If you haven't figured it out, workstations are PROFESSIONAL keyboards, arrangers are HOME keyboards. Professional workstations need to be better built because they are used harder and moved around a lot. I don't think that but I believe that the companies do.

Tom

Curiously, Ian, I have always had the impression that if one thing is 'superior' to another, then the lesser thing IS 'poor' in comparison.

Spin it all you want, it doesn't make this FACT any different. We are being ripped off, and having to 'bear' it. Only a sh*tstorm of protest from those being ripped off will do anything to change the matter... And it seems all too obvious that those with the most to gain are the least interested in making waves lest their precious self-perceived superiority take a tarnishing.

Whatever componentry Yamaha uses has no impact on the sound and OS of the S900, Ian... You can still lord it over the rest of us even if Yamaha make the thing as well built as their WS's. And then finally you'll be able to crow high quality construction, too

Instead of making excuses for 'home' construction that only Yamaha stoop to for arrangers. There are more WS's in homes than there are arrangers. I simply don't think your point is correct... apart from what the complacent market is willing to 'bear'.

One is very very good, the other is very good.

Ian

The Yamaha 3000 I had (for two days), compared to ANY Roland, Korg or Solton/Ketron, appeared to be of far inferior build quality. Add regularly planned, forced obsolesence in the form of new "improved" models. That's why Yamaha and particularly the PSR series Yamahas are nothing I want to fool with.

Subjectively, the Yamaha arranger sounds are also inferior to many others, at least for my needs.

Please see "FOR MY NEEDS". If you like the Yamaha line, GO FOR IT! It's just not for me.


So there!

Russ

Diki you're right. There's no excuse for it and yes the arranger players have been getting ripped off for years. It's obvious the arranger makers still target the older (well aged crowd) who are always willing to pony up the dough.

Supporters can cry HOME KEYBOARD all they want.., but tell me what excuses TOTL arrangers having construction quality associated with the home market. There's no justification for a 61 key pro arranger to cost MORE than the pro 61 key workstation and be built like a home keyboard. It's not always Yamaha ripping the consumer off either with the TOTL arranger prices. They ALL do it and until people stand up and start bitching to them about it they'll continue to do it for years to come.

What really bothers me about this forum sometimes is that those who perform seem to forget that for every pro performer on this board there's probably 10 home players. Not everyone performs and $3500-$4000 is A LOT of money to the home player. These younger kids DO like and WANT arrangers. They're just REALLY SMART today and know well enough they're being ripped off when they can get a full 88 key pro workstation for less.

It's not just arrangers either. Same thing goes for pro workstations. HUGE NUMBER OF HOME PLAYERS WITH PRO WORKSTATIONS.

All the makers know that the pros are using their mid and upper end arrangers for pro use.., but they'll continue to build them for home use and charge you well over the cost of a pro workstation and do this until people say enough is enough. A Yamaha Tyros 3 costs more ($400 more) than a fully weighted 88 key Motif XS8. It's just as bad with the other makers.., but they at least offer 76 keys in that high end price range.

[This message has been edited by squeak_D (edited 05-14-2009).]

ripped off? hahahahahah yea right...
take a 1600.00 arranger and make 1000's of times your investment with it ......and thats a rip off....?

Donny.., thank you you've PROVED my point. You're a performer. You need to remember that home players outnumber performers by a large margin. You're looking at it from a performers position. Put yourself on the home players side for once.

That's great if you perform and can see a return on your investment. Just keep in mind that's YOU and I'm willing to bet that if you stopped peforming it would't take you long to realize how arranger players do get ripped off on the high end and mid end (in terms of construction) and prices compared to the semi pro and pro workstation market.

Plus.., I agree that the $1,600 price tag isn't so bad (even though you can still get a semi-pro workstation that's built better for less).., but $1,600 ain't too bad. When you get up into the price range of say a PA-800 and other arrangers that cost more and are built to the same quality of a home keyboard.., well there it's clearly unbalanced.

[This message has been edited by squeak_D (edited 05-14-2009).]

I'm very happy with my PSR-S900...inexpensive, great OS, superb SA and Mega sounds(exclusive to Yamaha) and very light and portable....nice responsive action, too.

And Donny, you're right...the investment to profit ratio is better than any other arranger, and if you're in this business to make good money and still have excellent performance from a keyboard, you can't go wrong with the S900.

Best "bang for the buck" of any arranger.

But one hardly needs my opinion on the matter. The market has spoken loud and clear...S900 rules big time!

Ian

Exactly Ian...I've had them all just about... but nothing comes close to the bang for the buck that Yamaha gives you in an arranger KB in a Mid or TOTl ......I've performed for thousands of gigs with the psr 9000, 2k, 3k, s900, Tyros 1,2, & thankfully never had a problem...
that my friends is Quality.Not to mention third party support beyond the call of duty.

Yep....the third party support is awesome...and when you think of it, $1600 is small change for an instrument that can make you mucho denaro every night....pays for itself in no time, and the rest is pure profit.

Home players don't seem to mind spending the bucks on TOTL home keyboards like the Tyros3, the G70 or even the PA-800...most are retired with the need for an interesting and productive hobby...music is ideal.

Ian