I just saw Bert demoing the PSR-950.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sK1uiEj99Lc

This machine has a few cool features.  It plays back via USB wav and MP3 files.  The song’s tempo can be changes at will.  Key change as well and vocals can be turned on and off for learning purpose and jamming along.

Can MOX do any of those functions above?

I have an yamaha MOX8, and no it can not do that, unless they do a firmware update and add that feature.

Can MOX do any of those functions above?

No. The PSR-S950 is about $1000 more retail (that’s US Dollars) than the equivalent 61 key MOX.  Just FYI

Wow… It’s amazing to see PSR of today reaching this level of sophistication, even more powerful than the MOX, in certain aspects.

As with most things, you get what you pay for. 

I’m happy with what MOX provides.  But the USB playback and time stretch and key change functions are very practical and useful features. 

I hope yamaha puts some if these in the newer generation of the motif family.

What is amazing is your amazement, actually! :-)

Yeah..:) I played PSR twenty years ago and since then I haven’t been following up on the latest development.  I had the impression that synths were produced in a way to surpasss PSRs in all aspects.  But that is simply not true. 

There are also probably other ways to play back MP3 and WAV files, (maybe via a computer) and use other softwares to do wonders like changing key, changing tempo, removing vocals and so on.  It is just a convenient feature if these were made available onboard.

The PSR-s series is the low end version of the Tyros just like the MOX is the low end version of the Motif.  Tyros is Yamaha’s top of the line ARRANGER keyboard.  PSR-s750, s-950 arranger keyboards are in about the same price range as the MOX series. 

I have a PSR s-710. It’s OS is totally different from the MOX but the capabilities are very much melding (as in “the same").  Styles and arpeggios are starting to look very similar in the way they are being implemented in the two series of keyboards. 

The key bed on the PSR-s series is PSR-ish if you know what I mean.  The MOX6 keybed is a little better than the PSR-s.  The MOX8 is trying to reach the piano player with its keybed.

The screen on the PSR-s series is larger with a better layout than the MOX whose screen is smaller.

That’s funny - I have both the S950 and the MOX 6 and the keyboards feel identical to me. I am using my Ipad with the MOX for a better screen when working with voices and performances. Having had several Tyros keyboards, I still miss those fine Tyros keys and after touch and the tilt up screen.
But, I especially like the lightness of the MOX and adding it to the S950 makes a very good combination for me.

Bill G

I have the S710. I don’t know about the S950.  I think the MOX6 is a little better.  I’ve seen the internals of the S710 and drawings of the internals of the MOX6 keybed and they are not the same.  That’s why I said “similar”.

My point was to clear up the false notion that the PSR-s series was $1000 more than the MOX.  If one likes the arranger keyboard way of doing things it’s not really a money matter, it’s just how you like to work.

The PSR S950 is a very serious keyboard retails for $2499.00
The MOX6 is a very serious workstation retails for $1499.00

They both exist targeting completely different customers… It is all a matter of what you want to do with music. As soon as you begin to think that everyone wants to do what you want to do, is when you couldn’t be more wrong.

BadMister, I have a question for you. Can Yamaha PSR S950 be used as a sound source while recording using Protools or Sonar?  Will the Sound quality of Voices in PSR S950 be same as the sound quality of Voices in Yamaha MoXF6 when recorded in Protools or Sonar?

Can Yamaha PSR S950 be used as a sound source while recording using Protools or Sonar?  Will the Sound quality of Voices in PSR S950 be same as the sound quality of Voices in Yamaha MoXF6 when recorded in Protools or Sonar?

Can the PSR-S950 be a sound source for a DAW.. Well of course, if can. The sound quality will be stellar from either unit.

The question you probably wanted to ask but didn’t, would be: which one is designed to work with external DAW software like Pro Tools and Sonar, or Cubase. The answer would be the MOXF6.

Can you use the PSR-S950 with external software? Well, yes, you could. But the design concept of each product is quite different. It is a matter of focus. One of the specific focuses of the MOXF was computer integration. That was NOT, one of the focuses of the PSR-S950. Doesn’t mean you can’t do it. Just a matter of will you get the feeling that “this works well… Seems like it was planned” versus that feeling like “yikes, this works but is anybody else doing this?”

If product concept is important then recognize the concept of the instruments as different. One is designed for the musician that wants to create there own music, from creating the sounds, to recording the drum grooves, to creating the musical parts… The other is designed for the entertaining musician who quickly needs to cover song titles quickly and easily with professional backing.

