Tonight I visited my dealer for a workshop/demo with Yamaha keyboards CVP307, TYROS, PSR2k etc.

Some news about the Tyros-2 was presented by an official Yamaha employee :

Week# 35 : Final details & demo-samples on internet.

September : Shipping starts and first machines will arrive in the Netherlands.

Global (not final) Specifications:

a. 400 built-in styles (T-1 has 300)

b. no 76 keys version planned

c. Hi quality keys (motif/DX7 alike)

d. HDD not standard but as an option

e. Megavoiced brass, strings, saxes, accordeons etc.

f. Megavoices play-able !

g. No built-in FDD (probably an USB-FDD)

h. Downward compatible with Tyros-regs / files / settings. Even the HDD coming from a T-1 fits without problems : all stored data will work perfectly.

i. Separate RGB video-interface that can be used for independent lyrics-presentation on a computer display (e.g. LCD)

j. There is a little chance scanned sheetmusic can be displayed as well !! (stored/connected to a registration-memory)

k. Music stand construction much better without the fragile pieces the T-1 has.

l. improved vocal-harmonizer

m. stereo samples loadable/editable.

n. many new FULL STEREO samples (drums, accordeons, pianos etc.)

o. 4 track audio-recording feature when HDD installed.

p. Plays WAV and MP3's

Of course the question : "Why not a PRO version with 76 keys?" .... Yamaha's answer :

"Most customers are satisfied with the 5-octaves and don't feel the need for an extra
octave. E.g. the number of sold PSR9000 PRO's was only 10% of the 9000 sales.
Yamaha decided to put as much as possible effort (time = money) in software-engineering and skipped plans for an extra expensive production-line to produce an extra model"
I myself can live with 5-octaves.

Facit :
I had no plans to change keyboard, but there might be a chance I will ..... very soon ... I ordered one!


[This message has been edited by Roel (edited 07-07-2005).]

Any clues as to price and weight?

If this is and true and the HD option is NOT multi-track recording, what a shame. That would be very cool. In fact, I would think that would really help sell that model. It would sell me!

Roel, don't you mean 76 keys?

Anyway, if no 76 keys on Tyros 2
No Tyros 2 for Al. Either a Paxpro1 or a G70 will then replace my Tyros.

I've had enough of 61 key arrangers.

Hmmm,

If the Brass and Sax megavoices are good and playable ... and the drums good enough that I don't need a drum machine ... I might just (reluctantly) buy it.

I say reluctantly, because there are still many things missing, but right now, I use a sampler for my saxes, brass and drums. If the T2 could replace these, it would probably be worth my while...

Chony

Chony,

And the new T2 will accept USB keys plug-and-play...

Why don't you consider the Roland G-70?

As a happy & satisfied 2-1/2 vetran of Tyros 1, it seems a natural progression for me now to upgrade to Tyros2, especially considering Yamaha's announced new feature improvements: particularly Yamaha's keyboard key feel/build improvments, more (and now playable) mega-voices & expanded voices (400 vs 300), and an even better built in vocal harmonizer. I'd (of course) appreciate 76 keys to gain the ability to play SOLO style piano, but ONLY if Yamaha could package it within the 'dimensions of the existing Tyros case, and I doubted all along that Yamaha was willing to do that. Frankly though, for strictly 'auto-accomp' style playing, 61 keys is perfectly adequate (at least for me), as setting the keyboard's split-point at F#2 provides an octave and a half for triggering full chords (including rootless jazz style), and allowing adequate room for nice chord voicing progressions with smooth voice leading, while leaving 3-1/2 octaves for right hand melodies & soloing, which is only 1/2 octave less than the 4 octave right hand 'real estate' available on an 88 note Grand Piano (from middle C to the top of the keyboard). As a professional musician-entertainer that highly appreciates keyboard light weight a shorter KB length for its ease of transport, I'm quite willing to sacrifice 76 keys for the light 27 lb(?) weight only a 61 kb can provide.

Hi Roel, was there any mention (at the Yamaha demo) of what the new Tyros2 "USER Memory" Storage capacity will be, or of any Music Finder new feature enhancements?

As I've mentioned on this forum (on several occasion) and requested (via email) to Yamaha as well, here are what I feel, IMPORTANT feature improvements I'd like to see included on Tyros 2:

1) Ability for a MFD record to call up a Registration Bank File. Since 'key transpose', 'split point', and countless other song setup settings are already stored in Registration, linking this to a MFD song record would greatly enhance the power of the MusicFinder.

2) Substantially increase Tyros2 USER Memory Storage capacity. Currently, total Tyros 1 USER Memory is only 3.3 MB. Expanding this to 10 or even 20 MB would be pretty inexpensive (flash memory is really cheap these days, right?), and would allow one to utilize MANY more custom USER Styles when performing songs via Music Finder.

I've auditioned the Roland G70 & Korg PA1XPro, and though both of these include unique advantages (Korg has really impressive fresh sounding styles & the G70 the best keyboard feel), the portability (smaller size & much lighter weight) of Tyros 2, its user friendly navigation, wide range of live performance usable outstanding styles & sounds, along with, I believe, a substantially lower price point (I can't find a G70 going for much less than $4500 here in my area) make the Tyros2 the more attractive upgrade option (for me). As far as the Tyros 2's looks, what it sounds like and it's playability is what matter to me, and if it's priced similarly (calculating in inflation of course) to what the Tyros1 went for ($2400 street price) when it was first introduced, then it seems to me to be a good upgrade investment. In the meantime, my Tyros 1 continues to delivers the goods & satisfy both me and my audience.

Scott

Sure, I mean the '76-keys' version.
Dutch prices :

standard (no HDD, speakers etc) around 3700 Euro's (goingprices 10-15% less?)
The XXL-model 4200 Euros.

As I said the final specificatons will be published on the web end of August.
Right now small modifications can change specs. (world top-class musicians / programmers are testing the T2)

Other important facts :
Tyros-2 is 'made in Japan' (Tyros-1 is 'made in China')
Yamaha's products are 99.99% ready and bugfree when shipping starts (no series of extra upgrades required to improve the product step by step.... like Roland does)

Yamaha has NO plans to produce Sound-modules (Tyros-2 without keys).
Customers that require 76 (or more)-piano-keys can connect a HQ hammer-action master-keyboard.


[This message has been edited by Roel (edited 07-05-2005).]

3700 euros???
That's insane.

Hi Andrea,
Yes it is, but going-price around 3200 Euros.... not bad at all compared to G70, Tyros-1 and others.
Experts who played the T2 tell it is 10 times more powerfull than T1 (what means 5 times more powerfull than G70 .... kidding !)

[This message has been edited by Roel (edited 07-05-2005).]