For those that have played/heard both, what do you think? If the 910 actually sounds as good as the T2 I may be interested enough to work around some of the things I know I would lose.

I know this is a very subjective thing. I remember people stating the PSR3000 sounded exactly like the Tyros 1 and that someone couldn't tell the difference in sound between the PSR3000 and the Tyros 2, which of course, there is a major difference, especially with the sounds I like to use.

But, at least some kind of a feel between the 910 and Tyros 2 would be great to see what you think so far.

[This message has been edited by Scott Langholff (edited 09-30-2009).]

I'd rather compare it to T3, T2 can be compared with S900, not S910.

Hi

Have you heard/played them both through the same speakers?

I'm refering to sound quality. I know the PSR3000 does not sound as good as a Tyros 1. I've got one sitting right here. I have not heard an S900, but I have been told by reliable people with ears that the Tyros 2 does in fact sound better that the S900.

I am reading that the S900 sounds better than the PSR3000 and that the S910 has better sound quality than the S900.

Now I'm wondering if the sound quality of the S910 has come close to sounding as rich as the Tyros 2.

The Tyros 3 and S910 has many voices and styles that are the same, or close. But I will eat my hat when a current PSR has the EXACT sonic quality of the current TOTL and for a couple thousand less




[This message has been edited by Scott Langholff (edited 10-01-2009).]

Scott,
I heard this being said so often. When I played the Psr3000 along side of a S900 many said there was very little difference -- I heard a big difference, the S900 was alive compared to.

S910 compared to a Tyros 2 may have some of the same features but the over all sound has to be different. Because they differ in price I would find it hard to think that Yamaha made them equal in sound quality.

But --- knowing you Scott there will be no true satisfaction until you have the top-of-the-line Tyros 3. I have one and I think it's great, it covers all my needs and more.
John C.

lol

Thanx John

I wonder if any Tyros 2 owner had the chance to hear both: the S910 and the tyros 2 side by side. Maybe some Musical Store owner could tell us if they have both in their store.

Scott,
I would miss the aftertouch too much...hey...just get a T3 and be done with it?

Lee S.

PS we have sold our cottage, now were moving AGAIN! :-)

I have to agree with the others about going for the T3, at least in your case, Scott.

As well as the aftertouch, you'd probably miss being able to stack three voices in the right hand, as you do quite a bit of Swing and Big Band.

Contrary to many people, I prefer the S900/S910 to the Tyros2/3, especially for gigging, and also for just playing.

I like a nice light action, and don't really use three voices...I play much more simply.

The S910's new screen is a real gem, nevertheless, and I like it's basic simplicity...no hard drive needed, built in speakers, and it has my favorite T2 and T3 sounds....I'm already assembling and editing styles for it.

But, I digress...the Tyros3 might be best for your needs.

Good luck,

Ian

Telmo, With any luck I may have the opportunity on Friday to compare my s910 to a Tyros2. If I do I'll get back to you.

Amazing how easy some of us find it to spend someone ELSE'S money!

Here's Scott trying to find out about the sound quality of a $1700 arranger, and some are simply saying 'Get the $3700 arranger'...

I know, from having them next to each other, that MOTL and TOTL Roland arrangers playing ostensibly the exact same patch, exact same style do NOT sound the same. I think a fair bit of it was better D/A converters, along with more sound ROM, allowing for longer samples before the loop, and maybe better quality effects sections (this was a G1000 next to a G600).

It would help Scott a LOT more if someone were as willing to be as objective about Yamaha arrangers, and do an unbiased critique of sheer sound quality playing the same named patch and style, rather than simply suggest forking out an extra $2000 without so much as a TRY at comparison...

Compare as much as you want, but it will surprice me big time if
Yamaha (or anyone else) release a mid range model that match the
top of the range models for tousands of dollars less. If so, it
most be compared to the other brands they comete against, not
their own models.
Even if compare to the the "past generation" such as Tyros2, it
would be a kind of shoot it's own leg. Yamaha still want to gain
profit as well as keep a certain distance between the model range.
It's simply a matter of business.

Cheers
GJ

Yep...it would be simple if a person had both a Tyros2 and an S910 side by side.

