Comparison: Motif ES vs Montage Vs MODX

These are some of the factory voices that are shared by all three synths.
**Some factors that come to play are the differences in dynamic ranges of the different instruments, as well as some varying factory EQ settings.
*** There are some important differences to me that cant't be conveyed in the video:
--The faders, knobs, and buttons of both Montage and MODX both feel very rubbery and cheap, whereas the Motif is robust and feels like it would outlast the others. (The Montage feels the most rubbery and least durable.)
--The volume fader in the Motif seems perfectly positioned. You can get to it in a live setting without obstruction. The MODX doesn't have a volume fader. There is a small knob that is relatively difficult to get to on the fly , due to other knobs situated around it.
--The keys feel smaller to me on the Montage than the Motif, although the width is the same. The length of the Montage keys is 8mm shorter than on the Motif, which I doubt would make a difference. There is something about the finish of the Montage keytops makes them harder to slide across the keys on, like you might on a synth solo or B3 playing.
My takeaway:
The MODX sounds amazing!, regardless of its lightweight plastic chassis and lower priced point .Every bit as good sounding as the Montage. A live musician"s dream.
In my opinion, 20-year old Motifs are still worthy contemporaries of the Montage/MODX, and if you expect Montage to be a big upgrade from this MODX, you'll be disappointed.

[@daeone1514]

ES is timeless and it hit the hardest. The LF’s in the ES are superior. The mod and Montage is basically the ES at the end of the day. It’s like korg with the new vs the old, which would be the triton. That has more punch than newer korgs. Same with Roland. So many people say that the Roland fantom X hits harder and sound a bit better than the New Fantoms. The ES era of synths was a wonderful time. Back when you can use just the keyboard to make hit records.

[@waltscott5]

Agreed on all points. Just more pleasing to the senses, right? And not to mention the keybeds on the earlier incarnations were so superior to what they release today. When after touch was not an optional upgrade.

[@rayonmyers9222]

All these are like an upgraded motif es.... and the motif es is built like a tank in every aspect..... my personal point of view.

[@waltscott5]

Absolutely. Upgraded in many ways, like really good strings & orchestral in general, but then the construction build feels cheap/flimsy… Rubbery knobs and sliders everywhere. Breath controller is still missing, sequencer is gone. Pretty strange. Almost like a “Motif Lite”.

[@miljantoto]

You are right about everything, except for Fantom X vs New Fantom. The new Fantom is a different story

[@alicaramba7680]

ES sounds are driest because of sample data compression. Patches of Fantom X/XV-5080 in newest Fantoms sounds identical. I believe Roland decided to keep legacy sounds in tact while expanding on new ones while Yamaha preferred to remaster old sample data. Sounds of MODX backs up my opinion, they are not as full as on Montage but noticeably richer than on ES (because of a sample data size available).

[@kotsurea]

Nothing has changed since EX. Only prices...

[@sebastian_haro]

Muchas gracias por esta comparativa 🙌

[@kenzieprice6745]

Great playing. You are great at demoing. This was really insightful. I bet Yamaha kicks themselves every day puting the motif out and other quality gear that people are still perfectly happy with!

[@waltscott5]

Consequences of excellency, I suppose 😄

[@BassFunMusic]

Super BRO ☺♦♪♪

[@cocovi]

In my opinion, maybe the preset effects are better on the ES but that's not to say you can't obtain the same punch on the others by adjusting the effects and EQ

[@cocovi]

I've not played either keyboard. Just my guess

[@waltscott5]

I know you mean though. Brighter, but yet warm still.

[@waltscott5]

As far as dialing in the verb, I will say that I was unable to get a really good motif reverb sound on the montage.

[@cflezama]

Modx performance

[@davidtorresgutierrez]

Exclente comparación... El Motif ES es atemporal, sin desmerecer los motores del Montage

[@waltscott5]

Most definitely timeless. We’ll being seeing these Motifs on stages for another 10-15 years.

