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Yamaha Motif XS Mini-Review


b3keys

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Like many of you, it's the 76 that I would be interested in. But man... Yamaha's pricing is totally whacked. I mean, the list on the 76 is $1500 more than the 61. $1500 for 15 more keys? Huh?!? A Triton Extreme has a $200 difference. A Fantom X $300.

 

And as for the 88, I don't see how it is going to work at all live unless it's your only board. It's just not designed for it. I mean, check out that screen. Here's this really deep keyboard to begin with, and they've got the display shoved all the way to the back. You're never going to be able to see it without ducking down if you have another keyboard above it. Triton Extremes and Fantoms have theirs properly placed towards the front where you can see it. Oh well... it's Yamaha's first try at a big screen on a Motif. Growing pains I guess.

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Like many of you, it's the 76 that I would be interested in. But man... Yamaha's pricing is totally whacked. I mean, the list on the 76 is $1500 more than the 61. $1500 for 15 more keys? Huh?!? A Triton Extreme has a $200 difference. A Fantom X $300.

 

 

I agree, if you add the mLan to the XS7 it's almost a wash. The mLan is included with the XS8.

 

Busch.

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I mostly agree with B3keys

 

I spent a noisy, teeth grinding 1 hour with the XS8 at my local Guitar Center. I was surrounded by 3 kids on XS's and a Fantom who either played the same 3 notes into the sequencer or tested every snare and kick drum

 

Of course they played thru Peavy amps at a loud volume. I brought my Sony MDR headphones so I had half a chance to enjoy the XS

 

FYI, I am a Korg and Roland guy ( Tritons, Rd700sx, Fantom XR). I am quite impressed with the XS. Yamaha did a fine job improving the Perfomances and the Voices.

 

I did my best to A/B the XS with the ES, given the conditions. I think the acoustic piano is much improved, a rounder sustain. All the voices , except woodwinds/Orchestra seem a touch better with more nuance and character.

 

The Performances mostly kick ass. A nice quantity and variety, reminiscent of the Korg Extreme but with better Voices

 

When I make a return visit, I will spend more time with woodwinds/Orchestra. I can't be critical since I didn't have the time and the 3 Knuckleheads were working on their First Hit

 

I liked the weighed keys on the XS8. I was a little disapointed on the unweighed keys of the XS7

 

I think Yamaha has a winner( as a non Motif owner) with the XS

Why fit in, when you were born to stand out ?

My Soundcloud with many originals:

[70's Songwriter]

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I had a chance to play the XS8 at the Nashville Guitar Center last night.

 

I previously owned a Fantom X8 and became bored with the piano sound and sold it a few months ago.

 

I was mesmerized by the XS8 Piano, what an improvement (I like it better than the CP300 or RD700SX).

 

The guitars were really awesome (especially the classical guitar with the velocity slide)

 

The interface was very nice as well and Green is my favorite color!

 

I think I will be getting one of these as soon as I get the cash..

 

Todd

 

 

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I can understand you getting bored with the Fantom X acoustic piano.

 

The XS acoustic piano is very nice, a sample from a superb Yamaha grand

 

I can't say it is 'better' than the Rd700sx Superior grand sample, which is also excellent , IMO

 

These are different samples, from different grand pianos

 

I also liked the color of the XS

 

One voice I didn't mention on the XS was the CP70. It was excellent. I think there are at least 2 CP70 Voices

 

Why fit in, when you were born to stand out ?

My Soundcloud with many originals:

[70's Songwriter]

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Hi Greg!

 

I guess the thing with me is I cannot afford and do not have space for a grand piano but I want to be inspired by the sound of one for my writing.

 

The Fantom X8 Piano was excellent and the main reason I bought the Fantom over the ES8 but in time the problems (My ears perceived) with the upper register seemed to grate on me.

 

I agree that the RD700SX is a really great Piano and would have to be my top pick prior to sitting at the XS8, I am not really saying better, just more natural to me.

 

The only thing I can say is that to my ears the XS8 has the dynamics, responsiveness, harmonics and complexity of a Grand Piano.

 

The Piano sample for me is 90% of the instrument. This is the reason I chose the X8 over the ES8 (even though there were those who did not understand my ears).

 

This is also the reason I will buy the XS8, there are many, many more bonuses to the instrument but for me the Piano is the deciding factor.

 

Oh yeah I almost forgot the best part, it is GREEN!!!

 

Todd

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I played the XS today at GC. There was a full volume hip-hop recording session going in the keyboard room, so I was able to check it out with headphones (wouldn't want to disturb those young fellows).

