Get a Lyra. If you get one used you can probably sell it for what you paid if you don’t like it.
Also get a Volca FM mk2 for the classic DX patches. I find the Volca easy to program, but I’ve internalized the DX architecture to the point where I’m moving the cursor around a digital FM modular in my head when I’m noodling on it. But I’ve owned nearly every rack DX that Yamaha has ever produced, so I’ve had a little practice.
That kind of nails the raison d’être of my pursuit. I go between my analog gear and the FM gear and want something halfway, both worlds.
Basically, not trying hard to replicate a DX7.
You’ve heard of the digitone right?
Honestly, if you’ve got a computer, run some tests in VCV (its free) .
You will quickly find which modules you like, what workflow you like, then you can think about populating that free rack off your mate.
Not everything is available DIY though.
That nonsense I stuck together in mirack pictured above- im not even going to bother trying to patch it up…
Played with the Volca and got good tones. Did DX7 really well too.
This is sounding like a reasonable choice. I don’t see any reason to start in on modular.
I love it. I’m gonna give it a go.
DT sounds good. But my pursuit at the moment is to Mary Shelly this idea.
168HP
Thanks for the suggestion s there.
So you’re not trying hard to replicate a DX7, but you’re intent on 6-op to approximate it, am I understanding correctly? As much as I’d love to see someone who isn’t me throw money at this, please try more of the more practical solutions offered in this thread and get a feel for analog FM before you start attempting to put something together on this scale. I can guarantee that planning a setup well around a DPO will get you a lot further than just winging it and cramming a rack full of oscillators.
Yes, but not necessarily six op. Four (or three) ops would be a good start, based on my experience with digital FM synths.
And yes, I’m totally open to the other suggestions above. But, I’m too fatigued trying every digital FM I can get hold of.
6 OP analog FM in eurorack form. No, man, this is stupid.
Analog FM ≠ Digital FM.
Don’t even waste your money, it will suck.
Get an Opsix. It has plenty of hands on controls. More than anything really.
Honestly you probably have more rack space to fill then your budget will support — which is fine, you don’t need to fill the whole thing right away, grab some cool looking blank panels to cover the gaps and enjoy the fact that you’ve left yourself room to grow (because you will want more modules as you get into it).
A lot of people are reading into your “6-op FM” concept as a sticking point against going modular. They’re probably right, but if you’re more interested in the “modular” aspect of this idea than “6-op” part of it, you can certainly make an awesome FM-focused modular mono synth for $1500 in 168hp.
I did end up patching…
Its a monster alright!
I read that modules from acl are good higher end vco‘s well suited for nice sounding simpler analogue fm.
When i try to do simple fm on dominion it mostly sounds not good for me, but thats because of me probably a big part.
A leftfield idea: would a Matriarch be enough FM for you? It’s a fabulous semi-modular; the LFOs reach audio rate and can key track; each oscillator has linear FM CV in; the attenuators have some funky mixing and ring-mod routings; etc. Plus two filters, two envelopes, the delay is gorgeous. I can imagine it’s not flexible enough for many FM sounds, but could it be enough for you, Op?
Did you consider building a modular rack around a preenfm ?
What about Akemie’s Taiko? It’s a self-contained 4-operator through-zero FM module.
Admittedly, it’s geared for percussion duties (no attack portion on the envelopes), but it has a 1V/oct input and apparently works well for melodic sounds too.
I tried it out on my Subsequent 37, two audio rate LFO’s and decent routing options. Got some good and interesting results too.
+1 for this suggestion. I’d don’t have Akemie’s Castle but it’s on my wish list.
Akemie’s Taiko is great but as stated, it’s optimised for percussion. It can do melodic stuff but needs to be triggered.
Just to second don‘t go analog 6 op fm. I have a Verbos CO and its hard enough to handle. Consider a Complex Oscillator and a Matriarch if you want to go crazy and mix it with a Digitone 
What you are talking about here is “regular” audio-rate FM though (no phase modulation), and while it’s interesting on its own you won’t be able to achieve the glassy tones that you can get with proper through zero frequency modulation.
The DX family, Digitone, Preen, Opsix, VolcaFM, Akemie modules etc do TZFM. Most analog synths (apart from certain eurorack modules) only do regular exponential or linear FM. There is a big difference in the kind of tones you get from the two.
Sorry but I suck at describing the difference. Hopefully some of the smarter geezers on here will be able to explain it better. This is the best description I could find right now:
