OPX4 vs other FM VSTs or apps for pure FM goodness

MPC X, MPC Live, MPC One & MPC Key 61 Forum: Support and discussion for the MPC X, MPC Live, MPC Live II, MPC One & MPC Key 61; Akai's current generation of standalone MPCs.
 Reply Share on Facebook

OPX4 vs other FM VSTs or apps for pure FM goodness

By joegrant413 Sat Apr 13, 2024 7:08 pm
Though the MPC has been my primary platform for over a year now, every now and then I go back to check out my iPad apps. I gotta say the King of FM sounds pretty great. And when I go to VSTs on the desktop DEXXED sounds amazing. It sounds amazing for what I’ll call pure FM goodness. The bell sounds and the tine piano sounds that all have a wonderful clear ring to it without being harsh.

So do you think the OPX4 is at least as good as any other software for the pure FM tones? This morning I fired up the MPC standalone and found that if I took away the various effects from some OPX4 presets, I was getting close to the best FM tones.

Any thoughts?
Joe

Re: OPX4 vs other FM VSTs or apps for pure FM goodness

By RandomVibration Sat Apr 13, 2024 8:04 pm
I’ll answer your question with a question. Are you getting the results you want? If so, why does it matter what others think?

I have the Volca FM 2, Reface DX, SeqTrak, Dexxed, and Cubasis FM modules. They all work well for me as does OPx4. I don’t compare them, just use them.

Re: OPX4 vs other FM VSTs or apps for pure FM goodness

By joegrant413 Sat Apr 13, 2024 10:17 pm
What matters?

Maximize my tone and minimize the hassles. I hear something great on my iPad, but know my MPC standalone is the quickest way for me to setup, play, and record something.

So I'm good with only MPC if the tone is pretty strong and it's not worth the hassle and break in workflow to hook up something else.

Re: OPX4 vs other FM VSTs or apps for pure FM goodness

By joegrant413 Sat Apr 13, 2024 10:20 pm
I suppose I'm asking if anyone has just worked enough with stripped-down OPX-4 to convince themselves it delivers Dexxed goodness.

The FM thing is a black box to me. Unlike subtractive synthesis.

So one reason to go with something like Dexxed is it has 7 operators and they make a tonal difference you can't get with 4 operators. But I don't know if that's the case or not!

Re: OPX4 vs other FM VSTs or apps for pure FM goodness

By B-Wise Sun Apr 14, 2024 1:44 am
joegrant413 wrote:I suppose I'm asking if anyone has just worked enough with stripped-down OPX-4 to convince themselves it delivers Dexxed goodness.

The FM thing is a black box to me. Unlike subtractive synthesis.

So one reason to go with something like Dexxed is it has 7 operators and they make a tonal difference you can't get with 4 operators. But I don't know if that's the case or not!

Remember you can use up to 8 plugings at a time. I wish there was a mod matrix to connect all of them but you can still get crazy with what's there.
User avatar

Re: OPX4 vs other FM VSTs or apps for pure FM goodness

By Neodymium Sun Apr 14, 2024 12:38 pm
I bought the novation launch control, that has 8 banks. The OPX-4 has so many controls that I've assigned 3 banks just to control it. It really helps make it feel accessible and saves jumping around screens. At the time I was intrigued by the Korg OPsix and it's hands of controls, but the Launch Control feel like I've scratch the itch.
Image

Image

Image

The software FM synth that intrigues me the most is the Reasons Algoritm, but I really don't want to go down the Reason Rabbit hole with their Objekt VM synth that sounds so good.

Image

Re: OPX4 vs other FM VSTs or apps for pure FM goodness

By B-Wise Sun Apr 14, 2024 4:10 pm
Neodymium wrote:I bought the novation launch control, that has 8 banks. The OPX-4 has so many controls that I've assigned 3 banks just to control it. It really helps make it feel accessible and saves jumping around screens. At the time I was intrigued by the Korg OPsix and it's hands of controls, but the Launch Control feel like I've scratch the itch.

