Korg X50 vs Yamaha MM6

[xmlguy]

I've been contemplating selling my X50. My analogy: it's kinda like bad chinese food. It tastes good for a while then it has a crappy aftertaste. I guess I'm not a Korg fanboy, the only other thing I've owned from Korg was a Poly 800 back in the dark ages. Everything on the X50 sounds artificial and processed. The first year I had it I really liked it, but lately I use it less and less, and the sound is almost irritating to me. I think it's the reverb. For most people, it would be the better choice by far, no doubt. I think I've come to realize that I'm more of an emulative guy when it comes to synths, it's my classical geekdom upbringing. I want an orchestra in a box. Still, the X50 is an amazing unit for a great price, I just think I am happier with a more acoustic soundset. My next step is to buy a better computer and get some serious samples. The East/West Goliath set looks pretty interesting.

Yeah, I've thought about selling my X50 ever since I got my Triton Extreme and Z1. But the R3 and X50 make such a good lightweight pair that I don't mind that the X50 is a small subset of the TrEx. The X50 is probably the most versatile ROMpler in the $600-$700 range. The Juno-G is another great one, except if the Orange LCD breaks. Despite how much I like the X50, I think Korg should just drop the price of the M50-61 and then drop the X50 to blow out the remaining inventory.

Hey Rich, tell Korg R&D for me that aftertouch shouldn't be optional for any keyboard over $600. It would be nice if Korg could follow Novation's lead by adding full midi controller capability with saved configs and fully assignable controls, 2 channel USB audio interface, along with aftertouch, as on the X-Station. A ROMpler with these features would fly out the door once the economic situation starts to rebound.

[xmlguy]

I don't know why you could call me a troll. I'm being serious. There's a lot of people here that are snobs and have the attitude I talked about. I felt a need to point it out. Maybe you're just not taking care of them very well. I've seen bands tour with CasioTone's and not have them break.

Perhaps you're so focused on the snobs you don't see the rest of us. I have no problem recommending the Casio WK series, or even the MicroKorg, if the situation is appropriate. I'd rather see someone spend a bit more to get more, but sometimes the low price is more important than more features.

[evildragon]

Hey Rich, tell Korg R&D for me that aftertouch shouldn't be optional for any keyboard over $600. It would be nice if Korg could follow Novation's lead by adding full midi controller capability with saved configs and fully assignable controls, 2 channel USB audio interface, along with aftertouch, as on the X-Station. A ROMpler with these features would fly out the door once the economic situation starts to rebound.

 

It would be great if those features would get to Korg's R&D heads.

 

I'd also say - please Korg, make your parameters readable in real-world values, like Hz, dB, cents, semitones, etc. And I mean all parameters. Just like on Kurzweil. Makes programming a little wee bit easier. I like to know that my cutoff is at 560 Hz, and not '17' or whatever

[RichF]

It would be great if those features would get to Korg's R&D heads. I'd also say - please Korg, make your parameters readable in real-world values, like Hz, dB, cents, semitones, etc. And I mean all parameters. Just like on Kurzweil. Makes programming a little wee bit easier. I like to know that my cutoff is at 560 Hz, and not '17' or whatever

I'll pass it along.

xmlguy, the M50 is close to what you're describing. It's sample-based, and it has great MIDI controller capability, with editable templates... but I hear you on the aftertouch and USB audio.

[Cygnus64]

Hey Rich, tell Korg R&D for me that aftertouch shouldn't be optional for any keyboard over $600. It would be nice if Korg could follow Novation's lead by adding full midi controller capability with saved configs and fully assignable controls, 2 channel USB audio interface, along with aftertouch, as on the X-Station. A ROMpler with these features would fly out the door once the economic situation starts to rebound.

As long as we are leaving are Christmas wish lists here, here is mine:

I want a Rompler with 50 bitchin patches, no more. So long Orchestra Hit, Honky-tonk piano, "soundtrack", GM Orchestra Hit, Pipa that's really the banjo patch tweaked, Orchestra hit 2, "Goblin", GM in general and the "rave orchestra hit".

50 go-to patches, as bread n butter as they get. No whale sounds or dogs barking (Yamaha:rolleyes:) to take up any ROM. I don't need 17 E pianos, each a tweaked version of the same raw sample. One great piano, one great E Piano, one trumpet, one harp, etc. No spaceships.

It could be a module. It would be like having a basic sample library in a box. Hardly any editing capablities except effects, you could also own a "real" synth to get your tweaking fix. It could compete with entry level libraries like Garritan, for people who dont like dealing with softsynths.

