Hello Ian

I know it was wicked but I could not help myself .... I was not particularly knocking Yamaha though to be honest. In fact I adored the 9000pro and the Tyros I bought to replace it. In between owning the two I did seriously consider the 3000 until I actually saw it in the store. It sounded wonderful but looked awful in my opinion. I think this was more to do with my own superfical hang ups about the way something looks than anything else tho

It was more a dig at how we all tend to jump to the defence of our current brand of choice whilst eagerly pointing out the less attractive attributes of the competition. I have been as guilty of this in the past as anyone and always put it down to a need to justify to myself my spending decisions rather than to put anyone else down.

I find it gets much easier to be objective when you realise that given a chance (someone else's cheque book) you would buy them all

I have not had an arranger for the past 12 months so I am quite looking forward to my trip to Blackpool to play all the latest and greatest. Despite my naughty jibe I will try out the S900 too .....Heaven help me if I like it enough to buy one....I will have to eat some serious humble pie

Regards
Tony

[This message has been edited by Tony W (edited 10-18-2007).]

Tony,

I get your drift.

I should say, my obvious zealousness for Yamaha, which would still be there even if I wasn't connected in the small way that I am, in no way lessens my fascination with other arrangers.

My favorite, outside the Yamaha Universe, is the Roland E-80, which is a real nice play and although it's not very portable because of it's weight, it would be a great home keyboard, and a nice compliment to things Yamaha.

The Korg PA-800 demos did not impress...sort of a murky area between the Yamaha polished sound and the Roland "live" sound, but not embracing enough of either to have a cognitive impact on me.

Perhaps I'll be having some of that humble pie once I play one and hear it in person.

Ian

Ian.

You are right.
Some branches has a personnal sound that allows you to know what kind of arranger is playing.
You can like or dislike Yamaha sound but you know when listen a Yamaha.
The same for Rolands and Ketrons.
Korgs has a lack of personality in voices.

with that said why does Zuki want to get rid of the S900....? I got that feeling reading his posts that he was getting something new the other day....?

previous post....

"....Zuki.....didnt you just get it?
Whats happening?

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[This message has been edited by Dnj (edited 10-18-2007).]

I would have thought a voracious keyboard consumer like yourself would already know the answer, Donny.

Ian

S900 vs a Pa800 is not a equal comparison.
Maybe a T2.

[This message has been edited by Dnj (edited 10-18-2007).]

You're right Donny...there is no comparison.

That's why I like the S900 so much...NOTHING compares to it...it is a superb instrument based on it's own merits.

Ian

Oh Boy

And a Bontempi is a SUPERB home keyboard, based on it's OWN merits...!

Of course, as soon as you start to COMPARE...

Seriously, though... sadly, Yamaha refuse to place an arranger in the mid-price bracket. You go straight from the $1700 PSR S900 to the $3500 T2. No stripped down T2 at $2500, no better constructed S900 at $2500...

That's a hell of a pricing gap, IMO. Comparisons between the S900 and ANY $2k+ arranger are going to have to address build quality issues, no matter HOW much Ian doesn't think they factor in. OS, sounds and styles, the S900 has a lot going for it. Were Yamaha to make it in a PA800 quality form factor, we could have a MUCH more direct comparison.

But until most of us here develop the skills that Ian has, to completely ignore ANY tactile feedback from keybed and buttons and to concentrate on the sound and OS ONLY, the S900 will have to always be the 'ugly duckling' of arrangers. Maybe Yamaha will one day let it become the swan it already SOUNDS like.

Until then, those poor musicians like me amongst you will have to go back to our pitiful arrangers, that only FEEL like a real keyboard (OK, they sound pretty good, too!), and only dream of the day that flimsy keybeds and buttons don't matter any more...

Diki,

Armchair hypothesizers like yourself really crack me up...

Of course YOU know how to market keyboards and Yamaha doesn't...

Why hasn't some company snapped up a such a clever lad such as you?

Stick to playing buddy...leave the marketing to people far more qualified than you.

Ian