Hi!

I'm going to get an autocomp keyboard with organ flutes that I can assign differentely to left, right and a pedal board.
I checked the PRS740 but if I understand corectely it can't do this, else I liked it. I will also check out the Casio MZ 2000.
Anyway, I've found a dealer that had a used Technics KN5000 that I was told cold do the flute thing. I will go and check it out this weekend.
I would be thankfull to get any input on it. Is it a good board? What do you think about the sound and styles compared to PSR740? The price would be about the same as for a 740. Is that reasonable?

Thanks

Tonkan,
I may be biased (as I am a dedicated KN5000 devotee/owner), but the Technics KN5000 is by far the "hands down" winner in my book. If you can get it for the price of a Yamaha PSR 740 then that sounds like a great bargain because the KN5000 is Technic's top of line board while the PSR740 is Yamaha's mid-price line board. Both the KN5000's sounds and styles are no less than superior. I've owned mine for almost three years playing it professionally 3-4 days a week without a single problem (extremely reliable). Another standout is in its' "ease of use". The buttons, controls, and sub-menus on the 'full color screen' are the easiest (in my opinion) to navigate of all the competing arranger keyboard brands out there. I even prefer the KN5000 over Yamaha's top of the line models: PSR8000 & PSR9000.

I highly recommend the KN5000, especially because the prices have dropped because of Technic's newer arranger model release: KN6000 (another excellent choice but more expensive (£1499 street price). The KN6000 has even better sounds than the already great sounds on the KN5000 but for value and price, I think the KN5000 will certainly provide years of satisfaction.

I'm curious to find out "how much" you can get the KN5000 for. Also, check out the prices at Whitley Bay Organs: http://www.whitleybayorgans.co.uk

Good luck,

Scott

Scottyee!

Thanks for your opinion.

I live in Sweden and I think the keyboard prices are higher here than in US and UK. PSR 740 costs more than USD 1400 here. I would get the KN5000 for USD 1500 and then an additional pedal board, Roland PK-5 for USD 250. It's very hard to find any used PSR8000 or KN5000 here. I think the price for a new KN6000 is close to USD 3000.

Anyway. Does the KN5000 have strong midi features? Do you know if it merges midi in to midi out (if I understand correctely not all keyboards do that)?

Anyone elses opinion on KN5000 would also be appreciated.
Thanks

Hi Tonkan,
The KN5000 includes a detailed MIDI menu screen page where you can set and customize the following MIDI setting:
1) Part Settings
2) Control Messages
3) Realtime Messages
4) Common Settings
5) Input/Output Settings
6) Midi Presets
7) SysEX Bulk Dump
8) General Midi
9) Prog Change Midi OUT
10) Computer Connection
11) Midi Settings Load Option

The KN5000 has three midi terminals:
Midi IN (midi data frm another Midi device)
Midi OUT (midi data transmitted from KN5000)
Midi THRU (midi data directly from Midi IN)

If you want to "merge" the incoming midi data with the KN5000 midi-OUT data then you need to build or purchase a simple inexpensive "midi-merge" box. Just connect the Midi-Out and Midi-Thru on the KN5000 to the two Midi-Ins on the "midi-merge" box. The Midi-Out on the "midi-merge" box should then give you your desired merged midi signal. As far as I know, there is not an arranger keyboard out there which can merge the incoming midi data with its' outgoing midi data without the addition of a "midi-merge" box.

Check out Midi Solutions: http://www.midisolutions.com/prodmrg.htm

Good Luck,

Scott

Hi,
I will agree with Scott on the KN5000, it is a super arranger keyboard on a much higher level then the PSR740 for sure. Although at this time I would waut to recomend the KN6000. It seems a few musicians I know are sorry they switched from the K5 to a K6 at this time. There seems to be many flaws in the OS of the K6, one being that when you change from eg: Var1 to VAR2 there is a little glitch and split second delay in the timing of the syles rhythm before it continues to the next variation, making it very annoying to a pro musician. This can throw you off and needs to be fixed by Technics. I almost bought one myself but I am very satisfied with the Solton X1's performance on a whole at this time. You will not go wrong with the KN5000 especialy at a great price like you mentioned. Also the merge box is no big deal :>)

Good Luck

Donny

Donny

Before anyone assumes that no arrangers support MIDI merge, check carefully. I think the high-end Yamahas do, and probably others.

Hi Clif,
Perhaps I was jumping to conclusions to quickly? I am anxious for a confirmation that the high-end Yamaha PSR arranger boards (or other arranger brands) include a "built-in" midi-merge function thus eliminating the need for an external "midi merge box".

Perhaps you and other PSR8000 or PSR9000 owners (Don Mason & Paul Ip?) could check and report back your findings.

Scott

[This message has been edited by Scottyee (edited 11-22-2000).]

Scott,

I wish I could help in this scenario but I could not because I do not process a top of the line Yamaha arranger keyboard. However, Bob Gelman runs an excellent Yamaha PSR Styles Egroup (tons of messages everyday) and there are lots of Yamaha PSR-9000 owners there that can answer your question. Anybody interested can refer to this egroup URL:
http://www.egroups.com/group/yamaha-psr-styles

Paul Ip
from Texas

Hi Scott

Yamaha has its manuals online. In response to Paul's suggestion, I doubt many PSR9000 owners have their arranger configured so that they can resolve the issue. Frank Rosenthal might be a good person to ask, since he has used a PSR9000 with an MFC10 foot controller. (I would be very surprised if the foot-controller info could not be sent out one of the two midi outs of the PSR9000.) I could only test on a PSR8000, which nobody is planning to buy anyway. I also think midi merge is likely to be built into high-end arranger modules, like the Solton X4 and the Korg i40m. Also, it is likely to be found in any arranger with two midi ins. To me this is not an important issue, since I have a controller with multiple midi outs and a module with two midi ins.

I didn't bring my 9000 home from the club. Don't know if it has midi-merge. I don't remember seeing that terminology in the manual, but they might call it something else. Tell me exactly what you want it to do, and I'll see if it will do it!
DonM