So, if you have an average player (left hand chords, single finger melody) on a Yamaha E-213, and you compare that performance with the same player on a T4 the results are not better, and more pleasing??
I think he/she will sound a hell of a lot better on the T4.

As to stereo vs mono...I would NEVER use Mono on a arranger keyboard, or even a synth. I tried the Kurzweil K2600 once mono...sounded like crap...then to quality stereo monitors...WOW..

Well Leeboy thats you,Ian and me all the rest are happy to play in Mono, I could turn off one of my hearing aids and see what it sounds like rather that buy a Bose L1, it would be much cheaper.

Cheers Leeboy.

In the case of the Tyros4 and other Yamaha arrangers (S910/S900/3000) it isn't the fault of the mono Bose system...the latter does exactly as advertised, and is an excellent system for the single performer.

The fault (if you could call it that) lies with Yamaha's way of stereo sampling...using L/Mono out doesn't cut it for stereo sounds like piano, electric piano, or effects like delay and rotary speaker. If I plug my Tyros4's L/Mono into one of my Yamaha MS60S powered speakers, the sound is thin and one dimensional to my ears, no different than one Bose L1....with two speakers, of either brand, in stereo, it is a world of difference.

A friend of mine has a Kurz K2600 and it is always amped in stereo...he got the same results as you when he played it in mono...he's using a Traynor K4. http://www.traynoramps.com/products.asp?type=1&cat=57&id=340

We must realize, that Yamaha arrangers are primarily for home use, and 99% of users will plug their keyboard into their home stereo.

BTW a synth would have to go a long way in bettering those Kurzweil Strings.

Ian

Hi Leeboy,

Of course the results would be more pleasing. I'm just saying if you put a great player on a modest instrument, he or she will sound good. Put a poor player behind a fantastic instrument and miricles aren't going to happen.


I recently meet a very nice older man who owns a PSR S 910. He lacks some very basic musicianship. He wants to up grade to a Tyros 4. I think his money would be better spent on lessons, perhaps some siminars or what not. I do not know him well enough to tell him this and of course it's his money. Perhaps growing as a musician is not as important to him as owning the TOTL gear. Whatever makes you happy...

This, of course, is the backbone of marketing by manufacturers. Sell the customer on the fact that if he or she buys the latest and greatest it will somehow elevate their playing skills several levels. And, as you say, there are those who HAVE to have the latest thing.

Amateur, Pro, or Semi-Pro, you'll sound better with a two speaker/stereo setup on a Yamaha arranger. I really don't know how anyone could argue that one output is better than two for a keyboard that was originally sampled in stereo, although I'm not sure anyone here is actually arguing that point. They are happy with the single output, for whatever reason, so be it.

So Tony, I'm with ya mate...you, Scott, Ian, Lee, and me, that's enough for a basketball team. We can call ourselves the Arranger DualOuts, and our games will be broadcast in Stereo!

LOL! Perhaps you could have dual nets to shoot at.

Well,
For one Why would anyone go Mono? We left that behind many decades ago....There is no PAN position, no stereo strings, no leslie effect, and many instruments will not sound good etc. And the 'Presence' is not there, and no seperation of instruments, drums etc. The reason stereo was invented was to give a feel of being in front of a live band, orchestra ect.

And, I will tell you that in many cases a better instument WILL make you a better player...Why? because when you have better sounds you are more inspired, practice more and then get better skills as you go...personal experience for over 40 years!

Does a better instrument INSTANTLY make your skills better...of course not.

Hells Bells Dave,

This thread has gone around the houses to get to here, parrots day out at the seaside, mono -v- stereo, the study of sound frequencies, stereo parrots, standing or sitting at the KB, falling asleep at the KB, one legged ballerinas, Montunoman promotes the sales of multiple speakers on the Tyros 4, and finally the establishment and institution of the English language, but in the final analysis Dave I think the majority have come to the final conclusion, if it looks like a stereo KB, if it’s got Left & Right speaker sockets like a stereo KB, then it must be stereo KB and it was meant to be played in stereo like a stereo KB, if you want to drive only one side of your KB that’s OK.

Bose make some hellish good gear and no doubt the L1 Compact is good, it certainly cost enough, top dollar, its less for you to lug around , your audiences are not discerning enough to ever know the difference between mono and stereo, so you carry on , in the UK we have a saying “whatever floats your boat”.

Dave, I don’t think I will ever be able to hear the Bose L1 Compact it’s not something we would ever buy in the UK, we just zap them with a left and then a right.

This has been one of the most entertaining and informative threads for a while, thanks for starting it UD.



Regards

Tony

Interesting discussion...

As a user of a single L1, with my T2 I hear a different sort of feedback from my clients.

First let me say that several times this year I've run everything through a stereo system with two 15's up on poles and yes, it was heaven. To be swaddled in such a soft, cozy bed of musical delight is awesome. How much or how far away that effect reached my audience, is up for debate.

I survey my clients several times a year on my services, including the quality of how I sound. I hear two things consistently.

1) The Bose L1 system sounds incredible...

2) I've got the cleanest, most powerful sound of anyone who comes around...

I know for a fact there are other acts in my area who use stereo systems, so I'm curious why that doesn't elevate them above my basic sound quality? It could be a number of things including how the system is EQ-ed, how the instruments, especially keyboards are EQ-ed, the quality of the stereo system itself, playing ability, etc. I'm also told I'm by far the loudest performer with my volume, but haven't been told to turn it down in a long time.

I miss the gorgeous stereo panning when I use the L1, but to me, its a different kind of good. When I asked the clients directly would they prefer I bring in a stereo PA, they usually say something like "Whatever it is your doing now sounds awesome, why change?" If I could get the same quality out of a pair of 10's I might consider going back, but I've never heard 10's that I liked very much.

I'm with everyone who feels stereo is the way to go, but I maintain a mono system properly set up, with instruments properly set up, can sound very, very good. I know there's a big difference to my ears, but for the most part, the difference may stop there.