Given there is now a high quality VGA RGB output on Tyros 2, I can see many outdoor performers using an external LCD monitor or CRT.

As for what my opinion is now of having Tyros 2 for a few weeks, well its now I realise that the PSR3000 was not as similar to Tyros as I had thought! The sound fidelity and quality of Tyros 2 is really a cut above the PSR's, even when comparing the same voices.

I have already began exploring creating new styles for Tyros 2. Initially I was a bit disapointed not being able to select Super Articulation voices when creating styles, but I've found a way around this. Even so you can access all the megavoices (which in effect are what the SA voices control).

My fave performance voices are so far in order of preference, SA concert guitar, SA movie strings, SA sax, SA warm electric... and then a few more thousand! The styles are fine, but to be honest I always find them too busy and thick for my taste - I usually mute a few tracks or use my own. The HDD recorder is great for ideas and the sampling feature is something I am looking forward to exploring when I've more time.
I've learnt to live with the slight sluggish control actions on certain screens, I find the main display much easier to capture what's going on and the improved registration memory names a boon. The great thing is that everything works as it did in Tyros 1 and even 3000, so its easy to navigate... However changing voices on the fly is still easier with some pre-planning, again the button pushing with voice banks isn't immediate.

I think its the sheer quality of sound from T2 that is most captivating and enticing.. Just sitting down at evening with a solo voice, or laying an electric piano and solo SA voice... you really have to hear it through a quality HiFi system to appreciate the depth and clarity of sound.

I still find Yamaha basses a bit thin and I think there's a long way to go in getting a decent thick and warm bass sound. Maybe a bit more processing could help, but its one area I feel lacks.

The new drum kits and of course the standard live kits are really great, but you need to manually program them with human touch to appreciate the multi layered samples and dynamics.

The new nylon guitars are breathtaking and add a significant layer of icing on the cake. There's quite a few new synth pads too, though nothing amazingly different from the normal Yamaha synth voices you get.

As for the pianos, well I also play a Clavinova CLP170 so I guess I'll never be happy with these... but I've found increasing the brightness of the grand piano to about 75 has a dramatic improvement. I think they are just fine for a keyboard, and do the trick.

USB storage is brilliant, long live USB and bury the floppy disks! Two ports enable me to plug in my gooseneck USB LED light stick.

Oh and the Tyros 2 seems easy to carry about now, with more to catch hold of under the sides of the case. It feels heavier though than T1.

I guess if I was to ask for some improvements, it would be a faster CPU to reduce the somewhat sluggish responses and delays when certain functions are used on the Music Database. I'd like to see the Music Database do more than just hold a style and tempo.. and a memory card slot would have been handy.

Otherwise can't think of much to add to what is already a great machine. Tyros 1 is still an incredible keyboard, T2 only builds on this to satisfy the ever demanding pro's, performers and enthusiasts.

Regards
Simon



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