Korg Opsix Altered FM Synthesizer vs Yamaha Reface DX | The New Easy FM Standard?

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After reinvigorating the world of analog synthesis, Korg has made their foray into FM synthesis with the Opsix. Taking queues from the classics like the Yamaha DX7, Korg has now created what Zach considers to be the "new standard" for learning FM synthesis. Take a listen to Zach running down the specifications of this incredible synthesizer, as well as some great demo sounds. When compared to Yamaha's current FM competitor, the Reface DX, which one of these interests you more?
SPECS - 1:05
DEMOS - 9:09
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#korgopsix

[@jadedphase7829]

Always good ! Keep the content coming !!

[@asoundlab]

🙏🏼

[@LooseOrangeJuice]

@@asoundlab You guys deserve more subscribers. These videos are good.

[@melodikmusic]

Great job! Love your channel and I always learn so much with your deep detail dives. Keep up the great work!

[@davidsharp3110]

Hello Neil, I'm thinking Opsix! Dave Sharp, Cleveland

[@melodikmusic]

@@davidsharp3110 Hey Dave! So you’ve found me in my secret passion: synths! 😂 Hope all is well!

[@asoundlab]

🙏🏼 ☺️

[@davidsharp3110]

@@melodikmusic Trying to figure out a way to call you?

[@davidsharp3110]

@@melodikmusic been doing a Moog Voyager Old School, ARP Odyssey and a Roland Jupiter Xm. Fun times,

[@herzaincarmona4810]

The Reface just sounds crisp and better to my ear overall.

[@neonpop80]

The reface is godly. Not sure what it’s is about it but it always sounds better than all other synths I have. And I have quite a few

[@davidsharp3110]

Great video with great explanation.

[@asoundlab]

🙏🏼

[@tylersmith7925]

They both sound heavenly and can create hellscapes of sound as well hah. The patch you dialed in at 32:27 is sooo cool. I want to write an album based on this passage. Or maybe you should damn those few minutes were amazing

[@tylersmith7925]

Honestly from there until the end is easily a whole album of material. And a dope album at that. You’d only have to edit a few parts around 38-40-mins

[@asoundlab]

Thank you!

[@tonystephen6312]

reface as a sweeter sound for some reason.

[@mauchkimberly]

Is this true? I'm looking at both and leaning more toward dx for form factor, (complexity seems manageable) but I have wondered about its sound. Compared to dx7, in videos, it's a bit weaker (understandable since its not that exact machine) but opsix seems to have less of an "fm" sound (and more digital, more like virtual analog). I don't insist on the dx7 sound (or I'd get that) but I want the analog fm sound.

[@winddealer1]

Subbed! Thank you for the interesting contrast and perspective. Reface DX @ $300 (4 operators ($75/operator - mini keys)), Opsix @ $800 (6 operators ($133/operator 36 keys)), MODx6 (8 operators ($175/operator 61 keys, 16 part multi-timbral)) @ $1400. Given that each has its unique sonic and budgetary FM value, the Opsix fits in between. Arguably: The Reface wins on best portability and simplicity (batteries, speakers) The Opsix wins on best innovative sound design and workflow The Modx6 wins on best total value Explore all of them then decide what best fits your needs.

[@asoundlab]

Thank you!

[@stosemcls]

Korg Volca FM $200 6 operators = $33/operator

[@LB-pp7pu]

Seems to me that the Opsix has more possibilities but the Reface has a better tone overall

[@chromakey84]

Definitely not the case. The opsix is ridiculous

[@OperantSound]

@@chromakey84 I agree, the tone on the Reface sounds richer. Love the filter addon on the Op though.

[@josephwright5921]

I already had a YAMAHA FS1R, but I picked up Reface DX and a Dtronics controller to program my own sounds in a manner that is a lot easier than on the FS1R. I watched about 30-50 videos on each synth, but ended up liking the Reface more. Maybe I will pick up a ModX one day

[@georgenewman5860]

Check some other demos before you commit to that. This demo isn't bad but the Opsix can sound much better than it does here.

