Tom,

I totally agree with you on the 9000. I traded in my X4 for a 9000pro last year and I quickly returned it. I tried really hard to like the 9Kpro, knowing there are so many nice features on it. But after owning a Solton, the 9Kpro just wasn't for me. Now I have the SD1 and I totally enjoy playing it. The sounds and styles are great. With the built-in 6GB hard drive, vocalizer, sampler etc. it's really a bargain.

Get one from Dano, you won't regret it.

Henry

Tom, they shouldn't offer the 30-day return if they don't want you to use it. I think you gave both keyboards a fair trial and honest appraisal. Even if you ARE wrong.
DonM

If I played better left hand chords, and didn't mind the size and weight - I would have kept the 9kpro, but since that's NOT my bag ..... it had to go.
I'm terribly disapointed with everything offered at present, and to compensate, I've been bringing my guitar out more often. I also have been using more sequences than normal, just because I can't make the 2000 remember the few little set ups I need for a comfort zone. It's no big deal - I can wait till they make a truly pro board, but I just hate what's out there today.
It's been a long, long time since I had the feeling that "This one's THE one " !
While the manufacturers try to get it right - I'll concentrate on the vocals and the tunes, and just play a simple, energetic rendition of whatever pops into my head. I can't get too attached to any styles that might not be here in a few months, and I AM getting the urge ............
I hope the update chips show up soon, but I doubt that they will.
It's really sad - there is so much GOOD out there, but they all have MAJOR drawbacks for my needs. Maybe I'M the odd duck.

Don,
You are right. I must be wrong because my wife has been telling me the same thing for 30 years.

I could believe Kentwood, MI on the outskirts of Grand Rapids but not Kentwood, Louisiana. Are you sure, it looks like she has all her teeth? We know that the toothbrush was invented in Louisiana. If it had been invented in Michigan it would have been called the teethbrush.

Hello Tom,

I am sorry to hear that you didn't like the 9kpro. I have one and I think it offers much
more than the SD-1 or X1.
I guess it depends what kind of music you play and what exactly you look in a keyboard.
If you look for a board with nice preset styles and sounds you will not even look at the 9kpro. Its factory setting really sucks and can not be compared with Solton.
But if you need a board that will give you more opportunity for creative work other than just gigs, 9kpro is much better choice.
What I really mean to say is that if you are looking for arranger + workstation 9kPro is much better than SD-1.
I wanted to buy SD-1 on the first place but after spending hours on my friends SD-1 I decided to skip it. I have figured out that even with its fabulous presets it could get me bored very easily due to the following reasons,
1. No arabic drum kit
I am not playing oriental music but I think that arabic percussion becomes more and more popular in today's music and if you want to play "Desert Rose" by Sting or some tunes from Shakira you need to have possibility of having that drum set too.
SD-1 and X1(regular one) doesn't have this.
2. Sampler memory not expandable
SD-1 has 16Mb and X1 8Mb. If you need it more, you can't do anything about it.
9kpro can be expanded to 65 Mb. I did full expansion on my 9kpro for less than $30
because memory is soo cheap.
Today more and more people make really incredible pro samples of drums or sounds which you can not find in any keyboard and I think that in the future sampler will become very important part of any arranger. Therefore, more memory will be really appreciated. If you don't have it, you'll have to sell it.
3. Plug-in boards
This is where the 9kpro is a big winner.
If you want to get the latest, improved sounds on your keyboard you don't have to buy a new keyboard. You simply buy the latest plug in board and you can have completely new sound engine on the board, not just the sounds from the "on-board"sound engine.
That's how you can end-up having DX-7 sounds on you 9kpro which you can not just make by toggling presets.
Again, If you don't have it, you have to sell it.
This new "modular" strategy is more and more used by manufactures in their latest products, Roland RD-700, Motif, Triton ...

