Hi Fran (and others)
I'm considering buying the Roland VR-760 and Selling my Roland XP-80. I'm not using my XP-80 as a controller, nor am I really utilizing the onboard sequencer. I'm not great a creating my own sounds although I do from time to time. But My XP-80 is old and the sounds are getting stale (to me). I do have a session card in it.

76 keys are a must. I play mainly Praise and Worship style music and once in a while I'll write. My writing style is a bit proggy if you will, with rock organ, distortion organ, strings, pads, some EP's (I like rhodes type sounds over FM, hard eps). I like to layer these type of sounds as well. I'm not really a lead synth player and don't use many of the synth lead type sounds (squarewavs, etc)

Should I just get the SR-JV card for the keyboards of the 60's and 70's to update my sound set or is the VR-760 so much more than the XP-80. I'm not a huge organist, i get buy now with using like 3 or 4 organ sounds from the XP-80 and therefore having hundreds of organ options is probably too much for me.

So tell me Fran, can you do a good pros and cons comparing the XP-80 to the VR-760? I think I've seen you post in the past that you are/were an XP-80 user?

While I'm on the subject, the Fantom 76 is also something I might be interested. Any comments about this product as it relates to real time performance? Do you know if one can switch sounds quickly without sound cut out within a song? I do this all the time with my XP-80 by going into Performance mode and retreiving a "Single type" performance. Then I hit the "part" button and from there I can call up any one of the 16 parts by pressing it's associated part number button, with no sound cut out to the last part played. This works really nice when changing from a pad or string and going to piano.

Thanks heaps

Bob
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[This message has been edited by RW (edited 02-27-2004).]

Bob, the sounds you like to play suit the VR760, right out of the box[no need for SRX boards]..
As for Pros and cons..the XP80 and VR are different concepts..the XP80 is a workstation and the VR is not..
The XP is a great controller[probably the best available]..Detail editing of sounds. A powerful sequencer..
The VR is none of the above..
What the VR brings to the table is eactly what you preferred in you initial comments..
Unsurpassed Rhodes samples and patches[not DX ish].
Organs and parameters that the XP can't compete with..
Quick changes , splits and layers of the 3 groups[piano/organ/synth].
It sounds like the rhythm section on the VR will even meet your needs..
The VR key feel is better than the XP80[XP is not that bad]..

Learning curve and getting around is much harder on the XP80..
Realtime performing is more enjoyable playing the VR...

If you can live without a sequencer,don't need to control more than 4 channels, and are not into overkill sound editing,,and can realy get into drawbars and other realtime control.......Go for the VR760