[@kierenmoore3236]

I like the Reface’s sound better, too … Seems much closer to the classic DX sound, anyway … Difficult to quantify, but if the DX sounded digital, this Opsix sounds ultra-digital … Anyway, sound is subjective; size and features are objective - but if you don’t like the general sound/character, nothing else matters …

[@unclemick-synths]

Such a pity the Opsix doesn't have the DX7 envelopes. It's not like Korg couldn't have included them - they're in the Volca FM! Having said that it's still a very powerful synth.

[@GrevDrake]

I agree. This is why some of the DX7-patches will work on the opsix, whereas others won't.

[@unclemick-synths]

@@GrevDrake I ended up buying a used DX7 IID - money that would have gone to Korg if the Opsix had been fully DX7 patch compatible.

[@tylersmith7925]

I think the correct answer is to have both hahaha, with a Dtronics controller and midi board for the DX

[@josephwright5921]

I just got Dtronics controller and think it is pretty awesome, but I think they might be discontinuing them. They dropped them from the website, but Thomann’s still has them.

[@Gottenhimfella]

@@josephwright5921 I hope they're better at designing controllers than they are at exposing their wares. That has to be one of the worst websites in history.

[@cnfuzz]

2021 digital 32 voices No multitimbrality , 1987 yamaha tx 802 multitimbral ,tx81z lowcost multitimbral

[@lundsweden]

True, back the multitimbrality was more important as gear was very expensive back then, so people often had less gear. It would be nice though to play two tones together, or have a keyboard split like the DX7II (1987). 32 note poly is plenty, even the 16 note DX7II was ok for most if us. I might add that the TX81Z was 8 part multitimbral, but also has just 8 note poly (ok, but not much to spare once you sequence with it).

[@159awi]

I love the dx reface. With just a couple of clicks, you can tell exactly what's going on with the patch. Maybe you can with the opsix, but I couldn't tell from the demo.

[@jm6734]

Thank you for this. I have been torn between these two. The Korg has a somewhat in-between stupid size and is overpriced imo. Sounds great though. The Reface on the other hand has the form factor spot on, sounds sweet yet leaves me wanting more.. Love the DX, but really wish Yamaha would make a Mk2 and I'd forget about the Opsix in a heartbeat. Yamaha are such a huge and sluggish whale of a company. They take forever to come up with new stuff.

[@n8goulet]

Compare the OpSix to the Yamaha MODX6, and you won't need the DX7 Mk2. The MODX also offers the most bang for the buck feature to price ratio of any pro synth on the market.

[@jm6734]

@@n8goulet Probably. But I don’t want another large synth. Quite the opposite. Reface’s are perfectly sized in many ways imo, yet with too many awkward afterthoughts. Would be strange if Yamaha didn’t evolve the series. Then again I don’t get this company at all.

[@n8goulet]

@@jm6734 The MODX is about the smallest 61 key synth you'll find, one of the reasons I bought it. But I agree, still larger than OpSix or Reface. The first attraction to the MODX6 to me, besides it's features later discovered, was it's compact size. Then when I researched it and the press was raving about it "Summary: The MODX sets a new features-for-money benchmark in the synth world"

[@ricpan]

Would you suggest the Korg Opsix or the Wavestate to create sonically unique sounds? Thank you for the informative video!

[@dottedrhino]

Live editing rarely turns out useful on an FM machine is my experience. Design a complete sound first and then use it.

[@Gottenhimfella]

Do you think that is inherent to the basic FM concept, or incidental due to lmitations of the human/machine interfaces which are currently available?

[@dottedrhino]

@@Gottenhimfella To be honest, I don't perform live. So I have to program the sounds to completion before I can use them in my DAW. But watching YT I got the impression that tweaking sounds while playing is tedious, and I couldn't do better than those guys.

