I think weight and size together are important. I can lug a 50 lb amp if it's fairly square and well-balanced, but a 60 lb G-70 in a case was another story for me. It was bulky and awkward and added time and discomfort to my setup. I still miss the G-70, I've bought and sold two and could probably be talked into a third for warm weather, but overall the bulky weight was more than I wanted to handle. With my heart condition and all the meds I take, my strength and stamina aren't what they used to be. So today, if i can find something smaller and lighter that will do the same job as something bigger and heavier, I'm going with the lighter stuff.

Cassp, I definitely sympathize... when health conditions preclude the use of more weighty gear, of course you have to compromise. No doubt, some day in the future, I will get to a point where I can't lug the G70 and its' case around either. But at least when that happens, I HOPE I won't deny that I AM making a compromise...

Strangely, though, for me, lugging a small heavy amp around is MUCH harder on my back than the G70 in its' case. I dolly the G70 vertically, and getting it into any vehicle is simply a matter of standing it vertically next to the tailgate, leaning the case so that it rests on the bed, and tilting the bottom end up and sliding it in. At no point am I ever lifting the entire weight. But a combo amp, unless you have a ramp, at some point you are going to have to lift the thing in... all 60 lbs. of it

I also make a point of resting my G70's case on a couple of chairs (or anything else around that is convenient) to lift it out or put it back in. That way, I'm not bending down too far... A combination of leverage and being smart has meant I rarely ever exert myself moving the beast! Anyway, preferring to play at least with ONE other person has always meant that the load is shared! Just one more plus to musical collaboration!

Sorry about your health issues, but watch yourself with those amps! You might be lifting more than the old G70 was, if you are not careful...

The more compact, and lighter, gear also means being able to use a smaller, and more economical vehicle to carry it.

At one time, I needed a van, or a fairly big station wagon.

Now, my PSR-S910, my two powered speakers, my stand and bench, plus all the accessories, fit in my Honda Accord 4-door sedan...with room to spare, and no detrimental effect on the handling or performance whatsoever.

And, I have much better sound quality than the much heavier gear, of only a few years ago.

Ya gotta love the incredible advances in keyboard and speaker/amplifier technology.

I'd rather have compromised vehicle handling than compromised keyboard handling!

And I don't want to sound a bit better than a heavier keyboard from a few years ago. I want to sound as good as I can NOW... There's no way a contemporary MOTL arranger can make that claim. They are always trumped by the heavier TOTL ones.

Are they 'good enough'? Depends if 'good enough' doesn't have to be 'the best'. Lord knows, there's enough great players laying ten, fifteen, twenty year old gear, and sounding great. But most of them would sound better on the TOTL.

You've got great chops and taste on the MOTL, Ian. Love your demos. I just wish you would post some T3 stuff from time to time. Be great to hear what could be done if you weren't limited by the gear...

Hardly...my S910 has far better sounds than your older technology G-70...and much better styles as well.

All the G-70 has is a decent piano...the rest of the sounds are tired and old.

You can justify using old heavy gear if you try hard enough, but, I'm afraid it doesn't impress me one iota.

You are defending patent absurdity, Diki.

Quit while you're behind.

Ian

I could say the very same to you Diki...that G-70 sounds pretty tired compared to today's modern arrangers like the Tyros3 or an S910...and, if you really need 76 keys, there's always the Korg PA2XPro with those fresh and fancy DNC sounds.

If I felt I was limited by my S910, I'd be using something else...but, it does the job admirably for me, so it stays in my kit.

Ian

Thanks Ian for those last words. Diki, you shouldn't misunderstand my words to mean I am settling for something inferior to the G--70. I feel the S910 is equally as powerful, just from a different manufacturer.

Yeah!!!! Let me hear that "Scat" sound...

Seriously Ian..you so far from being correct..

Of course there are a few stellar sounds on the Yamaha...but across the board...The ancient G70...out performs and out-sounds it too....The XG bank of sounds still makes me want to throw up.. and I am not alone...more than one Yamaha owner has voiced discontent with the XG stuff..

Outdated sounds....is just nonsense... a piano sounds like in did a decade ago...so does a choir, guitars, Rhodes, and every other sound....If Roland started off with quality, full body samples ..there is no need to re do the sound banks....Now if you (Yamaha) sampled with the thin sample process they use....even the top models sound "dead".....There is a reason some boards sound LIVE and others uh CD like..

Don't trash my heavyweight champion...

I'm not going to argue with you Fran, as I know you love the G-70, and you think it's the best.

That's wonderful, but, I feel the S910 and of course, the incredible Tyros3, have the edge.

That's why I play these instruments...otherwise, I'd be forced to lug around a G-70, and thankfully, I don't have to.

Like you, I feel I have the best sounding arranger, and you won't convince me otherwise.

Ian