Received today my FX8. Compared to the XS8 I have the following remarks:
First impression: The FX8 is a a cheap replica of the XS8 because:
The art work on the FX8 is minimal, see the indicators around the 8 potmeters three white lines instead of the 14 white lines on the XS8.
See the artwork around the sliders
All LED indicators in the buttons have the same color (red)
The black paint of the housing stains very easy.
The color graphics display is the worst (cheapest) I have ever seen. 
The keys of the keyboard are stiff and feel cheap compared to the XS8
No firewire ports like the XS8
This keyboard is a major disappointment and I will try to return the FX keyboard.
Yamaha should be ashamed of the statement about putting 10 years of customer experience in this the FX. The statement should be: Yamaha build a cheaper version of the XS8

p.s. I have been extremely happy with my XS8 and according to the adds and videos raving about how much better the XF8 is I was convinced this was true till now.

baaijopr - 15 September 2010 11:49 PM

Received today my FX8. Compared to the XS8 I have the following remarks:
First impression: The FX8 is a a cheap replica of the XS8 because:
The art work on the FX8 is minimal, see the indicators around the 8 potmeters three white lines instead of the 14 white lines on the XS8.
See the artwork around the sliders
All LED indicators in the buttons have the same color (red)
The black paint of the housing stains very easy.
The color graphics display is the worst (cheapest) I have ever seen. 
The keys of the keyboard are stiff and feel cheap compared to the XS8
No firewire ports like the XS8
This keyboard is a major disappointment and I will try to return the FX keyboard.
Yamaha should be ashamed of the statement about putting 10 years of customer experience in this the FX. The statement should be: Yamaha build a cheaper version of the XS8

Didn’t you take a look at it before you bought it?

I know this may not go over well with you but, the reason you might have wanted to refrain from posting a thread like this is the fact that we are left wondering, “Then why did you buy it?”

There has never been a keyboard I’ve purchased that I was not fully satisfied with because I do my homework before hand… Software is another issue however, they seldom offer demos anymore… :)

Didn’t you take a look at it before you bought it?

You beat me to it, Dave! lol

Isn’t the keybed exactly the same as the 8 XS and 8 ES and isn’t the LCD exactly same as the XS? Brian

So… we’re trying to make a discussion out of this now? I give up… lol

No, wait. I am taking this one seriously. I mean aesthetical differences are one thing and we usually learn to live with them. However, if there really is lower overall quality in parts used to build up the XF that is something I want to know before trading my XS to XF.

Are there some other XF owners here? How is the quality of XF when compared to XS?

For what it’s worth, when I demoed the XF8 in Guitar Center, 5 keys were broken and the guy at the store said it came that way and he talked about how cheaply made he felt the XF was.

With that said: Never buy a synth you can’t play with first!!!

the one individual complaints were mostly cosmetic, and just because something feels cheap when you touch it, does not mean that it is, technology has advanced and is making things rubber and plastic or whatever the heck is in that thing, stronger, trust me alot of things in the coming years are gonna feel weird when you touch them.....anyways I just think its a stupid and poor reason to return the XF.........furthermore the DAC were better built in quality than the XS according to a post I read earlier....now I don’t know if this is true and I have yet to play the XF at guitar center, but then again the economy is down, the market is being taken over by DAWs, so I can understand your verbal assault on this new kid XF, specially if you’re one of those people who overthinks things and likes to connect dots based on cause and effect, well if you do end up returning it, you can always wait another 2 years to see what comes after the XF :)

Indulge - 16 September 2010 01:50 AM

the one individual complaints were mostly cosmetic, and just because something feels cheap when you touch it, does not mean that it is, technology has advanced and is making things rubber and plastic or whatever the heck is in that thing, stronger, trust me alot of things in the coming years are gonna feel weird when you touch them.....anyways I just think its a stupid and poor reason to return the XF.........furthermore the DAC were better built in quality than the XS according to a post I read earlier....now I don’t know if this is true and I have yet to play the XF at guitar center, but then again the economy is down, the market is being taken over by DAWs, so I can understand your verbal assault on this new kid XF, specially if you’re one of those people who overthinks things and likes to connect dots based on cause and effect, well if you do end up returning it, you can always wait another 2 years to see what comes after the XF :)

