■ One standard rack unit, pretty the same as Tg500 (sy85 rackmount version) at least cosmetically, in fact, the Tg500 seems much more sophisticated (I still have to open my tg500 for real confrontation) just considering the sample import with loops mode.
Basically The RM50 a rompler rack based on Yamaha's AWM2 engine with 16-bit samples able to generate 16 voices polyphony close to Ry30 drum machine with many enhancements like realtime tweak of digital filters and modulation; the wavetable looks different.
Some more info into the technical information for nerds below.
■The basis ROM are are the 133 PCM AWM waveforms that are stored in the internal memory: 15 bass drums, 27 snare drums, 7 hi-hats, 7 cymbals, 9 toms, 21 percussion sound,, rim shots, metallics, FX ands ome basic synthesizer waveforms.
■More sound can be loaded by the three card slots compatible with RY30 drum machine, but also cards for the Yamaha SY77 / 99 / 55. The fourth card slot is reserved for data cards, which expand the internal memory for sound programs and drum kits in case the 500 presets and 128 user voices as well as the 64 preset and 64 user drum kits (Extra ram cards store one or two sets of 64 kits to a RAM data card MCD-32 or MCD-64 respectively.
■Kits are: Rock 1-3, Studio 1-2, Metal, Pop 1-2, Country, Latin Rock, Latin Perc, Brazil, Funk, R&B 1-2, Jazz Big, Jazz Small, Jazz Brush, Dance 1-2, House 1-2, Rap, Mouth Kit, Hip Hop, World 1-2, Gated 1-2, Fusion 1-2, Reggae 1-2, Techno 1-2, Analogue 1-2, Reverb, Stadium, SFX Kit 1-2, G MIDI, Yamaha, Dry Zone 1-2, Room Zone 1-2, Rev Zone 1-2, Kicks 1-3, Snares 1-3, Toms 1-3, Cymbals 1-2, Perc 1-2, Special/FX1, FX/Stacks.
■SAMPLE LOAD SYEMB06 Expansion Memory Board Optional memory board allows to upload custom samples (same as tg500) but editing is quite tedious and sample parameters are quite limited. These boards are quite hard to find generally.The RAM must be initialised before you can use it, but once this is done you can load samples into it directly from RY30/SY77/SY55 waveform cards or via MIDI in Sample Dump Standard or TX16W formats.
■ Beside midi, the Rm50 can be controlled by 6 external trigger that works also as an audio-to-MIDI converter.
■Filters and edit LPF12, LPF24, HPF12 and HPF24 filter types together with a simple rate/level envelope, and on from there via a pitch EG before being routed to stereo or individual outs. The RM50 adds to this structure an LFO, an amplitude EG and a delay section for each Element.
■LFO can be set to modulate amplitude, pitch or filter settings, using either a triangle, saw up / down square, sine or sample/hold waveform, with both variable speed and initial delay.
