Are you still using it? Realistically I love my current workflow setup. I can easily get longer sequences out of my Digitone with track scaling and multiple patterns however I am intrigued by linear sequencing. The midi fx also look to be great fun! Maybe I’m just gassing for something at the moment. I wonder how the sequencer on an Octatrack would compare. Different beasts, but I love Elektron workflow.
I don’t use the Rm1x anymore. I’m using my A4 now. I have a lot of songs on the Rm1x though, so that’s why I keep them. The Rm1x is great though - other than the internal sounds.
1 Like
I still use one of mine from time to time, depends what I’m doing. I find it so quick for recording multiple phrases. Midi kbd into RM then hang a couple of synths or modules off the midi out. Select a channel, record in notes, a couple of key presses to quantize and on to the next track. All 16 tracks can send to any midi output or any internal sound so you can build up melody and harmony parts super quick. You can alter transpose and harmony per channel in real time as well as offsetting the phrase start point.
You can do all that in a DAW but once you’ve picked up the RM way (so much easier than the Elektron learning curve) its super quick.
1 Like
Hi have a mint condition one here I could sell 
… bought to tinker with it but I have too much gear
Don’t sell it. I made some tutorial videos a while back to help myself getting back into it everytime I haven’t played it in a while. It prevented one or another guy from selling it 
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZuWHwQPpsxEsSLeIVuHaVnsXFaQqJ2Vv
1 Like
maaaan I bought one of these years ago on reverb and the seller sold me a broken one as one in “very good condition,” every time I see one of these I’m a little bummed I never got to try it for myself. always loved the sound and look of the thing
1 Like
I own one too. It was my first groovebox. Sold it but later bought another one cheap. But did never really use it again. Before RM1x i just had one synth.
2 Likes
I bought a used RM1X and it arrived with a broken aftermarket PSU.
I checked for a substitute and the original one from Yamaha costs 45 €.
The broken PSU outputs 1.0 A, while the original one outputs 1.5 A. So, if the guy who sold it to me actually used the broken aftermarket PSU that he sent me to power the RM1X, could that have damaged the unit?
Should I just send it back and ask for a refund?
1 Like
It more likely they burned out the PSU rather than damaged the RM1X. In the event that the RM isn’t faulty and it draws 1.5A from the PSU then the aftermarket one wouldn’t be able to supply that much current. That could cause it to operate an internal overload/thermal cut out or even burn it out. That shouldn’t cause damage to the RM unless the psu has done something disastrous like putting a voltage on the ground etc. Maybe you can negotiate something back to cover the price of a new PSU? Or just send the lot back. Have you tested the PSU with a voltmeter or scope to confirm it’s dead?
2 Likes
Thank you very much. The PSU doesn’t work cause the pins of the plug are broken. I just bought a new generic PSU and it works fine.
The RM1X is in need of some maintenance anyways: the cutoff knob is pretty loose and some buttons need to be cleaned.
I gotta say, the RM1X looks amazing. Big, heavy, big screen… I love the form factor.
1 Like
I loved mine to the point I had three at one stage! A few of my pals (who up to that point didn’t own a synth or sequencer between them) ended up buying one each. In fact I bumped into one recently and he’s still using his standalone for getting ideas down.
I ended up replacing the tact switches on mine as they all tend to go bad over time. It’s not particularly hard, the trickiest bit is getting to the board which involves complete disassembly due to the shape of the case.
They’re great for on your lap composition with a pair or headphones but for the most part I used them as midi sequencers rather than using the internal sounds
Have fun with it! Imo they’re a pretty underrated groovebox!
I dunno. The internal sounds are so firmly from the 90s that they’re appealing to me if I’m looking for that sound. The pads in particular are great
The track/step buttons sometimes require double press to work. Do I need to replace them or can they just be fixed by cleaning the contacts? If they need to be replaced, will it require soldering?
I like the internal sounds. I’m not into modern-sounding stuff anyway.
They are supposedly sealed so not sure how much canning helps.
It is a soldering job.
Yeah it’s a good chance they will. I tried without success to clean them but just ended up replacing them. It’s not too difficult a job once you’ve got to the switch board but they will require desoldering and new ones soldering in. It seems to be a pretty common issue with RM’s now getting on in years. Out if interest is yours an early or later one? Of the two I’ve still got one has a smoother finish to the blue painted front panel where as the later one has more of a matte/lightly textured finish.
1 Like
It’s a later one, matte finish.
Anyway, I decided to send it back for a refund. The buttons are just not usable for jamming, tracks can’t be muted/unmuted reliably.
I paid 250 € for it, but I guess I would have to spend 200 € and maybe more just to fix it.
Too bad they don’t make grooveboxes like this one anymore 
It’s a shame you can’t do it yourself or have someone nearby do it for you. I do all my own repairs so I’ve no idea when it comes to repair bills. Keep an eye out for another though; lots have already had their buttons replaced and the last time I looked they were still around the same sort of price you paid
After sending back the damaged RM1X, I found another one. I couldn’t resist.
This time it looks like it’s new and I paid 150 €.
One of the encoders doesn’t work, but I can adjust the values with the +/- buttons anyway.
The step buttons are much more responsive, but still not perfect.
So I will probably have to have them changed.
After changing them, how long still they start to go bad again?
I read somewhere that with some Yamaha gear (specifically, the A300/A4000/A5000/SU700 samplers) even if you change the encoders, they will eventually stop working again after a while.
Is this true for the RM1X buttons and encoders as well?
Apart from this, does anybody know how to check the firmware? I’m aware that there was an EPROM with a firmware update released, to fix a problem with sequencing external gear. I could not find a way to check the version of the firmware on my RM1X.
Nice one with the new buy! I can only assume that the reference to the encoders going bad would be using a like for like replacement if whichever encoder Yamaha used is prone to failure over time? Maybe a similar encoder that fits would be a better choice? If those encoders are common to other Yamaha gear of the time a bit of web searching might throw up a suitable replacement if it’s a known issue. Likewise with the step buttons. There are so many brands of tact switch that will do the job I can’t see them being an issue if they’re replaced. The original Yamaha ones have a soft touch action, I just used standard clicky ones which are fine in operation.
I don’t recall a screen that gives you the OS version but there may be a button combo you press on power up? I seem to recall when I had mine in bits that the version number was actually on one of the big chips inside? But it was years ago now. I can’t remember what the issue was with sequencing external stuff? I never cane across it with any of mine. One quirk was if you send it midi then note data always sounds the internal voices. All I used to do was turn down the RM volume and then it wasn’t an issue. I’d just turn it back up again for the metronome when recording midi into it
1 Like