Old Motifator threads are available in the Archive.
5pinDIN
Total Posts: 11891
Joined 09-16-2010 status: Legend |
The FSX is quite a different design than the FS. (The service manuals for the ES and XS can be downloaded from elektrotanya.com if anyone would like to compare the construction.) Nevertheless, I personally don’t find the difference in feel to be that significant. |
PeteParsons
Total Posts: 144
Joined 08-21-2020 status: Pro |
I agree it is not significant. It is subtle but distinguishable. |
5pinDIN
Total Posts: 11891
Joined 09-16-2010 status: Legend |
An XS can have up to 2 GB of optional SDRAM DIMMs installed. An XF has 128 MB of SDRAM standard, but no more can be added. That memory can be used for sampling or for loading samples from libraries, etc. The XF can also have up to 4 GB of optional flash memory (non-volatile) on two modules. Indeed, SDRAM loads a lot faster than the flash memory, but of course the data in SDRAM disappears “in a flash” when the power is turned off. Â :-) |
PeteParsons
Total Posts: 144
Joined 08-21-2020 status: Pro |
Just curious as you have both, do you have a preference? |
5pinDIN
Total Posts: 11891
Joined 09-16-2010 status: Legend |
I prefer the XF for its greater number of Waveforms and Arps, and some functions the XS doesn’t have. I find the XF display easier on my eyes, since I can select the “Yellow” color scheme on it. Sometimes it’s the little things that matter.
As far as memory is concerned…
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PeteParsons
Total Posts: 144
Joined 08-21-2020 status: Pro |
The color scheme on the display is cool. Is it more than just the yellow alternative? I find some effects that are a pale blue with white lettering are hard to read. Example...one of the compressors has the ratio button in the middle. It’s very hard to see the ratio until you highlight that parameter, then the number appears in black below it. Funny because all the other parameters have the number in black below already without having to highlight the parameter. I’m surprised you have almost 2gb stored. Can I ask what takes so much memory? I’m thinking you have every library under the sun loaded. |
5pinDIN
Total Posts: 11891
Joined 09-16-2010 status: Legend |
There are a few different color schemes available, and a couple of display layouts.
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Actually it doesn’t take that many sample libraries before things get crowded. Just the “Inspiration in a Flash” and “CP1 Piano” libraries from Yamaha total about half a GB. Many sample libraries are hundreds of MB. Throw in some orchestral libraries and a couple more pianos, and it quickly adds up. |
Xeraser
Total Posts: 38
Joined 01-28-2021 status: Regular |
Wait, is it? I swear I’ve been told multiple times (not on here of course) that it’s the same exact design but lead-free. I’ll have to download those manuals and check, I’m too curious now.
Oh boy, wait into you get into software samplers. I have a Yamaha C7 library for Kontakt called Production Grand 2 which comes at about 115 GB. It’s “meticulously” sampled at 24-bit 96 kHz and it has like HUNDREDS of samples. And you know what? I still prefer the sound of the K-Sounds Signature Piano (still a Yamaha C7) that’s like less than 500mb for the Motif XS/XF. 250 times smaller and 3 times cheaper but it just sounds better. 2 GB aren’t even that much considering the waveform/sample number limit the XF has (not sure if the XS also has this but I’m guessing it does due to the similar software? Could I get an answer on this, 5pinDIN?) so it’s not a bad idea to max out the XF’s flash size and have a few big (in terms of sample size and not how many samples there are) libraries on it. At the end of the day it comes down to how frequently you use external libraries. Personally I’d rather write to the flash a few times and have a longer boot time than go through the trouble of loading every library I need every single time and carrying around a USB stick to store them on. It’s a stupid example but I have a Korg M1 with a dead SRAM battery and restoring it takes maybe 2-3 minutes total (assuming I have a laptop nearby) and even though I don’t turn it on too often it’s still annoying to me. I’d change it but the thing weighs too much for me to lift up with a bad back and bad legs. |
5pinDIN
Total Posts: 11891
Joined 09-16-2010 status: Legend |
That might not be a “trick” question, but the answer isn’t obvious at first.
Yamaha states that the XF limitations per flash module (no matter its capacity) are…
For the XS, the Owner’s Manual says…
So at first glance the XS appears to be more limited than the XF. However, here’s the tricky part…
2) The terms “KeyBank” and “Sample” have had a somewhat loose definition over the years. The problem is that a KeyBank can hold a single Sample, or a stereo pair (actually two mono samples). So the “4096 KeyBanks” of the XS, if multiplied by two, may be equal to the “8192 Individual Samples” of the XF. 3) The KeyBank definition might also play into the 256 versus 128 KeyBanks per Waveform situation. I’ll leave the above for anyone who has more patience than I do to hash out. |
Xeraser
Total Posts: 38
Joined 01-28-2021 status: Regular |
So best case scenario the XS with 2GB has the same limitations as the XF as far as loading libraries goes? I bet there’s someone on here with 2GB on their XS, would be interesting to verify if the numbers Yamaha provided were due to a software limitation or if they didn’t bother testing with 2GB. |