So I only recently started playing with it. I do realize this is a wavetable synth. I have been digging around at what’s out there among full on FM synths. And someone somewhere mentioned that it has 2 (?) operator FM synthesis. I was not aware of that. I mean I know some people (maybe me as well) confuse FM with FM synthesis. I know it has Frequency Modulation on the wavetable synthesis, so does A4 apparently. In a sense I guess not FM as an “effect” or processing but more on the actual synthesis level. So what I meant is if it’s the actual operator based synthesis, or something similar along those lines. I did found some “80s patches” some FM sounding pads (which is what I am looking for) but I just assumed they achieved similar sound using wavetable synthesis. Thanks and sorry for a bit of confusion as you can see I am a bit lost between the FM knob on my A4 and the 80s sounding FM pads of the DX.
Blofield has 3 oscs per voice, and they can be frequency modulated with each other. So it is limited as an fm synth, but you have all the different wave types, plus the wave tables or samples (with the licence sl) to use as oscillators, so not too shabby.
Actually if you really want to dig in FM i suggest the Korg volca fm (very cheap) wich have a lot of power inside… maybe with a software for programming can be more easy for sound synthesis programming
Cheap and sounding great + every old FM Vintage bank can be convert and imported inside that one.
I was going to, but I have no idea how to chain it with my gear, I am using Octatrack + Waldrof at the moment and Waldorf doesn’t have a MIDI THRU, so Korg Volca also has no MIDI THRU. I even looked at the Yamaha ReFace DX and as it turns out it also has no MIDI through. I mean I could get by with Volce FM and simply sync the tempo (somehow, maybe a click track)
Super easy just get a Midi Solution Quadra box THRU and you ready for 4 devices to control
http://www.midisolutions.com/prodqth.htm
The Kenton one is nice but more expansive…
PLUG OT Midi Out to THAT and all your only Midi IN Devices THEN
Ha! That’s actually a great idea. Thanks! I don’t know why I haven’t thought of that. The total price is not too bad either. I still want to know how Waldorf works though 
That’s actually not too shabby at all. So that means each voice has 3 oscillators so it’s like a 3-operator FM synth? And on a basic level, how is this synthesis different from the actual FM synthesis or is it exactly the same thing?
I would say you miss the FM Algorithm… Roots of FM Synthesis.
Oh right…Uhm maybe what I meant is, how’s it different in terms of sound and achieving the 80s synth sound. I know wavetable can sort of reproduce that sound since wavetables are variable and can be modulated. I am not too knowledgeable on this though.
I would say do not reply to the needs in sound synthesis possibilities by buying every territory to get covered. But instead try to recreate things you need or want to recreated. And if you can’t get that sound, buy a FM Synth if you can’t get the kind of FM sound you want. if i can say that
Or it will be a mess for you because that a quest with no ending
The key thing you want when considering ‘advanced’ FM as opposed to the FM (vibrato+) every synth offers is Linear Modulation of the destination (i.e. modulation in Hertz, not Pitch)
A note at 440Hz has an octave below it at 220 and one above it at 880 - normal FM acts to either side of the nominal frequency in this way, whereas a Proper FM input would be acting to modulate the frequency equally on either side of nominal
i.e. 440 modulated to 220 / 660 (so plus/minus 220) (normally it is much smaller but high frequency cycling of a few Hz or so
So there are lots of FM opportunities on the incredibly deep Blofeld but I am unsure if the modulation destinations are acting logarithmically or linearly in some areas
When the A4 got its linear modulation parameter it really opened things up, although it is far fewer ‘operators’ than a DX etc
If you’re looking for those “80s” FM sounds, a volca fm or a secondhand DX100 or similar will get you there. Personally I find the volca fm to sound a bit cleaner than the old yamaha dx synths, but at least you will get access to the classic DX7 patches.
Getting a MIDI thru box is a good investment in any case, as many modern synths lack MIDI thru ports. There are even battery and MIDI cable powered versions available, and one of the elektronauts forum members is also making/selling a thru box:
The Volca FM is cool indeed but the 3 voice polyphony is a bit of a downer since I mainly employ FM for weird pads.
Yeah, I bought a secondhand MkI DX7 for less than the Volca FM costs (also bear in mind with the Volca you also need some kind of fix or workaround to get velocity information on note-on over MIDI).
It’s a bit noisy (MkIIs are a lot less so, as well as being stereo) but it’s an awful lot more gutsy than the Volca from what I can tell. And you get 16-note polyphony rather than 3. Takes up slightly more space though. 
If you like to dig in DX7 like FM-synthesis, I would recommend to check out the PreenFM 2.
It’s one of many great DIY projects, but if you like it, you can purchase a solid pre-built instrument from various reliable sources. The PreenFM is quite easy to program, has many features more than the DX7, reads DX7 patches, is multitimbral, sounds excellent and is much fun 
I have never regretted a single day to have got one of those little boxes
That looks great, I’d never heard of it.
The answer is Yes 
See the last sentence here … official site, I must check out the menus to locate this
The Matrix allows targeting pitch of an Osc and FM separately, but I’m yet to be satisfied it works on the core wave quite as I expected - edit: seems fine, it really needs an editor to see all that is happening though
Yeah, preen is a beast, it’s my fave FM synth. But it doesn’t sound exactly like the DX IMO, so for replicating 80s FM sounds will not be spot on. Not saying it’s impossible to pull those sounds from the preen, but it a slightly different beast (which fwiw is a huge plus in my book!). First got a volca fm but quickly sold it and got a preen instead. For me the rather chunky DAC is a very important aspect in an FM synth, for clean sounds software is more capable and probably aliases less. But YMMV as usual.
Absolutely … the PreenFM reads DX7 patches,but Xavier Hosxe, the designer of the synth, points out, this does not mean, it sounds identical to the DX7.
But for getting into the traditional kind of multioperator FM with all the necessary parameters to be at hand, it’s one of the best entry points. I have seen some FM-capable synths, but most lack all the parameters we really want to have for this synthesis, like dedicated envelopes for each of the six operators (sporting 8 - eight - parameters each) and some spare modulation sources too.
In fact, the Blofeld is capable of even more complex FM implementations. Each oscillator has a dedicated FM control, and the modulation sources available include the envelopes and noise as well as the 3 oscillators and 3 LFOs, before using any of the 16 modulation slots.
So Blofeld’s FM can be way more complex than a traditional DX-style instrument, but can also provide some familiar FM tones especially when using sine waves as oscillators and modulators. The Blofeld’s manual is not great, but does give some tips for getting traditional FM sounds.