One is a synthesizer with the ability to do in depth sound design, the other is a keyboard with tons of interactive content for live music performance (one-man-band). Yes there is some overlap of functions but the core concept of each product should be considered, and understood before purchasing.

Do not buy one and try to turn it into the other… That would be my recommendation. If you do, then at least go into it with your eyes wide open.

The PSR is an arranger workstation.
The MOXF is a synthesizer workstation.

The devil’s in the details! Hope that is helpful.

Let me write my requirements here.  I need to buy a keyboard which I will use as one man band in live play.  I will not do any sequencing in the keyboard (e.g.sequencing in MOX6) but I will do the sequencing in Protools or Sonar and will use the Keyboard as a sound source.

One of the issues arises when comparing a Yamaha PSR S950 with a Yamaha MOX6 is that MOX6 Wave ROM size is available for public but size of Wave ROM in PSR S950 is not available for public.  Hence a quantitative comparison of the two products cannot be made.  If Yamaha can list the Wave ROM in PSR S950, it will be useful to make comparisons on sound quality.

If Yamaha PSR S950 has the same sound quality of Voices as Yamaha MOX6 (I donot need the editing of voices in MOX6 or the sequencing capabilities in MOX6, but I need the bass arp to change as per the chords pressed and I should be able to change the drum to different styles in live play), I may well go with PSR S950.

Can we change the drum arp in a Motif in a Performance mode or song mode with a single button press during live play?  Can we change the voices in Motif in Performance mode or song mode in a single button press during live play or can the voice be changed on fly during live play?

Bad Mister, Thanks for your reply.

I know comparisons of products like this are not easy. You seem to think you can level the comparison playing field by knowing the size of the Wave ROM of the PSR, when in fact, that would tell you nothing ... Mainly because they use the memory differently.

Say it is larger, what does that tell you, really. Say its smaller, what now? If they use the memory differently how does that make or break a buying decision. Particularly in this case, where the two products approach the use of sample memory slightly differently.

I guess if it were important to what the product does it would be a specification that was readily known. Perhaps they don’t want you to buy the product based on that criteria. Just a thought.

I think you need to spend some time with each product. They are quite different, even though I can tell you still are not quite sure which is what… For your needs.

For example, there are no arpeggios in the PSR. Arpeggio is a term found in the MOX. Arpeggios can follow chord fingering. Drums can be started and changed with buttons, etc. they both do all of that kind of thing. Its a matter of which will service your needs better… In how YOU personally want to use it.

I highly recommend spending some time with each of them, if at all possible. You know what you expect from the instrument. I’ve told you what I feel are the significant concept differences. I’m not going to tell you what you should do, that’s up to you.

PSR is good depending on what your goals are. i had a PSR-710 and the sound was good but it can’t be compared to the MOX. I sold the 710 and got my MOX 6 and was the best decision of my life! No wonder why you will never see Chick Corea or Earth, Wind and Fire -just to mention a few master musicians, playing PSR or Clavinova keyboards. What they use is Motif…

Regarding the USB feature, once again: it depends on your goals: if you want to be a one-man-band, than the MOX is not for you, your best option could be PSR or Tyros. It is workstation vs arrangers… I have to confess that at some point of my life I was also impressed with that feature present on some PSRs keyboards, but once I got the MOX, never used it nor missed it.

Take care bro and enjoy your Motif XS… I mean, your Mox :)

Best regards

bgrosse - 09 April 2013 10:47 AM

That’s funny - I have both the S950 and the MOX 6 and the keyboards feel identical to me. I am using my Ipad with the MOX for a better screen when working with voices and performances. Having had several Tyros keyboards, I still miss those fine Tyros keys and after touch and the tilt up screen.
But, I especially like the lightness of the MOX and adding it to the S950 makes a very good combination for me.

Bill G

Hi Bill,

I’m new to this Motif forum but have been using the PSR-S950 for 2yrs plus and love the S950. I just bought the MOXF6 and wanting to hook it up to the S950 to take adv. of the rich Motif voices, ARP, etc. I do hope to take the adv. of the best of both instruments. Just take a baby step for now. I do appreciate very much if you can share some of your experiences since you use them together. Here’s the short list of questions I have for now :-)

1. Which KB do you use as the MASTER?
2. In the case the MOXF is the Master, how much control do you have over the S950 without having to touch the S950 (changing styles, voices, OTS, Fill In, Break, Intro, Ending, etc.) ?
3. In the case the S950 is the MASTER, can you change the voices on the MOXF from the S950 (without having to touch the MOXF)?
4. Have you use any (ARP, voices,etc.) to turn it into a Style that you can play on the S950?

Thank you so much for your time Mr. Bill

David