Hi to all,
I would like know your opinion about the best arranger in 700-1000 $ price range.
I like specially:
good piano voice
good, rich and varied styles
better key feel as possible

If you insist on better key feel, then that lets the Yamaha PSR2100 out. The PSR2100 is a little over your price range, unless you can locate one for $1000.
The Roland EXR-5 has a good key feel, but unless I tried the wrong patch number, the accoustic piano sounded electric. Can someone comment on this. The electric pianos sounded good IMO. Lots of varied styles.
I haven't tried the Technics SX-KN2600, so can't comment.
Yamaha PSR550, poor key feel, excellent value for your money, below your price range.
Starkeeper

[This message has been edited by Starkeeper (edited 02-11-2004).]

[This message has been edited by Starkeeper (edited 02-11-2004).]

If you can spend around a $1000, I would buy a used Roland G1000[76 good feel ], If you need a Mic input and Harmonizer on board, look for a used Roland E-600[$700]..

If you want a new keyboard and don't need a mic imput, check out the Roland EXR 3/5 selling under $700..

If you don't mind the light keys, a used Yamaha PSR2100 has a lot of features for around $900..likewise PSR2000 for around $700..

Fran great advice!!!

I just want to add that I have seen "NEW" psr2100 on ebay for $999....and less. In fact, there are a couple there now.

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The old Newb

I just want to let you know that for a limited time I have new PSR2100's at my store for the same price OldNewb just mentioned and I agree that the key feel and piano sound and styles are quite good on the new Roland EXR-5. I stock both the Yamaha and the Roland at my store.
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, California

George,

Curiously, when I search on Google re: the Roland EXR-5, 90% of the hits (on the first 5 pages) are german or italian sites. Is this telling my anything about the marketing of the EXR-5 - or just coincedence (sp)?

vc

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Vern

Vern,
the EXR-5, along with all other arranger keyboards, is available for sale almost always in Europe before sales begin in the USA. Also, the sale of arranger keyboards in Europe is huge compared to sales here in the USA.

I would go for the PSR2100. That's an awesome deal, and it is a superb keyboard - ready for prime time, professional playing.

Beakybird

Yes I agree the psr2100 for under 1k NEW is a great deal from my recent research, and to be able to get it from George would be icing on the cake.

I would definitely rather get one from George than some stranger on e-bay.

I wish I had my new kb fund available to me now but alas it will be a couple months before I will be able to make my purchase.

With some luck perhaps you may have some very good deal waiting for me in a couple months George. Meanwhile I keep salivating thinking about a new board and my poor qy100 is sitting here covered in spit.
Just kidding.


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The old Newb

Thanks for your sugestions.

But nobody speak about PSR-1000. I can buy a PSR1000 at 800$, when Roland EXR-5 is 700$.

Am I going to be disapointed with PSR1000, or that is a better option than EXR-5?

I would like to know your opinion about piano voice in both kbs, and if key feel in PSRs is really so bad to escape from them.

[This message has been edited by tracknet (edited 02-13-2004).]

Personally, I think the psrxx00 is the worst feel of any kb I have ever played. that includes Mattel, Kenner and Magnatone.
Of course, I am in the minority with that opinion. Many players don't seem to care how it feels because it sounds pretty good and has a great amount of features. I just can't compromise feel anymore. It detracts from my performance, and limits my skills.

Yesterday, I stopped in at the local music store and while waiting to see someone, fired up a Roland G-1000. Sitting right next to it was a PSR-740. One of the employees, a new one, who turned out to be quite an accomplished player, asked if he could help me with something. I then said "Yes. Which of these two boards would be the best for live performances, has the easiest navigation and best sounds?" He quickly replied, "The Yamaha 740 will do everything you want and then some." "What about the key feel and touch sensitivity?" I asked. "Personally, I like the Yamaha keys better. They're a little softer, but at the end of the night, your hand's will not be nearly as tired. In reality, there is very little difference between the key feel for the vast majority of the folks on this and other sites, and if key feel were the only criteria for puchasing a specific keyboard, no ex-piano player would ever own or play a synth.

