Synthanatomy ran an article about an upcoming hardware version of Minidexed, which I understand is Dexed running on Raspberry Pi. Or rather eight instances of it.
Apparently this hardware version makes it an eight multitimbral device with DIN MIDI and USB host.
Looks like a nice form factor to hook up with a Hapax and perhaps a faderfox or other USB controller
This is awesome and at the same time looks infuriating to work with.
Oh so that’s where they keep the rest of the machine.
I mean if they stuck the raspberry pi Synth in the midi controller…would make a lot more sense.
My clothes drier has has a more intuitive UI and features the same knob.
Looks like they’re just staying true to the original UI ethos.
Probably makes similar sounds too.
yeah… that’s the obvious move but my guess is they’ll make a plastic thing that holds the mini dexed and routes midi to/from a controller sold separately… or just program on a computer… which means just using the plug in makes a lot more sense or even a different plug in like plogue’s CS-OP7 bit accurate dx7 plug in.
when yamaha came out w/the reface series… the Reface DX… dtronics made a controller for it that had a little shelf thing and stuck to the synth and had midi cables routed to it. as yamaha lowered prices a few times… the dtronics controller was eventually more than the cost of the refaceDX.
seems like preenFM3 would be more fun anyways. different character than any yamaha FM synth esepcially vintage FMs like dx11/7 etc but a much more inviting interface with a free au/vst plug in editor if one feels inclined.
I enjoy the irony of building Dexed into a one knob case, staying true to the original design ethos of the DX series.
If this model is successful, I’d love to see a version with eight outs for the 8 parts, like the TX-802.
could just buy a tx-802? 
DX series had a couple sliders and a bunch of buttons. 1 knob is kinda a joke imo. unless it’s married via USB to an editor like the nord modular.
btw preenfm3 has 6 outs… configured however you want. 6 part multi timbral. simple voice assignment as well.
not a stooge for preenfm3… just saying… it’s there if someone wants an FM synth that’s new and hardware. it won’t sound like a DX/TX vintage yamaha. converters are different and there’s enough difference in it to make it its own thing.
In today‘s synth ecology a one-knob FM synth definitely sounds like a nightmare, but I think it is intended as the absolute bare minimum to play back DX patches. I have the Matrix 1000 in my setup, which have zero controls, but with an external editor or a laptop based controller I can tweak perfectly fine.
I speculate that the form factor is to keep price low. There are quite a few options out there to create patches, and with the USB host input you can connect dedicated controllers.
Exactly how that latter integration will work we have yet to see, but I assume every parameter of every voice will be MIDI controllable.
I imagine the workflow will be to create your patches on Dexed in a daw, then transfer these to the MiniDexed.
I could see this work with well with Push 3 also, making tracks using Dexed, then having the MiniDexed sound module for live performances when running stand alone.
But sure, it is not a very inviting stand alone poly synth 
I have definitely thought about this a few times, but the appeal of this MiniDexed is the form factor. It hardly gets more compact in a DAWless setup
I would have liked to see a dedicated power input. I always have bad experiences with USB powered devices and noise of the output.
For those mentioning PreenFM3, that is definitely very interesting as well. How does its sound compare to Dexed? The six outs looks very appealing…
The Minidexed is nothing new. It’s based on a DIY project that’s been around for a few years. All you basically need is an (old, at least V2) RPI, an encoder and a LC display. And optionally one of these tiny DAC boards to avoid the crappy sound of the RPI internal audio output.
I built a Minidexed, which is very easy to build and btw a good solution to recycle old RPIs.
The sound of this tiny synth is really good (when using an optional DAC board) and the one-button operation also works well, but you have to realize that the Minidexed is a preset player plus effects plus performance settings (split, layer, pan etc.). If you want to edit sounds, you have to use an external (software) editor. You can also import native DX7 sound banks.
I think it’s great that there will be a commercial version soon. Because the biggest challenge with the DIY version is the case. Anyone who doesn’t like ugly 3D printed cases (like me) or doesn’t have the tools to make a decent case themselves (like me) will be very happy about this option.
However, the crucial factor will be how much the Dtronics device will cost. I would find up to 150 EUR reasonable, up to 200 EUR acceptable. We should bear in mind that the components of the DIY version cost less than 50 EUR (a cheap RPI already included) and the software has already been developed.
The PreenFM2 and 3 have some options that other FM synths don’t have, like panning at the operator level. The randomization options are great too, easy to make variations of your current sound, or completely whacked-out sounds very quickly.
I built one too and am thinking of building some more. They’re very nice. I won’t be buying the commercial one though.
For those concerned about the UI you can hook it up to a computer and use the free Dexed program to directly program the MiniDexed via MIDI. The knob is best used for changing presets.
