Hi all,

I've only had the T3 since Feb and I have to admit to feeling a little bit dissapointed that Yamaha could be bringing out a replacement to the T3 where it would potentially be discontinued.

However, in some ways it may to be all bad.

The way I see it is this: If Yamaha want to try and introduce Audio instruments in their styles, they you're looking at a completely new keyboard which I think then could be less backwards compatible than the T3. One of the fantastic things I like about the T3 is how great it plays the other stuff so well right down to the PSR8000, this has been important because in my experience of owning other boards (Korg, Ketron & Gem), the older styles (and midi's) didn't sound right and most of the time required major reworking, not so with the T3 (so far), this was another reason why I didn't always like changing boards because of this fact.

So then, if the "T4" will become an Audya beater, I would think it will be a totally new Yamaha experience deviating from the Tyros tradition and thus unlikely to be easily backwards compatible (or at least to what it is now). If that would be the case, I wouldn't want one anyway.

Or..

If the T4 is just going to have reworked factory styles including maybe a few more, new SA sounds and maybe some more minor tweaks here and there (more memory and so on), then would it be worth upgrading at all?

I just find it hard to understand why an update so early is necessary.

Just my opinion.

Hi Danny
According to the YPKO forum, Yamaha is introducing a brand new keyboard at the upcoming Pakefield Festival in September, however whether this is a T3 replacement is unknown.

Adding Audio Styles does not mean getting rid of the old style system. (The Audya has both so as to maintain compatibility with styles from earlier instruments)

Each instrument has a characteristic sound, and if you play the same sound style on different instruments they will always sound different, (A Yamaha Piano sounds different to a Steinway Piano even if you play it the same) if they didn’t there would not be any point in making them.

Personal preference will determine what is best for you.

Bill

If the new keyboard being introduced at the upcoming Pakefield Festival is not a T3 replacement what could it be? Here is another thought... a portable organ perhaps? The Tyros line has organ voices of course but maybe this new beast will be an exclusive organ 'only' keyboard in a portable package and with possibly style rhythm backing tracks as an accompaniment tool?

Now you got me going Bill. Maybe a "dual" manual organ to boot?? Like Clavia's C2 only with accompaniment?

On the other hand, the mostly old fogies at Pakefield would be hard pressed to "carry" anything around (except maybe their wallets perhaps) so another possibility is it could be a rather heavy arranger (possibly dual manual) that sits on its own stand to place in one's house where you set it and forget it... no portability to speak of.

I honestly feel it won't be a Tyros3 replacement since the normal "three" year Tyros cycle is still one and a half years away roughly at the same time when the new "CVP" line shows up at the end of 2011.

So don't get too excited folks. Unless you don't mind the prospect of a 300 plus pound dual manual arranger beast with its own stand and costing upwards of $7,000 (£4,583.00) that is.

All the best,
Mike

Rumor has it ........dump what you have for a good price now before T4 come to market if your interested in upgrading....before the price drops drastically on T3,T2,S900,S910 also.....
big changes are coming from Yamaha.

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Dnj Rumor has it ........dump what you have for a good price now before T4 come to market if your interested in upgrading....before the price drops drastically on T3,T2,S900,S910 also.....
big changes are coming from Yamaha.

____________________________________________

And thats just it DNJ, rumor, why when Yammy have been able to convince every buyer from Orig Tyros to T3 would Yamaha change the format so drastically??

I would expect changes in the sequencer, prob the polythony and more styles and sounds along with SA voices, but apart from that I can't see them changing a winning formula for the pro section of us here.

After all thats precicely why the M1 section of Yamaha have kept the best drums and basses from the home keyboard market, its like they dont want to be tainted with them for some reason. So it will be interesting yes, but don't hold your breath for major differences from T3 to whatever, and I cant see the Mi section getting together in bed with keyboards for the home market, as they think it's beneath them.

Those bells and whistles!!
http://www.thelonearrangers.com/lounge-off-topic-discussions/689-why-tyros-4-better.html

Randy

just the fact that everyone is now anticipating and talking about it all over the world shows you the power in sales of TYROS......
T4 will be the best selling unit yet for Yamaha ....just wait and see..

Interesting update on YPKO forum
http://www.yamahapkowner.com/forum/index.php?topic=25424.msg252965;topicseen#msg252965

I think for all the "hoopla' and "hype"..the Tyros3 ...flopped...

Look how many Yamaha owners said .."no way" I will keep my old Tyros or PSR...and also look at how many Tyros 3 owners..literally as Donny says "dumped" their keyboard...

Reality is checking in....folks aren't as "dumb as they use to be"...a Goldie Hawn quote...

One of the reasons it may have flopped is the astronomical price Yamaha wants for it. Reality sets in when they want people to pay upwards of five Grand i.e. up to $5,000.00 for a keyboard that probably costs Yamaha $1,000 max to build. Yamaha has assembly line tactics and construction down to a science thus eliminating cost overruns but Yamaha is still making them in Japan currently thus high labor charges are being passed on to consumers unfortunately.

If Yamaha ever decided to make the Tyros series in China again I think the price could be substantially reduced as a result in my opinion. Instead of a Tyros 3/4 costing MSRP $4,599.00 (plus tax) as it stands currently, Yamaha could theoretically drop the price down to around $3,599 instead most likely. Japan's notoriously high labor costs (plus Yamaha's own greed sorry to say) is killing people's desire and incentive to buy Yammie's astronomically priced high-end keyboards if you ask me.

Korg, on the other hand, has been able to keep the Pa2xPRO's cost down to acceptable levels and I think a big reason for that is they are a much smaller company than Yamaha and as such they have to be more competitively driven to stay in the game as a major keyboard marketing force and company. And consumers win as a result.

Yamaha, on the other hand, puts the ultra high cost "bait" in front of you and is in no hurry for you to bite the baited hook and/or for them to reel you in once they have devoured your once hard earned cash. In other words, take it or leave it - we're still "king of the hill" and we'll do "whatever it is we want to" in the meantime. But with an attitude like that I could envision more and more people looking elsewhere for their high-end arranger keyboard needs. Although most likely NOT in the direction of Ketron either of course. Except perhaps for the few, the rich, the gullible?? We need to revolt against these ultra high prices that, in my opinion, they try to gouge consumers with. If we don't, they will continue to keep selling them at higher and higher prices to us until we do... 'nuff said. >> I'm sure Yamaha will now begin to bend over backwards to try and please us right? Oh!... how I wish it were true!

All the best,
Mike

PS: I so looonnnnggggg for the days of Tyros "1" fame! I paid roughly $2,499 for my Tyros in 2003. A little over 5 years later the cost for a Tyros3 had essentially DOUBLED when you factor in the tax - for basically the SAME keyboard with slightly better sound realism?? Who would have thunk!