Indeed, a few pictures were in FB and other unofficial forums. The question is: is there a Montage+ somewhere too?

That would be great to have ANx engine implemented... but I doubt. Let's dream !

If you want to see the pic on an official site, then just go to https://www.yamaha.com/ > Products & Services > Keyboards > Support > Register Online (Sign in) > Start to register a new product and start typing MODX under 'Product:'
You will see the new MODX6+ 7+ 8+ SKUs and if you select them you will see a picture of the new Hardware product ... it doesn't get any more authentic or official than that! 😉

No, I don't think there will be a Montage+ There is no Montage+ showing up on the Yamaha.com site when you go to register a new product...
I think that the Montage OS 4.0 Update is coming, possibly around the time they announce the MODX+

My guess is mid-September

The speculation has been that the reason why the MODX is no longer being manufactured and the MODX+ is it's replacement is because Yamaha wanted to add a new 3rd AN-X virtual analog engine, but couldn't on the MODX because it is limited by having only 1 SWP70 tone generator and that the MODX+ has 2 tone generators (same as the Montage has), so with the new replacement MODX+ synth Yamaha will be able to add the AN-X engine to both the Montage and the MODX+

There is also speculation that the new MODX+ will have increased User memory and Polyphony...

Wow, interesting ! but where the idea of AN-X comes from? that would be great!

but where the idea of AN-X comes from?

AN-X showed up as a trademark registered by Yamaha a month or so ago.

From my understanding, thus far the feature-set of MODX+ is speculation based off of a collection of tea leaves. Reasonable speculation - but nonetheless guesses. If a user really was accidentally shipped a MODX+ as reported then I'm not sure how much technical feature-set type information was captured.

If the supposed schedule is true - there's not much time before all of this drops more officially.

... it's another interesting time though. As a Montage owner I wonder if the new MODX+ will have enough under the hood to influence supplementing Montage with a MODX+ in order to gain a more portable version of "the same" instrument (minus keybed, aftertouch, ribbon, extra buttons, etc -- whatever this feature set mix ends up being). I didn't get a MODX because it was missing physical buttons I use to select Performances and Parts that Montage has. This appears to still be the design -- so I'll have to see what the tradeoff is with the new MODX+.

After all the fuss about the new AN-X engine, it will be a big deception if it is not included on new firmware version (please, Yamaha, listen to us 😉 )

[quotePost id=117982]After all the fuss about the new AN-X engine, it will be a big deception if it is not included on new firmware version (please, Yamaha, listen to us 😉 )[/quotePost]

My crystal ball says that we will see a AN-X engine on the Montage / MODX+
However, I don't know how accurate my crystal ball is. It seems like things have pointed in the direction of a new AN-X engine, but we can never be certain. If there is no such engine in the works, and nothing else earth shattering, then I have no clue why Yamaha would ditch the MODX for a new hardware synth that likely could have been done via an OS Update to provide the additional User memory. That's why I don't think it make sense that Yamaha would do this without having something bigger in the works. Without something like a VA engine, they will lose a great deal of sales to the Roland Fantom-0. Roland have too much marketing / bragging rights, so the days of the MODX with no direct competitors are gone!

If Yamaha have made this big move with the new MODX+ without the ability of adding a new 'AN-X' VA engine at some point in the future, then I don't think it will pay off for them and it will fail. But I don't think we will know what is under the hood of the MODX+ until we see a major OS Update to it, as they are most likely releasing it will very minor improvements to the MODX.

However, if the 'AN-X' engine was never in their plans and will never happen for the Montage / MODX+, there are still some choice features and enhancements that would make both synths be able to compete, but it would mean pulling out all the stops and adding everything possible (besides an 'AN-X' engine), such as a new C7 piano library with new a VA resonance effect, a new Shimmer Reverb effect, new enhanced VA based Organ Rotary effect like on the YC, enhancements to Scenes that allow control of On/Off of Elements, new additional FX-X algorithms that utilize elements 1 & 2 more extensively, and several others that have been made known on YamahaSynth.idealscale.com.
Having said all that, I think most if not all of it could have been doable on the MODX, so without a AN-X engine, I haven't got a clue as to why they would replace the MODX with the MODX+

Maybe there had to be a hardware change to address the additional memory. Or maybe it was a way to generate additional interest (and customer security that it was not close to replacement itself) by giving it a new color and new name even if it turns out that the MODX gets an update that permits it to address additional memory as well. (That would be like what Roland did with the VR-09B... the new software was retrofittable to the older VR-09, so at least to the user, the only differences left were cosmetic.)

