Diki, you've no doubt heard the expression "straw that broke the camel's back?" A measly 5 or 10 lbs? That ain't measly, Diki. Have you ever done progressive weight training? If so, you know that 2 lbs can make a big difference. At some point adding only one lb. will make a lift impossible.

The difference between your G70 and my E60 is 18 lbs. That's huge. (And I wish the E60 were lighter, it kicks my ass at age 71 even without using a case and using the vertical method you describe)

As far as I have heard, there's little difference in the sound quality of the two, so that's no argument. and the E60 is far from unstable on the stand. it does lack the "extras" like mic input, harmonizer, multipedal controller capability, drawbars..
but none of those are essentials to me. I'd like to have them, but not for 18 lbs more.

I'm selling some of my vintage saxes (one went today)that i no longer play. I think I'll take a flyer on the M50, I'm sure the piano sound will be inferior to the E60 but
that's not so critical if gives me other advantages, plus it's about 8-9 lbs lighter.
I can afford to splurge on the higher-end M3 when i sell another horn, but at 36 lbs, no thanks. The m50 will do just fine.

I use Ev sx-100 spkr(s) and a 20-lb Behringer
5-ch powered mixer. They sound great and they are lightweight. For small rooms I use
one little 12-lb Roland cube monitor, and leave the Ev/mixer home. sounds good enough,
would sound fuller on my big rig..but I don't care, It sounds good enough, it's my'
performance that's more important than my rig. You of all people know this, to hear
you talk like a rig-fetishist is crazy.

But i have no objection to you carrying heavier loads if you feel what the heavier equipment offers is well worth the trade-off..just please stop objecting to others making the weight trade-off on the opposite side to your choice, especially when they don't think they are really trading off a lot of quality to gain lighter weight. There is room for both opinions, and both are valid, so please stop giving "permission" to those who are actually feeble but at the same time implying they will sound like crap compared to your rig. And please stop the "in your face" arguments re weight with
those of us who are not feeble, but find the
weight an important consideration, and nothing "measly" about it, and are not willing to concede that if they went heavier, it would make all that difference in the quality of what they present.
Most importantly, as you have agreed with me in the past, great players sound great on any equipment, and lousy players sound lousy.
That's not to say everyone shouldn't have the best equipment possible, just that if it's going to stress them out re the weight, it's not that big a deal. The fact you can handle it well means you are in great shape
(plus very attached to your G70 for good reasons) but you are not everyone else, and
can't always sit in judgment of others..no matter how right you think you are.


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Miami Mo

Weight was never an issue with my Pa2xpro, I found it totally manageable. My old G70 in the Gator case was like wrestling with a bear. But when I switched to the s910 I was surprised how much easier it is move it and fit either in my small SUV or even in my Hyundai Sonata.

I do my share of manual labor around my home and have no trouble hoisting an old wood ladder and climbing 30 feet to the roof for minor repairs or for the annual cleaning leaves out of the gutters. But when i work a gig I don't want to work that hard transporting equipment.



[This message has been edited by Stephenm52 (edited 06-01-2010).]

Ian, I know that......Just look at me as the G70's corner man in a boxing bout..

I can't think of a "bad" arranger in today's market...some just fit better for different folks...


Miami Mo....I really don't have a problem carrying heavier gear...I guess I am use to physical chores..

There is one observation...I notice that I will use a Rock N Roller to haul my G70 and Cube amps.....a pretty easy adventure..

but, when I use say my Prelude (under 20 pounds , but with the case(bag) and the laptop and mixer, etc...it weighs more like 40 pounds..and also the 29 pound BA330...guess what? I find myself carrying the equipment by hand (since they are so much lighter)... ....and I am using more energy hauling my "light" set up....

So really it isn't the equipment weight at all....it is how smart we haul the gear..

Mo, believe me there is a big difference in the sounds between many of the G70/E60 boards...I was fortunate to own both at the same time and A/B'd them extensively...As much as I loved the E60 as an alternative..yet compatible with the G70...Picking the G70 over the E60 is a no brain-er...for me..

BTW: I have a weekend gig coming up..I need to haul my gear up 2 flights of steel steps...2 of the last 3 years, I have used my G70 and Cube amps..there was no "SMART" way to haul up them steps..

That's right...I am carrying by hand my Prelude and BA330...up those steps this year...

I am working on a way to get up those steps..

I just hope you'll be able to get back down those steps...

Fran,
i can't imagine that the E60 sounds I use: ep, bass, piano, jazz organ, vibes, jazz gtr, scat vocals, spanish gtr, and which sound really excellent, will sound so much better on a G70 as to make me play better music or reach my audience any better. not 18 pounds better. maybe you use a ton more sounds and styles(i have very limited need of styles, i only use bass/drum or just bass or just drum) and therefore you find some significant differences. and i don't lift, i use cart for spkrs/head and folding hand truck for kbd, so it's not about smart moving technique. i can't deal with 46 lbs in even a very limited way. call me a wimp, an old fart or whatever--and except for you and Diki, there are few here that opt for more weight just because they might like a certain rig. they opt for less weight and getting as close as possible on the sound etc..because nothing is giving BAD sound today, and it's not the sound quality of the rig that makes the music, so OPTIMUM
sound is cool, but it's a marginal utility as they say in economics. You just don't need it to sound good. One iota of playing better is worth 10 iotas of improved rig.

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Miami Mo

[This message has been edited by keysvocalssax (edited 06-01-2010).]

[This message has been edited by keysvocalssax (edited 06-01-2010).]

I have Tyros 1 which I keep as a backup, I use the G70 for all my gigs both live with manual bass and as an arranger.
I feel overall it is a professional looking and sounding arranger. It does not have all the styles I would like and I'm gradually building up a stock of my type of styles. I did not feel good about taking the Tyros out to a gig as I feel it is basically a home keyboard and does not look professional for a paying job..
I think from day one we are all hungry for more/better sounds but realistically we never had so much sounds in our lives. Anyway we usually end up playing the same 7 or 8 sounds we like regardless.
The G70 is heavy yes but to me it is a good sounding professional keyboard and the weight issue would be the last issue that would come to my mind.

Frank

Then why aren't you toting around a Hammond B3 and a Rhodes?

Wow nice subject, sound verse weight. Being older then most I would like to take a different view of this subject. If I were not carry the equipment
I would want the best of the best sound I could get. I carried a Fender twin guitar amp with special speakers well over 50 lbs. and a PA system with tall columns and helped with a large Leslie speaker. But ---- there is always a price!

We are not all built the same, for those who are well built with a strong body, great, but for those who struggle with the weight there will be a price to pay. Here in Florida there are many older musicians who will testify to that. When asked if they would do it the same way almost all say no.

I feel the question of weight verses sound should include all factors health or future health should be considered.

IMHO, John C.