I have to confess, the E80 does not have sufficient new sounds or features for me to want to give up my G70.

Firstly, I have NO need for built in speakers. I play strictly under gig conditions, or at home in the studio, both of which provide FAR superior amplification. Secondly, for me personally, I need a 76. Haven't gigged anything smaller for 15 years. So just in form factor the E80 has two strikes against it.

The only OS improvement I covet is the style-to-text and bitmap display options, and I think there's a slim possibility the text-to-style might make an appearance in the G70's OS. The bitmap stuff we have been told needs hardware the G70 doesn't have, so no chance of that!

A lot is made of the E80's three MFX insert effects, compared to the G70's one (for keyboard Parts only), but the truth is, there's an easy workaround (connect the Direct Outs to the IFX - an extra MFX with RCA inputs for external gear) that now gives us TWO MFX, and one can go on Style Parts. So not that significant, at least IMO.

The two Mastering Effects blocks (compared to one on the G70) again have little impact on me. I HATE the compressor (no metering, so VERY easy to over-do, and I'm TRYING to sound dynamic and 'live', NOT CD-like!), and use very little master EQ (got a mixer for that!), so no problem there....

I have yet to even get one SRX board, so two SRX slots would be wasted on me! (Although I'm starting to take a shine to the Brass board)

Damn thing's heavy enough without adding another 5lbs for the speakers! Plus I use a full flight case for it... (but someone will pay me top dollar for it when I sell it five or ten years from now!). I usually prefer duo work, so weight isn't QUITE the issue some seniors have with anything other than fly-weights.

The sounds..... So far, I haven't heard anything on a demo that makes me go 'I GOT to have this...!'. Yes, there's a 'slightly' improved piano, but I already LOVE the G70's main one, so no real 'need'. A few new drum kits, but again, nothing I can't live without, and a few sliced audio loops of drum 'performances' (ride loops, etc.) that I think are gimmicky and I'll probably tire of, quickly. Some extra sounds, but apparently, a LOT of older sounds missing, as Roland decided to leave out a lot of the Sound Canvas sounds that make backward compatibility much easier. I had a G1000 prior to the G70, and actually LIKE some of those older sounds! Plus it makes converting older styles a bit easier...

So... long story short (as if! ), until Roland come out with a new 76-er, hopefully with the return of the Chord Sequencer and MANY new features and sounds, I don't see the point in 'upgrading' to an only slightly improved arranger.

And for those of you thinking about the E80, try to play a G70 (with OS3 installed) along side it if you can. I think you will find it to be fairly (very!) similar, and now that G70's are being sold at some MI stores, while the E80 still languishes in CK 'Mom and Pop' stores, with little discount, you can probably get a G70 for nearly a grand less than an E80. Someone sold a slightly used one here for $2k recently. That's a bargain compares to nearly four grand for an E80....

The E80 is a VERY good arranger... I just don't think it is $1000 better than a G70.