Gunnar, it's not simply a question of the sound quality that makes for the price difference. T2 has more sounds, effects, a sampler, more parts, aftertouch, and many many other things that can justify a price difference. We are simply talking about ONE issue... is there a noticeable tone QUALITY difference between the two?

They have many sounds in common, it would be interesting to find out, when playing IDENTICAL patches (at least by name!), through the same EQ and effects settings (or even better would be to turn those off for a more naked look at tone quality) whether they are discernibly different. After all, many of us can do without a sampler, aftertouch, more keyboard Parts and many of the other things that distinguish the Tyros line. If even ONLY the sound quality is the same, an S910 might be a VERY affordable alternative to a $4k T3

No matter how I dressed up my Pontiac sedan, and I did, I added everything I could think of both inside and out, it never rode like my friends Caddy which was two years older.

You can compare features and find the + and – of each keyboard but when that’s done I feel the flagship models have a better overall sound. – (Which important to me) This is why they call it their flagship model, it puts them in the upper class.

I sold my Tyros 2 to a local friend -- then I got my s900, it was great I liked everything about it especially the overall sound. After a month or two passed I decided to go to the Hilton Hotel where my friend was playing, I wanted to know how he was doing with the Tyros2. If you are a decent musician it normally takes about 15 seconds to decide you have made a mistake. When I walked the room I knew I made a mistake. We both have the same amplifying system and he was using my settings. The Tyros 2 sounded great. And so this story ends with a Tyros 3 in my home.

If dollars are an issue skip the above.

John C.

One more thought;
If you take away all the variables like amps and settings do you really think that a staff of paid professionals in the larger companies go out of their way to make a second level keyboard sound as good as their top-of-the-line model?

To some they may compare because they hear with their own ears.
(Which is not wrong, just is.)

John C.

Since Scott has a Tyros2, it would be to his benefit to take it to a music store that has the S910, and, using headphones, he can A/B the two instruments to his own satisfaction.

The Tyros3 sounds different than the Tyros2, otherwise I could use the former to compare voices with the S910.

I can say the SA Jazz Rotary, and SA Rock Rotary sound pretty darn close to the Tyros3's...I'm not sure if the Tyros2 had those voices.

For gigging, the S900 and/or the S910 are terrific, but as I said earlier, Scott is used to having three voices layered in the right hand...the S-910 can only do two.

That might be a deal breaker.

Also, if you're used to having aftertouch to control sounds, the Tyros2 has it...the S910 does not.

From online demos that I have heard, I would say that the S910 compares pretty favorably to the T2. It has essentially the same amount of voices, maybe 15 less. There are no T2 styles that, when loaded into the S910, have a voice or OTS missing.

Soundwise, the S910 has the advantage of the new style format which makes the guitars strum more realistically.

The T2 has the advantages of 1) aftertouch, 2) 3 part layering, 3) more dsps, and 4) aftermarket samples

The T3, on the other hand, has so many additional voices that I don't think the S910 can compare with it. Us PSR lovers will have to wait three years to get a David that can take on the T3 Goliath. By then, there will be a Tyros 4 - which many are hoping will have an improved equalizer and really live sounding drums and even more Mega and S.A. voices.

Beakybird

[This message has been edited by Beakybird (edited 10-12-2009).]

Thanks for the input so far. Keep it coming. Yes, I'm wanting to know how the 910 compares to the T2 in the best way a person reasonably can, realizing that everyone hears a little different and uses them differently.

And yes, I could consider the T3. Or another T2 as far as that goes. I have to get straight in my head what I am wanting vs what's available. Right now, it's a bit up in the air, but until I can try a 910 or T3 this sharing of ideas is a big help.

On the T3, I'm thinking I will love it, although I saw someone post that it has an overall different sound and they happened to like the sound of the T2 better.

I also am not pleased with what they did with the reg mem buttons. I use them to switch back and forth between horn sections quickly, sometimes only playing a beat or two with one preset and switch back and forth with the other horn sections I have set up in the reg mem buttons. People go ape over this effect. I commonly have people, including those that hire me walk around, (and sometimes groups of people will circle me) to see what the I'm doing, to see how I can do that and to see if I'm actually playing. I love the response and kind of chuckle as I see them shaking their heads in kind of disbelief.

