Yamaha MODX+ launched

[pjd]

Meanwhile, back at the ranch...

Yamaha spiffed up the MODX synthesizer adding more expansion memory, more FM-X polyphony, new pitch/mod wheels, and ---------- not much else other than a plus sign to the name. This brings MODX+ tone generation up to the Montage spec. MODX+ Seamless Sound Switching remains limited to 4-part Performances (Montage: 8-part SSS).

Perhaps -- as Derek suggested in another thread -- Genos will get a spiff and a plus sign, too. Kind of deflating to all those grand plans! 

Back to the usual bickering about plastic, click-bait fakes, sustain pedaling, version 2, ya-da, ya-da. 

Peace -- pj

[Jeff Hollande]

Hey PJ :

Do you expect present MODX' owners will upgrade or ... will owners of comparable prior Yamaha synths be potential MODX+ buyers ... or both ?

Thanks for your reply, JH

[Jeff Hollande]

Hi Guys :

Plse hear how great the YAMAHA MODX 8+ sounds like.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5NbGvuTnsc

And more : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3X7kHhfSMk

JH

[DerekA]

At least one UK retailer is showing MODX+ 6 at about £300 more than the 'plain' MODX, which is about 30%. Can't see many takers at that price, but I guess it means once the existing stock has run out there's a nice big increase in the retail price of the MODX line without Yamaha having to try too hard.

[pjd]

Do you expect present MODX' owners will upgrade or ... will owners of comparable prior Yamaha synths be potential MODX+ buyers ... or both ?

Hi Jeff --

I don't think very many existing MODX (mk1) players will upgrade. That seems to be the consensus on various synth forums.

Yamaha synth people stick with their older keyboards for features eliminated in Montage/MODX (e.g., sampling, PLG boards, sequencing). Although it doesn't get used much, I still have my MOX6 -- out of affection. 

All the best -- pj

[pjd]

At least one UK retailer is showing MODX+ 6 at about £300 more than the 'plain' MODX, which is about 30%. Can't see many takers at that price, but I guess it means once the existing stock has run out there's a nice big increase in the retail price of the MODX line without Yamaha having to try too hard.

Hi Derek --

When I saw the 300 quid jump in price, I expected a big jump in the USA minimum advertised price (MAP). The MAP went up only $100USD (MODX6+). I suspect the Yamaha suits are making foreign currency plays, again. A new product is the perfect excuse to manipulate pricing.

Take care -- pj

[SciNote]

Meanwhile, back at the ranch...

Yamaha spiffed up the MODX synthesizer adding more expansion memory, more FM-X polyphony, new pitch/mod wheels, and ---------- not much else other than a plus sign to the name. This brings MODX+ tone generation up to the Montage spec. MODX+ Seamless Sound Switching remains limited to 4-part Performances (Montage: 8-part SSS).

Perhaps -- as Derek suggested in another thread -- Genos will get a spiff and a plus sign, too. Kind of deflating to all those grand plans! 

Back to the usual bickering about plastic, click-bait fakes, sustain pedaling, version 2, ya-da, ya-da. 

Peace -- pj

Great!  I was just getting ready to post about a North Korean video I saw that previewed the Genos-5, and it included enhanced sustain as well as the ability to simulate Leslie speaker speed-up and slow-down using actual samples!  If it's on the Internet, it's gotta be true, right  .  Okay -- Just joking -- If that wasn't obvious!

But that MODX+ ... Yeah, that caught me by surprise, as I had no idea that Yamaha was coming out with a new synth at this time until I read about it here maybe a day or two before it was introduced.  But, as has been said, it seems just like a minor upgrade to the previous MODX, and that is implied even in the model name, where they just put a "plus" sign after the original name.  Kind of like when Yamaha came out with the PSR-S775 and S975, which were just minor upgrades to the S770 and S970.

It would be cool if Yamaha came out with a new small synth -- something like my Roland Gaia SH-01, the Korg OPSix (which may have been discontinued), and Classics like the ARP Odyssey and MiniMoog.  Something that is maybe about 3 octaves -- but with FULL SIZED KEYS -- and that is small, relatively light, and can be used in conjunction with other keyboards to enhance playing/performance options.  They have the reface series, but I just do not like mini-keys.  I don't see guitar manufacturers selling "mini-guitars" at music shops (unless it's a ukulele), so I don't see why keyboard manufacturers insist on telling keyboard players that they need to scrunch their fingers together to play an instrument.

Also, a re-issue of the CS-80 would probably sell like hotcakes -- at a good price -- seeing as to how I've now seen asking prices beyond $60,000 US for the original!

[pjd]

Hi Bob --

Yamaha have the CK61/CK88 in the queue. And something with AN-X. All are trademark names recently registered to Yamaha.

The AN-X mark has sparked an incredible torrent of speculation. Some of which is utter fantasy. I didn't mention any of that here out of respect for the forum's raison d'être. Here's a link or two to my musings:

http://sandsoftwaresound.net/modx-glad-thats-over/
http://sandsoftwaresound.net/where-to-put-an-x/

The small synth may not be out-of-line.

Best -- pj

[SciNote]

Hi Bob --

Yamaha have the CK61/CK88 in the queue. And something with AN-X. All are trademark names recently registered to Yamaha.

The AN-X mark has sparked an incredible torrent of speculation. Some of which is utter fantasy. I didn't mention any of that here out of respect for the forum's raison d'être. Here's a link or two to my musings:

http://sandsoftwaresound.net/modx-glad-thats-over/
http://sandsoftwaresound.net/where-to-put-an-x/

The small synth may not be out-of-line.

Best -- pj

I'm not familiar with the CK prefix for Yamaha keyboards.  Is something from the past, or is it something new?  It almost sounds like a Casio prefix.