Thanks for this golden info. I remember you dropped before, but now I need it.
User avatar

Re: OPX4 vs other FM VSTs or apps for pure FM goodness

By Neodymium Mon Apr 15, 2024 2:14 am
It's a mission to set up, but you get into a flow, and it's well worth it at in the end. I've set up a bank for the Mini-d and Jura too, and need to come up with a plan for the Odyssey. Because my approach sets up 2 operators on one bank and 2 on the other, the knob and fader positions get lost. when editing the other bank. But I find I have a good muscle memory with this layout. So I'm tempted by getting a second Launch control at some point, which should just work when I give it all the same banks, as it just CC assignments.
User avatar

Re: OPX4 vs other FM VSTs or apps for pure FM goodness

By hyena Mon Apr 15, 2024 5:18 am
FM is simple calculations, hence it sounds almost the same on every plugin (older synths like the first dx series sound different due to poor or no antialiasing, older converters etc...). the difference between plugins is mainly features (number of operators and algorithms, modulation sources etc...) dexxed is a direct clone of a dx7, so it is a bit nightmarish to program and a bit old in approach but it is a great classic. opx4 has 4 operators instead of 6 (similar to some older cheaper dx models and ableton's operator) but it has a free FM matrix instead of fixed algorithms, this alone is a huge creative boost! plus it has a ton more modulations and its a bit nicer to program. so it has both more and less power than dexxed, my persoal favourite is Native Instruments FM8, even if its old now, it is the most free and complex fm synth plugin on the market still. id say go for opx4 , great synth even if the user interface is a bit cluttered and clumsy here and there
User avatar

Re: OPX4 vs other FM VSTs or apps for pure FM goodness

By Lampdog Mon Apr 15, 2024 1:05 pm
hyena wrote:….. it has a ton more modulations……

THIS makes OPx-4 feel endless to me. Loved it from the very beginning.
User avatar

Re: OPX4 vs other FM VSTs or apps for pure FM goodness

By bitermc Mon Apr 15, 2024 3:27 pm
hyena wrote:(...)
opx4 has 4 operators instead of 6 (similar to some older cheaper dx models and ableton's operator) but it has a free FM matrix instead of fixed algorithms, this alone is a huge creative boost! plus it has a ton more modulations and its a bit nicer to program. so it has both more and less power than dexxed(...)


Very good explanation... Thank you for this OPXx4 in a nutshell!

Re: OPX4 vs other FM VSTs or apps for pure FM goodness

By chrisroland Mon Apr 15, 2024 5:55 pm
i like the OpX-4 fine for FM-ish sounds in a standalone plugin. but having learned 4-op FM synthesis on my DX-11 back in the day and now having a Digitone, I have yet to find the OpX-4 patches that really pack the punch of "real" FM basses. or the kind of metallic shine that cuts through a mix like a DX electric piano/bells patch. OpX-4 presets feel like they can kinda sorta get close but it all still feels like FM-lite to me (not that that's a bad thing, there are a lot of very usable sounds that come in the factory presets). but i wouldn't expect it to sound like a classic DX or even a Digitone right out of the box

maybe someday i'll have enough time in the world to sort out the impenetrable matrix UI but man compared to Jura or Mini-D it is a chore and and a half
User avatar

Re: OPX4 vs other FM VSTs or apps for pure FM goodness

By hyena Mon Apr 15, 2024 7:31 pm
bitermc wrote:
hyena wrote:(...)
opx4 has 4 operators instead of 6 (similar to some older cheaper dx models and ableton's operator) but it has a free FM matrix instead of fixed algorithms, this alone is a huge creative boost! plus it has a ton more modulations and its a bit nicer to program. so it has both more and less power than dexxed(...)


Very good explanation... Thank you for this OPXx4 in a nutshell!

ahah too kind, thanks.

to chrisroland: yes, the presets are a bit uninspiring but if you dedicate some time to it you'll see it is a capable fm synth, the matrix is simple: you go to the row corresponding to an operator and dial in how much you want it to be modulated from the other operators (or even itself , feedback). then you tune the various operators to your liking and apply the envelopes. envelopes are key for sharp sounds, luckily we can change the slope of decays and releases to have a more exponential, punchy modulation. that thing is really important for sharp sounds.
 Reply
Return to MPC X, MPC One, MPC Live & MPC Key 61