KVR Audio

Lotuzia · Post by **Lotuzia** » Thu Sep 13, 2018 11:39 am

Afaics, a lot of things inherited from the Montage ( AWM2 + FMX), but more affordable

You can listen to audio examples on this page. (And yes, it's a French site

)

LtZ

bill45 · Post by **bill45** » Thu Sep 13, 2018 10:48 pm

Thanks I hope they do a new sound module

Watchful · Post by **Watchful** » Fri Sep 14, 2018 12:26 am

It's clearly half of a Montage in most respects, although some elements will be identical (polyphony, engines, arpeggios, etc.).

Not a fan of where they put the mod wheel and pitch bend. Also curious how easy it will be to import Montage sounds; probably 95% of Montage performances should import right in.

Lotuzia · Post by **Lotuzia** » Fri Sep 14, 2018 11:30 am

Yes no more ribbon, and no aftertouch -for the keybed- also iirc. All the buttons on the right side disappeared also (all touch screen now), and the number of sliders has been divided by two.

Then we probably should not expect a better price, and equal or more on board

I'm also wondering about the preset compatibility. (In both directions) between Montage and MODX series. Some people said that even mofx soundsets will be compatible with the Modx awm2 engines. Well, we'll see.

Watchful · Post by **Watchful** » Fri Sep 14, 2018 12:18 pm

It appears that Montage would read 100% of MODX performances, but speculate MODX could read only those Montage performances with less-than 8 parts...which would be a huge majority. Most of the remainder are custom performances, and I doubt someone would own both a Montage and MODX to frequently shuttle performances between them.

Lotuzia · Post by **Lotuzia** » Fri Sep 14, 2018 2:54 pm

You're right.

Announced at 1399/1599/1799€ (6/7/8) in a french shop, with a few bonuses (Bosendorfer piano, Corea's Rhodes, Montage expanded) but still unavailable atm.

* Compatible with MONTAGE, MOXF, MOTIF XF & XS 'data'

Weight : 6,6/7.4/13.8 Kg

Watchful · Post by **Watchful** » Fri Sep 14, 2018 6:08 pm

While the layout of the MODX doesn't do much for me overall, I have to admit I like the blue logo up the right-hand cheek. Be interesting if the color on that varies between the 6, 7, and 8-series keyboards.

Lotuzia, avez-vous un Montage?

bill45 · Post by **bill45** » Fri Sep 14, 2018 7:54 pm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zAUCkNmFzo

qvprod · Post by **qvprod** » Fri Sep 14, 2018 10:20 pm

I'm a software based rig guy, but having done some patch programming with Montage, I might very well get this! Finally a relatively affordable keyboard that's almost as easy to program as Mainstage!

Lotuzia · Post by **Lotuzia** » Sat Sep 15, 2018 12:42 pm

Watchful wrote:While the layout of the MODX doesn't do much for me overall, I have to admit I like the blue logo up the right-hand cheek. Be interesting if the color on that varies between the 6, 7, and 8-series keyboards.

Lotuzia, avez-vous un Montage?

Unfortunately no. But I've played a friend's one many times. Was musing with the idea of getting one lately -7-, and try to make a soundset for it, but the ModX release just adds complexity to the decision

I'm often using aftertouch though, and I also liked the ribbon thing. My ultimate dream therefore would probably be a MODX rack. But as it might never happen, a MODX 6 or 7 could be the solution, as I already have a weighted keys keyboard.

Btw it's announced at 1199€ at a wellknown german store ( without the bonus however)

Watchful · Post by **Watchful** » Sat Sep 15, 2018 1:29 pm

Lotuzia,

My understanding is that the Montage 7 (and therefore the MODX7, I would guess) does not have a standard width on the white keys, which can trip up some experienced players. The white keys are narrower, which can take some adjustment in playing technique, in order to fit more keys into a smaller body keyboard. They are closer together very slightly, and just enough to be annoying to some.

I don't know...I have never seen an actual Montage 7. The 6 and 8 are great.

Bear in mind the Montage is (and the MODX will be) a performance-oriented keyboard: their strength and genius is in how you control them. I recommend an expression pedal (to work the Super Knob hands free) at a minimum, and a sustain pedal. I have a foot switch to control the arp lanes up or down as well, so I can work the keys with both hands. I don't think this will ever work on a rack-mount version, so I suspect you might never see a rack version of either. Unlike most people I know, the Montage really wants you to put your hands on it, everywhere.