 

After playing the XS8 for quite a while and not feeling as thrilled about it as I was at NAMM, I moved to the XS6. I have to say that I connect much better with the synth on the FSX keyboard. Things articulate better for me. The piano is more dynamic, everything just flows better. It's possible I'm now more attune to the Roland weighted actions. I don't know. I know I like the XS better with the semi-weighted FSX action.

 

My opinion hasn't changed regarding the other aspects of the synth which I think are strong.

 

Busch.

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Yeah, and I'm guessing many of us in this particular forum see the S90 XS as the dream synth/keyboard. Too bad it's such a long wait. Someone suggested next summer but I'm betting much longer. Anyway, I need an 88-key board by late this summer if not earlier, and cannot justify the cost of a full-blown workstation such as the Motif XS 8; especially at its elevated cost vs. the ES series.

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I moved to the XS6. I have to say that I connect much better with the synth on the FSX keyboard. Things articulate better for me. The piano is more dynamic, everything just flows better. It's possible I'm now more attune to the Roland weighted actions. I don't know. I know I like the XS better with the semi-weighted FSX action.

Busch.

 

great, since I'm almost ready to order XS6.

So you're indirectly saying Roland semi action is similar to FSX, that good too.

 

♫♫♫ motif XS6, RD700GX
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great, since I'm almost ready to order XS6.

So you're indirectly saying Roland semi action is similar to FSX, that good too.

 

I'm saying I've grown accustom to the Roland weighted actions (RD300SX/RD700SX) and prefer them over the Yamaha weighted actions. The Roland and Yamaha semi-weighted actions are similar in feel. Both are silky smooth. The Yamaha keys are ever slightly larger and in that sense more piano-like. They both have flat metal weights (I assume that's the weighting) on the underside of the key. I don't believe the ES action has the flat metal under the key.

 

Busch.

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Yeah, and I'm guessing many of us in this particular forum see the S90 XS as the dream synth/keyboard. Too bad it's such a long wait. Someone suggested next summer but I'm betting much longer. Anyway, I need an 88-key board by late this summer if not earlier, and cannot justify the cost of a full-blown workstation such as the Motif XS 8; especially at its elevated cost vs. the ES series.

 

Hey Mark, I am thinking of getting the XS6 and mostly use it as module. I would midi my RD700sx to it

 

The RD700sx does transmit aftertouch and velocity changes via midi message

 

If I midi my RD700sx to a XS6, will I lose layers of articulation, the half damper/half pedaling and ' chord intelligence of ARPS (like bass ARPS) when playing the RD ?

 

I would like to get full value of XS Performances by using my RD700sx as midi controller for the XS 6

 

 

Why fit in, when you were born to stand out ?

My Soundcloud with many originals:

[70's Songwriter]

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I am looking to buy a new board. I live in an area that does not have these boards closeby so as to try them out. I am currently considering the Korg Triton Extreme 88 and the new Yamaha Motif EX8. I can only go by what reviews are saying right now. I would like to know how everyone on here would compare these 2 boards for piano sounds, (grand and electrics like rhodes and wurlitzer)

strings, horns, guitars and organs. The sequencers, I am sure, are adequate in both. I just want to know which has the best sounds. I know the Yamaha has twice the rom than the Korg. Also, what is the new Korg M3 like? Would this be a better choice?

 

George

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"and the new Yamaha Motif EX8."

 

? ? there is no ' EX8"

 

The XS8 is new, and the XS is what this thread is about, right ?

 

If thats what you are talking about, XS is a notch or 2 better than the Extreme in the categories you mention, with organ s being a possible exception

 

BTW, I own the Extreme76

 

No one can really say much about the M3 from a user perspective, since it is not out until July. There are some demos but demos fall well short of your hands on experience

 

I would be willing to make a small wager that Korg has done a great job with the M3

 

 

Why fit in, when you were born to stand out ?

My Soundcloud with many originals:

[70's Songwriter]

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When demoing the organs on the XS, many of the patches are set up so that the first four sliders act as drawbars. They are kind of macro drawbars where you are pulling out a number of virtual drawbars with one slider. It's actually very effective as the eight sliders are spaced too far apart to do grabs like you can on the Hammond. You certainly could set it up so that each slider controlled a specific pitch, but I don't know if any of the presets do that. Also, most use Assignable Function 1 to do Leslie fast/slow.

 

Busch.

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In the marketing there is mention of a new electric piano in the XS. It's not a Rhodes. The Rhodes samples are the same that have been floating around since the original Motif and S90. The new EP is the Wurltizer and it's very good. Check out PRE1 (45), Natural Wurli. Prior Wurli multisamples only had Wurli, Wurli+, Wurli-. Now there are three velocity levels with variations. Also a Wurli Key Off sample. With eight elements there is plenty of room for Key off samples to be implemented in the EP patches.

 

Busch.

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