multitimbral) modes has also been reduced from eight to three. The number of Insert effects available in song and mixer (ie. The biggest cutbacks are the absence of any sampling facilities and the halving of the maximum polyphony to 64 notes. There are a few economic concessions to the MOX's internal workings compared to the XS. In Cubase, the VST version of this editor is invoked simply by pressing the VSTi Window button on the MOX. The MOX Editor in Song (multitimbral) editing mode. The USB To Host socket makes the latter three connections redundant, since it handles all the audio and MIDI communication between MOX and computer. The rear panel largely resembles that of the XS, but with one stereo output, one assignable foot-controller jack, and no S/PDIF output, Ethernet connection, or mLAN expansion slot. the sum of the internal synth and incoming DAW audio, more on which later). The meter can be switched to display either the audio input level or the signal level at the MOX's output (ie. New to the MOX are an eight-segment LED meter and a DAW level slider. The audio input gain knob has moved from the rear panel to the top, with its own on/off switch. The AF1 and AF2 buttons can now be controlled via a footswitch (hooray!), so you no longer have to remove a hand from the keyboard when playing voices that feature sound variations assigned to these buttons. A pair of long-overdue transpose buttons has also been included. The volume knob serves as a substitute for the missing level faders Part levels can be adjusted here, but only one Part at a time. The functions of the eight control knobs vary slightly from the XS: there are fewer arpeggio and EQ parameters, replaced by chorus and reverb preset selectors, portamento time and volume. Most of the controls from the display to the right-hand end of the panel will be familiar to XS users the most significant changes are all on the left-hand end. The synth-action keyboard has a shortened front-to-back scale and no aftertouch, there is no ribbon controller, the monochrome LCD display has the same 240 x 60 pixel dimensions as that of the Motif ES, and the real-time controllers comprise only eight knobs and no sliders. Despite this, it feels sturdy enough, without too much of the plasticky 'creaking' feeling you might expect. Most obviously, the construction is almost entirely of plastic. Yamaha have kept the cost, size and weight of the MOX6 to a minimum in several ways. The MOX6's back panel includes a pair of USB ports, MIDI In, Out and Thru sockets and (all on quarter-inch jack sockets) three footswitch inputs, a pair of stereo outputs, a pair of stereo inputs and a headphone port. If you are unfamiliar with the XS, the review in the October 2007 issue of SOS explains its features in some detail. There are changes and additions to some menus, and occasional operational variances, but since none of them represent a drastic departure from the overall functionality of a Motif XS, this review will concentrate on the more immediate differences. The internal synth architecture of the MOX is essentially the same as the Motif XS - the two instruments even share the same sample ROM and Preset Voices. True portability would, of course, mean the option of battery power, however, the MOX requires mains power for its external 12V PSU, so producing smash hits in a rowing boat is probably not an option. The 88-note MOX8 weighs in at 14.8kg, which may prove to be more than just a handful for some, but is still remarkably light for a weighted action keyboard. The 61-note MOX6 on review here, at a mere 7kg, can be lifted easily with just one hand.
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Simply connect one via USB to a DAW-equipped laptop, add a microphone and a pair of headphones, and you have a keyboard-based recording setup that's light enough for one person to carry around.īoth MOX models are of comparatively lightweight construction, so they're far more portable than your typical synth workstation. Although having no onboard sampling or audio recording facilities of their own, they are designed to serve as the heart of a compact audio/MIDI music production system. The MOX6 and MOX8 synthesizers are a subset of Yamaha's popular Motif range, borrowing the majority of their design from the Motif XS.
Is this the way forward for synthesizer workstations? Yamaha's MOX range offers unusually tight integration with your DAW.