Yamaha MODX - Audio Interface

[lerxstwoodpark]

Hi all: long-time lurker, first-time poster.

 

So, I'm looking to upgrade my keyboard, and am strongly considering the Yamaha MODX8. In reading about it on this site, I haven't seen many people talk about the built-in audio interface on this board. To those that use it frequently/regularly, I'm interesting in hearing your experiences. From what I can tell, it can easily handle recording audio from the keyboard to a DAW, as well as being able to play audio from softsynths and other sources, correct? And how would the sound quality compare to a standalone audio interface?

[Stokely]

I can only be a little helpful here, as I haven't used it with my DAW.

 

I have hooked it up to both my ipad and my macbook pro as tests for possible live use. In both cases, it worked like a charm: no latency that I can tell, and both audio and midi are carried on the same cable so it is super convenient. Volume has it's own control over by the master volume of the MODX. I didn't do any critical listening for quality (for example, vs my behringer uphoria, which is a cheap interface itself) but everything sounded like it should through my sennheiser mixing headphones.

 

One thing I did notice: it seemed to have "cpu issues" on certain patches. Meaning, I didn't really have a dedicated patch for playing the ipad/computer, so I simply picked an existing one and turned down any existing parts if I didn't want to hear the MODX sounds. The patches where the audio started breaking up were ones with multiple parts, so I think it's just that I was asking it to do a bit much. Now, that could come into play if I wanted a patch with several MODX parts layered with the computer parts. I didn't really explore this all that much since if I did play out with the computer or ipad, I'd probably keep things simple and have a "dummy patch" on the MODX so that I'd only hear the external device.

[Mr. Mojo Risin]

I've found the output of the built in audio interface to be very quiet. Perhaps I'm doing something wrong?

[MotiDave]

I've found the output of the built in audio interface to be very quiet. Perhaps I'm doing something wrong?

 

You mean for playing internal sounds? In the Utilities menu, you can boost the main output by +6db or +12db - that will get you where you want to go. I have mine set at +6, you"re right that factory signal level (0db) is too low for live play imo

[Stokely]

I haven't had a problem with it being too low (unless I'm just completely forgetting bumping it up). For sure it is a bit lower than my Nord electro: that is set about 12 o'clock and the MODX set to 2pm. For a few gigs I ran the Nord into the MODX internal in, but then I got a Key Largo mixer.

 

I've found that the computer and ipad volume match the MODX at around that same 2pm mark, on the other volume knob.

 

Now, the one time I have tried the vocoder with that same input (with my sennheiser e835 dynamic mic) it was WAY low and wasn't working correctly until I cranked it everywhere I could.....and now it's kind of noisy. I"m pretty disappointed there but vocoder isn't critical for me.

[EscapeRocks]

 

Now, the one time I have tried the vocoder with that same input (with my sennheiser e835 dynamic mic) it was WAY low and wasn't working correctly until I cranked it everywhere I could.....and now it's kind of noisy. I"m pretty disappointed there but vocoder isn't critical for me.

 

Did you go into settings and change the audio input from Line to Mic? I run a standard Shure SM58 thru it, and have no volume issues. Input set to Mic.

[lerxstwoodpark]

I can only be a little helpful here, as I haven't used it with my DAW.

 

I have hooked it up to both my ipad and my macbook pro as tests for possible live use. In both cases, it worked like a charm: no latency that I can tell, and both audio and midi are carried on the same cable so it is super convenient. Volume has it's own control over by the master volume of the MODX. I didn't do any critical listening for quality (for example, vs my behringer uphoria, which is a cheap interface itself) but everything sounded like it should through my sennheiser mixing headphones.

 

One thing I did notice: it seemed to have "cpu issues" on certain patches. Meaning, I didn't really have a dedicated patch for playing the ipad/computer, so I simply picked an existing one and turned down any existing parts if I didn't want to hear the MODX sounds. The patches where the audio started breaking up were ones with multiple parts, so I think it's just that I was asking it to do a bit much. Now, that could come into play if I wanted a patch with several MODX parts layered with the computer parts. I didn't really explore this all that much since if I did play out with the computer or ipad, I'd probably keep things simple and have a "dummy patch" on the MODX so that I'd only hear the external device.

 

Thanks; that's good to know. I don't have a huge need for a secondary laptop/tablet in my rig at the moment, but it's something I have considered, and it sounds like the keyboard can easily handle it. If nothing else, it seems like it would be a good "starting point" if I ever do experiment with that in the future.

 

Does anyone here have experience with using the built-in interface recording audio from the MODX into a DAW?