Hi there!!!
My name is Gustavo, I'm from Argentina...
I have a problem...!!!
My old keyboard is dead... he past to better life some months ago... It was a Yamaha PSR-520... Yes a very old keyboard!!! And now I need to upgrade to a much better keyboard...like a Yamaha PSR-3000 or something like that...
I already know that the Casio MZ-2000 is out of production, but to tell the truth, here in Argentina all the keyboards are very very very overpriced... with very litle or almost no support from their respectives brands...
For example: the PSR-3000 is at U$$2000!!!
Motif ES7 is at u$$4000!!!???? Yes U$$4000!!!! Incredible isn't???
Ok, the thing is that the other day I was searching in several music stores asking about the PSR-3000... it's very hard to find it here!!! Believe me!! So, in one of the musical stores I found a Casio MZ-2000 for U$$1000 (I know that's really overpriced too!!!) but wait there's more!!! Of course this keyboard isn't new...is't a demo unit... with some details... for example one of the corners of the keyboard is a litle open, but this detail doesn't seems to be make by a drop off or a hit of somekind...When I saw this unit I must say that I was shocked because I never think to found any of these here in Argentina!!! I play it the Casio in the store and I must say that it seems that all worked very fine to me... The LCD was in perfect conditions and also the keyboard itself... except for the dust!!! and the detail in the corner!!! Well... after that in the store they say me that I could buy it for U$$900 (a U$$100 drop!), they offer me 1 year warranty for the Casio...
And about the PSR-3000 I can't find it for less than U$$2000... that's my $$$ limit too!!!
But this doesn't means that because I can spend U$$2000 in a PSR-3000 I don't want to save U$$1100 going for the Casio MZ-2000...
All I want is a good keyboard... and sadly the PSR-3000 and the Casio MZ-2000 are all my choices...I looked with others like Korg (PA-80, TRITON LE 76), Roland (EXR5, G-70), etc.. but believe it or not... those keyboard in the same category are from +2300 to 3400!!!!!! Yes! You probably may think that I'm crazy!!! But it's all true!!!
Maybe you are thinking WHY I have my doubts between a PSR-3000 (released in 2004) and a Casio MZ-2000 (released in 2000)... apart for the U$$1100 gap between them... That's because I read the specifications of the MZ-2000 and compared to the PSR-3000... the MZ wins with aftertouch, sinth features, and some other features, it's said that it can be tweaked for sound a lot better than the factory settings... but I don't know if the pianos and the other sounds can compete with the PSR 3000 sounds (I don't care about MEGAVOICES because aren't playable!)...even with the tweaks made...
A review in Keyboard Player Magazine puts me in this dilemma!!! Here I left you the following URL to read this review about the MZ-2000: http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/29200/Casio%20MZ-2000.pdf
Thanks for all!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for your time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow talk about expensive. Both units you mentioned are very good sounding keyboards and have very good features as well. You'll get fairly close to equal recording ability in both for songs and styles.

The PSR-3000 will have the edge with a few sounds since it now has "mega voices". It of course is more up to date with storage mediums as well. The MZ-2000 uses the standard floppy disk (common to the time).

The MZ has a few things over the PSR-3000. It has aftertouch, style converter, real-time sliders for editing and drawbar control, better key action, and wheel quality. The MZ's voice editing is beyond several top arrangers out there today as well.

Which board would work best for you is really something for you to decide. Me personally I'd like to have both Since they're so expensive and you want to save some money I'd suggest the MZ-2000 because as you stated it's covered for a year. I would also be a little questionable about that MZ because of the issue you mentioned.

If you can afford it a brand new PSR-3000 would be good too. At least you'd know the board was "factory fresh".

Squeak

The average used prices here in the USA...The MZ2000, $500-$650[very hard to find]..
The PSR3000 $1,200,,easily available..

I agree with Squeak's comments..I would like to add..The MZ2000 has a better key feel and full size keys..It also has great control of inputs for other sources[laptop] that can be assigned effects.

The draw bar organs and Leslie effects are superior on the MZ2000..The piano with slight edits are better on the MZ2000.
The MZ2000 is more playable to me...comfort wise , keys and association to the sounds.

