Hi again, regarding my experiences with MOXF8. FOr a newcomer within the synth world it has often been a nightmare to get it to work with CUbase since the manuals are useless really and those extra guidelines I have gotten from Yamaha themselves are rather outdated. THings have been altered within Cubase so it is a nightmare sometimes to locate the mentioned functions and make the right setup. SO THings go slow and sometimes there is a quantum leap.
Apropos, would any of you suggest me to sell the MOXF8 and purchase the MODx8 instead or is this too early to ask since it was recently released for sale?
In short it seems that the differences are:
MODx8:
COns: 1) Not a very advanced sequencer like the MOXF, so more dependent on CUbase. BUt good for creating, and the Montage even did not have one.
2) Many of the buttons from the Montage have been removed which might mean that the realtime stage operation is made more complicated and less quickly accessible.
3) No remote controle of Cubase as with the MOXF, apart from the USB volume button.
4) not a lot of polyphony for the aww2 generator, the audio, sampled sounds.
5) Price is 3-400 $ higher
6) Has not been properly tested yet, so the faults have yet to be discovered.
7) Only 16 live sets. I would need to be able to call up much more and be flexible with which ones I’d play from gig to gig. I have a repertoire of something like 100 songs. I don’t know the limit for the MOXF8? I guess that one makes the live sets from gig to gig, and if some extra need to play more songs from the repertoire comes up during a concert, one goes into the performances. THe Master mode is a way to have the prioritized performances selected with the click of a button as far as i understand.
Pros: 1) TOuch screen which makes things more overviewable.
2) Seems to be easier to perform the settings. Easier to find and more visible, not deep within some menu. Makes it for a more live capable action. Well I probably am contradicting my later statement about the more buttons on the MOXF8 making on stage navigation more flexible and quickly accessible.
I think this argument totally depends on whether one is into a touch screen or wants the buttons. An important choice I think. I think the answer should come from those who have compared the UI of the two of course. I have only read about the MODX8 and heard it online.
3) Apparently Easier UI (as 2), with fewer buttons, though I have no knowledge of the touch screen structure of menus.
4) Manuals are up to date
5) SUper Knob which spares one of the hazzle of adjusting the insertion effects, one by one. Here it is done by turning the knob simply. Very easy. Great advantage it seems though I am puzzled as to which criterias of quality sounds the settings coher to. On an immediate intuitive glance one would say that adjusting 128 settings by turning a knob would not give one freedom to choose the twisting of the individual effects so they must have been chosen from the standpoint of subjective preferences of the designers. But surely the settings must be adjustable.
MOXF8:
COns 1) Difficult to get to know and lacking manuals. THis is the major downturn
2) Clumsy arrangement of the functions. DOesn't seem clear yet as to how the functions have been grouped. I need to do a lot of experimental clicking to refind the functions. Often a nightmare. Kills the creativity.
3) SOme of the keyboard sounds seem extremely low compared to some of the sampled sounds (acoustic pianos etc). Hearing those sounds in the headphones is hopeless. Bad factory default. SOme have mentioned that this owes to having an all over head room for turning up the volume, and to avoid overdrive and unwanted distortion of the sound.
Pros: 1) Established fora with a lot of experienced musicians that contribute
2) Great sounds
3) Capabilities as the MOTIF XF, meaning full blown sequenser, Arpeggios, SYnth engine is similar etc.
4) More buttons making it easy to turn on off things. Buttons stay in their place and are independent on the touch screen.
5) Easy Remote control of Cubase, which was a delight to me. I can't see how one could bear NOT having this functionality, after having recorded like this which was super easy.
6) ALl the insertion effects are controlled with knobs. FOr the MOdx8 there are fewer settings that can be controlled it seems, as opposed to 2x4 knos times 3 parameters=24 parameters with the MOXF8
Please add to this list in order to enable us to make a choice which lets us focus on producing music rather than being caught up with unnecessary tech stuff.
Cheers
Dino
