Yamaha · FM synth · Early MIDI era
The TX81Z is a 1U rack module that puts Yamaha FM in a box you can tuck under a keyboard. Yamaha's chronology dates it to 1986, and it was in UK shops by 1987. It uses 4-op FM, simpler than the DX7's 6-op engine, but each of its four FM oscillators can use one of eight waveforms where the DX7 only has sine waves, which gives it a wider palette than its size suggests. It plays eight notes at once, can split them across eight parts in performance mode, and stores 128 factory presets, 32 user voices and 24 performances. Its best-known sound is the Lately Bass preset. Babyface kept two TX81Zs in his studio set to it, one slightly detuned, and it became part of his signature sound. House and acid house producers took to it too, and Spice Girls producer Eliot Kennedy called a tweaked version a classic dancefloor bass. Try to get one with the manual, because programming it from the small screen takes patience.
Patch memory runs off an internal battery that the manual says to replace every five years, so plan on a fresh one in any surviving unit. Sound On Sound also found the 2-line display so small that parameter names are abbreviated almost past reading.
Buying guide
We'd buy the TX81Z titled working and tested with a play video at $250 delivered, since you can hear it before you pay. There are about 46 for sale and most ask $270–400 delivered, and most ship from Japan, where units are often 100V and need a step-down transformer on US mains. Patch memory runs off a backup battery Yamaha says to replace every five years, so ask when it was last done or plan on doing it yourself. Skip asks over $400 unless the title gives a reason, such as a fresh battery.
$169.16est. delivered
The lowest delivered TX81Z at $169, and it's already in the US. It's titled only as powering on, which isn't a sound test, so ask for a clip of it playing from a keyboard over MIDI.
Yamaha TX81Z FM Tone Generator Rackmount Synth Module - Powers On - Clean
$250.00est. delivered
Titled working and tested with a play video, at $250 delivered, about $20 under the band. Watch for a lit, readable screen in the video, and check the voltage plate, since it ships from Japan.
YAMAHA TX81Z Synthesizer FM Tone Generator 1U Rack Working Tested (Play video)
Delivered prices include shipping as eBay quoted it to a US address on Oct 5, 2026. Many sellers charge by distance, so your total may differ. eBay shows yours before you pay.
Snapshot
Checked . Some may have sold.
Delivered prices include shipping as eBay quoted it to a US address on Oct 5, 2026. Many sellers charge by distance, so your total may differ. eBay shows yours before you pay.
Used$169.16est. delivered
$149.99 + $19.17 shipping
Buy It Now$149.99
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
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Good buy
Titled powers on and clean. No sound test claimed.
Seller: foundincolorado
100% positive
Used$250.00est. delivered
$200.00 + $50.00 shipping
Buy It Now$200.00
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
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Good buy
Titled working and tested, with a play video.
Seller: attic-buy
100% positive
Used$248.38est. delivered
$215.98 + $32.40 shipping
Buy It Now$215.98
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Our take
Titled tested. Ships from Japan.
Seller: rikolife
99.2% positive
Used$301.72est. delivered
$280.00 + $21.72 shipping
Buy It Now$280.00
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Our take
No test claim. Ships from within the US.
Seller: biscuitscollinsr
100% positive
Used$337.90delivered
$337.90 · free shipping
Buy It Now$337.90
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Our take
Titled tested and working. Ships from Japan.
Seller: whiskerwondersshop
99.6% positive
Used$354.06est. delivered
$242.76 + $111.30 shipping
Buy It Now$242.76
Our take
Titled 100V. Ships from Australia.
Seller: lofi_music
99.8% positive
Used$289.80est. delivered
$207.00 + $82.80 shipping
Buy It Now$207.00
Check the seller
Same title as another seller's listing, a copied-listing scam pattern, and feedback under 98%. Compare photos before paying.
Seller: buymixstore
97.7% positive
Used$610.33est. delivered
$530.33 + $80.00 shipping
Buy It Now$530.33
Priced high
No test or service claim, about $210 over the band.
Seller: nondual01
100% positive
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