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Are they serious? Is that the company Yamaha that once used to be known as one of the most innovative manufacturers of hardware based synthesizers and more? Not enough that they got nothing better to release on their 40th anniversary than a white colored special edition of their rompler Motif XF, which basically is a great sounding instrument, but from a company like Yamaha I'd expect something more progressive than a humble rompler. No, that's obviously not enough. Now, they're pumping reissues of their old stuff into the market in form of the so called Reface series? Holy smoke, that's a crazy world, isn't it? Do real innovations in the music industry come from small companies, nowadays?

All that makes me wonder again if we, as musicians, are far less innovative and much more conservative than we think? And is the release of products like the Reface series yet another representation of this conservative mindset? Hmm… I really don't know, especially because my knowledge and understanding about business analysis and product marketing is pretty limited.

What's your opinion about it?

Nostalgia sells I guess. I'm pretty underwhelmed myself. Who knows Maybe they'll announnce a successor to the Motif in Jan - which would probably be a Motif....

Wow, $800 for a 4-op FM keyboard.

Ridicules prices! Wouldn't be super impressed at $ 150 either though...

D.

Well... it seems to be working well for Roland with the AIRA reborn of 808/909...
I'm not that surprised to see Yamaha doing it, commercial speaking.

Well, they sound OK, as I would expect, but what's with these tiny units and mini keys? Why not some full size modern interpretations of the classics? Why not something new? I tend to find these mini keys things unplayable.

I had high hopes for something nice from Yamaha for the 40th anniversary releases. I don't know what I expected, but it wasn't these and a white Motif - Oh Well! Maybe this is just the start and they have something else up their sleeves - I guess I can dream.

EDIT: Spelling

Well, Korg with it's MS-20 Minis and Odyssey seem to have a market, especially 'cause they are true analog. Roland with it's digital but nevertheless fully functional replicas too. But who should be interested in Yamaha's flattened digital reproductions??

JoshuaPhilgarlic wrote:But who should be interested in Yamaha's flattened digital reproductions??

Oh, jeez. When I first heard about the reface CS, all the references were to "analog", but yeah, from Yamaha's own page, "The 8-note polyphonic Virtual Analog reface CS’ five unique oscillator modules create an incredible variety of sounds from analog to digital." So, what's the point?

They should have released a pack of 4 plug-ins for $40.

im not into external stuff really but this DX1O would have been inspiring, what they actually have released looks fun but,,,

ScuzzyEye wrote:Wow, $800 for a 4-op FM keyboard.

$800? I'm seeing $499...

Unless we're talking about different things?

joeyluck wrote:$800? I'm seeing $499...

Unless we're talking about different things?

http://usa.yamaha.com/products/music-pr ... reface_dx/
Says the MSRP is $799.

EDIT: Sweetwater backs up the MSRP, but is selling it for $499.
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/RefaceDX

It is all about being able to be carried around whilst wearing a hoodie, beard and headphones. Clearly a proper instrument would get tangled in those important proof-of-hipsterishness.

That said the CS does seem to sound nice.

Benedict wrote:It is all about being able to be carried around whilst wearing a hoodie, beard and headphones. Clearly a proper instrument would get tangled in those important proof-of-hipsterishness.

That said the CS does seem to sound nice.

Indeed. I actually have my eye on the CP.

JoshuaPhilgarlic wrote:Well, Korg with it's MS-20 Minis and Odyssey seem to have a market, especially 'cause they are true analog. Roland with it's digital but nevertheless fully functional replicas too. But who should be interested in Yamaha's flattened digital reproductions??

Yeah! I know it's probably just me. I have always disliked mini keys, whether it be on Midi Controllers or synths. It's put me off buying an Oddy or an MS20 and I certainly won't be buying any of these.

It's not just you. Mini keys suck. The MS-20 and Odyssey would have been so much better in full-sized versions.

bpmorton wrote:It's not just you. Mini keys suck. The MS-20 and Odyssey would have been so much better in full-sized versions.

I was starting to think I was swimming against the stream on my own.

Yeah" I got to try the Oddy and the MS20 and was totally amazed at how bad the mini keys were. They sounded great but were basically unplayable as far as I was concerned.

I enjoy most key sizes as long as the action is good. I use an weighted 88 key Studiologic board most of the time, but also use a DX100 and a Korg Microkey Controller and really enjoy the portability.

joeyluck wrote:I enjoy most key sizes as long as the action is good. I use an weighted 88 key Studiologic board most of the time, but also use a DX100 and a Korg Microkey Controller and really enjoy the portability.

Oh, don't get me wrong, I can fully understand the portability aspect - I guess, as I don't move around, that portability isn't a factor that I need to take into account. I also have fat-ish finger (cue jokes about Edward Sausage Hands) so slim and mini keys are slightly problematic anyway. However following a couple of strokes, the fingers of my left hand can, for the want of a better description, be a little "off target" from where I intend them to go. From that perspective, it puts mini keys right out of the equation.

