[quotePost id=124279]
Long & McQuade; New In Stock: Calgary, Langley and Toronto. CANADA.
Tom Lee Music, CANADA.
[/quotePost]
Yeah I knew there was stock in some cities, but when I talked to Long & McQuade last, they said there were no demo units in any city if someone wanted to try one out... Are you aware of any cities with a demo unit?
I live near Halifax on the east coast and they said it was highly unlikely they would ever get a demo unit it any of the Atlantic stores...probably just as well too, because I would most likely drool all over the M8x and ruin the awesome new keybed!! :p

[quotePost id=124281]my Akai key 61 is just as good for half the price and easier to use, jury is still out [/quotePost]
Spent some time with the Akai Key 61 and it's complete garbage even compared with my first gen MODX, from the keybed to the actual functionality as a performance keyboard.
Even before we take into account features and engines quality, just the keybed of the M6 is miles ahead of the crap keys of the Akai.

[quotePost id=124284][quotePost id=124281]my Akai key 61 is just as good for half the price and easier to use, jury is still out [/quotePost]
Spent some time with the Akai Key 61 and it's complete garbage even compared with my first gen MODX, from the keybed to the actual functionality as a performance keyboard.
Even before we take into account features and engines quality, just the keybed of the M6 is miles ahead of the crap keys of the Akai.[/quotePost]
Yeah, I had to really question this comment too. While not having dozens of keyboards throughout my life. I have had enough to immediately hear and feel the M series is way superior in all sorts of ways. Everything I have read in terms of criticisms usually try to start out with more specific technical aspects, but eventually morph into a cost comparison which is really not possible and be honest at the same time.

It’s the sticker shock that is really hitting people. And IMHO is not Yamaha’s fault. Welcome to the 21st century and socialist global economics. We have been scammed for decades, but the last almost 4 years has been a doozy that so many willingly walked into in self righteous glory.

I think Yamaha made the wrong decision not giving the M6/M7 poly aftertouch. And I suppose we'll never find out why, since Yamaha is pretty tight-lipped when it comes to internal executive decisions on why they do what they do. Btw, I think the M8x is a great synthesizer. But the thing weighs a ton (figuratively speaking) therefore it's basically a set it and forget it keyboard. If you're a gigging musician and in your youth, i.e., 16–35 years old, you could probably handle the M8x without a road crew. But for the rest of us it's simply too bulky for carrying it back and forth to and from gigs if it is your main axe. I understand the Montage M8x will appeal to some big name artists, who obviously have roadies to haul it around. The M8x is in my opinion a great keyboard for the Studio. But it's not easily portable by any means. That's why I'm confounded why Yamaha didn't add poly aftertouch to the model versions that Synth keyboard players would benefit the most from i.e., a M6x/M7x which are much lighter compared to the M8x and as such much easier to transport. Some people are saying it's because the GEX-keybed on the M8x uses a non-contact electromagnetic induction sensor that might only work if using fully weighted hammer action keys? If that's really the case, Yamaha certainly hasn't mentioned anything to that affect. I was going to get an M7 if it included what big brother M8x has. But alas, I guess we'll have to wait another 7 years before that might become a reality? I know I'm not the only one perplexed by Yammie's decision. C'est la vie!