The Motif-Rack XS is indeed a nice synth module. And this is one reason Yamaha went the extra mile and improved how the system works. Studio Msnager was like a wrapper to allow support for various Yamaha and third party hardware in a project studio.

The Studio Connections protocol, introduced more than a decade ago, included Keyboard synthesizers, synth modules, effect processors, digital mixing consoles, digital patchbays, etc., in network configuration. To link all of these devices and act as bulk dump manager, the Studio Manager, was able to handle setups of all your different networked devices (you could even build templates for non-Yamaha hardware). When you "captured" a Studio Manager setup it made a Bulk Request from each connected device, which it stored in a bundled file. When you next opened this project, it would re-establish the virtual routing scenario and faithfully restore each bulk to the appropriate product (and the kick was it did it all simultaneously).

Computers evolved so that this type of network approach became (for some of us) the "Betamax" of the midi/audio setup universe. Now external hardware is configured in a peer-to-peer relationship. Each device is addressed directly by the DAW. Anyway, the need for a Studio Manager (although ahead of its time) did not find a whole lot of folks networking hardware - instead, the downsizing and the "all-in-the-box" explosion took its toll on the development of recording digital hardware development... as folks actually started building console-less studios, rack processor-less studios, even synthesizer-less studios (softsynths instead),.. doing it all in the computer. Studio Manager was a way to chorale your external hardware either the ease of software.

There is now a single Editor called "Yamaha Moti-Rack XS Editor Standalone/VST" it is a single install that when launched directly runs as a standalone or if you use a VST3 capable DAW, it can run inside that DAW. the ONLY difference is when run as a standalone you must SAVE a file for the setup. When run inside the DAW, it is automatically bundled and saved with the DAW project.

The Studio Manager host is no longer necessary. The product editor can host itself, can act as a Voice Editor and a Multi Editor combined, it has its own MIDI and Audio routing functions for when used via FW (it becomes a 16-in/6-out audio interface via FireWire).

Many thanks for your very detailed reply. I will use the later version of the Editor either standalone or vst and stop using the Studio Manager. It is amazing how well the Motif Rack XS has stood up to time bearing in mind when it was released all those years ago. Still plenty of use for it I think.

Thanks again for your wisdom

Hello, I have a Motif XS Rack and I'm trying to use it in reaper 6 with the editor. I cant get it to trigger midi for sound although I see activity as well as hear audio when i press audition on the editor. I'm on windows 10 using reaper 6. In my DAW I cant Motif-XR-4 in the drop down menu of midi inputs also on the Rack XS hardware, under Utility, when I switch from USB to Midi I can hear sounds triggered by MIDI but it takes the VST Offline. Can someone please Help? Thank you.