Trnsfrmr

mLan16e2 expansion on motif xs handles 16 channels out and 6 channels in at 44.1 khz
korg exb-fw, only does 6 out and 2 in at 48khz. Motif wins.

As a performance synth, the m3 wins. It has karma, drum pads, drum track, xy pad, chord memory.
Motif has an arp.

As a sequencer, Motif wins. Motif has pattern based sequencing as well as a linear song mode. Each pattern has 16 different sections. Recorded phrases have independent lengths, and phrases can be reused on different tracks effortlessly. The first 8 tracks, sound exactly as they sound in program mode because all the efx are retained. Easy to solo and mute tracks. Seamless switching between patterns. The killer feature is being able to drop in and out of record and change active track as your pattern loops. Recording arps to the sequencer is also much simpler than on the m3. Only cool thing m3 has over motif is the ease with which you can bounce a sequence to an audio file and save it to a USB device.

As a sampler, M3 slaughters the motif xs. You have single click access to sampling from any mode so resampling a program, combi or sequence is a easy as pi 3.14. Creating a sample based program is easy on the m3 as well. Switching zones and making edits is pretty straight forward. Sampler has a bit of a tacked on feel on the XS and the interface suggests it can be only accessed from sequencer mode but you can actually get to it from program mode. Sampler nomenclature on the XS is confusing if you have ever used another sampler. Waveform maps to instrument, keybank is a sample with zone attributes as well. The M3 screen is brighter and has better contrast so sample waveform editing is easier on the eyes.

As a synth, m3 gives you a lot more options and wins in the fantasy sound creation arena. The motif has better samples in my opinion and excels in recreating acoustic instruments and layered sounds. The m3 can create great layers in combi mode but the main handicap of that mode is that you cannot create your layers in context. You have to create individual programs and them layer them in combi mode. If the source programs change, so do the combis. A standard motif xs program has 8 elements and each of these elements can be triggered in a variety of ways: key on, key up, delayed, cycled etc. Modulation routes tend to be fixed on the motif so for example you get dedicated envelopes and LFOs for pitch, filter and amp. There are only 6 realtime control routes on the motif. The realtime controllers available for use in the routes are mod wheel, pitch wheel, breath controller, 2 assignable knobs, 2 assignable switches, ribbon, footswitch and foot control.

The m3 has an xy touch screen, value slider, ribbon, 4 axis joystick, expression pedal, 8 pads, 2 switches, multiple banks of 8 sliders.
An M3 program has access to 5 insert effects with presets, 2 master effects and a master effect. This is great in program mode but the same 5+2+1 effects have to be shared in combi and sequencer mode. Sucks big time. XS programs have 2 inserts, a chorus and a reverb. Not much compared to the m3 but in sequencer mode, the first 8 tracks retain their insert effects. Thats sweeeet!
The m3 also has the radias expansion but the motif has logic control. A lot more on that later.
Sorry i have to ran now. 2 B continued.