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Description

Produced in 1987. Despite its name, the TX802 FM Tone Generator is basically a rack-module version of the DX7mkII with full 8-part multi-timbral operation for sequencing and/or key mapping. It has 16-voices of polyphony and six digital FM Operators, the same as in the DX7mkII. There are 128 preset and 64 user patches for your sounds, as well as an external memory cartridge slot.

Product specs

Brand Yamaha
Model TX802 FM Tone Generator
Finish Black
Year 1986
Made In Japan
Categories Digital Synthesizers, Rackmount Synths
Analog / Digital Digital
MIDI I/O MIDI Input, MIDI Output, MIDI Through
Polyphony 16 Voices

FAQs

What type of synthesis does the Yamaha TX802 use?

The Yamaha TX802 uses FM synthesis, which is known for its complex, digital sound textures and was popularized by the iconic Yamaha DX7.

How many voices of polyphony does the Yamaha TX802 offer?

The Yamaha TX802 provides 16 voices of polyphony, allowing for rich, layered sounds and complex performances.

Is the Yamaha TX802 compatible with modern MIDI setups?

Yes, the Yamaha TX802 features MIDI Input, Output, and Through connections, making it compatible with modern MIDI setups for seamless integration into your studio.

Can the Yamaha TX802 be used for live performances?

The Yamaha TX802 is a rackmount synth, making it ideal for studio use, but it can also be integrated into a live performance setup with proper MIDI control.

What are some key sound characteristics of the Yamaha TX802?

The Yamaha TX802 is known for its bright, digital sounds typical of FM synthesis, capable of producing everything from bell-like tones to complex, evolving textures.

SynthMania

SynthMania

Yamaha TX802 - A few performance patches

Video thumbnail for Yamaha TX802 - A few performance patches by SynthMania

Yamaha TX802 - A few performance patches

SynthMania

SynthMania

Video thumbnail for Yamaha TX802 | The pinnacle of what the DX line became in the 80s. by Espen Kraft

Yamaha TX802 | The pinnacle of what the DX line became in the 80s.

Espen Kraft

Espen Kraft

Video thumbnail for YAMAHA TX802 PERFORMANCE sound by もりや @ no talking synth demos.

YAMAHA TX802 PERFORMANCE sound

もりや @ no talking synth demos.

もりや @ no talking synth demos.

Video thumbnail for Yamaha TX802 - Exploring the Presets - Midiverse - TV by Midiverse - TV

Yamaha TX802 - Exploring the Presets - Midiverse - TV

Midiverse - TV

Midiverse - TV

Video thumbnail for Yamaha TX802 "Flashback" Soundset 128 Sounds by LFOstore

Yamaha TX802 "Flashback" Soundset 128 Sounds

LFOstore

LFOstore

Video thumbnail for Yamaha TX802: Under the Radar Review by Off The Matrix

Yamaha TX802: Under the Radar Review

Off The Matrix

Off The Matrix

Reviews

PROS

  • Immense sound design potential

  • Highly versatile and multi-timbral for hardware sequencing

  • Better DACs and more polyphony than the DX7

  • Full, warm, rich, and soulful sound character

  • Key release/rebound effect unique to FM synthesis

  • Compact size fits easily in setups

  • Large library of free patches available

  • Can produce sharp attacks for expressive horns and strings

  • Classic DX7 sound in a rack version

CONS

  • Programming interface challenging without external software

  • Limited by understanding of FM synthesis

  • Lacks onboard storage and volume knob

  • Overexposed DX sound may not appeal to all

Owner Insights

We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Yamaha TX802.

Features and functionality

  • The TX802 offers 16-note polyphony and eight-part multitimbrality, making it more versatile than the Volca FM's three-note polyphony.

    Source
  • The TX802 allows for microtuning and assigning control change messages, a feature not available in the Volca FM.

    Source
  • The TX802 can be used like eight monosynths due to its eight outputs, offering a unique flexibility not typically found in single-unit setups.

    Source

User experience

  • Owners of the TX802 report minimal noise, which is often masked in live settings, suggesting reliability for performance use.

    Source
  • Owners note the TX802 can replicate distinctive tones from bands like Oingo Boingo, offering a unique sound profile hard to mimic with other synths.

    Source
  • Owners report the TX802 sounds much better and more versatile than the original DX7, particularly appreciating its ability to layer and split patches.

    Source

Mods and upgrades

  • Consider replacing audio op amps in the TX802 for improved sound quality, a common tweak discussed for maintaining vintage units.

    Source

Comparisons

  • The TX802 provides eight separate outputs, enhancing its flexibility compared to the Volca FM's limited outputs.

    Source
  • The Korg Volca FM reportedly sounds tinny compared to the fuller, richer tones of the TX802 and other Yamaha DX models.