[@transforminggravity15626]

Super awesome 💯💯😎🤘🎹

[@lundsweden]

Vs Dexed, the free plugin that emulates the classic DX7!

[@Usul]

Watching this today after Korg is dumping the Opsix at fire-sale prices (60% off!) and killing the product. I have to wonder, what went wrong? Zach liked the Opsix, and so do many owners. There is still a healthy, growing, and active userbase. Sound designers were just starting to learn how to get the most out of this amazing synth. What fills the FM synth leadership void now that it has suffered an untimely death? Will we see an Opsix II? Did it fail to gather enough interest? Is it gone forever? What was behind the surprise move by Korg?

[@emmettthenry]

I have to assume they’re clearing their warehouse for a new product that they hope will sell better. I scored an Opsix in the move for $329. I wouldn’t have even considered it at full retail price. I think they overestimated consumer’s ability to understand what a huge deal this product was for FM synthesis. It’s an interface even I can understand (coming from a mono/subtractive background). I thought the concept of FM was awesome, just never felt approachable since programming is generally opaquely shrouded in a labyrinth of menus. The format they chose changed that concept for me. Honestly, the retail price was probably justified when factoring in the research and development necessary to create this product, but I personally could not justify spending that much when there were similar (albeit, less user-friendly) modern and vintage alternatives for hundreds less. Buying during the sale felt exactly right for me. Glad I waited.

[@KingGameReview]

Same. I saw it on deep discount and ordered one.... then started doing my research to see what I got myself into. I have an og DX7, but it's in pretty rough shape. Some of the buttons don't always work and editing patches is a huge pain. I think, for the $330 new, the opsix will be a great replacement (still played with the DX7 keybed).

[@scheetmcborsten7977]

It would've helped if they marketed it differently. It's not "just an FM synth". It can do so much more than the Taco Bell dong sound. Honestly can't believe I got it so cheap. I wanted one but couldn't justify paying $750 for it.

[@lucid484]

Well they are offering the software of the Opsix as a plugin for $99 to current users and $199 otherwise. Lots of people don't want or have space for more hardware, so many will prefer the software. I jumped on the clearance price and I never had an intention to get an FM synth lol

[@festivitycat]

I know it shouldn't matter but the reface LOOKS nicer as well as sounding great

[@georgenewman5860]

What? The reface looks like a $50 casio from the 80s. The Opsix looks great!

[@JohnMichaelBurns]

@@georgenewman5860 $50 casios are cool.

[@georgenewman5860]

@@JohnMichaelBurns No accounting for taste. 🤮 🤣

[@harmonicsball89]

The Opsix sounded cold and ice picky in all that was demoed. This will lead to ear fatigue really fast as there seems to be a spike in the 1k-3k frequencies. Was this EQ’d to sound this way? I think Korg’s Microkorg XL sounds way more musical. The Yamaha also sounded more musical. FM synths can sound cold to begin with, so I appreciated the “warmth” of the Preface. Considering that most will use these in some sort of digital context, this is a huge consideration.

[@JohnMichaelBurns]

Yeah reface definitely sounds warmer to me too. Surprising considering that the opsix has an analog modelled filter and the reface doesn't.

[@GrevDrake]

If configured well, patches can sound very warm and pleasant. You just need to learn how to handle the filters and parameters. I made a patch that sounds like Jump and Are Friends Electric.

[@deafmusician2]

I have a KARMA that I'm still scratching my head over...

[@FakeGlasses]

Next episode: weirdest synths and most unique sounds

[@asoundlab]

Good idea!! This would def make the list

[@combofriend4461]

I just wish both the yamahas had mod wheels instead. I know you can technically do a more customized way through the controls, but just having a basic ass mod wheel/stick is more convenient imo

[@XDanimalzX]

Who is Yamaha trying to fool with those Mini keys? . Great video comparison though! Opsix definitely sounds more interesting.

