I noticed it for about $1000, how does it compare to the other arranger keyboards in its price range and the more expensive boards?

Thanks in advance!

Hello

Do you need 76 keys? If so, I would strongly consider getting a Yamaha DGX505 instead for almost half the money. Why? It sounds better, is easier to operate and has a lot of support on the internet.

If you don't need 76 keys and you want to spend around $1000, then I suggest the PSR2000 for around $600-700, a PSR2100 $700-1000 or shop for a good price on a PSR3000.

In the long run if you need 76 keys I suggest the DGX505, if 61 keys is ok and you don't mind spending just a little more,get a PSR3000. I guarantee you'll be a happy camper.

These are my opinions from my playing and teaching experience and also being in music retail since 1976. Sound is very subjective, so try to find a way to test drive the one(s) that you are interested in. Many places will give you 30 to 45 days to return. This way you'll know for sure which one YOU like the best.

Scott Langholff
www.ScottLMusic.com

[This message has been edited by Scott Langholff (edited 04-02-2005).]

[This message has been edited by Scott Langholff (edited 04-02-2005).]

Shop around for the EXR7, it gets really cheap, especially if you trust ebay.

Phil

Hi, there is another option in it's price range, the Korg PA50 (for around $995.00), it's user interface is not as friendly, but as you learned,(ask Don Mason and UD) is a great arranger, more "pro" features, like you can have 48 user styles, and also reads styles direct from floppy without loading, while in the lower price (is almost unfair to compare) you need to load ONE style at the time, (and is not easy, unlike the higher end PSRs), also only has 2 variations, one intro/ending vs. 2 and 4 variations in the PA 50.....perhaps you can twist the arm of a dealer, the slowest selling PSR1500 for about the same price of the PA50....you can get 3 intros/endings, 4 variations, user friendly interface, and almost forgot, you get a 16 track secuencer in the PA50 adn PSR1500 and only 5 tracks in the DGX. Hope it helps, this is my opinion, I been playing professionaly since 1969 and in the retail since 1980.

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mdorantes

Scott suggested the DGX505 if you need 76 keys, but actually it's the DGX305 which has 76 keys. The DGX505 has 88 keys.
I sell both the Yamaha and the EXR7 and because of price I sell more of the Yamaha's but I personally like the EXR7 alot for many reasons. First, the EXR7 has a 16 track sequencer to record your own songs and the DGX can only record 6 tracks. Next, there is a section in the styles called "flash" memory where you can store about 100 of your favorite styles taken from the internet or any style disk available. The EXR7 features both a floppy disk drive and USB. I also like the cover band feature on the EXR7. You can play a style and with the touch of one of 5 buttons you can change all the voices associated with a particular genre of music. And, you can also do this while playing a midifile. I also think the acoustic piano sound in the EXR7 is a warmer piano then many of the lower priced models. As to the user interface, both the DGX and EXR7 are about the same in learning how to use.
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, California

And EXR-7 have a far better key feel.
And EXR-7 keys are standard size, while Yamaha keys are smaller.
But you can't edit styles into EXR-7.

hmm thanks for the comments so far...very imformative,,

Ill give a bit more info on my playing style...I do need 76 keys, I play live and use the lh for the bass quite a bit.. I don't make or edit patches or really mess with the preset sounds but I do make recordings using the sequencer sometimes. and I love! using the intros/endings,and variations features. plus its important to have registration banks where I can just hit a button and instantly swith to the next patch/drum setup for live performances..

Thanks in advance..

I own the EXR-7, so if you have any questions I can (hopefully) answer them.
It seems like the EXR-7 should fit you right, except one thing:
There's only one variation of each style (1 intro, 1 ending, 2 variations of the "main" part).
The registration banks are not really "one button press away" but they're pretty easy to call up.
Other than that I can't see why the EXR-7 shouldn't be perfect. The sounds are good, the keys are good and the sequencer is also good (and very easy to use).

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Robert.

I would highly suggest getting an EXR-3 from Sweetwater for only $495.

for 1000$ nothing beats PA 50.period.

I have to agree with jamman. For $1000 you could get a Korg PA-50 or a Yamaha PSR-1500. You could even get a Korg Triton LE for that price.

Squeak

But none of these have 76 keys and
Timo1 says he wants 76 keys. Only the EXR7, for under $1000.00 and 3 lower priced Yamaha keyboards have the 76 keys and the right price range.
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, California

Timo1,
If possible try it out with an external sound system or headphones. I think it would sound great with a 50 - 100 watts 2.1 sound system. The accoustic piano on the Roland has more volume then the Yamaha's. Where as the Yamaha's need to be cranked to half-way, the Roland would be at a quarter for the same volume level. I find the EXR-7 is brighter then Yamaha pianos.
Painkiller,
Did you ever try your EXR-7 with an external soundsystem.

this stuff is a new revelation to me. I watched a demo on the English roland
site of the exr7... then checked again here and boom a light went on! Arranger keyboards ah!

Ive been using a casio wk 1800 and still luv it because it saves my preset sounds in banks for performance, has a intro/a/b/ and ending with drums/orch...easily splits, can adjust volume on the fly quickly, just easy to use live and sounds pretty good through an amp...

My impression the few times when I went to look at keyboards over the last few years.. expensive ones like was was hmm $1500-$2500? no registration banks? no drums? on orchestrated sounds??? I like my cheap casio or yamaha better for what I need live ... Until...couple days ago..and through these boards I realized... wohoo same features as cheaper yamahaa and casio but done better.. much better... wohooo!

2-4 intros/ 4 a sections/ multiple endings hehe sweet!

I spent about 3 hours last night on the demos, I was going to post that the pa 50 sounds kinda blew me away until I went and listened to the yamaha 3000, which knocked me over..why dont they make a 76 key version of these!!

the exr sounded very good but i would agree with most the sounds on the others were better... for me I like real sounding instruments which with the yamaha, it blew me away ...(horns and nylon guitar expecially) but still $1500, also I know the skill of person creating the demo etc plays into this. I need to try these out extensively and keep reading here before making any decision.. alhoto it sounds like one only ones with 76 keys are the exr or one of the less expensive yamaha dbx's.

but thanks synth zone board members nice to know what arranger boards are now ... hehe kinda of turbo charged department store casio or yamahas...luv it!