    Source
  • Compared to the DX7, the TX802's programming interface is considered more user-friendly, featuring a backlit display and logical layout for easier navigation.

    Source
  • The TX802's 16-bit DAC offers a cleaner, quieter sound than the DX7's 12-bit DAC, which some owners prefer for its grit and character.

    Source
  • The TX7 is noted for having the same "gritty" 12-bit DAC sound as the original DX7, making it a closer match for those seeking that specific tone.

    Source

Use cases and applications

  • When layering and detuning patches in Performance mode, the TX802 produces exceptionally rich and dynamic sounds, enhancing its use for complex musical compositions.

    Source

Software and compatibility

  • DEXED software is highly recommended as an editor for the TX802, with verified 100% sysex compatibility, simplifying programming and sound design.

    Source
  • Some users recommend using a tape saturation plugin or space echo to blend the TX802's cleaner sound with the original DX7's character in a mix.

    Source

Setup and maintenance

  • The TX802 integrates well with MIDI setups via USB-MIDI, allowing seamless control with basic controllers like the Nektar Impact iX61.

    Source
Add

4.0 out of 5

Based on 6 Reviews and 21 Ratings

5 star
4 star
3 star
2 star
1 star
kenneth_martin_gammell

Great for multi-timbral layering

I use a great deal of horn, organ, and string samples. But they lack the sharp attack and expressiveness you wish for. Especially strings, they usually have a soft attack and sound mushy. Horns also can have a weak attack when you want a real percussive stab. Enter the digitally sharp attacks to strings and horns using my TX802. The combination of real instrument samples and digital padding creates a nice full sound that covers the frequency spectrum. My digital horns have velocity sensitivity to control how bright they sound, making them more expressive. I also have a multi-timbral organ combination that combines the full body B3 samples with a bright and punchy digital organ.

digitl

Great

It a DX 7 Mark II so you know it will sound great (better hardware and DAC resolution than original). Too bad it didn't have more storage and a volume knob! Still, classic sounds at the push of a button. I program it with software (Dexed - https://asb2m10.github.io/dexed/) and it is still a pain; however, there are soooo many free patches available you can find something to get you going.

Roles:
Genres:
atonalmeasure

Classy sounding FM

Nice rack, but i bought it in the mid 90's and the DX sound was still suffering from over exposure so i quickly moved it on, i think would like this now 20 years has passed, it has big wide clean sound from what i can remember of it.

jimmarchi1

all of the FM stuff is best enjoyed with software editors via MIDI to create unique patches... otherwise its all just overplayed presets like the electric piano and 'lately bass'

alfa_trax

fm tone generator

16 voces fm syntesizer, 6 operators, múltiple outs

third_key_broken

DX7 w/o keyboard

You get the DX-7 sound, but unfortunately almost impossible to program...

jimmarchi1

you can get an editor/librarian app for your computer and program her over MIDI... the learning curve is still pretty steep but with a graphical interface you can learn FM w/o an advanced degree if you dedicate some serious time to it... the DX and TX synths are capable of so much more than is evidenced by the presets and popular expansion libraries

federicovaona

Beautiful FM Synth

A DX7 II rack version. Very beautiful sounds and very rare to find. Stereo and rich FM mix.

Artist usage

Add artist
See how David Rosenthal uses Yamaha TX802

David Rosenthal

Keyboardist, Music Producer

Rainbow

...
Verified

According to a feature in Keyboard Magazine, David Rosenthal's understage control center includes a Yamaha TX802, among other equipment.

See how Susan Ciani uses Yamaha TX802

Susan Ciani

Music Producer

...
Verified via Discogs

Yamaha TX 802 is included in list of instruments played by Suzanne Ciani.

See how TIM SIMENON uses Yamaha TX802

TIM SIMENON

Keyboardist, Composer

Interference

...
Verified via Gearslutz

According to Future Music, this item is listed as used by Tim Simenon on recording ULTRA for Depeche MODE

See how Skudge uses Yamaha TX802

Skudge

...
Verified via Photo

"@skudge_elias_landberg Racking it up. #rack #gear #waldorf #yamaha #tx8iz #wavetable #waldorfmicrowave #ensoniqesq1 #oberheim #matrix1000 #cheetah #inthestudio #hardware #2015"

See how The BBC Radiophonic Workshop uses Yamaha TX802

The BBC Radiophonic Workshop

Composer, Music Producer

...
Verified via Whitefiles

The BBC Radiophonic Workshop utilized the Yamaha TX802 synthesizer, as documented in the Whitefiles source.

See how Peter Howell uses Yamaha TX802

Peter Howell

Keyboardist, Composer

...
Verified

"Peter Howell in Studio B. A pair of S550 samplers, a Proteus and a pair of DAT recorders can be seen in the rack to the rear. There's an Arp Odyssey on top of the left-hand rack, which also contains a CD player, D550, TX802 and a pair of TG55s."

