Hi, I just got my hands on a Yamaha DX7s keyboard. It came without the ram cartridge and it seems that there is not that much you can do without it. Every button I press I seem to get the message to insert the cartridge. Because nothing about this keyboard seems familiar, I'm not sure if there is a problem with the keyboard or with me. Is the Ram only for storage of patches or can you get by without it and do system exclusive dumps. If I need the ram, can I use any DX7 card or are there different cards for different releases? I'm a bit confused!

There's a button left of the display that says INT/CRT. On the classic DX7 you had 2, the DX7IIFD has them at the right of the display.
Push it and try selecting a preset again.

DX7 cartridges (or generic old memory cartridges) are far too expensive for what you have to pay for them. I'm surprised the aftermarket mod crowd hasn't worked on that yet.

Doh! That sorted it out, I at least have sound now, thanks! Do you think it is still worth getting a ram cartridge though? It seems that you can get blank ones on ebay. Could I maybe get patches from the internet and then dump them onto the cartridge somehow?
Also, another question, is there some way to restore the factory settings on the internal memory on the DX7? It seems the previous owner has written over some of them since quite a few of them have the same name but sound different. I saw the names of the internal memory patches in the user manual and they were different to what I have.

Dumping is done by putting the presets in the internal banks first and then copying them wholesale to the cartridge.

Do look out for the cartridge size - those of the DX7 mk1 are less wide (about 6mm / a quarter inch) than those of the DX7s, DX7II and DX7IIFD.

I've got a RAM cart for both my DX7 and my DX7IIFD - while it's handy to augment the anemic memory, if you have yours hooked up in the studio to a computer it's not that important.

☮ Dave Benson's DX7 Page ☮ has the factory patches (scroll down or search for "factory").

Hey I have one dx7 ROM cartridge which I don't need, I recall it is: ROM 2-A ORCHESTRAL & PERCUSSIVE SOUNDS GROUP

DX7

I'll trade it for a packet of dark roast coffee!

-Tomi

Hey guys, thanks for the support, much appreciated! I've made a bit of progress, managed to get the factory settings restored with Sysex Librarian that I got from Dave Benson's page. The thing is, I only managed to get patches 33-64 into the internal memory and 1-32 remain the same as they were before. I tried changing the receive block to 1-32 but when I tried to send info the display says "now receiving" but doesn't say "finished receiving" like it did before. Now I can't seem to send any patches Sysex to it any more. Any ideas what the problem is? Thanks in advance!

Hey Tomi, wasn't quite sure if you were being serious! If you have a spare one going that will work on my DX7-S then we could work something out!

I was being serious but I just realized that apparently the "S" version is one the new ones:

Vintage Synth Explorer - Yamaha DX7s/IID/IIFD

and the my cartridge fits the older ones:
Vintage Synth Explorer - Yamaha DX-7


I have DX7II-FD and I can load patches only to slots 1-32! so if you can load only to 33-64 there must be a way to change to which block (1-32 or 33-64) the DX loads tthe patches.

BTW, there are sometimes ram cartridges with 8x 32 patch slots in the eBay, they are basically 4 ram cartridges with a little switch for changing the patch block.

-Tomi

Tomi, is your offer still open? I can get you some of the best coffee Oregon has to offer.

Oh yes it is!

-Tomi

I'm in the same boat I just got a dx7 and it didn't come with any cartriges so I only have 32 sounds they are great sounds and I can program a little and tweak sounds some but still could use more options . Can't seem to find any cartridges that aren't high priced. So if anyone else has a few and could use some beer, coffee or wants me to order them a pizza to there house. let me know and I'll pm you or just shoot me a pm.

Then get an USB-MIDI cable and download a bunch of sysex files. Sure, you have to compromise on convenience, but that's a common side-effect of trying to save money.

I have one just can't get a sysex librarian or editor that I can get to work. I have vista on one and will have windows 7 on another. If you know of a good librarian that works let me know. I have tried dx editor and a few others. I also run linux if there is one that works for it. I would pay for it.

