all good.
The XL-7 has velocity sensitive pads, which the others don't and a lot of nice built in sounds. It seems like the best one, but it's 450.00 off eBay, used.
The EMX-1 is the newest one, still supported, and it has a lot of decent drum sounds AND a very nice built in synth, however the synth is monophonic. It's 499.99 at Guitar Center.
The RM1X is the cheapest one, but supposedly very competitive with the other one's despite it's price. It's polyphonic, has the ability to edit the velocity of each note so it's KIND of velocity-sensitive, and I can probably get it for like 200 bucks.
I'm thinking I'm going to get the RM1X, but I'd like some feedback.
Hey dude: few (biased) opinions. I currently have XL-7 and PX-7 (same thing with protean drums). Here's what I have to say about that:
I had Machinedrum that I sold and got this instead. Why you ask? number of reasons - 1. editing is amazing 2. Expandability 3. velocity pads
If you're serious about drums, E-Mu are the best for the price. You have up to 4 banks you can extend on, 128 voices of polyphony, full midi implementation (ok no biggie) plus, real time control of just about every parameter. The sequencer and quantize function are awesome.
Yamaha are nightmarish for several reasons: 1. well-known LCD problems 2. no expansion 3. not quite as versatile as EMU 4. some bugs in sequencer (not sure - read harmony central reviews)
E-Mu drum heritage is long established (just think of 1200 series).
Furthermore, if you take the "7" series, you can add expansion modules to create the ultimate kit and drum patterns.
I have a PX-7 loaded with "Beat Garden" "XL1" "World Drums" (highly desirable and expensive module) plus "protean" drums. There are absolutely no difference between the "shell" on PX-7, XL-7, or MP-7.
The PX-7 has few buttons that have additional lettering above them for easier navigation but otherwise - they are all identical, except for the rom that comes with it. if you remove the rom chip, they are the same.
some of the other tricks you can do with the "7" series is if you have a Emu 6400 (i think) and Flash ROM, you can actually burn your own samples to rom chip and stick it into your "7". However, that is tedious and I wish e-mu had enough sense to put in the flash card reader for sampled sounds - it would have been the ultimate AKAI killer.
If you decide on XL-7, I can sell you one in a brand-spanking-new shape with manual and CD for $450 with shipping (provided you are in US). PM me if you're interested.
Ok, couple more things:
You have several ways you can program your patterns: classic x0x or real time and hybrid thereof. you have up to 16 tracks per pattern that can have different time signature, number of bars, kits, and sounds assigned. And then, you have a "song" mode, where you can link multiple patterns. Theoretically, you can use it as a complete workstation to create a track. you also have a USB hook up to system for library and OS upgrade functions.
The pads are velocity sensitive and drum sounds are intense. You can take all 16 tracks and layer and layer and layer and pan away. You can also pick individual drum sound, at individual step and modify it. So, let's say you have 4 hits of snare. On the 4th snare, you want it to be loudest and panned to the hard right. You also want to reverb it and reduce the "tone" - all can be done real time. With layering, imagine what you can do! I was able to create some very punchy beats with "oooomph" to beat 808! Also, as opposed to using "accent", as x0x drums, you can actually tune the volume for specific step. So, same analogy as above - pick a step, drum, and set the volume. This is great for creating a "live" feel to the drums, as real drummer may not hit the drum with the same "velocity" all the time. Quantize function allows you to set it from 1/1 to 1/64 (I think).
The MIDI master clock on that thing is impeccable - it is the master MIDI in my rig. All buttons send MIDI parameters and can be recorded real time. Kits can be consructed but takes a bit of mucking around. You also have a touch pad for morphing or other assignable functions. you also have another set of outputs to create a "surround" feel, if you have additional monitors. It is a very very versatile system.
I also had a conversation about Korgs, and inspite of tube-driven marketing crap, (if my memory serves me right) the tube is there for decoration purposes. the distortion is... digital. I will have to confirm some info here but I do believe that schematic-wise, transistor tube is there for decoration.
ok, I think I'll shut up. 
also, check out reviews on harmonycentral.com and sonicstate.com
Cheers!
I tested the Yamaha RM1X before it was released many moons ago (long story).
I thought it was garbage personally- sounded very cheap.
Quite limiting too. I know all grooveboxs are limted in some respects, but this was moreso.
Think before you buy one of these things. They are touted as the one stop solution to making EDM, but in reality they lack the control you'll need to make a decent track unless your happy making old school techno. The sounds and filters are usually the biggest let down followed by the limited memory and sequencer.
I had an mc303 and found the thing nearly useless when I upgraded to a software sequencer. My mate had the 505 and its gathering dust now.
If your happy spending the dosh just for something to muck around on or for jamming live, then go for it. But yeah, just thought I'd warn you incase your were under the delusion that these are actually used for semi-serious production.
=)
If I was going to go for one, it would be the Korg though. Like you said it has a better soounding synth than the others.
check out the roland mc909 and the sp 606 i think those are the model names...
I just find it so hard to ever get started on a software sequencer. Reason 3.0 just doesn't get me anywhere. I just muck around and never get a start to a song. I've heard that these grooveboxes allow for easy starts and some decent inspiration. Just play around till you find something that you like.
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| Originally posted by BobTheSlob I just find it so hard to ever get started on a software sequencer. Reason 3.0 just doesn't get me anywhere. I just muck around and never get a start to a song. I've heard that these grooveboxes allow for easy starts and some decent inspiration. Just play around till you find something that you like. |
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| Originally posted by BobTheSlob I just find it so hard to ever get started on a software sequencer. |
The Quasimidi Polymorph is the coolest groovebox ever. However it is very hard to come by..
