Feature:
This unit came with a mLAN16 card - but there is a software issue and getting/finding support? Well, good luck.

Quality:
Well built and solid - no problems there at all.

Value:
Reasonably priced for the features.

Desirability:
This is part of the question that drove this response->... the sheer genius of its design or features...<- Sheer genius? I don't think so, accessing the features is not entirely intuitive, the manual reads like a tech manual - not a smooth flowing guideline - too much jumping around from section to section.

Sound:
Excellent work on the voices - the instruments sound like the real thing... Nylon String Guitar = +, Trumpets = + etc... very well done.

Ease of Use:
The manual for this thing could be easier to read. There is a learning curve to using this because it is so capable - which translates into: There are many, many options.

Overall:
This instrument will serve me for years - I might supplement it, but not likely to replace it.

Quality:
This is the one downfall I have with it. I had 2 keys that got loose moving from church to studio. I have it in a case and it is WELL PROTECTED AND HANDLED. I am the only one who carries/handles it. It wasnt even a year old when the keys got loose. the board still functions fine, but the clicks were annoying. Too bad Yamaha couldnt make a sturdier key.

Value:
Granted I only paid $1000 for this 2 years ago, the ES was worth every penny. It is just a beast and there is not another board on the market (except the XS) that can piss in the same toilet as the ES.

Desirability:
The sounds!! The 4 volume faders!! The Arpeggiator!!! WOW!

Sound:
The sounds are nice. Still going thru alot of them. I I use live and in recordings. I owned a Fantom, the Motif Classic 7, Hammond Organ, Fender Rhodes, and other boards. The emulation of the sounds is just fantastic. Rhodes and organ sounds send left to right in speakers. I play mine through a Peavey KB300 and Traynor 100 amp running through a mixer. IT is then run via mid into another keyboard that I use to play the Motif organ sounds. This keyboard is plugging into my chopped Leslie 25. Organ sounds much better than way. I use the Combo preamp pedal to send into the leslie. One thing I noticed is that the brass is not as "fatt" as the Fantom's.

Ease of Use:
Very easy to use. I owned the Classic prior to it and there was not that much of a learning curve between the two. I have been messing with the XS, but cannot validate enough of a reason to upgrade. The ES is just great. I added memory so I can sample sounds and add vocals on tracks. The Manual explained what I needed to do, but I am an online guy, so I just went online and there are tons of videos and explanations on how to do what u need. I am getting ready to create some sounds tonight and will figure out what works best with my talkbox. This board is just GREAT! I am the Music Leader at church and I will occassionally record drum loops in Pattern Mode to perform live and keep musicians on beat. so easy to use.

Support:
N/A never called support for anything.

Overall:
Its a Motif! One of the best discontinued board you can get - PERIOD!! I will trade or sell only to upgrade to another Motif.

Feature:
An awesome digital recorder is built in. The keyboard records audio and can use plug-in boards to expand the sounds. It can also sample if you add RAM. Not as powerful as computer software though.

Quality:
Built like a tank. However, it scratches easily and the scratches really show on its silver color.

Value:
This thing is a little expensive.

Sound:
The most realistic sounds I've yet heard from a keyboard. Great drums too. I make hip hop and r&b beats and this works perfectly. Great for live use too. I saw Alicia Keys using it just the other day. Some sounds just feel useless to me but there are many of them.

Support:
Never needed it. Is that good enough?

Overall:
Great keyboard for professionals.

Feature:
I have owned the MOTIF ES for a couple of weeks now and I am still learning new things about it everytime I play it. The appregiator is what makes the ES shine...bar none.

Quality:
It is built like a tank!!! Very heavy and solid.

Value:
It is worth every penny.

Sound:
By far the best sound quality AND variety you can find on a workstation. However the ES lacks cool sitar and indian sounds that the classic MOTIF has. Excellent piano, electric piano, and strings.

Support:
No problems so far.

Feature:
It has all the bells and whistles.

Quality:
It seems very strong and reliable.

Value:
Basically....

Desirability:
Its actually got a nice look to it....

Sound:
It is very clean, and the tones and sounds give you plenty of options to choose from.

Ease of Use:
Very easy to get great sounds. For the most part it is very intuitive, considering it does so much.

Support:
Not needed

Overall:
I am sure this will be in your studio for years...mostly classic sounds that can be tweaked with plenty of options.

Feature:
I wasnt too happy with the features, you have to use some discontinued smart media cards. No 2.0 USB and its a pain to save.

Quality:
I would have gave it a 9 if it had a bigger screen

Value:
its worth it

Desirability:
it could look way better

Sound:
Most of the stuff on here sounds pretty good, however they couldve sounded even better if you had more options in the effects send.

Ease of Use:
Harder than the Triton or the Fantom, but it does sound better

Support:
I was told its good allthough i never needed to call them...

Overall:
Im a producer whos constantly looking for new sounds, so im definitely already looking for other products

Feature:
the damper stayed in place and it didnt move like most/ others i've used.

Sound:
today when i was at school thay had one so i played with it and the sound from it made me say wow. all the things that the keyboard does makes u want to buy it so u can do more things when u play.

Feature:
I wish they could have included some of the features from the Yamaha DJX. The factory patterns are kind of dated. I can't speak on all patterns but that is not funk in the funk settings. Yamaha if you need some funk....email phunknc@yahoo.com I've been told by many musicians and producers to contact you concerning this.......well?

Quality:
I wish I had a back-up and thinking about getting one. Not because the product id inferior but because I love it so much and I'm scared something will happen. I have a one man show and I sound like an eight piece band and the gigs are coming through.....eventhough my b-flat is stuck and it was NOT misused

Value:
I think you get the bang for the buck

Desirability:
It's beautiful and I bought a flight case for it to protect it.....and doggonnit....the flight case screw on the inside scratched it on both sides

Sound:
The sounds are very realistic. My drum sounds sound like an actual drummer because of my programming......I'm a drummer first

Ease of Use:
I can modify the sounds but that's not the keyboards fault. I'm slightly computer stupid.....and the manual is crazy

Support:
Yes....I had some questions and they answered my first questions very quickly......but more questions seemed to have made them say...."look buddy, you've used up your wishes"

Overall:
I DON'T WANT ANOTHER ONE....IT TOOK ME LONG ENOUGH TO LEARN THIS ONE AND I GOT IT MASTERED NOW.....I DONT WANT TO READ NO MORE MANUALS... I'LL KEEP BUYING THIS ONE UNTIL.....

Feature:
it has nice feat. remix mode is hot. but its a lot of stuff i never used probley cause i didnt get the manual with it.

Quality:
its very reliable. yamaha makes there instuments out of the same thing as they make there motorcycles with.

Value:
yes well worth it.

Desirability:
whatever music u make or whatever equipment u have if u get a motif es it will be a major addition to your set up.

Sound:
Sounds way better than triton studio(cant speak for extreme or roland fantom cause i never owned them)

Support:
never tried contacting them

Overall:
its a yamaha. its just something about yamaha. yamaha is just my style. i was wanted a triton because almost every hip hop song had triton writin all over it. but i tried triton and loved it for about a week or two. and then it just got corny 2 me. the sounds was weak the bass was wack. i even brought a external compresser to fatten up the sounds and add punch and bass but then i got the motif es and i forgot about the triton. not to take any thing from korg and make them sound like they put out trash or someting. But if u put Korg sound aginst yamaha you will here a very big differnce.