From: ladasky@netcom.com (John J. Ladasky II)
Subject: Re: FB01 vs. TX81Z
Date: Tue, 08 Sep 92 05:15:15 GMT
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest)

malouin@engin.umich.edu (Curt Malouin) writes:
>ladasky@netcom.com (John J. Ladasky II) writes:
>>wrighttj@uhura.aston.ac.uk (Auntie Tim) writes:
>>[delete a little]
>>>operators. A few other things are different as well. The D/A
>>>converters in the TX are better quality than the FB- I think 16bit
>>>as opposed to 12 bit, but I could be wrong...
>>[delete a lot]
>>	If I remember correctly, the FB01 DAC (I think there's only one, 
>>multiplexed to the two channels) is only 10 bits across.  The FB01 has a 
>>pretty grainy sound. ...
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>That's what I like most about it.  Before picking one up (it was
>thrown in w/ the K5m to complete a deal) I always heard about
>how noisy it was.  The noise floor isn't bad (on mine, at least),
>and I plan to record with it.

	Well, I own one too.  You're right, the noise FLOOR is not bad.  My
PF-70 has a much higher quiescent noise level.  The sound themselves have a
noisy quality to them.  Good for some things, difficult for others.  The 
most objectionable noise I have heard from the thing is a digital grunge
that occurs when a chord is played.  This is most noticeable in a sustained
patch, but it will occur with percussive patches as well.

>I have heard other FB-01's that
>were *really* noisy (hi keyboard@engin :-), so maybe I just got
>lucky.  The biggest complaints that I have with it are:
>
>        - editting is only possible via MIDI.

	Yep.  Pain in the butt.  I am somewhat familar with FM synth program-
ming, so I have debated buying or programming an editor/librarian for my
Atari ST.  But, with PC's going the way they are, I really don't feel like
putting any more money into my ST... given a second chance, I would buy the
TX81Z.  The difference in price between an FB01 and a TX81Z is less than the
cost of most ed/lib packages.

>        - rear panel power switch (pain in the #ss when it's racked).

	My solution to this has been to plug the thing in to my Juice Goose
Twelve Paq power conditioner/distribution center.  This rack-mount device has
its power switch on the front, where it belongs.  BTW, the Twelve Paq will
run you about $235, over twice the cost of an FB-01 in the used market.

>        - poor quality of the front panel buttons

	Amen to that.  I just had one go out.  I'll be getting out my solder-
ing iron this week - hope I can fix it.

	Let me add a gripe to your list - the FB01 allows you to set up 
multi-instrument performance settings.  However, there is no way to access 
these via MIDI.  Program changes to the FB01 change the patch which is "on
top" of the performance setting.

>Curt Malouin                                Computer Aided Engineering Network
>malouin@engin.umich.edu                     The University of Michigan

-- 
== John J. Ladasky II ("ii") ========================= ladasky@netcom.COM ==
"Great composers do not borrow -	     "Talking about music is like
 they steal."  - John Ladasky	      ~ -     dancing about architecture."
(quote stolen from Stravinsky, who    o o     - Elvis Costello?  Laurie
 stole it from a statement made by     >        Anderson?  Frank Zappa?
 Pablo Picasso about painting, who    \_/    -------------------------------
 stole it from...)			     "Property is theft." - Groucho
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