The front panel of the RM1x is angled slightly to facilitate tabletop use but Yamaha also produced an accessory to allow rack-mounting the unit.

Patterns may be programmed step-wise, like a drum machine, or recorded in real-time from MIDI input and control-surface buttons and knobs.

The unit's control surface consists of a backlit graphic LCD, many pushbuttons, potentiometers, and rotary encoders.

Latest Main ROM Operating System version 1.13 is located in socket IC2 (42 pin dual-inline package DIP).

[6] Variation effects include delays, echos, cross delays, early reflections, gate reverbs, reverse gate reverbs, rotary speakers, tremolo, auto-pan, phaser, distortion, overdrive, amp simulations, auto-wah, and equalizers.

[7] Apollo 440, The Birthday Massacre, Darude, Legowelt, Nataraj XT and Soul Coughing are reported to be RM1x users.