I haven’t commented in this forum for a long time because I have been very satisfied with my XS.  Yesterday I spent some time auditioning the new XF and here is what I came away with.  There are really only small incremental changes from the XS.
The DAC’s are different and it does sound cleaner and more refined than the XS.  The new waveforms are good and are needed.  There are also some new patterns which are fun to play with but I really don’t use them except when practicing by myself for fun.  The black color is nice but it is not a smooth shiny finish but rather a coarse feel to the touch.  The screen is more colorful and seems to react somewhat quicker with a better refresh rate.  I love the flash memory because I play with a band 3 nights a week and when the power has gone down on a job, waiting for all my samples to load (about 6 minutes) can seem like a long time.  The price for flash memory is REALLY expensive.  This upgrade to the solid X series won’t attract too many XS users as there just isn’t enough improvement or new features to push you over the fence.  Keyboard players who own an ES or have never owned a Yamaha XS will simply love it.  I forgot to mention that the sampling section is also greatly improved from previous versions.

I would have to agree with your observations.  I’ve had my XF8 for a week now (upgraded from the XS8), and I definitely like the board, and it’s features.  Although as you said the changes are much less noticable to an XS owner. : )

CM

rgkeys - 18 September 2010 09:38 AM

I haven’t commented in this forum for a long time because I have been very satisfied with my XS.  Yesterday I spent some time auditioning the new XF and here is what I came away with.  There are really only small incremental changes from the XS.
The DAC’s are different and it does sound cleaner and more refined than the XS.  The new waveforms are good and are needed.  There are also some new patterns which are fun to play with but I really don’t use them except when practicing by myself for fun.  The black color is nice but it is not a smooth shiny finish but rather a coarse feel to the touch.  The screen is more colorful and seems to react somewhat quicker with a better refresh rate.  I love the flash memory because I play with a band 3 nights a week and when the power has gone down on a job, waiting for all my samples to load (about 6 minutes) can seem like a long time.  The price for flash memory is REALLY expensive.  This upgrade to the solid X series won’t attract too many XS users as there just isn’t enough improvement or new features to push you over the fence.  Keyboard players who own an ES or have never owned a Yamaha XS will simply love it.  I forgot to mention that the sampling section is also greatly improved from previous versions.

hi i want ask you after your test of the xf if i get motif xs

i will have the same sounds as xf??? i dont need sampler am usingn DAW

coinstar - 18 September 2010 02:44 PM

rgkeys - 18 September 2010 09:38 AM

I haven’t commented in this forum for a long time because I have been very satisfied with my XS.  Yesterday I spent some time auditioning the new XF and here is what I came away with.  There are really only small incremental changes from the XS.
The DAC’s are different and it does sound cleaner and more refined than the XS.  The new waveforms are good and are needed.  There are also some new patterns which are fun to play with but I really don’t use them except when practicing by myself for fun.  The black color is nice but it is not a smooth shiny finish but rather a coarse feel to the touch.  The screen is more colorful and seems to react somewhat quicker with a better refresh rate.  I love the flash memory because I play with a band 3 nights a week and when the power has gone down on a job, waiting for all my samples to load (about 6 minutes) can seem like a long time.  The price for flash memory is REALLY expensive.  This upgrade to the solid X series won’t attract too many XS users as there just isn’t enough improvement or new features to push you over the fence.  Keyboard players who own an ES or have never owned a Yamaha XS will simply love it.  I forgot to mention that the sampling section is also greatly improved from previous versions.

hi i want ask you after your test of the xf if i get motif xs

i will have the same sounds as xf??? i dont need sampler am usingn DAW

CoinStar for the 20th time....  THE XF HAS THE SAME SOUNDS AS THE XS.  THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS THAT THE XF HAS A USER BANK LOADED WITH SOME NEW PATCHES THAT UTILIZE THE NEW WAVEFORMS (you know how the xf has double wave ROM of the xs...) well that is where the double wave ROM went… to all those sounds in the user banks. 

dude… you keep asking the same questions over and over.  money is not an option (or so it seems) just get the xf and be done with it.  man…

rgkeys - 18 September 2010 09:38 AM

The black color is nice but it is not a smooth shiny finish but rather a coarse feel to the touch.

IMHO, I like it the way it is. The last thing I need is another electronic device with a ‘piano black’ finish - e.g., dust magnet.

rgkeys, you are way too positive.
You’ll attract ‘our’ Trolls.

;JOOP!