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I own the module version-TG-77, but it is essentially Identical. I truly think that the 77 and 99 series was the best & most tweekable synth yamaha has yet to produce. It is the backbone of my synth projects. I would not recommend it for Orchestral type work, but it's great for modern jazz fusion,pop,and even dance genres! I really think this synth was a poor-man'a Synclavier!! I have developed a soundset over the years that almost perfectly duplicates the FM section of the Synclavier II. A few years ago, I purchased a CD-ROM library for my sampler comprised of the factory FM preset sounds of the Synclav, and upon listening, I realized I had sounds that were BETTER than what I sought to emulate! The 77 has a much cleaner output than Synclav, and MUCH better signal-to-noise specs! If you had always wanted to have those classic Synclavier FM sounds, and you can't locate the CD-ROM (It's since been discontinued) then pick up a 77. They are going for only a few hundred dollars, currently. I wouldn't wait, because there's liable to be some kind of FM revival going, much as there was with analog synths, and then these puppies are going to get very rare and expensive! I am buying other FM synths that currently are out of style, before this happens. I purchased my 77 when it came out over ten years ago. I knew it would not replace my EMU Proteus modules for acoustic instrument sounds. I bought it because it was a terrific S Y N T H E S I S E R !! I understand it was always popular with T.V. and film composers, much like the Korg Wavestation, which came out at the same time. Programming it IS difficult and really frustrated me at first, but there are computer editors for it now that make it very much easier to explore the depth of this instrument. I believe there are sounds you can get ONLY with a 77 or 99. I will never part with it. Recently I stream-lined my studio, selling off many modules and other equipment which I realized was just not needed to get the results I wanted. When it came to deciding whether to keep or sell the 77.....no decision was warranted. I only hope my LCD display holds out! I have good luck in this regard, as I know of one other owner who has had to replace it twice in ten years, and it cost him about $200.00 each time! I only wish Yamaha had pursued further the design concepts of the 77&99. I would have liked to see more polyphony, better samples, support for memory Simms so you could load your own samples. I know of one company in the UK who used to sell a sample ROM expansion board you could install yourself. What a pity Yamaha has always been so lame about supporting the expansion slots for these things. FM has never been fully exploited by Yamaha, so one can hope for more advanced intruments in the future, but it seems the company is waiting for that FM revival I mentioned. They seem to be trying to start one of their own, with units like the FSR-1 and the new DX-200, but both of these units are no easier to program than the original FM synths, and this will break the success of FM synthesis.
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