Hi, apologies in advance. I did a search on this topic but didn’t really get the answer I was looking for.

Anyway, I’m thinking of selling my MotifXS rack and replacing it with a MOXF6 to replace a Kurzweil PC3 I recently sold. I’ve demoed the MOXF8 and was sold on the sounds and functions, but they didn’t have an MOXF6 there and no other GCs close by seem to have them on site either.

One of my biggest concerns is keyboard feel. I don’t need a weighted/piano type feel anymore, but I absolutely hate the way most modern keyboards and controllers feel today. Rather than try to describe what I like, I will say that I tried a Motif XF6 at the GC and I really liked its keyboard action. It had the kind of “sharp, instant, hard-bounce, non-spongy” feel that was very close to the old Roland XP I once had years ago. The MX61 I tried has a very similar feel.

Can any of you experts (or the kind Yamaha folks here) say whether the MOXF6 uses the same keybed as the Motif XF6 or the MX61? It they share it, then for me the deal is done. If not, I’ll have to do a lot more research or take a gamble on buying and trying.

Thank you all for your patience.

raisindot - 23 October 2014 02:47 PM

[...]Can any of you experts (or the kind Yamaha folks here) say whether the MOXF6 uses the same keybed as the Motif XF6 or the MX61? It they share it, then for me the deal is done. If not, I’ll have to do a lot more research or take a gamble on buying and trying.

Thank you all for your patience.

I’m not making claims of expertise when it comes to Yamaha keybeds (although I do have some familiarity with them), and I don’t work for Yamaha.

The three models you mentioned all use different keybeds. However, since you didn’t find a significant difference between the feel of the XF6 and the MX61, you might like the MOXF6 because it has a feel that could probably be described as being between that of the MX61 and the XF6, probably closer to the XF6. Of course, that’s subjective, so if at all possible I’d suggest trying to find someplace in your area where you can literally put your hands on a MOXF6.

For some other opinions, see
http://www.motifator.com/index.php/forum/viewthread/472087/

It’s a fairly personal feeling.  It did take me some hours getting used to, but within two days I was already feeling good.

I just want to point something out.  If you have any personal presets on the Rack, you will want to back those up somehow.  All of those sounds are compatible with the MOXF synths, so you can import them into the synth.  You can use the John Melas software (http://www.jmelas.gr/motif/index.php) to do this.

If you only have the Factory Presets, then disregard the above step.

The keybed is the same as Yamaha psr-e323. The feel and quality is at a toy level.

http://usa.yamaha.com/products/musical-instruments/keyboards/digitalkeyboards/portable_keyboards/psr-e323/

If you doubt go to bestbuy and check it out. The same quality and feeling.

BTW it has been discussed before and MOX and MOXF share the same keybed etc…

Also note that the 8 knobs have stepping problem. Search the forum.

abdol - 23 October 2014 11:42 PM

The keybed is the same as Yamaha psr-e323. The feel and quality is at a toy level.

I do not know the PSR-E323. But I can assure that MOXF keyboard quality is NOT a toy level.

You certainly never tried Roland FA06 or JUNO-DI keybed, which are competitors for MOXF and MOX, I believe. They are toy level.

purcell - 24 October 2014 10:06 AM

What do you get for +/- 1000 $ or € ...?

That´s the “keyboard feel”..."cheap"! (It´s MADE IN CHINA!)
You know a PSR? That´s the “keyboard feel”!

The MOXF is MADE IN CHINA!

That´s a fact!

So what?
What does that “Made in China” mean?

Do you know that Huawei is now head-to-head with Ericsson in telecommunication equiment, displacing titans like Alcatel, Nokia, Lucent? Does that mean that China is not able to produce technology? That’s a silly pre-statement.

OK, ok, folks… before this thread goes off the rails, the original poster - welcome! - simply asked if the keybeds on Motif XF6 and MOXF6 were one and the same. It seems everything is made in China these days so if people would like to discuss the merits of that situation it would be best to start a new thread in the MoLounge.

Having played both Motif XF6 and MOXF6 quite extensively I would venture to suggest they are different keybeds. However, feel - and almost as importantly perceived feel, which is how the instrument seems to respond the playing of any given sound, which can be affected by volume, and the velocity curve, amongst other things - is an extremely personal choice and I would absolutely recommend not to purchase any keyboard until or unless you have played it or simply ‘know’ it will work for you.