See how Steve Levine uses Yamaha TX802

Steve Levine

Composer, Music Producer

Culture Club

...
Verified via Soundonsound

The master keyboard in use in Levine's studio is a Yamaha KX88, and other sound sources include Roland U220 and D550 synth mdoules, Roland R8M drum module, Ensoniq ESQ1M synth module, Korg Wavestation AD and Yamaha TX802 synths. Right next to them is an Atari Mega 4 with hard drive. Levine: "In all honesty, I can do everything on the Atari that my Mac with Notator Logic software upstairs can do. I have the Atari in my studio because the majority of people I'm working with use an Atari, and it's absolutely fine for sequencing and synth editing. Unless you want to do hard disk recording there's no point in getting rid of your Atari. My hard disk recorder and editor is still the Akai DD1000, because of the instantly‑removable cartridges. I record all my audio onto my ADATs and then use the DD1000 for editing real drums or guitars and cleaning up things, or making vocal comps."

See how Michael Brook uses Yamaha TX802

Michael Brook

Guitarist, Keyboardist

David Sylvian & Robert Fripp

...
Verified via Muzines

"The monitors are Yamaha NS 1000s - they've got a big, beautiful sound. Then there's the 16-track Fostex, the Atari C-Lab, the patch panel... Here's a fantastic Eventide H3000 harmonizer. This is a thing I made called a VEWA - a vocal effects waveform animator. It adds vocal-like formants to a signal. It's sort of like a random vocoder. I used it quite a bit on Hybrid. This here is a Lexicon LXP1 digital reverb, which has an incredible quality to it. The Yamaha TX802 is the synthesizer I use. This Bel digital delay line I use live a lot. It produces 13-second loops in sync with MIDI, so it's like having a rhythm guitarist who can play for 13 seconds - that's very important for my live work. Here's the Yamaha SPX90 and Roland reverb I use sometimes."

See how Wojtek Olszak uses Yamaha TX802

Wojtek Olszak

Keyboardist, Music Producer

Woobie Doobie

...
Verified via Olszak

The instrument appears on the list of instruments on official artist's website (http://olszak.pl/).

See how Eric Chevalier uses Yamaha TX802

Eric Chevalier

Composer

...
Verified via Raymanpc

Eric Chevalier's gear list circa 2003:

Mixing Consoles: - Sony DMX-R100 - Yamaha 01V Monitors: - Genelec 1031.A - Genelec 1030.A Samplers: - Akai s6000 (x2) - Akai CD3000XL - Roland S760 (x4) - Roland SP 700 Synthesizers: - Roland JD800 - Roland JD990 - Roland MKS80 + PG - Roland MKS70 + PG (x2) - Roland XV3080 - Roland D550 - Roland A80 - E-MU Proteus 2000 - Yamaha TX802 - Kurzweil MicroPiano - Korg M1R EX - Korg Wavestation AD - Korg Triton - Alesis DM5 (drum machine) - Access Virus A - Access Virus C - The theremin - Nord Lead Computer (& Plugins): - PowerMac G4/733 - PowerBook Titanium - Monitors Plasma (x2) - Pro Tools Mix Plus (software) - Logic Audio Platinum (+ eMagic plugins) - Spectrasonics Athmosphere - Spectrasonics Stylus - Mac Five - DD 80 Go + 120 Go + 160 Go LaCie - DD 40 Go Ice - Synchro: "Time Machine" C Lab - Unitor MK2 (x3) Effects: - Lexicon 480L - PCM80 / LPX15 - Yamaha SPX90 / D1500 (x2) - Tube Tech Compressor LCA 2B - EQ Moog - TC Electronics M5000 - TC Electronic Finalizer 96K - DAT Panasonic SV-3800 - DAT Sony PCM R500

See how Michael Münzing uses Yamaha TX802

Michael Münzing

Composer, Music Producer

Snap!

...
Verified via Muzines

Source: Interview with Michael Münzing and Luca Anzilotti about SNAP! mu:zines.co.uk - 1994: https://www.muzines.co.uk/articles/snap-to-tomorrow/8245

See how Stef Mendesidis uses Yamaha TX802

Stef Mendesidis

Music Producer, DJ

...
Verified via Instagram

Stef Mendesidis is confirmed to use the Yamaha TX802 in his studio, as evidenced by a post from his official Instagram account.

Genre Usage

Based on how artists on Equipboard use this gear, it is most commonly found in the following genres.

Used With

Based on how musicians on Equipboard use Yamaha TX802, it is most commonly used with the following gear.

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Korg M1R
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Roland MKS-70
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6
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5
Yamaha TX81Z
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5
Roland D-50
Roland D-50 Synthesizers
5
Studio Electronics Midimoog
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4
Roland JD-800
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