Emu XL-7 & MP-7 User's Group

On some other web sites the following other units were mentioned as 
possible contenders for the XL-7 and MC-505 - those are the Yamaha 
RM1x and the Korg Electribes (EM-1&ES-1&ER-1 if I am right), has 
anyone used the later units? how do they compare in features/ease of 
picking up for begginners? 
While it might be too much information to go into details a brief 
explanation will be appreciated on the later two units as they 
compare to the first two. But if someone has the patience to go into 
more details or point me to some other site thats great!
thanks again
vsr