I know I could be starting a war ( ) with this question. I also know in some ways it is almost impossible to answer, but if anyone (I'm looking at you George!! ) can be constructive, I would appreciate any advice. I also know there is quite a price difference, but from initial reports the PA800 seems to put up a good fight!!

I have 2 main queries:

a) do the PA800 on board sounds compare favourably to the Tyros 2 with its SA voices?

b) do both keyboards have a certain influence with their styles.....eg., is the Tyros 2 more country orientated or is the PA800 more acoustic/live band style accompaniments?

I work in the trade, but should have a Tyros 2 to try before Christmas, but I think it will be the New Year before I get to try the PA800.....so any comments are welcome.

Cheers.

Stein,
It's hard to post an opinion. Here's some of my thoughts though.....
Both keyboards have really good sounds. The articulated voices on the Tyros2 and the RX voices and velocity switched voices on the Korg are similar. Both would be rated very good on my part.
The styles on the Yamaha range from fair to outstanding. The Korg Styles are in the same company.
The sequencer in the Korg totally beats the Yamaha. It is the same sequencer found in the Trition and all the way back to the M1 days. Yamaha's sequencer has been discussed here alot. It's just OK.
The Korg includes built in great sounding speakers....Yamaha has none.
The Korg allows users to sample with time-streching if needed. Yamaha doesn't allow you to sample in the keyboard, only load from computer.
The vocal harmonizer in the Korg I think is easier to achive really amazing results. I think the Yamaha is not of this level.
The Tyros2 can record as a hard disk recorder and the Korg cannot.
The Tyros2 and the Korg can both have built in Hard Drives but do not come with one and both have USB ports, the Korg has 2 of them which are 2.0 speed.
I think the unplugged styles on the Korg hands down wins the competition.
The Yamaha interface is very easy to navigate, the Korg is easy once you get used to it. Korg has improved this navigation with the new "easy mode" setting.
I really find it hard to get into the "I like this piano better than this piano" because it is very subjective which each one of us likes. I can only say both Yamaha and Korg have two really great keyboards here.
The Yamaha is built in Japan, the Korg is built in Italy. Yamaha comes with a 1 year warranty, Korg comes with a 2 year warranty.
Yes, I'm very excited about the Korg because it gives my customers so much of what has been wanted.......Light Weight, good onboard speakers, good polyphony (120), solid styles with great intro's and endings, sampling on board, and a very reasonable price for all this.


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George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, California
818-881-5566
www.kayesmusicscene.com

George,

In Canada, all Yamaha keyboards have a 2 year warrantee.

Ian

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Remember to leave good news alone.

George, do you have any impression as to how much louder the PA800 speakers are versus a psr2000? I know that's impossible to quantify without the two side by side but if you have a general comment about the speaker loudness, thanks.

Lastly, you mentioned that the Korg sequencer is superior. In general, what do you mean by that?

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Bill
Yamaha PSR2000

Hi George,

Thanks for taking the time with your great comparison between the 2 boards.

We know there are tons of styles and songs available for T2 but how abt for KORG??

Also, what do you think of KORG'S TECH SUPPORT?

