The Last Ever DX7 Emulation, Ever
Software synth developers are a strange breed. Sometimes the challenges they give themselves are entirely unrealistic, but without folks giving themselves these apparently unrealistic visions, we wouldn’t get companies like Plogue and the development of the ChipSynth range. They, like good nerds, have built an engine (the Fermata engine I believe) which allows them to accurately emulate old chips used to make noises in equipment manufactured in the 1980s and 90s. These softsynths have been extremely well received by those familiar with the equipment of yesteryear, and by those completely new to the sound generated by these old digital chips.
Their latest release is their emulation of the infamous Yamaha DX7 and, as the title suggests, I don’t think there is any need for any other software synthesiser manufacturer to even bother trying to improve upon it. Just move on to something else.
Forget NI’s ancient FMx, the completely free Dexed, Arturia’s recent (unecessarily high CPU?) DX 7 V.. Plogue have created and entered a new level of bringing the past into the future.
Their freshly released (yesterday) OPS7 is the final word in DX7 emulations; there really is no need for anyone to bother trying to make a ‘better’ one! It might as well be carved into marble.
Functionally, it’s always difficult for softsynth designers to make FM an easy thing to play with, but still give us the tools and functions to make the most of the technique. The DX7 has around 30 algorithms (ways to organise the oscillators), but to have any idea of which algorithm you should use to make your cymbal/glockenspiel/car sound, takes a loooooong time. Decades even. The clean and clear interface Plogue have developed for OPS7 looks and feels like the real thing, except we can see and adjust all the elements with useful visual feedback, and a very readable algorithm screen.
It’s too easy to search for old (and new!) DX7 patches but until yesterday choosing which emulation to run the patches in wasn’t obvious, and now it is. Don’t support Arturia’s bloated engine, and NI’s engine isn’t quite right either, to me. Plogue’s small team of developer gives them the freedom to make better design and framework choices, and you should be supporting these kinds of software engineers, not the giants whose only mission is to remain afloat and keep the investors investing.
Buy OPS7. Your sound will be better, your pocket will be happier, and the future will be brighter!