Yamaha DJX or DJXII?

Kaled · Post by **Kaled** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 1:31 am

Any users ? Do either have any type of sequencer?

Post by **tallowwaters** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 2:03 am

both are utterly pointless but fun.

the first incarnation is probably more useful.

justin_havu · Post by **justin_havu** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 2:32 am

tallowwaters wrote:both are utterly pointless but fun.

the first incarnation is probably more useful.

I must agree with Tallowwaters. I've owned the DJXII and have had the opportunity to play the original DJX, and I can tell you that the original DJX has better features than the DJXII, like touch sensitivity, full MIDI capabilities, and a pitch wheel, while the DJXII's MIDI can only transfer data, and no pitch wheel, just a ribbon controller, and no velocity. The DJXII has a phrase recorder, where you can record a phrase and assign it to one of three "Loop" or three "One-Shot" pads. Oh, and it also sports a 6-second sampler.

Kaled · Post by **Kaled** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 3:27 am

Thanks for the responses. I will search around for some MP3 examples. I kind of hope it can produce some industrial type sounds.

Tyler2000 · Post by **Tyler2000** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 7:24 am

justin_havu wrote:
tallowwaters wrote:both are utterly pointless but fun.

the first incarnation is probably more useful.
I must agree with Tallowwaters. I've owned the DJXII and have had the opportunity to play the original DJX, and I can tell you that the original DJX has better features than the DJXII, like touch sensitivity, full MIDI capabilities, and a pitch wheel, while the DJXII's MIDI can only transfer data, and no pitch wheel, just a ribbon controller, and no velocity. The DJXII has a phrase recorder, where you can record a phrase and assign it to one of three "Loop" or three "One-Shot" pads. Oh, and it also sports a 6-second sampler.

DJX1 has a sampler too. Sound nice for your own choir stuff. I was fining it pretty useless until I realized I could adjust the attack and release via the assignable knob. The only use I find for the ribbon controller is modulation. There things combined and you have a pretty nice set of pad-synth sounds. So-so on bass and lead, which is what I like.

The worst part, and the part you probably won't hear until you get the damn thing, is that it WILL NOT SAVE SETTINGS. Make a sound once (which isn't that hard) and you'd better be prepared to make it again. You have to reset the assignable knob, arp and ribbon everytime too.

It's fun, but not really applicable in a live scenario at all.

That said, do you want to buy mine (smirky face)?

crystalmsc · Post by **crystalmsc** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 8:42 am

Synthmania has nice demos of both:
http://www.synthmania.com/djx.htm
http://www.synthmania.com/djx-iib.htm
More demos of the DJX-IIB:
http://music.yamaha.com/products/sounds ... ductId=124

justin_havu · Post by **justin_havu** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 1:35 pm

Tyler2000 wrote: The worst part, and the part you probably won't hear until you get the damn thing, is that it WILL NOT SAVE SETTINGS. Make a sound once (which isn't that hard) and you'd better be prepared to make it again.

True, it won't save sounds, but if you leave a set of batteries installed, your samples and anything you record into the phrase recorder will be saved.

Post by **meatballfulton** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 3:25 pm

The DJX has a simple sequencer that can record up to 3 songs.

DJX review from Sound on Sound magazine: http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/sep98/a ... amaha.html

Manual: http://www2.yamaha.co.jp/manual/pdf/emi ... /DJX_E.PDF

Kaled · Post by **Kaled** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 4:07 pm

Thanks for all the info. I will check out synthmania's examples. Thanks for the offer Tyler, but didn't you say your's is spray painted green?

zmd · Post by **zmd** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 5:41 pm

it will totally work for industrial stuff. mine is the centerpiece of my band halo www.myspace.com/halosaintjohn (forgive the bedroom recordings, we're hitting the studio soon!).
it has a filter that can ruin the sound nicely, and some basic fx that'll do if you have no outboard gear.
it has a better sound set than it had any right to for such a cheapy, and that 6 second sampler can be handy i suppose, tho i dont use it at all.
the djx11 is more like a box of samples with really really limited control. i didn't dig it much.
the sequencer is not so hot either, 3 songs, 6 tracks and no offline memory.

overall, i give it 2 thumbs up.

ps for durability, it fell out of the back of my suv once, landed on a corner of its case, and escaped unscathed.

Tyler2000 · Post by **Tyler2000** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 10:53 pm

Kaled wrote:Thanks for all the info. I will check out synthmania's examples. Thanks for the offer Tyler, but didn't you say your's is spray painted green?

Yeah, and poorly at that. I would have mentioned it.

I'm planning on re-painting it and selling it on the 'bay.

Kaled · Post by **Kaled** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 8:57 pm

Thanks for all the responses. What about the sequncer? Is it pattern, grid, or only real-time? Can one enter separate drum sounds using the keys instead of simply playing the preset drum kits? What I mean is can you make your own drumkits? How slow does the BPM go? Thanks in advance.

Huppo · Post by **Huppo** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 3:48 am

Kaled..

The DJX is essentially a home-market keyboard with a little bit of extra creative flavor and control. You are trying to give it WAY too much credit. It is not a versatile, serious creative tool in the usual sense. I have a DJX1 and it's fun, but I bought it for my kids to play around on and that's about as serious as it's worth getting with it. It's nowhere near as deep as multiple sequencing options, etc.

Post by **Blue Monster 65** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 12:03 pm

Huppo's right - he's got the one I originally bought for my kids! If you're looking for a cheap workstation with analog sounds ... well ... you ain't gonna get it here.

Mind you, it IS a fun machine to dink around with, but if you're looking for more, you'll get frustrated and bored very quickly.

What you're apparently looking for is NOT what the DJX does.

Woof! - Scott

zmd · Post by **zmd** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 1:55 pm

Kaled wrote:Thanks for all the responses. What about the sequncer? Is it pattern, grid, or only real-time? Can one enter separate drum sounds using the keys instead of simply playing the preset drum kits? What I mean is can you make your own drumkits? How slow does the BPM go? Thanks in advance.

the sequencer is a sketchpad at best, i have used it for one reason only, to remember a riff if i come up with something cool.
it will do step, but not comfortably, it is awkward.
it does have drum kits on the keys, mainly gm stuff, and a couple with some synthier drum sounds and scratches and stuff.
i stand by what i said before, way nicer than it has any right to be at this price.