Pretty Impressive for a $395.00 arranger. 61 keys, floppy disk drive, GS sound set, 64 good styles with the style morphing feature allowing you to combine different elements of two styles, Roland's basic, advanced and full orchestration modes. But, the best feature I found is the ability to load and play any style ever created on other Roland arranger keyboards. This means that if I want a ethnic type style created in an oriental keyboard, etc. I can play it! At this price range that's really cool. Also, I can play standard midi files directly from the disk or I can record whatever I play and save it as a standard midi file. It also features single or dual voice on the right hand and a split voice on the left. All parameters including volumes, octaves, effect types and depths can be programmed and then stored in 8 performance locations. All in all, a very nice keyboard to compete against the Yamaha PSR350. There is no pitch bend or modulation wheel but this is an Italian made roland keyboard with some really good features. I just got them in today and didn't expect this much compared to the EM10's we had last year which had basically nothing special to offer for the same price.
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, California

Ok, Em-25 seems a pretty kb, but I think it has only ¡1 mb! for sounds. Is it ok? Is it good with only 1 Mb?

I don't understand well the relative importance of Mb's for sounds... For example, PSR has 16 Mb... VA-3 has 8 Mb. So, has PSR a "twice" quality for sounds?

Va-5 has 48 Mb... So, must I think VA-5 sounds are much better than PSR-2000 ones?

And, perhaps it is important the number of sounds also. It is not the same 1 Mb for 100 sounds than 1 Mb for 900 sounds, does not?

I had the pleasure of playing EM-25 today. Nice keyboard for 400 $, I think. It seems a toy, but it is not a toy. First at all, I think you may load all styles ever made by Roland (types MSA, MSD, MSE). Second, you have a lot of possibilities (for its price), specially you may edit volume of bass, drums, arrangement. You have right voices, lower voice, layer, split, and various effects, etc. The orchestator and morphing style adds more variation to styles.
Sounds are tipical Sound Canvas, not great sounds, but not bad. Technical data report only 1 Mb for sounds, but it seem more, minimum 6 or 8 Mb.
Styles are good, richer than usual PSR styles.

Well, I have some questions about this kb. Perhaps George Kaye or some other may answer.
1. How Em-25 play all roland styles, including for example VA-7 or G-1000 styles, if it has not VA-7 or G-1000 voices?
2. It is possible modify volume of bass, drums and arrangement when you play a style. But, is it possible load these changes as a user style into user memory or on a disquette?
3. How to play styles from disquette? There isn't user styles area, I think. Perhaps there is a style disk direct function, as Yamaha PSR2000?
4. I know it is possible record what I play and save it as a midi file. But is it possible also when playing with a style? All style parts will go to different parts of midi file? There is no sequencer into kb.
5. EM-25 have a rare "audio output", it is a "phone1/output". Is that a good output to make good stereo records?

[This message has been edited by Artaher (edited 05-27-2003).]

Godwald,
There is a relationship between the size of the wave ROM and the quality of the sounds, but you also have to take into consideration the quantity of voices. The Roland VA-3 has 8 megs of ROM but 4800 voices to distribute it. My PSR550 has 8 megs of ROM for 700 voices, so it can allocate more per voice.
Starkeeper

The EM25 has more features but weaker voices. Sounds like a feature enhanced EM10. I didn't like the quality of the voices on the EM10. Purchased an EM20 with 8 mb wave ROM.
Starkeeper

VA3 has 20 mb not 8mb.

Your right, Rolandfan.
Starkeeper