Hi all;

I too have DX7s with no cartridge. Unfortunately, unlike donpepperoni, I have only have one or two internal sounds, all weird and, well, synthy... Do I need to download the original or more conventional sounds eg. organs, etc? Or is there a way of getting them to return without too much hassle?

Many thanks,

SV.

Question, what kind of DX7 ROM's are out there exactly? Read only, read and write/store, and what else? So far I just use a floppy disk to store patches but I don't know if that's the best way...

ROM is read-only, RAM can be overwritten by the user.

Floppy disk means you have a DX7IIFD. It's not the best since floppies may have a worse track record w.r.t. data retention, but it also means you do not have to use a computer.

It boils down to personal preference; if your DX is permanently hooked up and you need the computer as a DAW anyway, dumping via MIDI is just as convenient.

Thanks for that.

Midi-Ox + Sysex Patches is the way to access more sounds than you will ever be able to use.

Since the DX7s has MIDI sysex transfer capabilities, there's no point of storing patches in a RAM cart. It also has two banks of 32 patches so shuffling patches around is easy. No RAM cart needed.

That's not the case with the DX7. You can only upload a full 32-patch bank at a time and since it's only got room for one bank, moving patches around is a chore and has to be done on a computer, or using the RAM cartridge.

That's the best use of a RAM cart I can imagine.

Ah, forgot the RAM part. Yes, I load a bank of patches 32 at a time, go through them, then save the ones with potential onto my RAM cart, then repeat with a new bank until my cart is full. Then I dump it into internal memory and save that bank via Midi-Ox. Start all over. Tedious, but a worthwhile way to collect patches.

Oh right I completely forgot about that. I always just put patches into my DX7 from the computer but I never thought about sending newly edited patches from the synth to the computer, which will ultimately do what the floppy's I was planning on buying would do; store more data. Well I guess I don't need any floppy's or cartridges since I already have MIDI OX and midi cables and stuff.

did anyone find a supplier of the factory pre set rom for the dx7s.i would like one

take that as a no then......hmmmmmmm

Q.E.D.

Hallo. I bought a dx 7iifd , but like someone here..no catridge inside. The better system for sure is to send/receive sysex via midi the patches..but i discover that's need anyway the card. You cant save your patch if using fractional scaling in edit mode , and maybe microtonal too..so thats the provlem. Anyway great synth..just this. Bye from italy

yea you dont need carts really. I have a few memory ones to store extra presets but just use sysex and the tons of presets online. or use the dexed plugin, a great tool for any dx7.

Hi Bros

but are you sure that could you store a voice using fractional scaling o microtuned (in dx7fd you should store in the catridge before, the send to computer. but cannot store them in internal memory, while normal scaling can be stored in internal memory)? Features of dexed are not so clear on this point..

Anyway i bought 1 hour ago a catridge on e-bay ((((..but i'll try the plugin )

i cant say on the scaling. ive never used it except by accident, which was weird.
you still want the plugin or midi ox or something to edit/load patches with, then use your RAM carts to save extra presets so you can have more than 32 (some of them have a switch on them so that you can have a and b banks of 32). the plugin is really good for editing and programming. lots more fun than a tiny display and a bunch of membrane buttons from the 80s imo...

Ok..i'm sure i cant save with a fractional edit the voice edited on internal memory..
Fractional mode in very interesting, fondamental to make more particular voices..i suggest you to try it.

Dont love to stay hours with my eyes on a computer ( so..dont want plugin ..)))
i found in ebay a good hardware controller with some knobs to program the sounds
..and..to record a live performance with a real live modulations.
It's 250 dOLLARS..but..it's in Argentina)
so..i don't know..to far and expensive for me. mAybe you in U.S.A could be interested.
Is this one.

X81PG Yamaha TX81Z Programmer Knobs for Your Beloved FM Synth | eBay