The MZ2000 speaker system is also better than the PSR3000..

The PSR3000 will give you a vocal harmonizer, not available on the MZ2000.

Caution on damage to any keyboard...If they are giving you a real guarantee on the Casio, you may be okay..

Repairs and parts availability go to the Yamaha..

Dollar to dollar..here in the USA or where you are....the MZ2000 would be my choice....besides the MZ will probably retain most of it's current value...the PSR will not..

Ok!!! Thanks for the response!!! Mmmmm it's seems something strange...but apparently the MZ-2000 and PSR-3000 are very very close, so maybe I'm not VERY crazy....jejeje
You really think that the piano quality in the MZ-2000 can compete with the quality of the PSR-3000? Because if someone of you believe that...I will get one right now!!! What do you say??? Personally I don't care about Megavoices since aren't playable... Regarding to the Vocal Harmonizer I think very few people can sing with that...I'm not of that kind! But still I'm in doubt...!!!jejeje PSR-3000 or MZ-2000??? Who is the best???
Again thank you Squeak and Fran!!!

Actually the mega voices on the PSR-3000 are playable... That's one plus there for the Yamaha.

Sounds are always subjective. The MZ can produce some very nice piano sounds. The power in that MZ is in the synth engine and the effects section as well. With the synth engine on the MZ you can make voices comparable to Yamaha's sweet voices such as the "sweet flute". You can make a voice very close to this on the MZ-2000.

Too bad you can't get your hands on the PSR-3000, then you'd be able to make a better (personal) comparison.

Squeak

[This message has been edited by squeak_D (edited 01-09-2006).]

I don't know. I realize that the Casio might be very good sounding for the money, but the Yamaha PSR3000 has so many classy sounding styles, plus you can fish around the internet for all the styles that the Tyros I and Tyros II have that aren't on the PSR3000, plus the PSR9000's styles, plus many many other well made styles from other keyboards. Most of these styles sound just as good as the onboard styles.

If you play accompaniments, the Yamaha is got to be a much better choice.

$2000 sounds like a rip-off. It sounds like you would be better off getting it from another country and forgoing the warranty (which is 90 days for labor anyway).

The successor to the PSR3000 will be coming out this summer.

Good luck.

Beakybird

I personaly belive the PSR-3000 is light years ahead of the Casio in nearly every category other then price. My suggestion, and I'm sure the same holds true with other performers, is to play both keyboards using a quality headset, then let your ears decide which is best.

Another major plus in the Yamaha colum is there are more third-party style files available for Yamaha keyboards than all others combined. Additionally, when you need support, this and a half-dozen other forums can provide you with immediate response to questions about every aspect of the 3000.

Good luck on whatever keyboard you decide upon,

Gary

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Travlin' Easy

I'm with Gary here on a few things. Basically there are things the MZ-2000 can do that the PSR-3000 can't touch and vise versa. You have to really think about your personal needs and figure model will work best for what you want to accomplish.

Squeak

Larry and Gary have very good points..

As for styles , you won't be limited..The Casio has it's own style converter that absolutely works on Roland and Technics styles..I have my favorite Roland G70 styles loaded in my MZ.

On hands support...you will be limited..I think there are three of us at SZ that actually own or owned one[MZ]...and all three of us like the MZ2000.

As always..sounds are personal...I think the MZ competes with the Tyros ...with a lot of the sounds...and the PSR3000 organ[drawbars], doesn't match the MZ2000..

The safe bet[make most people happy], buy the PSR3000...then the PSR3100 next year...and the PSR4000 the following year..

Posted by: Fran Carango
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The safe bet[make most people happy], buy the PSR3000...then the PSR3100 next year...and the PSR4000 the following year..
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That's funny

Fran does have some good points though. The MZ-2000 does have a style converter (built into) the keyboard. If I remember correctly too it even takes SMF's and can convert those to some rather unique styles as well.

Still I wouldn't mind having both. They both have their really good points and weak points, but together they'd be quite the dangerous duo.

Squeak