via this auction"Yamaha TQ5 desktop FM synth. It has the same 4-operator FM synth engine as its more famous rack counterpart, the TX81Z, and is compatible with patches for that synth, including the famous LatelyBass (all over 90s club tracks like Orbital's Halycon+On+On for example). I suspect it could handle DX11/DX100/DX21 patches as well, but I haven't tried those.
It does all the typical FM sounds - bright, gritty, glassy, clear, deep digital bass etc. It does seem to sound fuller than software like FM7 to me. It also has some basic effects and a sequencer.
Basic patch editing can be done from the unit, but I'd recommend getting hold of a software editor (YamEdit, MidiQuest etc) as these can let you go much deeper as well as managing all your patches.
Of course the big bonus about this synth is how it looks! A fine example of late 80s industrial design with a diagonal rotation of all the controls - still pretty futuristic in my opinion. There is also a bizarre but cool clock if you fancy leaving it powered up all the time..."
