OK. Brief update. After several days with the instrument, I am very happy that I have upgraded from T2. Marked improvement in everything. Better sounds, better user interface, better styles. Now the limiting factor is my imagination and my playing skills. I only wish that this upgrade did not cost me as much but I do realize how much $$$ it takes to R&D and produce an instrument of this caliber. I guess you gotta pay to play (pun intended).

Barty,

Your two last sentences are spot on, particularly the R&D, you won't get a KB that sounds like the T4 any cheaper, Yamaha know what the market will stand and what people will pay, enjoy your T4.


Tony

Yamaha, IMO, put a whole different level of investment into their styles than just about any other manufacturer. I honestly think this is the dividing difference between them and the others. In all fairness, hardware and sounds alone (no content), other arrangers are comparable (some of their sounds better Yamaha, some sounds Yamaha better them, etc.).

But with the styles, Yamaha leverage what they DO have to better effect. I wish more arranger manufacturers realized this. Only about 50% of the product is the hardware and sounds. At LEAST 50% is how good the styles are programmed. There are altogether too many arrangers where, when you get them OOTB, you have to go 'Why did they do THAT?! That string line is WAY too loud/busy/bright (or whatever it is)... who OK'd this?' and then you spend months undoing the laziness of the quality control.

Arrangers are about CONTENT. I've said it all along. Anyone that skimps on that part is doomed.