Hi Squeak,
I listened through DS-8 Bi-Amp Monitors and headphones(RH-300,I believe).The Roland rep,Danny Doiron,is an old friend,and I actually used to do some demos for him way back when the E-70 and subsequent models were introduced.
I also tried the new VP-550 Vocal & Ensemble Keyboard which was way cool. He didn't have a Juno-G.
If I was in a band,or doing some studio work,the RS-70 might be handy for "color"sounds as it does do analogue quite well.
I'd be tickled to hear some demos.
All the best,
Ian

Ian -Just curious how easy it would be to use the VP550, to record or play live back-up vocals? Did it sound good enough to be used in for this application? Or is it just another gimmick board? (one you use once or twice then sell or put back in a corner to collect dust)

I would appreciate your comments.

Thanks

Ed

These are the reasons that 3k is a hit(for the arranger OMB gigs-the purpose of the KB).

usb to device
SM slot
VH
SMF playback and arranger integration + more functional multi pads
light weight
more poly and sound rom than the competition
more useful styles(less busy)/better fills
easy /effective OS and display
better and stronger(actually strongest) 3rd party support
ok priced(though it should be around $1200)


even the hardware and general non sweet/live/cool voices are dissapointment,it never fails to beat the competition for more than 2 yrs as an arranger.


this is what competition has to offer(weaker in must have areas)

korg pa50-less priced,overall better punchier wkstation sound,better seq,sound editing(dual seqs-great idea wasted by FD drive),OS and display suffers,bad fills and chord reg not as smooth

roland exr7 - better keys(also nice cut) but other features and sound(expt ac piano)way below both korg and function wise below yam psr 1500.

So you have no choice,as long as Korg(late to act),roland(refuse to listen)(they-roland- forgot why e 86 beated i3 in the early 90's in arranger market.)

3k will still be the king for above mentioned reasons unless other KB maufactures start to listen,do radical changes(must have functions,weight,etc) and sell with a right price .




[This message has been edited by jamman (edited 05-30-2006).]

Hi Ed,
For the very short time I had with it,I was very impressed with the VP550.
Because it is a dedicated vocoder/harmonizer it is light years ahead of the vocal harmony in the Tyros/3k.
Because I was in the middle of doing demos for Yamaha,and the room where the VP550 was set up across the street from me was full of other reps demoing guitars/amps/PAs,I wasn't able to heart it for any extended period.
I was very very impressed with what I did hear and can assure you that it is a powerful tool for the studio,and "live" performance.Flexibility was the most outstanding feature,along with quality.
My next trip to Halifax will probably give me more time to explore the other manufacturer's products,and if so,I will certainly pass it on.

Ian

I received my first VP550 yesterday from Roland for my store. My first impression was "quality" right out of the box. This is a keyboard made in Japan and it looked like it was made in the early 1980's......large switches, nice feeling keyboard and not too many buttons. I read the owners manual for a couple of minutes. Roland explains the history behind the vocoder (back to 1939) and where it's been through 2006. I am very impressed with the quality of the harmonies created and the ensemble sounds which combine with the vocals. The sound is full, rich and acurate. The vocoder mode is equally powerful. The final mode is a bass split mode which contains 4 different jazz and pop "scat" style bass voices. A very impressive product. It's not cheap! The retail price here in the USA is about $1595 and the street price will be around $1200.00.
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, California

[This message has been edited by George Kaye (edited 06-02-2006).]

George, I find it amazing that Yamaha sent you the VP550..

Squeak:

Glad to see you are back amongst us again. I am not qualified to comment about your opinion of the 3000 since I don't own one and have not even had the opportunity to demo this highly touted board. I've got to admit that yours was the most negative review of it that I have seen to date but I respect your opinion. (That's why they make Fords and Chevys!) To each his own.

Unfortunately, I'm still using a 2000 and really can't complain about the results I get from it. I just cannot perform a value analysis that justifies spending the bucks to upgrade to a newer unit. Maybe someday in the future we will see a more affordable Yammie line with all the bells and whistles everyone keeps wishing for. Until then, I'm gonna keep hammering away at my old arranger.

I find that the ability to "tweak" styles to achieve sounds that we don't hear much on the radio these days is a tremendous edge. I get lots of comments from professional musicians about how surprised they are to hear just how much sound versatility can be achieved from an arranger.

Welcome back. All my best.

Dave Rice

http://www.roland.com/products/en/VP-550/index.html

[This message has been edited by Dnj (edited 06-02-2006).]