So I suggest you try the 7 series of either a lot...see if they key widths are a problem...otherwise, look at the 6 series keyboards.

bill45 · Post by **bill45** » Sat Sep 22, 2018 6:17 pm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYCS7dJvkao

HM · Post by HM » Sun Sep 23, 2018 4:53 pm

Lot of corners have been cut ,... not even aftertouch is in my book inexcusable

And its not even cheap, certainly VERY expensive for what it is !!!

Not OK ,.. I looked forward for this one, but now I will look elsewhere

KBSoundSmith · Post by **KBSoundSmith** » Sun Sep 23, 2018 5:22 pm

HM wrote:Lot of corners have been cut ,... not even aftertouch is in my book inexcusable

And its not even cheap, certainly VERY expensive for what it is !!!

Not OK ,.. I looked forward for this one, but now I will look elsewhere

No meaningful corners have been cut.

The AWM2 and FM-X engines have only been limited by polyphony -- they are otherwise identical to the Montage, and patches made in one machine will be fully compatible with the other.
24-bit 44.1kHz is fine for production, contrary to popular myths spread by people who don't understand digital audio.
Does anyone *really* an endless array of buttons knobs and sliders? The MODX seems to have plenty to me.
It has the exact same touchscreen as the Montage
And while a small number of voices are crying loudly about aftertouch, for most players this is a non-issue. I personally much prefer a foot-controller to aftertouch in general, which I find to be cumbersome... how hard one has to press the keys varies wildly from one manufacturer to another, and I dislike accidentally triggering it on a board that's too sensitive. I have never missed it on any board that doesn't have it. And since the Montage has so many Macro options for its other knobs and sliders, there is no lack of performance control

I have to disagree with you on the price too. Per dollar spent, this might now be the best value synth on the market. A standalone FM-X would probably come in at $1,000 - 1,500 (possibly more!!) depending upon how many knobs and sliders they were to give it...here you also get the AWM2 engine and still fall in that price range. I think Yamaha's pricing for these is very consumer friendly.

JCJR · Post by **JCJR** » Sun Sep 23, 2018 9:32 pm

It seems like a MOXF in addition to a nice FM synth, for the price of a MOXF.

The power supply went down on my ancient TX416 a couple years ago and I've not yet cracked it open and try to repair the old switching power supply. At that price, sure it would probably be lots cheaper to repair the TX416 but the TX416 is huge and INCONVENIENT, assuming the old patches really do translate well to the modx. The four TF1 cards in the TX416 are 4 X 16 = 64 voice poly, and the MODX is 64 voice poly and I'm guessing probably could play FM on more than 4 simultaneous MIDI channels with dynamic voice allocation.

So in the past I toyed with the idea of getting a MOXF because some of the MOXF youtube demos sound nice. And I wish I had a working FM synth, and maybe would be worth the money just for a modern 64 voice FM synth even without the MOXF features.

So maybe get one, put it on the backburner for consideration. Is aftertouch even missing on the 88 key version? If so that is a shame. I'd almost be tempted to maybe retire the old KX88 as main computer controller for an 88 key MODX. I don't hardly ever use aftertouch, but if I got rid of the capability would maybe start thinking it was a big loss or whatever.

My main problem with all the MODX youtube demos I've heard are the same as my problem with nearly all the Montage demos I've seen-- Yamaha demo workers and also seems like most of the third-party demo guys just seem "trying way too hard". They concentrate on muddy distracting washes of too many layers of auditory crap. I would never buy the axe for the capability of making thick-as-a-brick muddy overkill mega-layer pads that offer the ability of going from too dark to too bright, too clean up past too dirty with the twist of a knob. Trying way, way too hard to show off how much useless crap can be played all at the same time with only a few keypresses.

IOW, am purt sure there are tons of great simpler purer sounds in the box, but the demos seem to feature mostly fat ugly muddy layers. I'd have to "use my imagination" to assure myself that the thang will make actual useful music sounds in addition to the trying too hard overkill in most of the demos I hear. I just wonder they surely know their market so maybe yamaha thinks the average keyboard purchaser will KNOW without being told that the box is not just a one trick pony overkill layer machine? Or maybe yamaha thinks the average keyboard purchaser in 2018 WANTS an overkill layer machine so they don't bother to explain that it can also play piano, bass and drums?

YAMAHA MODX 6/7/8 Midrange units with Montage DNA