Hello. There is absolutely no difficulty to get the Montage here in most of the european shops.

If by more expected means the same identical Montage nobody will care. We've moved on to Osmose and other gear. If it's something different then the price isn't correct as advertised unless Yamaha has confirmed identical pricing. SW is also saying more on the way. Unless a part supplier contract expired or went out of business and they had to switch to another would this long lag make any sense. There would have been reasonable forewarning too. Montage is so old nobody really cares that much about it IMO but if it's totally new I'm on the list to buy it at least to check it out. If it's another Montage with double stuff like an Oreo I won't be getting it. More of the same isn't that appealing anymore. IF it's an MPE/MIDI2 that would be awesome IF it works as well as or better than the Osmose. Will they do more of the same with a twist or something very different? I'm still guessing it will be something very different because 7 years is too long not to change. Plus they can't compete with the Fantom toe to toe necessarily without getting a lot more expensive. IF the next generation is a big risk then CK was released to cushion that risk. IF that date is correct we'd being hearing introductions or reveals probably in July. I've also heard that the current ownership is more conservative so if that's true there's no telling what might be coming. The Fantom has been around now for what 4 years? and the Osmose was introduced way back in 2019. Whatever it is they need to compete with these and others as well. Montage was demoted on their web page and in so many words we were promised this year would be groundbreaking for Yamaha. That tells me something new however Yamaha has also been well known to embellish somewhat dramatically. What to believe? 7 years has been way too long and Yamaha has already milked the MODX & plus for everything they can get. Same assembly line and parts for years and used up those parts from the Montage squeezing out every last drop. It's just about time for a fundamental change.

[quotePost id=122192]Hello. There is absolutely no difficulty to get the Montage here in most of the european shops.[/quotePost]

Really? I was talking about the Montage not the MODX+. For instance, I searched Bonners Music UK and entered a search for Yamaha Montage. Only the MODX+ was listed. No mention of the Montage at all. I searched Thomann Germany & UK websites. The Montage comes up in the search, but it currently states it won't be available for several months. June, July, August-September. BINGO! I also searched the UK Gear4Music website which also has distribution centers in Germany, Spain, and Sweden. >> “Currently not available.” I searched the Esse Music website in Italy. >> “We're sorry, but we don't have any products that match these search criteria.” I searched the Music Store Professional website in Germany. >> “Ordered, estimated to be in stock: Oct 20, 2023” If and when a Montage successor is finally revealed and released Yamaha will ship available stock according to logistics. In other words, some online music retail stores will receive them sooner than others, depending on priority and product availability. ?

Really?

I rather doubt it.

Don't know about you but I don't give Fred's statement any credibility at all since he could have very simply provided links to back up his statement but didnt'.

I’ve looked on a couple of my usual uk sites and they show the Montage in stock although not all models.

Andertons have six Montage6 in stock.

Gear4Music has 1 Montage6 in stock and say available to order for the 7 and 8 but not sure how accurate that is.

Yamaha Music London are saying Montage6 and Montage7 in stock but doesn’t say how many.

So there are a few available in the UK but “few” is the word here because I don’t think these shops have had any increase in stock since I looked a few months ago and Andertons had a lot more Montage6 in stock back then and slowly the stock seems to be dwindling.

I bet my white Montage6 would fetch a lot more than I paid for it now 😉

"Groundbreaking year for Yamaha" if that is related to the synth market would imply a groundbreaking or revolutionary something like a game changer. That would obviously not mean more of the same model Montages. It also can't be the CK because it's just evolutionary not revolutionary. So if we all wait around until September only to hear from Yamaha that the same ole Montage is back in stock we are going to leave the brand at least for a while until they surpass the competition. Osmose has got my undivided attention for a really, really long time to come. It's probably about time for Yamaha to make an announcement about something before I buy my second Osmose or other brand and don't have any more money to spend on a Yamaha. Just simply release a statement that a new generation workstation is coming, not that you even have to release a name or any specifications. Just say something other than we're deaf and dumb. A statement in general doesn't blow your cover not like realistically a competitor could glean a replica in a period of weeks or even months. Heck Osmose was demo'd 4 years prior to becoming available. I don't buy the "top secret" BS, this isn't a nuclear weapon, it's a sound making device that goes beep when you press a lever. Total insanity to play silence games with so many loyal customers who might not be any longer. I've moved onto Roland, Expressive E, Hammond and Korg and looking for others.

Another theory hitting the air waves is possibly that Yamaha won't announce anything until they have a guaranteed parts contract established ensuring all necessary parts will be available and on hand. Which is critical for Yamaha in order to ramp up production and final assembly of its new Flagship. So when it is announced and then released they will ship out in a timely manner without delay and also have sufficient parts in stock and on hand for future shipments going forward. I really think Yamaha has something big in store. As we know, Roland released the new Fantom series in 2019, roughly three years after the Montage came out, and it seems to have sold well and has garnered rave reviews. And just recently, Clavia SE released the new Nord Stage 4 which has also garnered rave reviews and is in another league soundwise, in my opinion, including the Ac. Pianos. Those are tough acts to follow, and so I think Yamaha wants to keep everything hush-hush about a possible Montage successor release so nothing gets leaked to the press or to the general public before the big unveiling. ? This is an opinion piece, needless to say. Furthermore, anticipation and intrigue seems to be building and hopefully Yamaha won't disappoint.

Well Yamaha is talking so long I bought (2) Osmose units and the Iridium yesterday for pretty much endless pleasure and If I need more authenticity I still have my YC73 and SKpro and Opsix. Selling my CP1, Fantom and Hydrasynth. The Iridium can swivel on my robotic arm under my nose and do a ton of stuff, like 6 oscillators at once if I want.

