Look guys, the only thing getting insulted (if that's the right term, really, for a less than perfect technical evaluation) are the arrangers... No-one is critiquing anybody's playing. Just the gear we use.
Anybody who knows me and my posts knows I am the first to call Roland on any bonehead OS decisions, or physical controller issues, or even sounds. No Roland 'defender' I... I am not, nor ever have ganged up on Yamaha. I think they make great arrangers, the S900 is a breakthrough at it's price point, and there are MANY things about the OS that I would LOVE to see Roland incorporate. This has ALWAYS been my position.
But.... at the S900's price point, many, if not ALL workstations have FAR better actions, and a choice of size keyboard. Not to mention most other arranger manufacturers, too. Yamaha's insistence on restricting themselves to decidedly inferior actions until you get to their $4000 TOTL arranger is very shortsighted, if not to say arrogant. 'Take it, or leave it' seems to be the arranger division's mantra.
This, despite their workstation division having exactly the opposite priorities. A lot of user input went into the design for the MotifXS series, and a better action was one of the things mentioned. Plus, of course, EVERY size keyboard need is catered to. Why is this so difficult for the arranger division to achieve?
Scott's post (after he had calmed down!) basically proves my point... If Yamaha DID make a 76 arranger, he would very likely get one. Once the hackles have dropped down from the thought of ANY possible change, how many more Yamaha users are prepared to say they would be willing to try, and possibly use a 76 Yamaha..?
Quite a few, from reading the many posts on this and similar threads...
Ian.... The very fact that you mention the T2 action, and it's being used in the MotifXS, shows you are aware that there ARE better actions in Yamaha arrangers. You REALLY need to stop biting my head off for pointing this out. Maybe you could come up with a word for 'inferior' that signifies that one thing is not as good as another, and I will use it happily, just to keep the peace. But so far, it seems as if you are unwilling to brook ANY acknowledgment of the fact that, compared to just about ANY workstation, and MOST arrangers (of at least comparable price), the actions on PSRs are decidedly '..........' (insert your own choice of words for inferior).
And 'my keyboard, right or wrong' is an attitude that doesn't really engender much respect. If you aren't prepared to say that there is anything to criticize at all on a PSR (a mid-line model), well, that makes you sound an awful lot more like a paid promoter than someone actually seeking the truth.
Once again, I reiterate (God knows how many times I got to keep saying this
) this doesn't mean I think YOU should change arrangers. Play anything you want. Play any way you want. I don't care, never have.
But PLEASE, trying to dissuade the many, MANY of us here at SZ that have posted about how (insert your choice of word for crappy, inferior, toy-like) the action is on what is quite an expensive keyboard, even by other arranger standards (yet alone workstation standards), is actually you insulting US, not the other way round!
[This message has been edited by Diki (edited 08-25-2007).]