Gary

Fran or George,
Question on the EXR-5:
1. Does it have an expression pedal connector?
2. How many MFX (DSP) can you apply per voice?
3. I'm a little confused about the MIDI channel problem. Can it send the right hand lead voice MIDI channel out the MIDI port?
Starkeeper

Boy, wouldn't like be simple if there was only ONE criteria for choosing a keyboard. Funny, way back when it used to be that way. If you were a piano player .... you played , um piano, right? Well, we learned skills and toned up muscles that require at least a modest amount of resistance to get the parts across. Many of the Yamaha offerings don't come close to that resistance that some of us need to play the way we were trained.

Gar... you know I love ya, but you can't tell me that a 740 is even in the ballpark with a G1000. It's a Yugo and a Lincoln.
The 2000 and above, at least have more respectable features and sounds, but the 740 was light years away from pro quality. Thie only saving grace was the samples, and that;s the easy part these days. Given enough RAM ... anything can sound good. It's the finer points of navigation, comfort, expression and quality workmanship that put a kb in the next catagory.

I know you like your Yammies .... I do too, I just can't stand touching the keys anymore.

Dave,

I wasn't at all impressed with the sounds coming out of the G-1000. Yes, the keys were somewhat firmer, but for me it doesn't make a bit of difference one way or another. The only thing I can go by is what my aging ears hear (or sometimes do not hear) coming out of the amp. Of course you must keep in mind that my hearing is shot to hell, especially some of the higher frequencies. Fortunately, both boards were hooked up to an amp in full stereo.

The G-1000 is a nice board--no question about it, but it's not for me. Yes, I'm a Yammie fan, but believe me when I tell you that if I found something that did a better, overall job I would snap it up in a heartbeat, then go about the arduos task of reprogramming everything to that board. Once that was done, I would quickly buy a second one for a backup system, program it and have it ready to go.

Hope to see you sometime next month,

Gary

"It's the finer points of navigation, comfort, expression and quality workmanship that put a kb in the next catagory"

Ironically, the navigation, comfort(weight) and expression, not the sounds, are what moved me from Roland back to Yamaha.

The 740 isn't nearly as good as the 2000s but compared to G1000 it is light, has better effects, has a mic and vocal harmonizer (not as good as the later ones, but useable if you tweak it right) and playing it for four hours every night didn't make my fingers sore and stiff, as the G did.
Again, for a piano player I could see where you would want weighted keys. As a keyboard player, I want the really fast action that the light touch affords.

As far as workmanship, I had more problems with the G8000 in three months than I've had in 20 years of playing Yamahas. Maybe I just had a lemon. And the G1000 was better and improved, but still similar in build quality as far as I know.

There were some really neat features on the 740, including the automatic Groove options that immediately converted every style to a "new" style which completely changed timing, such as converting a 4/4 to a 6/8, or a shuffle to a 4/4. This in effect doubled the number of styles. I wish Yamaha had left that feature.

Just another point of view, and it's all what works for YOU, not me.

Personally I can't wait to try out a Gem Genesys Pro. (But that's another price range). Just wish it was easier to spell.

DonM


[This message has been edited by DonM (edited 02-13-2004).]

I'm actually having a pretty good time with my kn7k, but I do admit - I use the arranger much less than on other brands. I just can't get into the styles on this machine. I like the tones and the speakers, I like the feel of the keys, but I wish the sides weren't "boxed" in ..... it's been a great diversion till someone makes what I want.
(yeah, THAT'LL happen)

Playing manual bass and rhodes is my staple sound, and the really important stuff gets sequenced now. If it's too busy for a manual bass line, then I'd rather hear the correct arrangement than a generic one. Most of the night, I do just fine playing the entire thing live and that makes me happier then I've been in a few years. (on stage, that is ! )

To each his own, they say ......

Better than what Garfield says:

"Everyone is entitled to MY opinion !"


Peace & Love on SAINT Valentines day my friends.