'Made in Japan' has a new meaning after a trip to the homeland of the DX7.

Among this month's notable happenings: the Yamaha's 'X-perience' hands-on show, a new MIDI converter from UMI, and the latest on this year's British Music Fair.

The other pages feature our opinions, this one features yours.

You have the questions, we have the answers - to all matters technical.

Robert Plant's right-hand man and technology-fiend talks to Tim Goodyer about samplers, studios and dischords.

Whether you can't afford to indulge yourself in this month's Polysynth Checklist or simply prefer something that's now out of production, E&MM's guide to things secondhand could save you a lot of time and trouble.

Trevor Gilchrist takes a look at Yamaha's Latin adaptation of their RX21. Is it as usable as its more conventional brother?

MIDI routing, filtering and syncing are all handled by this new British 'black box'. Simon Trask checks it out.

The PF10 and 15 proved how well FM voicing is suited to the electronic piano. Now those instruments have been updated, and Simon Trask has been listening to the results.

Long sample times and astounding sound quality characterise Bel's range of mid-price delay units. But as Ian Waugh discovers, there are some important omissions, too.

One of Britain's most versatile producers talks about working with Howard Jones, forming a new band, and the importance of communication. Paul Tingen listens.

In a career spanning nearly 20 years, Gabriel has done everything from fronting Britain's best-known pomp rock band to manipulating ethnic music using modern technology. Dan Goldstein talks to a man of many talents.

The lowdown on current polysynths, voice expanders and controller keyboards in this month's instalment of our unique buyer's guide.

Do we need another German software package for the Commodore 64. The C-Lab company think we do, and after playing with their first system, Simon Trask finds himself agreeing.

Put two JX8P synths in one box, add a few new facilities, and you have a giant of a synthesiser that harks back to the polyphonic instruments of old. Simon Trask (again) tests a glorious anachronism.

Can't afford your own MIDI Thru box? Steve Hartwell's simple circuit does the same job, and costs under a tenner.

Simon Trask somehow finds time to examine the most sophisticated MIDI event processor of the lot. Are its facilities usable?

Baffled by MIDI Mode 4 on the Casio CZ synths? Paul Wiffen plots a path through one of modern technology's minefields, and explains how to get the best from it.

Casio CZ101, Yamaha DX21 and Korg Poly 800 feature in the readers' synth sound page. Plus a review of Skyslip's latest DX7 ROM cartridges.

Back to E&MM's dim and distant past, with a rundown of what we covered in the magazine's first three years on the shelves.