Back on topic - I am slightly saddened that this is what the CP80 has come to. I played one in a band I was with for a few months in the 80s and loved it - The only downsides were the weight and the damn thing needed retuning if you looked at it too hard.

These received a $100 price drop. Now $399 as opposed to $499

There is tough competition in this price range. And now Korg is releasing their Volca FM, which seems more capable than Yamaha's own Reface DX (although the interface on the Reface might be unique) for a fraction of that price. Granted, it's not a keyboard...

Does the price drop change anybody's decision on these?

Someone said mini keys suck.... see : Arturia KeyStep.

I just ran into these Yammies.
Not Bad... $400 in plugs OR a Reface'd YC Organ?

Being able to save patches on the iPad/iPhone - and recall at will with names, and within groups is really, really, nice. For those who can't appreciate portable power [12V, at that]... - eh..?

The miniKorg (White) is awesome. BUT, a little too big to be 'slung.'
The keystep and an ipad CAN accomplish the same thing - if you choose the right app.

But for simplicity (no iPad/computer) while having 'onboard' polyphony - not bad.

I'm eyeing the CS (you mentioned CP - Piano TIME!!!..) All Reface's are 5***** 10+ reviews on Sweetwater. DX is a Strong 4/Weak 5 - because of 1 review)
Feeling out appropriate 'waves' and modulations - anytime - is what the CS is about for me. You can do it anytime, and start saving NAMES presets ... one-by-one. Nice.

The YC Organ is cool but the Rotary implementation seems -not so dynamic. But what an easy way to call up organ sounds for testing/playing.

I offloaded some pedals - and I have room for a 37 key mini - noisemaker.

Maybe... .... ....Maybe another $100 off.

then again... the DX.. maybe them all ... only hold 36 presets??

Im interested as well, if anyone has one/two, and want to share. Looks Good.
Typing in "Best Mini Synth' ... the reface seems up there in the bunch - in Gig-ability.
The miniKorg can match it/overtake it, in sound. But, sometimes, size matters.

joeyluck wrote: ↑

28 Feb 2016

These received a $100 price drop. Now $399 as opposed to $499

There is tough competition in this price range. And now Korg is releasing their Volca FM, which seems more capable than Yamaha's own Reface DX (although the interface on the Reface might be unique) for a fraction of that price. Granted, it's not a keyboard...

Does the price drop change anybody's decision on these?

Wow, this Reface CS is basically exactly what I was looking for when I bought the Korg Minilogue, even down to the "no memory" in the faders. Thanks for the heads up! I've been enjoying the Minilogue but still feeling like it wasn't quite what I wanted.

Now let's see if I can find one anywhere...

Thanks again for this!

I've had the Refaces on my crimmus list for a while now. Definitely getting one or two of them.

Unless I can find a used Nord that does good organs and rhodes/wurly sounds for the price of two refaces. Kinda tricky trying to figure out which Nords do what. Anyone know of a sub $900 used nord that nails organs and rhodes/wurly sounds?

As far as mini keys. Not a big deal to me. I've got a Minilogue. Mini keys aren't hurting anything. Hell, I even bought a 2/3 size electric guitar recently. If anything, the different feel provides different inspirations. I almost immediately wrote one of my best tunes on the mini guitar. Granted on the guitar if I play for hours I start to cramp a little but I don't have the same problem with the Minilogue.

Update: so, uh, I'm in love.

Went on Craigslist after seeing this thread today. Somebody was selling the Reface CS. Picked it up for a very fair price. Did that thing where I said to myself, "I'll just play around with it for a few minutes" and then got totally lost in it for hours. And hours.

I love this synth. I love the fact that it has no presets, so wherever the dials are, that's what it will sound like. I love the keys—they're mini, but they are much more solid than the Minilogue and feel far less mushy. I love the texture/mod options, the way the EG fades between amp and filter, the unison-like effects you can easily evoke with the chorus effect. It took me only a moment or two to pull up some great brassy Vangelis sounds, or some otherworldly pads. This thing is amazing and fast to work with.

Thanks for that. .... that kind of hardware is priceless.

jayhosking wrote: ↑

17 May 2018

Update: so, uh, I'm in love.

Went on Craigslist after seeing this thread today. Somebody was selling the Reface CS. Picked it up for a very fair price. Did that thing where I said to myself, "I'll just play around with it for a few minutes" and then got totally lost in it for hours. And hours.

I love this synth. I love the fact that it has no presets, so wherever the dials are, that's what it will sound like. I love the keys—they're mini, but they are much more solid than the Minilogue and feel far less mushy. I love the texture/mod options, the way the EG fades between amp and filter, the unison-like effects you can easily evoke with the chorus effect. It took me only a moment or two to pull up some great brassy Vangelis sounds, or some otherworldly pads. This thing is amazing and fast to work with.