CL from Savannah, GA
Subject:
A must have space saver
Quality:
It's in the rack and it will stay there in my studio. It is somewhat heavy. Pushing the buttons didn't feel like anything cheap. Feels well made.
Features:
The sounds, their ability to be tweaked, and the overall ease of use.
Ease of Use:
It is super simple to use. I pretty much started going through the menus without even looking at the manual. The only thing I went to manual for was how to set the additional outs. Ironically, the very page to go to was found in the beginning where it's telling what the different buttons are for. I figured out everything else. If you have other equipment this will be a breeze. If not, please read the manual. I did after a few days and found it to be very simple and informative even though I figured it out.
Sound:
The sounds are really good. The fact that you can easily edit them is even better. It is easy to create your own sounds with this.
Action:
I used it for about 2 hours out of the box when I first got it. It just sounds good. There are over 2,000 sounds I believe so be prepared to be there for awhile auditioning the sounds if you want to go through and see what it has.
Value:
Definitely a good value. I have the sampled "sounds" of the motif but there is nothing like the real thing.
Do you own this product?:
Yes
Vanessa J from Somewhere on the road, USA
Quality:
Very well built. Solid construction, nothing flimsy
Features:
The editing features are probably the best features on the XS. If I were to add anything, it would be more user banks.
Ease of Use:
It's very easy to use and integrates well with your studio. The user manual is comprehensive and fairly easy to grasp. Minimal learning curve.
Sound:
For the most part, the sounds are exceptionally rich. There's an abundance of variety to match any mood you may want to create. I have one major disappointment, however. Compared to the Clavinova I already own, the piano sounds in the XS are muddy, flat and dull. In fact, I would not recommend fronting a band with these piano sounds, although they would suffice in the back of a mix.
The Analog synth sounds are outrageous! And there's an abundance of very good electric keyboards and organs, bells, tines, ... everything.
Good drums and nice basses.
Apart from my disappointment with the piano samples, I would say that no serious studio these days is complete without this arsenal of sounds.
Action:
Very user friendly. Plug and play.
Value:
Yes, this is a good overall value. Apart from the arpeggiators, there is no sequencing. That is on the keyboards only.
Do you own this product?:
Yes
Date submitted:
3/14/2010
micr from Seattle Washington USA
Subject:
Not a Software Sampler !
Quality:
The Motif Rack XS is lightweight but can support a lot of weight, at least 30 pounds on top. All the knobs have a good feel and control, many double up as push buttons and some duplicate control the others have, you can use your own routine to navigate around. In other words you can be fast and sloppy, there is no precision required to get it working, and lose your sound ideas.
Features:
Easy to use compared to big time software samplers. The main reason why I sold all samplers and went hardware only. This is like an instrument, and you won't get locked into constant upgrades and bug fixes. It will last much longer than a program. Plus you don't have to upgrade or configure a computer.
Ease of Use:
It is real easy to use after looking over the controls for a few minutes. They want you to use it not learn how to use it.
Sound:
The sound is just like the real thing, I can't tell the difference. The distorted electric guitars are pretty wild.
Action:
The controls are perfect.
Value:
It's kind of expensive compared to software ($1300), but I see a person buying new software versions and titles every year for decades. The Motif rack XS puts an end to it, save thousands instead.
Do you own this product?:
7 months
Date submitted:
April 25, 2009