Many thanks,
Don

First, all Yamaha keybaords except the PSR3000 and Tyros2 have a two year warranty here in the USA if you buy it from a retail music store and get the survival kit. The normal factory warranty for all Yamaha keyboards is 1 year. There is no survival kit with the PSR1500, PSR3000 and Tyros2. These are now in their own catagory and only come with the factory warranty.
Next, having only a PSR3000 and not the PSR2000 to compare with, the Korg PA800 speakers have a lot more bass with no distortion which makes them sound much louder to me than the yamaha's. How much louder? I can't put a number on it but they are louder.
The sequencer issue is a little more difficult to explain. In Yamaha's world of the Clavinova vs the Tyros and PSR3000's, the sequencer that was used in the clavinova became Yamaha's choice. Not the kind being used in Motif's and the older SY series. When you record on the Yamaha, you actually are turning on 15 of the 16 available tracks for recording and each of the 15 tracks is defaulting to a particular part on the keyboard. This is really cool for the musicians who like to record everything at once, including multi pads, layers, splits and going from full piano only to adding style play when you want. But, when you want to go and add more tracks, you have to assign each of the tracks you haven't recorded on yet to a different part then it is defaulted to. This would mean as an example:
You want to go to track 5 and record a flute sound. You would have to arm the track, then see that it has defaulted to be a multi pad and change it to say R1 (right hand, first sound). Now, you can record this track and it will play back the flute. If you don't do this, you will think you are recording, but on playback nothing will be heard because it was thinking you would be hitting the multi pad and you didn't! Do you understand? It took me quite some time to understand this but I do understand Yamaha's thinking coming from the hobbyiest Clavianova player who's never used a sequencer in a non arranger keybaord or computer. Also, to do editing one has to push other buttons on the keyboard and find through the use of "tabs" the page where you wish to change things and although you can pretty much enter, delete, copy, etc. it doesn't seem as easy as some to do.
Now, Korg has been using the same sequencer since the M1 days. Simply, you see on the screen 8 tracks and then push one button and you see the other 8. You can select any track, pick a sound and record! BUT, if you like the idea of the push one record button and be able to record the entire style and the sounds on the right hand, Korg calls this a backing sequencer and you can do it this way. Then, when you are finished, the unused tracks are available to you just by selecting one and choosing a sound to record. It is quicker, easier and more intuitive for most. Also, all editing is done at this display level just by pushing the menu button and finding what you want to do. If you know the Mi, Tseries, Tinity series, Triton series, then you know how to use the PA800 Sequencer.
Wow! I hope I said this clearly enough. My brain is on overload right now!


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George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, California
818-881-5566
www.kayesmusicscene.com

The Tyros2 and PSR-3000 have a full 2 year warrantee in Canada, as do all other Yamaha keyboards.

Ian

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Remember to leave good news alone.

George, have a cyber pint on me!!

Many thanks for your reviews. Just what I was interested in reading. Unfortunately my decision in buying the more expensive Tyros 2, is now in doubt as I am very impressed by the more reasonably priced Korg.

Thanks again.

Tech Support is absolutely great for me from both Yamaha and Korg. At both companies I know the Product Managers, who will give me all the support I need and I know the tech support phone personal, who help the consumers. At Korg, if necessary, I have the Product Manager phone my customers if I don't have the answer or if perhaps the tech support phone guy in NY might not be as sharp on the PA product as a Triton. This doesn't happen very often though because the product managers really keep the tech guys in the know.
Support for styles for korg are at many sights. www.korgpa.com www.korgforums.com www.irishacts.com (I think they are still around
The other thing I can tell you at least for here in the USA, Korg is really putting an effort into supporting the arranger products. They have recently hired someone to head this newly formed division for digital pianos and arranger keyboards. One thing for sure, Korg, which is the smallest of the major 3 players (Yamaha, Roland and Korg) have provided me personally with more in store training, trips by the product manager himself out to California just to spend a day with me and a general willingness to listen to my requests and those of others. There are members here at the Synthzone who I have had speak directly with the Product Manager to not only get help but to offer suggestions in new software updates, etc.
I think many of you by now, the past week or so might think George has shifted all of his efforts to Korg. As many of you know me, I just get really excited about a new product that "makes me smile" when I play it. I still love the PSR3000 and the Tyros2 and the version 3 G70 and the E50 are great for those who need simple navigation and very good sounds and my new Korg PA800 just sort of does everything and in most cases really well. Next month at NAMM maybe Yamaha will unvail a new replacement for some of their models and I'm sure I'll be raving again.
I think it's honest of me to say to you all, that when I recommend a model to most of you who have purchased from me in the past, I'm usually "right on" in picking out what you will like. I think I've only gotten one keyboard back in all these years of selling to you all. It was a G70 sent back for a PA1XPRO and after he had both, he got another G70 anyway because there were things he liked better on it and could afford both!
I'm sure whichever keyboard you end up with, the Tyros2 or the PA800, you will be pleased. There are no loosers out there!


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George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, California
818-881-5566
www.kayesmusicscene.com

Yes.
Irish Acts and KORG Forums are the same. Same ownership, same servers, same everything. Just two different names now days.

Kind Regards.
Sharp.