I agree with you on those sounds.They do sound really good on S910.When it came out I almost bought one,but I hated keybed on it.
Maybe out of all Yamaha keyboards S910 is the best choice for the money.Especially now.I think 950 is overpriced.

But,still we can't compare these to pa3x.First of all these Yamaha are not even professional keyboards.

Comparing a Yamaha PSR s910 with a Korg PA3X. What a joke

Mikimiki,

What, exactly, constitutes a professional keyboard? There are folks on this and other forums that make a damned good living performing with Yamaha's PSR series and have done so for decades. Same is true for many, many other brands and models. The individuals that use them are professional in every aspect of the musical entertainment field. So, what defines a professional? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Professional Obviously, not the price of the keyboard.

Cheers,

Gary

'Professional' usually refers to the TOTL. Probably more a cost description than capabilities. After all, if you use the term for the MOTL and below, what term do you use for the TOTL? 'maestro'? 'Upper Management'? 'Superstar'? LOL

One 'professional' feature missing conspicuously from the PSR series is a sampler.

Then there is build quality. Something that USED to mean something until we all got too frail to lift a well built piece of kit!

I think that I tend to agree that the Korg's lead sounds, particularly the SA (DNC) type ones still have a ways to go to equal Yamaha. But, OTOH, their arranger sound, particularly how punchy and live the drums sound (without needing backing tracks!) leaves the Yamaha PSR's in the dust. I guess it depends on your priorities. Me, I figure I can probably finagle a less than stellar lead sound to sound good simply by what I play on it. But if the rhythm section don't groove, don't sound like they are live, not much I can do about THAT!

I have to confess, the more I read about the PA600, the more I am impressed, particularly at the price. I could care less about a harmonizer (and if I did care, I'd be using a VoiceLive or something that sounds good, not the wanky ones built in to most arrangers), and at considerably less than a PSR, this seems like quite the deal.

Most of the korg arranger buyers (until recently ) are mid east or east EU players or most of their set is Smf playback or used in studio/live with the band using korg's superior edit functions.

On the other hand , if you play more 4/4 music , more western pop,rock,simplicity and non generic nature of simple styles (8/16/ballades , not rap or funk), yammy will make it easier.

Once you start using Styles as a major part of your gig, people start to have frustration with lack of styles (korg/Roland) compared to Yamaha .not to mention horror stories about trying conversions and bad results.

Yamaha - hardware not so good,look/ more styles out there/ better solo voices (SA to DNC), drums -weak but workable if you are a singer ,,simpler to use,easier to sound good/ make you sound good right now !(not after editing/manipulations)/more generic styles that fits MANY SONGS (compared to Korg -more song specific and hard to use the same style in other song- you'll notice after you bought the KB and start working,since styles are not as easy to get as Yammy,too late for you to return)
.other thing that I forgot to mention is SMF style mix in Yamaha (load a crappy drummed Smf,replace the drum track with arranger thrum track-your ROCK Smf will have reggae beat in no time).
Korg- relatively better hardware and looking(IMO ), better editing, overall punchier sound,better sequencer, not as good RH sounds compared to some SA ,relatively last longer ( no wheel/pot/jack problems after 2-3 years)



Again we are talking IN GENERAL.Korg has better file system,songbook,drums/bass,VH,hardware and But Yamaha is easier flow /better 3rd party support and better solo voices.

Korg us the way to go if you want A kb to sequence,studio,live playback or with a band,with moderate arranger work.

Yamaha if your gig is more arranger (western music) oriented.

Very well said!

Most if not all mid east or east EU players remove all the intern styles of their Korg and replace them with their own styles. The factory styles in a Korg PA arranger are very western orientated and less repetitive then the Yamaha styles.

With the new PA600 you can also buy Country specific expansion packs for example the musikant version of the PA3X.
http://www.korg.de/nc/news/news-uebersicht/datum/2012/09/03/pa600-musikant-lokalisierung.html

Not repeatative/16 bar styles with minor fill in the end.
Song specific style like - Latin rock - Santana's Smooth,a dance style with Billie jean bass in the whole variation one or a like is the problem.

Especially with older styles with ac 2 or 3 making unnecessary riffs make a style less repeatative but more noticeable by the audience if you want to use the same style in different songs.you can of course mute it but becomes a problem if the ac 1 - eg 4/4 piano chords makes a small riff at end of the 8th or 16th bar.new styles are getting better including fills .korg used to have more complicated/less repeatative approach but it unfortunately worked against them .starting from pa 800/500/2x you'll see they have added siMpler/ relative more repetitive styles ,simpler fills to fit more generic songs.All legacy styles I series /pa 80/60/50 styles had the same problem (some of them are still there in 3x/600).Yes you can wipe them all and replace them all but professionally written styles are still not enough in quantity there fully because of the the relatively newer addition of new fills/ break and only 2 gen of new pa series was introduced in nearly 10 years (pa 1x -2003, pa3x /600-now).

Historically since TOTL korgs have sampler or sample playback function , preference of joystick instead of wheels they were the choice for mid east/east eu musicians since Yamaha wasnt up there.(remember failure of Psr A series against late I series or pa 80- quality,function and local 3rd party support wise).
I hope and am sure more 3rd party style will grow for korg because of price point (pa600) made quality/features.

I'm typing from iPhone so sorry for spelling,etc.

PA3X has SO many useable styles that I've only had to stretch a little for just a few that I needed. They were easy to find or make. Some styles are song specific, but most can be used for a wide variety of songs.
I agree that Yamaha has the edge in solo sounds, but to me, that's about where it ends. Features I enjoy more on the PA3X include drums, bass, styles, vocal processor/harmonizer, mixer, songbook, touch screen, build quality, facility for dedicated (yet lightweight) foot controller, XLR input, tons of programmable slider/buttons/switches, chord sequencer, effects strip, and I'm certain I'm leaving out stuff.
I'm very happy with my Korg, but it is not the PA600 of course, so it would be an unfair comparison to PSRS950. It WOULD be a fair comparison to Tyros 4. On T4, I prefer the screen (would be better if it were touch), ability to audition new styles easier, and many of the lead sounds.
There's also a long history of free upgrades that Korg usually does and the periodic release of FREE new styles.
Easy choice for me!
Having said all this, I could happily work with any of the current totl arrangers, or even motl.
My plan is to get an S950 for my backup keyboard, if I don't change my mind before they are available.
I spent today tweaking my PA3X, making a few more songbook entries, experimenting with some of the many setups in the Performance banks, etc. I have barely scratched the surface of its capabilities!
DonM

That's the beauty of these arrangers, Don...I spent all evening doing a special style based on the T4's Ethereal Movie style...it is for a beautiful piece by Henry Mancini called "Theme From The Thornbirds"...it has a sort of Celtic flavor and I use the SA2 Irish Pipes, and SA2 Celtic Violin.

I also did a slow ballad arrangement of Glen Campbell/Jimmy Webb's "Galveston"...what a great tune.

Today's arrangers are limited only by our imaginations.

Ian

PS...Still didn't get my demo S950...probably not till at least December.