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| Originally posted by Freak I tested the Yamaha RM1X before it was released many moons ago (long story). I thought it was garbage personally- sounded very cheap. |
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| Originally posted by Axolotyl If your happy spending the dosh just for something to muck around on or for jamming live, then go for it. But yeah, just thought I'd warn you incase your were under the delusion that these are actually used for semi-serious production. |
| quote: |
| Originally posted by Freak I tested the Yamaha RM1X before it was released many moons ago (long story). I thought it was garbage personally- sounded very cheap. Quite limiting too. I know all grooveboxs are limted in some respects, but this was moreso. |
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| Originally posted by DeZmA It's not enough to make professional trance with, you'll need extra gear but it has a kickass sequencer, one of the best hardware sequencers out there. |
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| Originally posted by FirstBorn Definitely - although as a sequencer, it is strong enough to make professional tracks with. However, as you say, you need extra gear to go with it because the RM1X's own sounds are very poor. |
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| Originally posted by DeZmA given it's price used on ebay it's worth it for the sequencer alone. It does have some good drum sounds |
I thought I'd chime in since I've owned most all of the ones you asked about and a few more. Here goes
RM1X - Great sequencer, convenient floppy storage, thin sounds, so you'll have to layer tracks/instruments etc which kills tracks and polyphony.
RS7000 - Great sequencer, convenient smc storage, useful sampler. No pad velocity on main pads. Thin sounds for the money. MC-909, E-MU and the MC-505 style synths have better synth engines.
EMX-1 - Monophonic synth parts only, so pads are out but great drums and nasty (good) effects, not an easy trance machine though because of the no poly
XL7 - Very deep, strong sequencer, great sounds, upgradeable, but complicated to learn with difficult pads to program with imo. Good choice.
MC-303 - Thin and outdated synth engine but useful drums and arpeggiator. Great to learn on or program and watch TV. Much creativity will be needed to get a great sound out of this one.
MC-505 - Great sounds (4 programmable tones per voice), easy pattern based sequencing, nice part mixer but expensive 5v smart cards - dated patterns not much there to inspire you. Good choice though.
D2 - MC505 without the controls, but an X-Y controller instead, around $100 on ebay. This is a steal but you'll need a decent controller to get anywhere with it, same sounds and specs as MC-505. Bargain!
MC-307 - Same as D2 without X-Y controller but adding a BPM/pitch slider and some realtime knobs but still too much time in menus for me. Leave it to the DJs?
JX-305 - MC-505 with 5 octave keyboard w/ velocity and aftertouch. Loses the ease of use of the 505 though.
Quasimidi Sirius - If you have the space for a keyboard, this one is a lot more immediate than all the above imo. Sounds pretty good, effecs are garbage imo but fun sequencer, great drums, flexible vocoder, random patch generator.
I haven't owned the MC-909 or the Polymorph but they are a little out of my acceptable "groovebox" price range. The SP-606 is a sampler so probably won't be your only box. Good luck.
sums it up quite nicely.
Just wanted to add : if you want to have a stand alone sequencer I'd go for yamaha rm1x or rs7000 (don't have experience with e-mu, they had good reviews tho).
If you want decent sounds and a good sequencer you might wanna go for the roland mc909. If you will sequence thru software, the mc 505 is a good choice (I own one). It's basicly a jv 1080, but more dance based sounds, still it has a bank with classic instruments. You won't get far with 8 tracks to sequence tho, but it was great fun back then and I learned a lot from it.
The korgs are fun too, but a bit limited in sequencing. The latest blue one has really fat sounds but not that usefull for trance. I've tested the old blue one, it's very usefull for acid riffs and stuff and the red one has some great original drum sounds. Listen to a live set of alter ego and you'll know what I mean
Last but not least, don't expect any supersaw leads from these boxes as they are all s&s based synths, which means it's basicly a sampler with ROM sounds onboard. The korg's have (virtual) analog synthesis but don't have enough possibilities (detune, layering) to make it fat. You'll need a grown up virtual analog synth for this job.
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| Originally posted by Freak I tested the Yamaha RM1X before it was released many moons ago (long story). I thought it was garbage personally- sounded very cheap. Quite limiting too. I know all grooveboxs are limted in some respects, but this was moreso. |
I challenge anyone here to contest of hardware sequencers. I say that E-mu sequencer is the best of the bunch. We can do it on "paper" -e.g. spec wise, or performance wise - e.g. what you can do with a box alone.
E-mu sequencer has 32 MIDI CHANNELS - that means 32 TRACKS.
128 Voice poly - meaning you can layer the sh!t out of your drums. I can allocate 4 tracks for just one kick drum and layer the crap out of it, until it punches you in your guts on both channels. 32 arp individual arp patterns you can stick on every track, real time control of all parameters, including the velocity of the kick, the volume, sustain, tone, etc.
None of the boxes you mentioned even come close to Emu. Like Infiniti's old moto, "Own one and you'll understand".
And search the web for demos of Emu boxes - there are tons.
| quote: |
| Originally posted by Freak I tested the Yamaha RM1X before it was released many moons ago (long story). I thought it was garbage personally- sounded very cheap. Quite limiting too. I know all grooveboxs are limted in some respects, but this was moreso. |
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