I am looking to upgrade from a Korg i3. I've looked at Yamaha 9000 Pro and Korg PA80 and have read the various postings comparing these two arranger keyboards. Still can't decide. I use the arranger keyboard when composing contemporary songs - pop, blues and country and would like to get away from the "cheesy" dated styles on the i3. Would the Korg PA80 meet my needs? Any advice would be appreciated!

Jane,
If you have been reading these posts you know that there are alot of opinions as to which is the best. If you are coming from the i3 and it's the styles you are mostly interested in, I'm surprised you are not also adding the Solton X1 in your options. In my opinion, the X1 is still tops in styles, followed by the 9000pro and the PA80 tied for second. The Yamaha and the Korg are both very different. The Korg has very good styles but you might find them to similar to your i3 (as all Korg i series keyboards have very similar styles) and you might find the Yamaha styles a little bland after playing Korg. All in all, it's the Solton styles that my customers prefer. If I had to choose between the two you mention, you will find the yamaha much easier to use. The button pushing to get to style, sounds, effects, etc. is much more user friendly than the Korg, but then the Korg is much less expensive. If you need a really good feeling keyboard with 76 keys go for the Yamaha. My first choice...........Solton X1.
George Kaye

Hi George,
may I ask you why are you advising the X1 and not the SD1?
Do you think that the SD1 has still "youth" problems waiting to be corrected, is the X1 a better value for the money or....?
Thanks
Andrea

Hi all.
It's never too simple to choose if you want to
change for another brand.
As you can see by most of the posts,it's a lot
meanings about what's the best or not.
Also there is different ways to do things such
as make rhythm patterns,edit voices etc.
As I see it,most every brand have things that are
better than the other and oposite way,so at
the end it's what you need and want who matters most.
There are a lot of things to compare,but the
main thing most be: Follow your heart and ears and
look for options you really need and want to have
I think you should try out several keyboards
too see what options who match your needs before
you take the final action.
In example,if the internal styles and sound is the
no.1 thing for you,well focus on that.
If the "battle" is only between Korg ang Yamaha,
then it's maybe more easy,or......
....if you have the same problem as I do,
then it's the bankaccount who is the boss

GJ

PS. I hope you'll be very happy with the
choise you'll going to take.


[This message has been edited by Gunnar Jonny (edited 07-08-2001).]

Jane........I have also been a Korg i3 & i30 user for the past 6 years. I now have a Roland EM2000 which I like very much. I had the opportunity to play around with the PA80 at a Keyboard Festival for a week and I thought it to be very good, but if you call the Styles Cheesy on the i3 you are basically getting the same thing on the PA80.........Don't forget to look at the Roland VA7 or VA76 they have a lot to offer for the price.

Graham UK

Jane states that she would like to get away from the "cheesy dated styles of the i3". In suggesting the X1, I am suggesting the keyboard I think has the best styles first, and at a less expensive price than the SD1. I also think that most players would still rather have an internal pair of speakers rather than not any. I also didn't see that 76 keys was an issue since the i3 is the same size as the X1 (although there are no speakers in the i3).
Also, the suggestion that the SD1 has replaced the X1 or that Ketron will stop "growing" the operating system of the X1 is just not the case. I've said this before....these two keyboards are different and are part of the Ketron Line. Just becasue the X1 has been out for 2 years now, it does not make it an obsolete product. It is still and will continue to be a top notch keyboard. What has happened recently is that the price has dropped a bit so that the SD1 and the X1 would not be at exactly the same price. Most companys, including Roland and Yamaha will restructure their price points after a product has been in the market for awhile and as other products come out. Let me use the Roland JV1080 as an example. We've had these out now for several years and when the JV2080 came out the price was reduced by approx. 20% and when the XV3080 was introduced last year, the price was reduced again. This is still a current sounding product used by most studios but the price needed adjusting to accomodate other newer released products and by no means was this product not up to the current standards.It is still currently in the Roland price list for July, 2001. Another example I often use for my sales staff is that just because something has been around my store for awhile, it doesn't mean that this is not going to be the best product for someone walking in the store. It's so easy for salespeople to get all hung up on the latest and greatest products and forget about the models that are still displayed on the sales floor. I understand the excitment over new products, but this doesn't make models introduced a year or two ago undisireable. If the product sounds great and the price is competitive, I always tell the guys to remember not to just demonstrate this new latest one and try to remember the customers needs and wants. When you are in sales and you've spent months showing certain models, it because exciting to move on to the newest one. However, that person walking into a store for the first time since buying a keyboard 6 years ago, would think any keyboard you show them would be fantastic. I hope this helps explain a few things and why I try to listen to what a customer's needs are rather than just getting excited over the newest model.
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, California

George,
thank you for your reply.
Jane, if you are interested in Roland keyboards, here is a link to my website; I am not a professional musician and so listening to the kind of music people like you make maybe can help you in your decision. If you are looking for "non cheesy" styles check out the song "More"; it was the first song I have ever recorded and actually right now I am a bit ashamed of it, but it'is useful to listen to a cool VA7 style called "Scat swing". The sounds are 99,9% Roland; just on "Dock of the bay" there are a couple of sounds from my Yamaha SY 99.
Hope this helps. http://www.andrearotolo.tripod.com/dreamer/

Hi George, Thank you for responding to my question. I did try out the SD1 and was very impressed. So far, the two dealers I've been to don't seem to be discounting this keyboard as much as the other two, and the price is a factor for me. No one has the X1 in stock thus far in my search. In addition to the korg i3 I have a digitech vocalist (also 6 years old) which I use to do backup harmonies on songs. How would you rate the various keyboards' vocalizers in terms of quality? Does the SD1 have a good one? Jane

Thanks to everyone who replied to my question. This is my first visit to a chat room to seek advice. Your insights were all very helpful and I realize now that I need to look at some other keyboards too before I make a decision. The search continues!

Jane,
Where do you live? I'm surprised that the dealers with the SD1 keyboards donot have the X1 as well.
The vocalists inside the X1, SD1 and Yamaha 9000pro are great. I also sell the Digitech vocal harmonizer add on boxes but now most musicians are using the vocal harmonizers inside these new keyboards.
George Kaye