Why not get a (gasp! shock, horror!) a workstation to go with the E80? Plenty of good 76 key choices there, unlike arrangers........

Perhaps a Motif-ES would give you a different set of sounds, and there are a few things you can do with the ES's arpeggiator that you can't do on an arranger. Or possibly a Triton Extreme 76..... possibly the better choice if you want to sample much.

If another set of choices of styles was what you were looking for, though, I think you may have made a mistake trading your T2 unless you have managed to convert any of your T2 faves to the Roland. (Contact me if you have )

Is it just me..you guys don't see the lack of quality in the so called professional arrangers by Yamaha..The last Yamaha[maybe only one]arranger was the 9000 Pro..It suffered in sales..why, because of all the plastic models made available with in the same company..Any way you want to look at it the TYROS2 on down are not made as well as the "Pro" models of the other manufacturers.

Ketron has the SD1..Korg the PAxPro, and Roland the G70..BTW I don't think it is a coincidence they are all 76 keys.[hint]..

Dear Joneysboy;

Would you compare and contrast the Tyros 2 and E-80 please. What are the pros and cons of the E-80. I am familiar with the T2. Is the E-80 in fact a different Keyboard then the G-70? The E-80 has not been released into North America yet. Thanks

Regards;
BN

Fran,
IMO. Wha matter to me is the functionality and quality of sounds/styles. In my experience, Ymaha durability and quality of samples are unsurpassed. I tried the Rolad and kept it for only three days. Although the frame and cabinet are made well not cheap material, it did not matter to me.

John-Paul

I have the G70 that DNJ had. It is already missing a knob, two of the organ slider knobs are loose and easily fall off, and the input selection switch on the back has broken off. I know Donny can be a little rough, but this to me is NOT an indicator of high quality.
My only other experience with Roland was with the old G80 and I had similar problems with it, plus the joystick spring broke when it was two weeks old.
Just because a kb weighs too much doesn't make it better!
DonM

Let's see Don..you are using the G70, that has been shipped 3 times..has been on display in the store for 3 months, and under Donny's hands..It has a lost knob, a couple loose slider knobs and a broken off impedance slider control on the back[this item is made like a Yamaha button]..

Who knows , it may be fairing well during it's travels..

BTW Don that was a G800 you had..

Before you guys misinterpret what I am trying to say..Even the EXR series [Roland] and Probably the E 50/60 are also not Pro quality construction..but they are not touted as a Professional instrument...My point call them what they are..."a home player instrument"...If Yamaha intended the PSR and Tyros to be a professional quality instrument..it would resemble a Motif..

If Yamaha did not intend the T2 to be a 'professional' instrument, they would not try to charge $4k for it. For that money, you should get a professional build quality, something that Yamaha have no problem finding for their MUCH less expensive Motif line. Face it, guys, you've been had.......

Roland, Korg, Ketron, Wersi, nobody else expects you to put up with an inferior build quality on their top of the line arrangers.......

As to Donny's used G70, all I can say is GET A CASE.... My G70 has been gigged extensively for over a year, up to 10 gigs a week, and looks like it came out of the box. No amount of build quality will help you from breaking knobs and sliders if you don't transport it safely.

No wonder dnj goes through so many arrangers - he has to keep replacing the ones he's broken?

O.K. You win.
Nothing is as bad as Yamaha and nothing is as good as Roland.
No matter what. Build quality, sounds, styles, songs, key feel, price, vocals, harmonizer, available peer support, on-line forums.
Who needs multipads anyway? Who needs a break/fill button? I don't REALLY mind having to remember which two buttons to press for the ending I want. And I don't REALLY mind lifting 50 pounds every night. I don't REALLY need lyrics function for use with syles. I have a laptop. And a pretty good memory.
I don't REALLY need a hard-disk recorder built-in. I can use the computer or extra hardware. I don't REALLY need a really large adjustable screen, I can wear glasses.
I don't REALLY mind the one-touch settings resetting the keyboard mode to "beginner" every time I touch one.
I don't really need any of this, but some of them are nice to have anyway.

Yamahas are mostly plastic, but I've never had one leave me stranded in 20 years, so I no longer even keep a backup. Ketron never went out, but I was always afraid it would.
The G70 has locked up and had to be rebooted three times, all while I was in the middle of saving things to User Programs. But I don't REALLY mind doing it all over again, because I know that Roland is infallible. It must be something I'm doing wrong. I just hope it doesn't happen on the job while I'm using it.

I like many things about both lines, and dislike a few things about both lines, and have so stated, but obviously certain people don't want to hear my opinions, all coming from real-life experience, so for God's sake quit reading them. It's for sure I don't pay much attention to anyone else's opinions after I have used the kb in question myself.

This wonderful forum is wearing me out. I seem to be sinking to the level of "mine's better than your's". However that can't be true because I don't even own an arranger right now. ALL the mid and top-end arrangers are wonderful. None are perfect. None are terrible.

It's time for a short break.
DonM

See what happens when we get old..We get moody , possessive, insulting and we just hurt feelings....now let's talk about you Don