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What about the original Motif 6?


r33k

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I've never owned a proper ROMpler workstation before. Don't know if I even want or need one. But I'm a sucker for a deal and there's a Motif 6 for sale locally in great shape for what seems like a good price. What do people think about the original Motif synths now that there have been three iterations of them? How do their sound sets and feature sets hold up today?

 

Thanks for any insight.

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I've got an original Motif 6. The "bread and butter" keyboard sounds are fantastic, especially the electric pianos, organs, strings, horns, winds, basses, etc. Nice drum kits, pads, guitars, and clavs too. If these are the sounds you're looking for, the Motif can hold it's own against just about anything else out there.

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If you are even slightly interested you need to jump on this right away. I saw it too, and deals like this only last a few hours. Missed out on some in the past.

 

That mint Nord Lead 2x for $550 is also gonna move.

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The Motif is a good board, but it's a few generations back. (CS6X,> Motif,> Motif ES,> Motif XS).

 

The CS6X was from the generation before the Motif and uses the same wav's as the EX5, S80 and S30. (Minus the piano wav's in the S80).

 

The Motif is the incremental next step.

 

The thing about romplers, is that every generation is similar, but gives you progressively more - more wav rom, usually more control options, usually better converters, and so on.

Sometimes you lose stuff with a new generation too tho. Like the knobs from the S80, when going to the S90, and the plug-in boards when going from the Motif ES to the Motif XS.

 

So my opinion is that you'd be gaining a little over your CS6X, but not a lot. And I'm pretty sure the CS6X has more knobs than the original Motif too.

 

But hey - if it looks like a really good deal, why not?

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Yes, it's a big jump up from the CS6x. Much better sampler (stereo), full blown 16 track sequencer, more/better FX processing, better samples of acoustic instruments like pianos. There's 4MB of sample RAM built in (good for about 25 seconds of sampling); you can add up to 64MB (6:20 seconds of sampling)...a used unit may have RAM installed already.

 

The biggest drawback: you need at least one Smart Media card for backup storage of sequences and samples...being obsolete they are hard to find and expensive. Hopefully a used unit will come with one but if not you can get one here for $70.

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He would be gaining a lot more waveform ROM... 110 megs vs. 16. R33k may be stuck in rush hour on the Glen Jackson going over to get it by now. If he hasn't moved on it yet, it's gone. It was only $350... new condition.

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Not sure how good of a deal you're seeing, but look around at the ES6 as well. I recently snagged one new in box on blowout from GC for $900 and I've heard of them being even cheaper. The ES would buy you some more sounds, polyphony, etc.

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According to Yamahasynth, the Motif has 85MB wav rom, not 110:

 

http://www.yamahasynth.com/products/motif/features.html

 

But, ya, any way you look at it, it's got a lot more rom. Whether that translates into more, or longer wavs - I don't know.

 

They also list the ES at 175 and the XS at 355MB. That's what I mean by incemental improvements.

 

My S80 has 24MB, and I'm not sure how that compares to the CS6X, but at least some of the difference is due to the piano wavs.

The converters on the S80 sound a lot better than the CS6X too, so I'm sure the Motif sounds at least as good.

 

If a Motif is to be had at anywhere near $350, I'd jump on it. :eek:

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I have an original Motif 8. I LOVE IT. I haven't traded it in for one of the newer models because for me, it still gets one hell of a job done.

 

I don't think I'll part with it for a while.

 

Get the Motif 6. It still sounds beautiful. The features are limited...sampling sucks and sequencing is difficult, but possible.

 

I use it for its sounds which are still (for me) comperable to the newer models as well as Korg and Roland.

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Not sure how good of a deal you're seeing, but look around at the ES6 as well. I recently snagged one new in box on blowout from GC for $900 and I've heard of them being even cheaper. The ES would buy you some more sounds, polyphony, etc.

 

There are none available in our area unfortunately, but cheaper? I'd be interested in hearing about that. Do tell! :D

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There are none available in our area unfortunately, but cheaper? I'd be interested in hearing about that. Do tell!
:D

 

Someone on the motifator forums said they got a floor model at GC for $799 (ES6). I'm guessing the used prices may go lower than $900 as well. I am still pretty much astounded that I got a new one for $900.

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Brother Eric got a price of 999.00 initially. He walked in to GC with a 10% off coupon, being the GEAR HEAD he is, they send them to him on a regular basis. The manager honored it, and there you go, 900 bucks.

 

Can you spell STEAL boys and girls?

 

Sometimes obsessive GAS is rewarded!

 

Mike T.

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He would be gaining a lot more waveform ROM... 110 megs vs. 16. R33k may be stuck in rush hour on the Glen Jackson going over to get it by now. If he hasn't moved on it yet, it's gone. It was only $350... new condition.

 

 

Was there something wrong with it? Did you get it or decide on something else?

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