Since I have retired and no longer play professionally I am trying to select the best for my own pleasure. Only home use. I enjoy Big Band, Latin, classical, editing styles and sequencing. I really enjoyed the Technics KN 7000 but time moves on. I had a Tyros 2 and now a Yamaha S900.

Which will do the best for me – Yamaha, Korg or Roland. (The top models)

Thanks in advance, John C.

If its for casual / home use, definitely use a Yamaha. (I have the T2 and Pa2x) I've been bashing Yamaha lately for the lame T3 update, but IMO there's no question it is the best keyboard for home use.

I advise you to wait some time to see if Roland catches up with a new model, the G-70 (or E-80) are somewhat outdated in respect to the new Pa2x or T3, try out all models for some hours and pick up the one you like the most. As always it's a matter of personal taste, (sounds, styles, key feel, etc.), I for example, using keyboards only at home not being a professional player, always had Roland keyboards (starting from G-800, then G-1000 and therafter G-70, with a biref VA-7 appearence in my home in the middle), because I liked the touch and feel of the 76 keys keybed. In fact I got the VA-7 after the G-1000 for its sounds and styles, but returned it quickly for its 61 keybed I didn't like.
I am a friend of a local dealer that allows me to pick up a keyboard and try it out at home for some days, so I had the opportunity to try out some, like Ketron SD1, Tyros, PA1x, and always was uncomfortable with these, specially Yamaha, I was never able to make them "sounds good" for my ears.
Last one I tried was the PA2XPro and it impressed me much, if Roland does not come out with a new impressive model in a few months I think my home will have a new Korg presence.... :-)

[This message has been edited by mrdave (edited 09-07-2008).]

This question John can only be answered BY YOU ALONE! You have to go out find these KB's and play them....use YOUR OWN ears not to be swayed by what you read here .....
Your own playing experience & YOUR OWN EARS will make you a happy buyer/player. All of these TOTL units can be configured & tweaked to sound fantastic if you have the talent to do so......Dont get caught up in the mine is better then yours posts.

Good luck

[This message has been edited by Dnj (edited 09-07-2008).]

Excellent post Donny--right on the money!

Gary

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Travlin' Easy

And don't be influenced by any of the 'pro's vs. 'home' player rubbish so often spouted here. There are pros that play little different from home players, and there are home players that can play better than most pros, and there seems to be little consensus about what is the appropriate keyboard for either...

YOU are the only one that can make this decision for yourself. And only after careful comparison.

BTW, don't get waylaid by the debate about MP3's vs. live audition rubbish. Only those who's favorite manufacturer makes the WORST demos has any issue with MP3 demos. All of the Big3's MP3 demos are VERY representative of the sound you can get from these great arrangers, so if you can't actually get to play a G70/E80, or a PA2Xpro, or even a T3/2, trust me, you can at least take THEIR demos to be pretty representative.

OS features and the actual FEEL of the keyboard and controls, well, yes, you DO need to spend a bit of time with the keyboard to judge those, but the sound of demos is only an issue for those keyboards that magically, somehow even their manufacturers can't make them sound very good. You'll have to be the judge of whether this is important or not...

Pretty much universally here, you'll tend to get the advice 'Get what I have got', without all that much consideration for what you need, your skill level, sonic preferences, etc..
We ALL think that we alone (along with those who have the same arranger) have made the right decision

We can't ALL be right Except for us alone. Make your OWN mind up on this one. Ask all the technical questions you want, but in the end, try them yourself if you can, and decide for yourself...

This is a point I keep trying to make. None of the "Big 3" make a keyboard that sounds anything less than excellent. But only one of them has a user interface with which I am instantly at home. I don't think this factor ever gets enough airtime in the "It's The Newest So Must Be The Best" spats that rage here.

Donny says it very well!!!

John in the last 15 months I have owned the Tyros2, G70, PA800 and Pa2xPro. Everyone of these keyboards have strong points. At times I wish I had back the G70, sometimes the Tyros2. imho, I rate them all as number one keyboards. It's just a matter of finding one that has the slight edge. For now for my use that seems to be the PA2xPro. I do tend to agree to Chony, Yamaha maybe the way to go for home. At least I use a Clavinova CVP 307 for home use. Good luck on whatever you decide to purchase.

First – Thank you for all the replies, you are always willing to help, nice.

I’m at home playing and I wish to record 1st playing live and then do some multi recording tracks. Which keyboard is the best for this job, or is an outside program the best way to go. I do have Sonar.

On the KN7000 I could bring the tracks I wanted to edit in piano roll or in staff form. Any changes I wanted to make in styles, volume, tempo, transposing and vocal settings I would place in a registration memory. Then go to step time and insert the registration in a control track of the sequence. I could also do the with the drum fills.

It is not an easy job finding a top keyboard or trying to understand the features without having it at home.

Any thoughts are really welcome, John c.