I hope the next generation if Yamaha thinks there is enough people that actually want and actually use the drawbars, which I think is minimal at best, I hope if they keep them they put them up and to the left of the screen. I hope they are listening!

Scott

Hi Beakybird

I am thinking you wanted to say that the T2 styles and ots all worked on the 910??

Uh, yeah, that's what I wanted to say.

Hey, Scott, could you post a demo of that effect you're talking about with the horns that people go ape over.

Beakybird

Scott,

The PSR-S910 sounds more like the Tyros2 than the T3 (only natural, I guess).

I was one who liked the Tyros2's sound better than the Tyros3...it sounds "sweeter" to me.

The S910 has the registration buttons in the middle (so did the S900).

I'm very pleased with the S910...as Beaky says, it plays all the Tyros2 styles, and even some of the T3 styles (with a bit of tweaking).

HI Beakybird

I don't know if I have anything recorded in finished form right now. When I get a chance, in my spare time, haha, I'll post something.

The only thing about the ots being the same I just happened to realize is that it would be 2 rather than 3 layered voices when it applies.

See now, this kind of info is what's got me a thinkin' Especially considering who the poster is.

I like the idea of it being very slightly smaller. Doesn't seem like much though and appears I'd still have to use the same size case. A little lighter is good. Speakers could be nice. Key feel doesn't make much difference to me. Only thing is the sonic quality close enough to my personal likes and would I be ok with only 2 layered voices and no after touch? The layering of voices and after touch can make a major difference on effect and inflection, which to me, can make or break the final outcome.

T3, clarinet, jazz guitar, guitar comping voicing, and maybe cocktail piano sound appealing.

Is there anyplace where there is a good recording of this new guitar voicing comping that I can hear?

The other thing that has crossed my mind as I get another year older past the age of 21 How feasible is it to pay that much money for a keyboard and drag it around etc. I think they are getting a little goofy in their thinking for pricing.

The other thing is, at a typical gig, with the sound bouncing around the room, being soaked up by the crowd etc, how much can any little difference in sound be perceived by anyone, assuming the sounds are at least getting kind of close?

Just thinking out loud

Scott,

As you mentioned, in your initial post, the sound of an instrument, to each individual, is subjective, hence the different camps for Roland, Korg, Casio etc.

As Diki has mentioned, there is a lot more to the Tyros3(and Tyros2) than just higher quality sounds...3 voice layering and aftertouch being only two.

My favorite sounding arranger was the PSR-8000; I owned a pair of them, both kept up to the latest OS systems, but the lack of four variation styles finally made me switch to a PSR-2000 (of which I bought two) and from then on, I used MOTL arrangers for gigging and personal use.

Using an MOTL arranger isn't the burden it used to be, and it also has many advantages, only one of them being cost.

Certainly, the S910 does not approach the overall quality of a Tyros2/3, but it is close enough for my needs, and, again, I like the simplicity of not needing (or worrying about) an internal HD, and of course, having the built in speakers is very convenient.

I went with the S910, rather than buy my sample S900, to stay current with the new style format...all my old styles work fine, and I've still not explored the multitude I have I have on my laptop....plus, I'll be using the new guitar format to edit my present most used styles.

I don't miss three voice layering, I actually prefer the lighter action, and the sound is very, very good...especially if I make sure I use high quality speakers in stereo.

Ultimately, you must A/B the two instruments in question for yourself.

When I went from the PSR-8000 to the 2K it was an adjustment, but the benefits outweighed any negatives, in my case.

Yours may be different.

Good luck, my friend.

[This message has been edited by ianmcnll (edited 10-13-2009).]

All this talk Scott doesn't mean anything...this is a case of YOU have to go out and play these keyboards & PERSONALY listen for yourself to determine whats right for you simple as that. You have been playing & selling KB's long enough to know what YOU need...the word subjective doesn't even begin to clarify how different each one of us perceives sound.....I personally wouldn't listen to anyone here or anywhere because in this game only YOU can be the Judge of the Court of NEEDS.... these newer arrangers are easily accessible with a little effort I'm sure you can find them both and make an educated decision after playing them. Have fun & good luck.