I agree that the Fantom-0 is tough competition. But the MODX still has its advantages. The new memory upgrade will help, since the Fantom-0 only has 256 mb for keyboard-playable sample expansion. (And if Yamaha comes out with some strong sounds to put in that memory, like maybe CP88 calibre EPs and additional pianos, so much the better.) Other MODX advantages include the FM engine, 2 effects per individual sound instead of 1, more Elements to a sound (8 in a single-part instrument, more in a multi-part instrument, whereas Roland is limited to 4), and better ability to integrate external sounds from an iPad (i.e. the class compliant audio interface, and the ability to store-and-recall external sounds as easily as internal ones). Of course Roland has numerous advantages of its own, but it's not like the MODX has nothing significant to offer. And then there are the subjective things... like based on both the sound AND the action, I'd rather play piano from a MODX7 than a Fantom-07, for example.

There are pictures of the intro sections of the MODX6,7,8+ owner's manual floating around on a private Facebook group. The featured highlights section only mentions 1.75 GB Flash Memory and everything else looks about the same. The paragraphs only mention AWM2 and FM-X. I doubt these are faked pictures of the manuals, so it looks like no new analog engine on MODX. This looks to be a very minor update for MODX. I think adding the + to the existing name signifies this is not a major new product launch with game changing features. Some are speculating however that Montage will soon get the analog engine in a software update and that makes sense, as the higher level product would get the new stuff before it eventually trickles down to the MODX.

I am expecting a MODX7 to be shipped out to me at end of this week and now thinking with this news there will be a big delay getting anything.

[quotePost id=117985]
If there is no such engine in the works, and nothing else earth shattering, then I have no clue why Yamaha would ditch the MODX for a new hardware synth that likely could have been done via an OS Update to provide the additional User memory. That's why I don't think it make sense that Yamaha would do this without having something bigger in the works. Without something like a VA engine, they will lose a great deal of sales to the Roland Fantom-0. [/quotePost]
People don't buy the Fantom-0 because of that uninspiring VA engine.

Synthesis power is not a disadvantage of the MODX when compared to the competition, quite the opposite, it's pretty clear the best in that area.

The one box that the MODX doesn't check but its competition does is sampling.

Increasing user memory might indicate they have some intentions in that area.

[quotePost id=117986]Maybe there had to be a hardware change to address the additional memory. Or maybe it was a way to generate additional interest (and customer security that it was not close to replacement itself) by giving it a new color and new name even if it turns out that the MODX gets an update that permits it to address additional memory as well. (That would be like what Roland did with the VR-09B...

I agree that the Fantom-0 is tough competition. But the MODX still has its advantages. [/quotePost]

Yeah someone with more technical understanding said that the MODX is capable of additional memory and that it's basically throttled by the OS.
So if Yamaha are going through all this change just to generate additional interest yet they only gave it more User memory that could have been done (& could still be) on the MODX, then I don't think it will pay off. And is the new MODX+ going to have a new .x9u / .x9l format that they will need to be extra cautious in maintaining backwards &/or any forward compatibility with the MODX & Montage ? If so, that's a lot of extra work, programming, testing, every time they make a change to the OS. That would seem like they added all this extra complexity just to market a new synth that's virtually no different than the older synth aside from the added memory..!?

IMO most MODX owners are not likely to sell their synths and then pay extra to get the new MODX+ for more User memory. So it would be more for New customer sales, which IMHO this move doesn't do near enough to enhance the product against the Fantom-0. Maybe if they did this prior to having real competition from Roland, but the Fantom-0 has too much bragging rights right now in terms of Marketing...

