4.6 / 5     (9 votes)
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Win64
   
VST
CX5M-V is an emulation about the 1984 Yamaha CX5M and 1985 Yamaha CX5M-II. (Almost identical).

The CX5M incorporates a classic Yamaha FM sound process, using 4 operators and 8 algorithms. It also includes the Yamaha-type feedback, which routes the output of an operator to its own input.

Referring to Fourier Series, an important feedback will generate a Sawtooth spectrum, but with important Gibbs distortion. Due to some approximations, the feedback effect is hard to reproduce. SynthEdit – that was used to develop this software - cannot run instant feedback loops, so I had to use a special third party module from Elena Design.

This module uses Lagrange polynominal cubic interpolations, so we can't obtain a perfect sine. In FM, every single harmonic plays an important role as it sometimes modulates to high coefficients other harmonics. Yet as at the beginning we don't have a perfect sine, the result differs from a true DX-type Feedback process.

Though I tried to correct the feedback spectrum using butterworth filters, that better fits the original behavior. Anyway, because of this issue, some differences can be heard when comparing this software with an original unit, as feedback rate goes over 50%. This specific module isn't available for Mac, so that's why this software is Windows-only (And 64-bits).

The original CX5M runs on a 3.58 Mhz processor, in 8 bits. As a result, strong aliasing can be heard on low frequencies. I have recreated this distortion the very same way it sounds on an actual CX5M. Since it runs on 8 bits, the envelopes are not perfectly smooth. On long attacks/releases, you can hear steps – this was recreated in this plugin too.

Regarding envelopes, the CX5M had an ADSDR outline, that I changed to ADSR + Delay, to my mind more interesting. The CX5M also provided a weird HF attenuator/envelope shortener parameter, that I changed into a low pass gatted filter, as the original idea was too complicated for pretty useless results.

The volume adjustment parameter was deleted (it wasn't even used in factory presets). Same for a FM noise generator thing on OP1 – it wasn't used again (And I never succeeded to activate it – but the results are identical to max feedback effect). Finally, LFO was simplified from a useless distinction of PMD/PMS and AMD/AMS.
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The Cat Jul 07 2024
(5 / 5)
Jul 07 2024
It works perfectly, the only problem is that some of the notes looks like the noise we can hear in the phone when the calling doesn't work... i'm traumatised by this noise (its a joke)
Michel31 Oct 26 2023
(5 / 5)
Oct 26 2023
Parfait, rien à redire
Mario Jun 22 2023
Jun 22 2023
Lo tengo en fisico .. es una gran pero gran sinte . puedes hacer discos enteros con el . Lo amo . Acabo de descargarlo pero alguien sabe como accionar y editar los presets para crear sonidos . por faaaa
max Apr 02 2023
Apr 02 2023
It's a joke ? it doesn't work
Eel Aug 08 2022
(5 / 5)
Aug 08 2022
Great synth!
sergio Nov 15 2021
Nov 15 2021
Don't work ... help
robert Apr 08 2020
(5 / 5)
Apr 08 2020
Excellent emu but doesn't recall settings in live, wish it did as it sounds so good.
Lightning Man Apr 07 2020
(5 / 5)
Apr 07 2020
To the best of my knowledge, this synth hasn't been emulated before. Simple retro styling but very good. Thanks a lot.
Jpx Apr 06 2020
(5 / 5)
Apr 06 2020
man this is very very good synth! it's work perfect. i get more sounds than any fm synth i'm ever used. congrats to the creator!!
Samhooey Apr 01 2020
(1 / 5)
Apr 01 2020
Not so great.
Real word Mar 29 2020
(5 / 5)
Mar 29 2020
Please, in the next update is it possible to increase the bank size to 128? Thanks.