[@tristaningram4418]

I remember the original motif had the ability to add the opptional plugin boards. Depending on what you purchased, you could have got the anx 1, dx7, or a modeling engine. Yamaha was ahead of the curb for a while.

[@waltscott5]

Yes. Not to mention the DX7 changing the aesthetics of how we perceive music still today. I had a couple of those expansion cards for my original motif. I didn’t have the FM engine but I had the piano & analog ones. “PLG-150” was the series I think.

[@valdemarismael4254]

MODX

[@mr.ros-gamerbr1511]

Montage!

[@kenzieprice6745]

The XS is supposedly a bit of a different sound than the ES? Can you comment on that one?

[@waltscott5]

I never noticed a difference between ES & XS but I’d be curious to know more. My reason for sticking with an ES rather than XS is that I use the breath control port which disappeared beginning with the XS. One thing I do know is that the XF was a disappointment to many motif fans. I was pretty disappointed as well. I didn’t keep it long.

[@otonielmontejoarias1083]

Puedes explicar ,que es el puerto de control de la respiración

[@waltscott5]

@@otonielmontejoarias1083 The breath controller goes back to at least the DX7. It’s like a wind controller in the sense that the keyboard will only make sound while you are blowing into it. You can use it to make horn solos sound more realistic in phrasing, or you can use it like you would an expression pedal to bring strings or other layers in, or control filters & LFOs, etc.

[@musamkhize100]

The ES is a winner for me.

[@mh22xv]

Compare the Motif to one of the other two I get. But Montage and MODX are the same thing, just different polyphony and amount of buttons and sliders.

[@waltscott5]

The MODX is a live musician’s dream, but there are significant differences in audio quality between it and the Montage. The analog circuitry and sample rates are much better on the Montage, which accounts for the high price-point. It can be challenging, too, to achieve the same level of velocity control on the cheaper keybeds. I wouldnt use the MODX on a master session, but it’s the central component of my live rig.

[@itsaboutthefeeling]

Es has more emotions

[@waltscott5]

I think so too. A large part of it, for me, has to do with how nice it feels under the fingers. I feel a very natural connection with it. That keybed feels like it was designed specifically for that body and vice versa, even though it wasn’t. Yamaha and Korg were masters of that craft. That same keybed was used in all the high-end Yamaha & Korg equipment going back to the DX7 and Korg M1. It was discontinued somewhere around the XF. Best synth action ever made in my opinion.

[@nathanaelvalville9191]

Im getting a MODX this year because its lighter and more practical. But make no mistake, mi ES7 is going nowhere

[@waltscott5]

Exactly. I appreciate the MODX every time I lift it from the case to the stand, practically just using the muscles from one arm. That ES though is a whole other level of near-perfection.

[@Lokki555]

Motif Es se los come a los otros 2 👂🏻💪🏻❤

[@waltscott5]

Hard to improve on a classic flagship. They were flagships (and sold so many) for a reason. 😉

[@danielschneider2440]

ES é mais punch

[@waltscott5]

I wasn't going to be the first to say it ;)

[@Konigsberg39]

мечтаю, что бы кто-нибудь сделал сравнение Montage Vs Genos.Звуки суперартикуляции.Например саксофона.

[@waltscott5]

Yes...I'd be curious to here that

[@followyourpassion8378]

That would be very interesting. I think there is a lot of overlap between these two. You certainly can use Montage like an arranger, building your intro, fill, a-d variation with pattern scenes. The sounding should be different though.

[@al-fredd9351]

Más velositi y un poco más ecualizado el modx y suena igual, ya que el modx por defecto y fabrica viene configurado a si bien opaco y oscuro pero conserva la calidad.

[@waltscott5]

Exactly. The weight of the keys and velocity curve of the MODX lends a lot to that,too.

[@al-fredd9351]

@@waltscott5 a si hermano por defecto y el defecto es ese que varias personas se quejaron de lo mal que sonaba jajja pero bueno a tiempo yo me di cuenta, por suerte 💪