We both know a lot of advantages that the MODX has over the Fantom-0, especially in terms of quality sounds, but new prospective buyers might not. And if these new buyers watch the Roland videos for the Fantom-0 and the Yamaha videos for the MODX+, the story is not much better than it was before with the MODX...

Something just doesn't add up...

[quotePost id=117989] so it looks like no new analog engine on MODX. This looks to be a very minor update for MODX. I think adding the + to the existing name signifies this is not a major new product launch with game changing features. Some are speculating however that Montage will soon get the analog engine in a software update and that makes sense, as the higher level product would get the new stuff before it eventually trickles down to the MODX.
[/quotePost]
They could likely just have added the additional memory in an OS update on the MODX instead of coming out with the MODX+ & stop production on the MODX. If the MODX+ is not perfectly compatible with the MODX (.x8u /.x8l files), then this just adds too much complexity, as I don't think additional memory alone is going to entice MODX users to buy the MODX+, nor will it sway potential new buyers to choose the MODX+ over the Fantom-0 any more than the MODX did.

If the Montage gets the VA engine, if they didn't add the 2nd SWP70 Tone Generator to the MODX+, then it will NOT be able to trickle down and the MODX+ will never see the additional Engine.
This move doesn't make enough sense to me...I suspect there is more to the story that will be revealed in the months to come...

[quotePost id=117990]
People don't buy the Fantom-0 because of that uninspiring VA engine.
Synthesis power is not a disadvantage of the MODX when compared to the competition, quite the opposite, it's pretty clear the best in that area.
The one box that the MODX doesn't check but its competition does is sampling.
Increasing user memory might indicate they have some intentions in that area.[/quotePost]

I know that the MODX engines sound better & are better quality than the Fantom-0, but new potential buyers might not.
Roland are flashing cooler looking touch screen editing and sound design, and bragging about all the various engines that the Fantom-0 has. Their videos have more flash and more things/engines to impress upon new potential buyers, whereas previously the MODX had no competition.
Hopefully Yamaha does a good job of convincing these potential buyers that their product sounds far better, despite not having the same flashiness, but I don't get the move from the MODX to the MODX+ as a way to impress these new buyers, nor many existing MODX owners. This could likely have been done in an OS update on the MODX.

Something just doesn't make sense to me regarding this move as we understand it right now based on the pictures and the pics of the owners manual/specs for the MODX+
If this is all the change they made, then I don't think it's going to make much difference in sales with existing or new customers. I think sales will just remain pretty much as the were with the MODX...

What would make more sense to me is that Yamaha have a two stage plan, whereby they release the MODX+ now with additional memory, and announce that the Montage is getting a VA engine in OS update 4.0 ... Then months later, they add the VA engine to the MODX+ in an OS update and we find out that they did in fact add the 2nd SWP70 Tone Generator to the board on all the new MODX+ synths to future proof them... I don't care to have a 3rd Engine myself, but if they did add it to the MODX+ several months from now, it would drive sales up very quickly against the Fantom-0, as Yamaha would have so much new bragging rights, and all the video reviews would likely support this move, especially if the new engine were as good quality sound as the AWM2 & FM-X are. Maybe one of the technical guys will get ahold of a MODX+ synth, crack it open and let us know sooner than later!?

But for now, it's all just guesswork!

[quotePost id=117995][quotePost id=117990]
whereas previously the MODX had no competition.
[/quotePost]
I wouldn't say that. Even before the Fantom-0, Kurzweil had the PC4/PC4-7.

The flashy vids are not about sound design 😀 (seriously...) but more about "integrated production" with sampling and sequencing.

The Motif line was well loved in hip-hop and EDM circles for its sampling functionality and if they bring that back to the Montage/MODX, it might look to potential buyers like a more rounded package than what you'd get with just another synth engine.

As I said, if you look from a distance at a bulleted list of the competition (Fantom, MPC keyboard, Kurzweil), there is only one entry where the Montage/MODX is simply absent: sampling.

Personally, I would certainly welcome another synth engine. I have the DAW for sampling.
But my wishes don't seem to be aligned with the market, generally. I'd be even happier if instead of a new engine, they improve/upgrade the FM-X engine with some of the long requested stuff from IdeaScale.