Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Digital Pianos - Electronic Pianos - Synths & Keyboards MOX 8 purchase decision! What about the action?

I am seriously considering getting a MOX 8, however my local music store has a MOX 6 on demo but not a MOX 8.

My concern is the action. Does it employ the same action as other Yamaha DP models? I think I read on this forum that it is based on the P95?

The local store may have a P80/P95 on demo. And here's some more thoughts I have:

Check out this performance by Fabrizio Caligaris on the P80. This just shows the key action is fine given the technique!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvnVe5wBYuI

And now listen to the midi file rendered on the Galaxy Vintage D. It appears the key action is a perfect trigger for this VI too.
http://www.box.com/shared/vcojm1xmf4

I have tried the actions of Roland, Korg and various midi controllers, and not really impressed. I am happy with the action of my Yamaha S90ES and Nord.

My only concern now is the action, otherwise I am familiar with the MOTIF series and know what I am getting.

The MOX 8 is Yamaha's first Synthesizer with a full GHS piano action instead of the normal 88 Motif Balanced hammer action it isn't Yamaha's best piano action however it is technicaly a better action for piano then the Balanced hammer action of the Motif8/S90 (and the motif isn't bad by any means).

I played one recently several times and I don't care for the GHS action. I found the action nosiy and thumpity. If you can't find a MOX 8 to play the P95, YDP 141, and the MM8 all have GHS action. I would say definately try before you buy. Also compared to the MO8 the MOX8 is in a plastic case like the MM8. Considering the price is the same as what the MO8 was selling for ($1499) it seems more cheaply built.

I.

My husband and I bought a MOX8 in late December. He wants to compose, I just want to play it! I like the action as well as or better than the other keyboards we tried. It isn't that great at simulating a piano sound but I don't have to care since I have a grand, and it isn't terrible either. I can't tell you what it's like to play gigs with, and I'm still new to it and haven't learned most of what it does yet, but I can say that overall I'm really enjoying practicing on it. The action is a little heavier than my piano but that seems to be serving to improve my piano tone. I'm even practicing the Fantaisie-Impromptu on it without being slowed down or inconvenienced (with headphones, to save my family's ears).

As far as I know the MOX8 sounds and feels just like the 6 but with more keys. I'm very glad we went with more keys-- I find I am using the whole range.

BTW it cost so much less than some of the other workstations, like half as much, that that had a big influence on our decision.

Elene

That's interesting considering they have completely different actions, one is synth action one is a graded full weighted piano action.

Thanks. Now my only concern is the mechanical noise. In my opinion many DP actions have this issue and this is why I chose the BHE of the S90ES which is the quietest.

Considering the budget I'm not out to get a premium synth, and the plastic actually works to keep the weight and costs down, which is good for my gigging needs. It's true that the MOX 8 is made in China though.

Sound wise I will be using the MOX 8 for synth with the longer keyboard for more splits and layers. I believe I get better dynamics control with a weighted keyboard, and these days 61-keys are very easy to come by.

James,
I realize that DP's have noisy actions as I have a Casio which is quite noisy. It was the thumping of each note I did not like on the MOX 8 I played.

Why do you say that it is "technically a better action"? (I assume you're not saying that an action is technically better simply by virtue of being graded...?)

Also the DGX 640.

Not really its more piano like in feel with more sensors

I think I feel the same thing about the action. Well this is a compromise I have to make considering the budget, and the action is still useful from a practical point of view.

Eventually I bought the MOX 8 without trial. Basically I was running out of time and a friend could arrange a discount for me if I could make a purchase decision.

I was happy to find the action suited me. My biggest worry after playing the P85/P95 was that the keys felt as if they were based on a spongy foundation. To my relief the MOX 8 keys' foundation felt solid.

Compared to the more expensive BHE action, I found the MOX 8 GHS had a bit more resistance (the springy type rather than weight/inertia), which is good for practicing.

I have enjoyed the player-keys connection of the default grand piano patch, though I was planning to use the MOX 8 as a general synthesizer.

All in all I was quite happy and convinced that this is the best piano action one could get given the weight and price points.

General complaint on the GHS is that this is really an entry level weighted action. Action is not as solid as GH or GH3. For better response, players choose GH or GH3, but these are only found on the higher end models. All entry models feature the GHS, due to the cost.

BHE feels better than the GHS. There is difference in the quality of the keys.