What's the main difference? I have a MO8and it had the ES voice engine... But I'm at a point I'd rather sample on the board rather then choppen samples on the computer
How much improved are the voices on the ES?
What about fantom x6 ?
Yes, they are both based on AWM2, but the two units don't sound exactly the same. I'm not saying the Motif ES sounds better, I'm just saying they don't sound the same. Other differences are no PLG expansions for the MO8, no sampling for the MO8, number of onboard patches and drum kits, synthesis and sound manipulation (number of filters and waveforms) etc.
I own an ES and a Fantom x, they are both excellent workstations and while they both do certaint hings the same way, they both have features that are exclusive to it. Personally, I find the X to be easier to use, but my first workstation was an xp-60 so I know how to get around roland products. The arpeggios in the ES are killing the ones in the X, and the Remix feature allows you to make crazy patterns and loops out of the stuff you've already recorded. In terms of sound quality, they both have their own sound, and I can't say this board sounds better, or that one sounds better, because they both have their own sound. In every category, there were some that sounded good on the X, not so good on the ES and vice versa. However, I do notice a difference in the sounds coming out, and the ES has a more compressed sound to it. On the X, some of the patches jump out at you and you have to really turn the volume or gain down, but the very next patch might be something you have to turn up.