Montage has an elite grade analog audio stage, both for input and output. MODX isn't up to this calibre, but it's still extremely good. The sound generation engines are identical.
i was looking to get my first Synth, and wondering what I should get, and My Piano teacher told me that I should just spring for the MODX8+, so glad I listened to him..
Has anyone tried an M8X mainboard in an original MODX? Or are those boards nowhere close to the same? The M8X mainboard is $580, so that would be an insanely worth-it upgrade to have the AN-X engine, plus the added polyphony.
That’s why there has been not one single firmware update for the modx+ , its already been abandoned as its just a modx , there’s no future anx coming to modx+ as it does not have the internal hardware to support it, modx+ was Yamaha’s way of milking more sales of modx before releasing the new mintage M series.
I'm wondering if I should sell my Montage 8 before it drops in value too much, or wait for a possible board/firmware upgrade. And with how cheap LCD's are these days, I wish they would start putting 10-12" displays in the larger workstations for us nearsighted users.
So about ANX and the MODX+…. I had thought for sure the new MODX was going to follow the new Montage, but not so sure now that board is revealed to still have one SWP70, meaning it always had the current capabilities unless there’s magic in the new DSP and that other new chip in bottom right. Not sure what that second one was doing on the Montage? 4 more SSS parts and 7 more effects assignments (which I would never use anyway)? Enquiring minds…
Very good tips! 👍 Anyway, I have my MODX6+ since start and just cross my fingers for update with AN-X engine. I hope, Yamaha will make this gift to MODX+ owners immediately after official start of Montage M...
If indeed the upgrade provides the AN-X engine (with a free OS update), it might be worth it considering the extra benefits too. Without the AN-1 upgrade, it's really all about the ram upgrade to 1.7 gigs from 1 gig. The difference in the extra polyphony of the FM-X engine is going to be pretty minor for most users. Remember the DX-7 was only 16 note polyphonic. Might be of more interest to people doing heavy sequencing. For us strictly live players, even with splits and layers, I think it would be the rare occasion 64 notes in the FM-X engine wasn't enough. I would be interested in the ram upgrade, but 1 gig is still pretty good vs many other keyboards. For those that want to try out different pianos other than the ones onboard, they would benefit the most as some of those piano samples take up a lot of ram just for those alone. I'm more a synth & organ player generally, and the onboard piano with a bit of tweaking is usually fine for me. Even better would be if there was some way to simply unlock the extra ram on the original MODX. Maybe Yamaha can simply charge a smaller fee to do so than the cost of replacing the board.
You explained everything perfectly. Great minds think alike. I play live as well and one of my two keyboards that I use is the Roland XP-80 which is a 64 note polyphonic workstation keyboard, which is still plenty for me, even when sequencing. I own a MODX7 which I have had since it first came out in 2018, and the only thing I wanted to see added to the keyboard was the AN-X engine. I used to own a AN1X which I regret trading in years ago for different keyboards. I would have to wait and hope for the best. Again, best explanation. 👌
64 note may be fine for playing, but you have to look at the architecture of the MODX and Montage - parts can have many different elements, each which eats up a note of polyphony. It's possible that you could have a performance where every keypress is actually using 64 notes of polyphony - an extreme example, but it's possible. If you have a keypress using say, 8 notes of polyphony because of layering of elements, and then you have sustained envelopes on those notes, you could very rapidly use up what would otherwise seem like a ridiculously huge amount of polyphony.
That is really not to bad of a price! It's worth it just for the polyphony alone! It's like a stock car from factory. The company you buy rhe car from only gives you a certain amount of Horse power. Then a simple tune can raise it significantly! Thanks Scott for another informative video
Hi Scott, do you know if the main board has a USB port? I saw few videos about using MODX with an external touch display. Do you know if the main board can be booted with external monitor. I would use it as a sound module. Not sure if all commands, like performance select, etc. can be sent as MIDI messages. Actually I have MODX+7, but I mainly use it as a sound generator with Logic Pro. And I prefer M-Audio Keystation keyboard which has better keybed in my opinion.
Yes, the USB port is on the main board. With specific USB display adapters, it will use that external display as a monitor output. I know there is at least one person who also connected a touch screen as well, so that the MODX could be controlled externally from a large touch screen.
I seriously doubt we will get AN-X in the MODX+ In that case there is nothing stopping them from getting to the Montage as well. Not that I would mind (as I have both) but I feel we will not get a MODX+ firmware update with anything substantial in the future. Maybe the odd fix or two. But in a couple of years we would get MODX M.
A few months ago I was much more confident that at least the MODX+ could get AN-X. After seeing the pictures of the Montage M screen, I don't think this will happen. It looks like the changes in the OS are very fundamental and I tend to believe that we have to wait for a MODX+ successor with AN-X for at least two more years.
Hi Scott, if they add ANx engine to the Modx+, I suppose there is no technical reason it would be impossible to add ANx to the Montage. Don't you think so?
The AN-X wouldn't come to MODX/MODX+/MONTAGE, from a programmer'view for sure. Cause this upgrade is not only about processing. Of course the AN-X is just some sort of codes and the SWP and ARM CPU could process the signals. But add the engine you also need to update the UI to the latest style or you can't interact with it. And that's impossible for YAMAHA to swap your old device's system to a totally new gen.
THAT IS GREAT NEWS. IM GOING TO UPDATE IT. ARE YOU 'SURE' IT WILL WORK IF I TAKE IT TO THE ELECTRONIC SHOP? NEXT WEEK? SHOOT I CAN GET A MAGIC MARKER AND DRAW THE PLUS ON. LOL