Thank you all for your responses. It bothers me not one whig if the MOXF6 is made in China. How much of anything we own these days ISN’T made in China?

Alas, there’s not a single GC in New England that has a MOXF6 in stock.

So, this may be a long shot, but if there is anywhere in the greater Boston area who owns one and might be willing to let me try it out in their home for ten minutes, I’d be most appreciative. I’m a family man, gainfully employed, and highly respectful of other people’s property and completely housebroken.

Jeff

I did a search on the GC website and the closest store with it in stock to Boston seems to be Manchester, CT.  It’s always a good idea to call first to double-check they have it on the floor available to test out.  I live in a small town myself and had to purchase the MOXF6 without having tried it out.

I was initially disappointed with the feel, but have grown used to it now.  The MOXF6 was the only keyboard/synth that met all of my requirements (and beyond) that I had to overlook not being able to try it out first.

Well, in case anyone cares, thanks for Mister Bad_Mister, who was able to get an MOXF6 into the Boston GC location (the only store in MA that now has one), I was able to try it out. Fortunately, it was positioned right above a MOTIF XF8 plugged into the same speaker so I was able to do a good A/B sound test.

To the main issue: The feel. Honestly, it felt, well, pretty good. It’s a very light, airy touch. “Synth like” indeed. But not necessarily “cheap.” It takes a bit of effort to get the “loud volume” sounds out of it but that’s not a big deal. I can certainly “live with it” in a way I couldn’t were I stuck with the kind of spongy, blocky, totally cheap-feeling keyboards used by most MIDI controllers today, even the more expensive ones.

And, in terms of the sounds, contrary to some of the reviews I’ve read elsewhere that say that the MOX6 sounds are totally different sounding than those on the MOTIF XF8, I’d have to say that those claims are rubbish. I A/B ed approximately 200 sounds, including all of the pianos, EPs and organs. Both the MOXF6 and the MOTIF XF8 used the same voice numbering scheme, so it was easy to compare. I’d say that perhaps the MOXF6 sounds were just a little bit brighter and a tad more brittle, but that probably has more to do with the effects the voices go through than the core sound themselves. Otherwise, they sounded exactly the same.

Which was good enough for me, so I’ve decided I’m going to replace my XS rack with the MOXF6, which will be used as both a sound source and a MIDI controller and MIDI arpeggio driver for my Roland Integra rack and old school Roland XV-3080.

Thanks for all of your help. Peace.

Jeff

raisindot - 03 November 2014 03:52 PM

[...]And, in terms of the sounds, contrary to some of the reviews I’ve read elsewhere that say that the MOX6 sounds are totally different sounding than those on the MOTIF XF8, I’d have to say that those claims are rubbish. I A/B ed approximately 200 sounds, including all of the pianos, EPs and organs. Both the MOXF6 and the MOTIF XF8 used the same voice numbering scheme, so it was easy to compare. I’d say that perhaps the MOXF6 sounds were just a little bit brighter and a tad more brittle, but that probably has more to do with the effects the voices go through than the core sound themselves. Otherwise, they sounded exactly the same.[...]

Yes, the difference in sound between the XF and MOXF is minimal.
See http://www.motifator.com/index.php/forum/viewthread/470507/

I agree that the MOXF is a little brighter. Here’s an excerpt from one of my posts in the thread I just linked to:
As most of us know, age and exposure to loud sounds affect hearing, especially of high frequencies. I’m mentioning that because in plotting frequency spectra for the various WAV files (including the MOXF ones that I didn’t use), I noticed that the MOXF has a somewhat hotter top end than the XF or XS. Based on the MOXF WAVs that were posted, the XF and MOXF spectra are very similar up to around 8kHz - from there up the MOXF is brighter, about 12dB per octave if Audacity plots can be trusted. Even with that knowledge biasing my listening, I have a difficult time hearing much difference between the A (XF) and C (MOXF) WAVs. While I don’t know the specific ages of those who posted their observations, I suspect that the majority (myself included :-) ) are no longer in their teens or twenties. Therefore the apparent additional “sizzle” of the MOXF would probably be lost on many of us.