Hi everyone.
I have a friend that have the PSR8000 with hard disk and memory expansion, he will sell to buy the new PSR9000, I'm very interest to buy the PSR8000, but I was seeing in this site, nobody speaks about PSR8000, I never see the PSR9000, but I would like an opinion, the PSR8000 is not so good like the 9000, the sounds and styles are very worse than 9000, please my friend will sell to me with hard disk and memory and just have 6 month of life, he offer to me US$ 2.300,00 do you think that is a god price? or you think when I see the new PSR9000 I will want to kill myself!!!!. I'm sorry about my english, and please help me with this question !!!!
thanks to all
Marcos (Brazil)

Marcos,

Dont worry, your english is fine!

We dont tend to speak about the PSR8000 much nowadays its because its a rather old keyboard. It arrived in the UK in December 1997 and maybe around Feb 98 in the US (but dont quote me on that). Most discussions here are mostly of the latest keyboards, I am sure you will hear much more of the PSR9000 as it also arrives in the US soon.

I have owned the PSR8000 for over a year before I sold it, and it really was a good keyboard, but it was not my first, it was about my 14th. As for you, will this be your first keyboard purchase? If so, the PSR8000 for a very first keyboard is almost incredible. My first keyboard was a casio but I dont count that because it was really small and it had buttons for keys. My first real keyboard was the PSS780 way about in 1988 or so. The top keyboards in them days was something like the Korg M1.

Anyway, back to your question, the PSR9000 is a great improvement over the PSR8000 though thats expected because of the age difference and amount of sampled memory its got, the PSR8000 has 12meg and the PSR9000 has a staggering 32meg of ROM sampled sounds. Thats the best yet I think, though that does not mean its the best sounding keyboard (I still think the Solton Ketron X1 is and that has 24meg of ROM samples).

To finalise your request, I would say that if you can spend the money, I would go for a new keyboard as then you would not need to upgrade for a few years yet as the last 6 months nearly every single company has brought out a replacement line of keyboards. A second hand PSR8000 retails in the UK for around £900 which is around $1600 i think, but thats without any upgrades, so the price you were quoted MAY be OK but possibly still slightly overpriced. The PSR9000 retails in the UK for around £2300 which is around $3800 i think?? My personal view is that from what I have seen of the PSR9000, the PSR8000 definately resembles it, in the sense that its not totally different and some sounds are the same (sax, flutes, piano, synths), however, the biggest improvement for me were the guitars, strings and especially the drums (as it uses grooves).

The thing that really dissapointed me with the PSR9000 was that they took away the Virtual Arranger within its styles, this feature alone was one of the reasons why I bought the PSR8000 in the first place. This feature does wonders to styles (adding chord 9th to a standard chord) makes a massive difference especially within ballads. Yes the PSR9000 has 4 variations instead of 2 like the PSR8000, but I would of preferred the Virtual Arranger. Some styles on the PSR8000 I think are a little better in arrangements because of this. But thats a personal preference. Obviously the styles will sound better on the PSR9000 especially the drum kits.

So if you can afford it, get the PSR9000, if you are watching your money, get the PSR8000 as I think you would be just as content with what you getting.

Hope this helps.

Danny (UK)

Marcos,
The PSR 8000 is a good keyboard. But the price you quote is too high right now. A few months ago I was selling the PSR8000 new for the price you are quoting used. And now that there is a PSR 9000 do out in a few weeks with a retail Price of $3100.00 the price of a used PSR8000 should be under $2000.00. I have played the 9000 a few months ago, and it has many new features not found in the 8000, but still has room for improvement. If you read these topics found in this discussion group, you are seing pros and cons of the 9000.
I can tell you, as a Yamaha Dealer, you will see new PSR8000's selling for less than you can buy the used one because Yamaha is lowering the wholesale price to dealers to try to move the remaining inventory out of their wherehouse.
George Kaye

Hi Marcos,


I am a owner of the PSR 9000. Unfortunatelly I played PSR 8000 too shortly and I cannot give you good comparision of these two keyboards. But, if you want to experience something about differences in features of both keybopards, go to: http://www.yamaha.co.jp/english/product/pk/nonflash/products/psr9000/psr9000.htm
and click 9000 vs 8000. It is very good comparision chart.

I do not know the prices in Brazil, but in Germany you can get a new PSR 8000 with HD and 32 MB RAM for 3,880 DEM (2,047 USD). Therefore I think, your friend's price is too high (for 2,400 USD you can get new PSR 9000). If you want to know more about PSR 9000, read the owners's comments or go to: http://www.keyboards.bizland.com


Marek

Thanks to everyone, here in Brazil the price of PSR8000 is US$ 2.650,00 without Hard disk and memory, the importation of this keyboard is to high because you need to pay 60% of taxes, so you need to have a friend in the airport to make a deal to not pay so much taxes.
I have another question to you?

Where I can found the PSR8000 with the retail price that you sad US$ 1.600,00. I would like the telphone number, if they have someone who speaks english, and I need your help if you can telephone to them just to ask if I can pay putting the money in his account bank, next the store send the keyboard to my friend in Miami, how much would be the air transport? and how many days would be take.
Please if you can help me, would be so much cheap this keyboard, that maybe I could't believe, the call to your city would be mcuh expensive, and talk in the telephone is more complicated than write here, I think the price of a telephone call is about US$ 2,50 by each minute,
so I ask you again if you can help me, I will be the most happy person in this 2000 year.

I forgot to ask if this price US$ 1.600,00 include the hard disk and the memory. If not include, how much would be with the hard disk and memory.
thanks so much

Marcos