[@MountainBlade]

The mini key synths are perfect people like me who are running full hardware electronic music setups, I need 3-4 synths, a mixer, a sequencer/drum machine, and effects pedals to all fit on a table top! Would be great if they release larger models as well with more features and larger keyboards!

[@KunchangLeeMusic]

Would you choose the Yamaha reface dx or the korg opsix?

[@KunchangLeeMusic]

@M Edward Borasky what do the operators do again ? I just want like 80s and 90s sounds and just found out you can download more sounds for the Yamaha reface -

[@brianwolle2509]

bought the opsix. love it.

[@PRODUCEDBYLILDOUG]

@@KunchangLeeMusic I've had the Yamaha reface CS before. Great sounds but plugging it into the computer for patches just wasn't for me. It takes away from the hardware experience. I like an all in one box. Will likely get the opsix

[@toomuchtoofast4533]

DX reface all the way... its $300 new now

[@mgbolusm]

@M Edward Borasky Original DX series operators only generated sine waves. You'd need to dedicate 2 or more operators to START with a more complex complex tone. All of the Reface operators have feedback meaning all can produce a range of sawtooth-sine-square waves. So in some senses you can do what an 8-op sine-only FM synth can do, and in some cases you can't do what a 6-op does. It's not a perfect 4 is less than 6 comparison.

[@MuffDada]

There is no comparison… opsix is a real synth with all the features you need to go deep into the fm synthesis… reface doesn’t even have modulation wheel oh my gosh!!! If someone wants dx7 patches it’s easy to find… a true comparison would be between volca fm2 and reface dx

[@cbmtrx]

I own a Korg Monologue and the sound is much thinner and less full than you'd expect from an analog synth; lots of fx and a harsher sound. I hear the same phenomenon here: a less full sound than the DX and somewhat more focused on FX/movement than pure FM textures. $800 is way more than I would ever budget for an FM synth.

[@ricok987]

Here is how you can tell if Op 6, or Reface is easier to program, take a very simple/basic patch from 1 and try to recreate it on the other from scratch while timing yourself. After you do both-you will know.

[@ZenMountain]

Oookay... Now we know. What a contribution!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!!

[@roddy9372]

bro you should maybe make yourself a script for these...was kinda hard to listen to

[@fahadahmadkeyboardist792]

korg

[@Highfiber123]

Having both, I can speak to the comparison, OP six is way more intuitive , and has a real keyboard. The Yamaha does sound great, but not nearly as intuitive

[@jamus1217]

Never enough keys

[@Gottenhimfella]

Nothing will ever be enough for the person who has always had more than they needed ;-)

[@npc2071]

RIP OPSIX

[@sentokan]

a vesrsus with similar sounds would have been more helpful

[@tied515]

I wouldn't recommend the Opsix to a beginner. Not because it is complicated to program, it's not. But it has too many features that sound impressive and are totally unrelated to FM techniques. You just get lost listening to ambient pads and you don't learn FM programming... and worst, you realize that every beginner is creating the same sounds on this machine. I know that big FM stars use it, for example Yuzo Koshiro, but those guys learned on cheap YM chips and DX7! No FX, and for some of these chips, only 4 operators and no feedback. They had to put FM at the core of their programming. For a beginner I say, start with Reface DX. If you're unable to make interesting patches with a DX100, you shouldn't try an Opsix.

[@lrblouie]

I really and sincerely appreciate your videos but way too much talking and repetition.

[@user-sh4tn7iv9f]

Roland, any day, all day.

[@josephwright5921]

Meh. I have two of the mass-produced Roland “boutique” modules, the D05 and SE 02. They sound great, but I don’t understand the infatuation people have with all the virtual analog software emulations of classic synths in a box. They always seem to be lacking something in the sound and response of the filters and sounds nasty to my ears in the high end. I wish Roland would make some new, original digital or analog synths rather that cranking out digital imitations of classic synths. At least Behringer made analog reproductions of classic synths and drum machines.