Al,
Before driving all around New York, make some phone calls and find out which store really knows all the products you want to check out. My experience with most of my customers here in California, is that many stores carry these arranger high end products, but most do not have qualified salespeople to demonstrate their features. I find that when customers call me on the phone, they are often asking questions which help them determine whether or not I know my stuff! Do yourself a favor and use the phone before just driving around. You might find that you save yourself a lot of time.
I am very familiar with both the EM2000 and the PSR 9000. You will find that coming from the 740, you will probably favor the 9000. In version 2.0 and above, step time sequencing has been added, and the sequencer is a full function sequencer as compared to the 740, which only has limited editing features. The 126 note polyphony is also much better than the 64 of the EM2000. One of the features I like best about the 9000 is that when you select a new voice, the perfect effects also come in with the newly selected voice. In Roland's way of doing things, the effects on the last performance you selected, stay with the voice, except for it's insert effect which can be turned on or off with a button. You also will probably not like the rolands rather small screen to guide you through the different pages and paramaters. However, given today's price of the EM2000, which has dropped to almost half what it was selling for just 3 or 4 months ago, you might not want to spend as much as the 9000 sells for.
It is correct that the new PA 80 from Korg which will sell for around $2000.00 will have a very good sequencer, but it has been moved back now for delivery not until after January. I don't know anyone who has been able to sample this product yet, because even at last July's summer NAMM show here in the US, the demo unit was an empty case.
I would also mention the X1 by Solton and the VA5 or VA7 from Roland, but based on your liking the PSR 740, which I also think is a great value keyboard, I would stongly suggest the PSR 9000 for your current needs and beyond.
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, California