And I want it in Blue.:lol:

[akliner]

Perhaps you're so focused on the snobs you don't see the rest of us. I have no problem recommending the Casio WK series, or even the MicroKorg, if the situation is appropriate. I'd rather see someone spend a bit more to get more, but sometimes the low price is more important than more features.

Or the perception of snobbery. Plenty of reliable gear can be lower in cost: IE a used Motif 6 over the MM6. OR a used Triton Extreme over the X50. You can get the older pro-quality workstations used for a just a smidge more than the brand new entry-level versions.

[xmlguy]

Or the perception of snobbery. Plenty of reliable gear can be lower in cost: IE a used Motif 6 over the MM6. OR a used Triton Extreme over the X50. You can get the older pro-quality workstations used for a just a smidge more than the brand new entry-level versions.

Yeah, well maintained used gear definitely gives the most bang for the buck, like finding a hidden Picasso in the attic. It takes more effort learning about all the older models as you find them, but the extra work often proves worthwhile for bargain hunters.

[0riole]

ATM in Australia the MM6 wins hands down the X50 is close to AU$1000 more then the MM6, you do the maths

[Gaul]

I had X50 literally for 5 days. Sold it. This is why:

Natural sounds are over-processed. There is such a low touch with real-life orchestral tones in it. Only a very few programs are usable. And I miss so much that wonderful French Horn program from 01W/fd. And Timpani.
Synth sounds largely lack in what I would call, neutral, general synth sounds that are usable in wide variety of situations. Nearly all of them are one-hit wonders, suitable for current, short-living genres. In a couple of years synth sounds in X50 will be very much outdated.
The real pain comes in combi mode, when all those heavily processed sound loose their primary character because you can apply only 2 master and 1 insert effect.
Build quality is questionable, although cheep buttons are firm and responsive, which is positive.
Portamento works bearable on some programs (Portamento pad for example), while on others it sounds like a scale played in some micro tones. Strange. Yamaha DX7 could achieve perfect portamento with digital technology from year 1983. And it's 2005 when they made first X50.
Keybed is of the lowest quality. Perhaps, yet, there are few cheap controllers that would loose in comparison with X50.
Panel is made of shiny piece of plastic so much vulnerable to scratching. In my country, I've seen saw new X50 sold in the store of official representative, scratched by bad handling. They told me, that have regular problems with it, as if this is something normal.
Screen already had some brighter and some lighter spots (we are talking about a product under warranty), and I think it's not a good sign. It's not so easily readable for some reason. I never got comfortable with it.
I never got comfortable with it's velocity, either. Some combi sounds require harder playing to activate certain sounds, and I never mastered how to achieve it regularly. Perhaps this could be my fault, although I did not felt comfortable beating such a gentle keybed.
Pitch bend and Modulation wheel are firm and positive.

[Thorhead]

It would be great if those features would get to Korg's R&D heads. I'd also say - please Korg, make your parameters readable in real-world values, like Hz, dB, cents, semitones, etc. And I mean all parameters. Just like on Kurzweil. Makes programming a little wee bit easier. I like to know that my cutoff is at 560 Hz, and not '17' or whatever

The midi limit of 1-127 limits this. I dont know if there is a way around that. This also sounds "digital" when bending or doing portamento/filter sweeps, cause there are only 127 values. (Of course that also depends on the knobs and wheels).

But I totally agree.

[augerinn]

As long as we are leaving are Christmas wish lists here, here is mine: I want a Rompler with 50 bitchin patches, no more. So long Orchestra Hit, Honky-tonk piano, "soundtrack", GM Orchestra Hit, Pipa that's really the banjo patch tweaked, Orchestra hit 2, "Goblin", GM in general and the "rave orchestra hit". 50 go-to patches, as bread n butter as they get. No whale sounds or dogs barking (Yamaha:rolleyes:) to take up any ROM. I don't need 17 E pianos, each a tweaked version of the same raw sample. One great piano, one great E Piano, one trumpet, one harp, etc. No spaceships. It could be a module. It would be like having a basic sample library in a box. Hardly any editing capablities except effects, you could also own a "real" synth to get your tweaking fix. It could compete with entry level libraries like Garritan, for people who dont like dealing with softsynths. And I want it in Blue. :lol:

Ummm, PC2 and PC2R come pretty damm close to that wish list....and they are blue.

/ot

[evildragon]

 

The midi limit of 1-127 limits this. I dont know if there is a way around that. This also sounds "digital" when bending or doing portamento/filter sweeps, cause there are only 127 values. (Of course that also depends on the knobs and wheels). But I totally agree.

 

 

+1 to thread necromancy skill.

 

 

You know, there's internal interpolation which can be used to bypass this. If Kurzweil can do it, I see no reason for others not being able to.