Hey, the dude, you somehow wrote about appearance of М3, and in that message for you external was important!!!
Something has changed in sights, the guy?!) You should be more consecutive,if you want to be the real man!!!:)

Sorry but is something i’m not understand…
But, what interest to you? The appearence of the keyboard? The led color? The LCD? It’s just this? And the sounds, it’s really better than XS?
Regards, Scherzo

I too felt this when I switched from ES to a XS.
The ES was much more sturdy and with a fine finishing than XS.
Now the history seems to repeats with XF.
BTW, the S90ES has beautiful color and finish.

Cesarsound - 16 September 2010 10:55 AM

I too felt this when I switched from ES to a XS.
The ES was much more sturdy and with a fine finishing than XS.
Now the history seems to repeats with XF.
BTW, the S90ES has beautiful color and finish.

exactly, Japanese companies are going cheap and we had thread about it some time ago when XS went out. Same is happening with Japanese cars. My next keyboard will be made by VW.

You know none of this make much sense and really it just feeds the trolls. Some and you know who you are are just pissed off that the XF is not what you thought it should be. There is no evidence that Yamaha is using any cheap components then on the XS. On the contrary the XF 8 is a little smaller the the XS 8 , has no MLAN but weights a little more. The 6 and the 7 are equal in dimminsions and features but yet the XF is a little heavier. So Yamaha put cheaper parts in but the parts are heavier? Is this the fuzzy logic you are trying to use to discredit this product becuase your pissed off?

MOTIF XF8: 1,439 (W) x 466 (D) x 168 (H) mm, 28.9 kg
MOTIF XF7: 1,252 (W) x 391 (D) x 122 (H) mm, 17.2 kg
MOTIF XF6: 1,045 (W) x 391 (D) x 122 (H) mm, 15.1 kg

MOTIF XS8: 1,457 (W) x 466 (D) x 168 (H) mm, 28.6 kg
MOTIF XS7: 1,252 (W) x 391 (D) x 122 (H) mm, 17.0 kg
MOTIF XS6: 1,045 (W) x 391 (D) x 122 (H) mm, 14.8 kg

I agree on the finish. I like the color “charcoal black” but I’m not crazy about the “matte” finish. If fingerprints, smudge marks and such don’t bother you then you’ll be okay. Otherwise you better carry a small bottle of Windex and a rag. Don’t know why they didn’t go with a smooth finish which is so much easier to wipe clean when it comes to sweaty hands, dust etc. I live in an area where we have 90 to 100% humidity most of the time. I sweat inside with the AC on, so it’s a little bit of an issue.

I liked the buttons on the XF better. They seemed solid, maybe a bit taller and the redraw seemed quicker on the XF. Also, I really didn’t notice all that much difference in the keybed. I have learned that the same model keyboard with identical keybeds can feel different. For whatever reason I do not know. It’s like trying on a pair of the same size pants. The numbers are the same but they fit different. I have played several XS-8’s that feel lighter than mine. But then again maybe it’s just me. Muscles and tendons get tired after a long day at work. And I play at night. When I visit music stores it’s usually in the morning when I typically have the place to myself.

One thing that surprised me (and I was using my AKG 240’s) was that I thought I would like the S6 better than the S 700 sample, but didn’t. The color graphics display didn’t seem cheap but different. It’s very easy to read and I like the layout but give the edge to the XS. It’s just an edge, and maybe it’s because I’m used to the XS. The knobs and sliders seemed very solid to me. Didn’t really pay attention to the art work, but I can see how that would be important to you, though not so much for me. I just didn’t notice a quality control issue.
The sounds and new performances are great!

i was thinking to get xf but after see this posts i wiil go for xs rack