About
The Yamaha Montage M was released in the UK on 10th October 2023.
It is the next-generation flagship synthesizer from Yamaha, building on the success of the original Montage. It boasts several improvements and new features designed to enhance the sound, control, and workflow for professional keyboardists.
Here is a summary of the key aspects of the Yamaha Montage M
- Three Powerful Engines - Like its predecessor, Montage M features three sound engines: AN-X, AWM2, and FM-X. These engines offer a vast sonic palette, allowing you to create warm vintage analog tones, cutting-edge FM sounds, and ultra-realistic acoustic instruments.
- Increased Polyphony - A significant upgrade is the 400-note total polyphony, a jump from the original Montage’s 256 notes. This allows for more complex and layered sounds without worrying about dropped notes.
- New AN-X Virtual Analog Engine - This engine offers a fresh take on virtual analog synthesis, providing more detailed control over sound shaping.
- Improved User Interface - The Montage M features a redesigned user interface with new easy-edit pages and shortcuts, making sound creation and editing more intuitive and efficient.
- Additional Knobs and Encoders - More physical controls give you more immediate access to tweak parameters and add dynamics to your performance.
- VCM Rotary Speaker Effect - This new effect accurately emulates the classic sound of a Leslie speaker cabinet, adding warmth and movement to organ and electric piano sounds.
- Powerful USB Audio Interface - The Montage M functions as a 6-in/32-out USB audio interface, allowing you to record audio directly to your DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) for seamless integration into your studio workflow.
Overall, the Yamaha Montage M is a premium synthesizer workstation offering a powerful combination of sound quality, versatile sound engines, improved control options, and seamless studio integration. It caters to professional keyboardists who demand the best in performance and production capabilities.
Models
The Montage M comes in three versions, each with a different keyboard action
- M6 - 61-key FSX synth action (ideal for portability and playing melodies).
- M7 - 76-key FSX synth action (a good balance between portability and playability for splits and layers).
- M8X - 88-key weighted hammer action with polyphonic aftertouch (perfect for pianists who need a realistic piano feel and expressive control).
Prices
(as of June 2024)
- Montage M6 (61-key): £3,219 (Andertons)
- Montage M7 (76-key): £3,629 (Andertons)
- Montage M8X (88-key): £4,049 (Andertons)
Specifications
- Tone Generators: AWM2
- 2 X 128 Voices of Polyphony (128 Voices Each for Preset and User Waveforms) Max. 128 Elements Per Part
- 10 GB Preset Waveforms (When Converted In 16 Bit Linear)
- 7 GB Flash Memory for User Waveforms
- FM-X - 128 Voices of Polyphony, 8 Operators, 88 Algorithms
- AN-X - 16 Voices of Polyphony, 3 Oscillators, 1 Noise Generator
- 3,369 Preset Performances
- 128 Preset Live Sets, 2,048 User Live Sets
- Motion Sequencer for Real-Time Control of Parameters
- 16 Part Multitimbrality Plus Audio Input Parts (A/D In, USB)
- 18 Filter Types
- 5-Band Master-EQ, 2 Part-EQs (3- And 2-Band)
- Sequencer 16 Tracks, 128 Patterns, 128 Songs
- Arpeggiator: Arpeggios for Up to Eight Parts In Parallel
- 10,922 Preset Arpeggios (3,500 Rhythm Patterns), 256 User Arpeggios
- Controllers: Pitch Bend and Modulation Wheel
- Polyphonic aftertouch
- Ribbon Controller - 8 Control Sliders, 8 Assignable Knobs, Super Knob
- 2 Assignable Switches
- Portamento Switch and Portamento Time Knob, 6 Display Knobs
- Displays Main: 7” TFT Colour Wide VGA LCD Touch Screen
- Sub: 512 X 64 Pixel LCD
- Connectors: OUTPUT [L MONO]/[R], ASSIGNABLE OUTPUT [L]/[R]
- A/D INPUT [L MONO]/[R] (All 6.3 Mm TRS Jacks)
- Phones: Stereo (6.3mm Phone Jack)
- Midi In/Out/Thru
- Foot Controller 1 / 2
- Foot Switch Sustain / Assignable
- 2 X Usb to Device, USB To Host
- 6 Channels Input, 32 Channels Output At 44.1 Khz
- 6 Channels Input, 8 Channels Output At 192 Khz
- Dimensions: (W X D X H) / Weight:
- M8X: 1,446 Mm × 460 Mm × 170 Mm / 28.1 Kg
- Included Accessories: Owner’s Manual, AC Power Cord, Cubase AI Download
- Compatible Accessories: Foot Switches and Controllers (FC3A, FC4A, FC5, FC7)
Alternatives
Here are a few alternative workstation synths to consider
- Korg Nautilus (£1,499 - £2,055, as of June 2024)
- Roland Fantom EX (£3,599 - £4,177, as of June 2024)