Just like you stated it might be many months for Yamaha to deliver something and the price might be insanely high. Their high level offerings are high but less than Nord for sure. With the Osmose MPE whatever keybed Yamaha offers will probably pale in comparison. Unless Yamaha introduces some combination Osmose/Iridium hybrid super machine that isn't underpowered like the EX5 I doubt I will jump at it. The competition is extreme currently which is great because we all benefit from more choices than I can ever remember. It's good to have G.A.S. at the moment there are so many options and many are extremely affordable. This is making the big boys double think design and pricing.

The Osmose IMO is affordable and dominates for what it can do. To think it's only going to get better. It's putting some folks on notice but again it was far from a secret being demo'd way back in 2019. Everyone was aware of it. Call it a niche but I think it's the future of all keyboards. How long has It been since the CS80 and Osmose buries that but look how long that's taken. Sure classical pianist won't need it but everyone else will including anyone who plays anything besides keys such as bass players, drummers, singers, guitar players, organists you name it. If you can press down one key you can play it.

So odd that Yamaha was in this loop of MPE/MIDI2 and aftertouch and wiggly keys and maybe invented some of it but missed the true implementation of it. Maybe they have one waiting in the shadows after all. They do have a history of making things too difficult to use and way too expensive. I fear that won't change in the case of cutting edge technology. The early Osmose buyers only had to pay $1,200 per unit. I thought $1,800 was probably enough just for the controller if nothing else. I doubt it will stay that cheap for long. I haven't received the Iridium yet but OMG the Osmose sounds like there's nothing it can't do. One day it will be easily programmable like with the current macro knobs. We are lucky to being experiencing all of this fantastic gear and to be able to buy/sell/trade in today's online markets and with all the video demonstrations, etc. We are very fortunate if only the 80s would return with all that great synthesis and artistic implementation of it.

Another possibility is somehow Yamaha's supplier went under and they were left without options for parts. Rather than Yamaha's PR stating we're having a parts problem they decided it smart to do and say nothing. Either way or whatever the reason, saying nothing is pretty annoying to all of us. We're left speculating endlessly, well, I'm actually off buying competitor's gear because stupid is as stupid does and we don't want to be left waiting on stupid. At least I don't. By saying nothing the possibilities are endless and why should we wait on them? A simple press release would have cleared everything up but that's too difficult &/or they just don't really care. Neither do I. If your faithful customers aren't that important I'll go elsewhere. I said it previously that the game of silence is stupid. Are they more beholden to customers who support them or a competitor who might be waiting to access secret information? I'd pick my customers. If I represent only 25% to 35% of customers who see many other options and didn't want to wait without notice, that's a significant loss at release that's rather unnecessary and entirely avoidable. Maybe there really isn't anything coming because no company would be that dumb if they were about to release a flagship but still didn't care how many customers they lost. If you have good news that benefits you and your financial position you want everyone to become aware as soon as possible.

[quotePost id=122232]

Really?

I rather doubt it.

Don't know about you but I don't give Fred's statement any credibility at all since he could have very simply provided links to back up his statement but didnt'.

[/quotePost]

https://www.michenaud.com/p34275/yamaha-montage-6-synthetisuer-61-touches.php
https://www.sonovente.com/en-gb/yamaha-montage-6-p49415.html
https://www.univers-sons.com/yamaha-montage-6-p49415.html?_mak_partner_id=850&_mak_partner_data=Audiofanzine&_mak_partner_campaign=shopbots
https://www.dv247.com/en_GB/GBP/Yamaha-Montage-6-Black-/art-SYN0005017-000?ProgramUUID=tkDAqJarQrkAAAFo8huP7Dyy
https://www.audiosolutions.fr/synthetiseur/6738-montage-6-12578.html
https://www.musik-produktiv.com/gb/yamaha-montage-6-wh-b-stock-10148436.html

Are there enough links for you ? Or, do you want some more ?

[quotePost id=122219]If by more expected means the same identical Montage nobody will care. We've moved on to Osmose and other gear.[/quotePost]
I don't fully agree. If they were to release a Montage+ in September that contained the AN-X engine, I think they would get an increase in sales...

Is the Osmose even a direct competitor to the Montage for comparison purposes? If I were looking for a full Synth with a lot of polyphony, engines & variety of awesome sounds to choose from, and didn't care so much about being able to do additional things via the keybed, I would be looking to a Montage+, Fantom or Nautilus...but that's just me, my preferences & criteria 😉

[quotePost id=122283]Four key things have caught Yamaha out, and left wanting in the Montage/MODX...

Continuing and increasing desires for timelines, step sequencers, samplers and analogue qualities.

Put all that in one box, and you've got something that can live alongside the Montage/MODX, with pads.[/quotePost]
Lets say that Yamaha don't release a completely redesigned Yamaha Mosaic in the next 2 to 3 years, and instead they release a Montage+ with a full step sequencer, a sampler, AN-X engine, increased polyphony, increased User memory, and a bunch of other new useful effects & features, but no pads ... the same hardware synth with the '+' logo and increased functionality, like the MODX+.

Would that be enough to make potential customers happy enough to buy the Montage+ over the Fantom and Nautilus for a few years?

Are there enough links for you ? Or, do you want some more ?

I just checked with 3 of those and they do NOT have any Montage 8 or 8+ units 'in stock'.

Perhaps you missed that OP is interested in Montage 8?

[quotePost id=122285]

Are there enough links for you ? Or, do you want some more ?

I just checked with 3 of those and they do NOT have any Montage 8 or 8+ units 'in stock'.

Perhaps you missed that OP is interested in Montage 8?
[/quotePost]

Andrew read the original post slowly and carefully. The OP gave a link to a Montage 8, did not say was interested in one. The post was about unavailability of all Montage's. Quote 'As it stands now, you can't find a Montage online or in stores if your life depended on it.'