You can easily convert SD-1 or any style and play them on 9kpro and you have solved the style problem. Also, you can buy new sampled sounds and download in 9kpro although I think with combination of 3 layers on 9kpro you would be suprised how good sounds you can achieve. You just need to be creative.
I can play Roland arabic styles on my 9kpro and make it sounds like DX-7 or AN-1 synth but with SD-1 and X1( regular) you can't do it. Also there are much better samples of instruments made on pro samplers then Solton's presets.
So basicly I can make my 9kpro sound like SD-1 or X-1 but you can't make SD-1 play as DX-7 or other synths simulated by plug in boards on 9kpro.

That's why I think the 9kpro is more Pro then other arrangers, or it is better to say it is not just an arranger it is a workstation too. You can do much more with it then with SD-1 or X1 because of above mentioned limitations, you just need to be creative.

Cheers

Denis007

Hi Denis

I agree 100% with your post.
Before to buy 9000Pro I tried Sd1 for one week:good voices,styles...excellent for a superb demontration but for my day/day gigs I think that 9000Pro is the best,because I must to evaluate this topics.
1-Easy operation.
2-Clean styles.
3-Diferent buttons for each function.
4-A lot of styles available.
5-Ergonomic pitch and mod . wheels.
6-Gooseneck lamps.
7-Multi function dial.
As bossa nova player, I must say that Ketron Bossas are very weak.Who made a bossa style with maracas don't know Tom Jobim pieces...
Chico

Dennis and Chico:
Great assesment of the 9pro. I own one, a PSR2000 and an X1 as well.
With the exception of it's weight, size and lack of speakers, this machine has it all over anything else on the market. As Dennis says, it is not only an arranger but a full flesh "work Station", that means not only is great on "live" performance but for "studio" work as well. Also features like being able to add a computer Keyboard for fast file naming and parameter selection, or interactive programming for the MFC10 foot controller, it makes it a snap to program it. Also, of all the keyboards I have ever own, the PRO has the most advanced, best natural sounding vocal harmonizer I've ever heard. The note Harmony is also flawless and seemless. Style editing is fast and can be done almost on the fly. It's Pianos, Brass, guitar, strings and percussion sounds are peerless. Ergonomically, placement of buttons is on the right place for both hands access. Mike settings couldn't be easier and more comprehensive. Due to the amount of features, learning Curve on this machine is far steaper than most others, and this may be quite overwhelming and discourage most people who buy it at first, if you are not patient(as most of us are), you will miss out on possibly the best arranger ever built today. You really need to burn the "Midnight Oil" to tame it. For a hooby I fly Radio Contolled Helicopters(I own 7 of them now. obscene!) and fly Airplanes as well and helis are infinitely more intricate than planes to setup and flight. Same case here. But if you want reliability, versatility, interactivity and a comprehensive machine in all aspects, this is the machine to own. I truly feel that I finally purchased my "last" keyboard.
Since I only have the board only for a month, I am still discovering features I didn't know it had. I performed twice with it and spite the weight and size of it(thank God for wheels on the case), it's a "keeper". It performed flawless.
In a negative coment, the manual falls short of explanations on some of it's advanced features and, I have not been able to make the "parameter Block" to do what it's suppose to do, block. Maybe one of you guys can tell me something I don't know about this problem.
Dennis, you've mentioned that other styles can be easyly converted and played on the PRO. can you shed some info on how to accopmlish this? I'd like to convert some of the X1 styles to the PRO.
Mario

Denis:
I forgot to ask you. You mentioned expaning the sampler's memory to 64mg. Could you tell me what kind of chips you used and where did you buy?
Thanks
Mario

Hi Mario.

Wow....
We are looking for same way.
I am flying radio control (1 and 2nd war scale models ) last 25 years.
I'll send to you some RC photos.
That is my second passion.
The first, 9000Pro of course.
Regards,Chico

HI: Mario
Here is a link to X1 styles already converted
to Yamaha PSR. http://www.spectromagic.com/cgi-bin/ftp.cgi
It is toward the top of the page, all of the styles there are
for PSR keyboards, some only have 2 variations.
They are free, but you have to join the group
thats is also free.
Hope this helps.
Enjoying the 9000 PRO
Denny
PS Click on the (Click Here to Enter)

[This message has been edited by dlstarry (edited 03-05-2002).]

[This message has been edited by dlstarry (edited 03-05-2002).]