That's cool, buddy...but I really prefer Yamaha's approach...until they can get a touch screen to provide tactile feedback, I hope Yamaha stays with the staus quo.

Ian

Ian thanx for the review it will help people get closer to their choices & decisions by reading these posts.

Keyboards are a lot like mobile phones. If you've been used to Ericsson for the last twenty years, it's hard to switch to Nokia, no matter how much better an individual model might be.

I've played nothing but Roland from the earliest days of the E-20. I went through an E-30, an E-70 and an E-86, which I settled on for years.

I bought a Tyros, played with it for a few months, and sold it. Couldn't get on with it.

Having auditioned all the current crop of arrangers, and with money no object, I've bought an E-80 this week. You can post lists of specs as long as this page about how much better the Tyros 1, 2, 3 or whatever is, but for someone used to Roland - especially live - only a Roland will do.

Just my two cents...


[This message has been edited by Seamaster (edited 07-15-2008).]

Exactly! We all know what WE want to hear when we play an instrument.

In my case, the G70 did not give it to me...the sound of Yamaha is not only what I am used to...but the reason why I play one in the first place.

To each his/her own.

Ian

Hi Seamaster

As you tried all the top Arrangers, what was your impression of the Bohm and Wersi Arrangers, as most uses that hear and play them live, usually quite like them.

Curious

Bill

I did briefly consider the new Wersi Apollo, which - had it actually been available to view anywhere - might have got an audition. But I'm afraid as an ex-Wersi organ player the woeful reliability and support of Wersi products, not to mention the recurrent bankruptcy of the company, pretty much rules them out for me. Sorry and all that.

Hi Seamaster
Your views are understandable, (And have been mentioned by others) as they went into decline in the 90s, (After the 1st Bankruptcy) however with the release of the OAS instruments (And moving from Win 98 to XP) reliability has not been much of a problem, (Mainly the odd software bug and users messing with the Windows installation, (And then complaining bitterly when it stops working correctly)) the new owners are also more progressive then the old ones. (However they could still do better)
I am surprised you were thinking of the Apollo, as that only comes as an organ, not as an arranger, (The Abacus and Ikarus are the arranger models) it also uses OAS Light rather then OAS 7. (My preference)
Anyway enjoy your E80, as like all TOTL boards it is an excellent instrument to use and play.
Regards

Bill

Precisely, Ian. And, in fact, it points out the need to qualify any recommendation with either a 'go listen to one first', or at least an acknowledgment of the TYPE of sound each of us prefers, before we evangelize our own particular choice as a generic 'must-have' for all others...

If you ask me, there's FAR too much 'buy what I have' on this forum, with seldom an explanation as to WHY... or even an earnest try at understanding what the asker actually needs or wants. There is so much choice, and some of it radically different from each other, and so many different needs and tastes, it sometimes seems that it really would be a fluke if what 'I' use really would be what 'you' need

My point was more about what I would call the "operating personality" of the instrument, rather than the sounds.

I think we all accept that ALL the high-end keyboards sound superb these days. But if you're a player used to the way a Roland keyboard "works" (and at its most fundamental level this has hardly changed since the first E's of the late eighties), it doesn't matter how much better the pianos or the guitars are on a Yamaha or Korg are. All that accumulated interaction with the Roland way of of doing things is a very powerful draw to another Roland.

It's certainly why, for all my brief flirtations with other brands over the years, I always end up back with an E.