Donny,
The S950 will be a really nice keyboard for folks who say owned the PSR3000 and really liked it - which I did. But, if you have been an avid Tyros 4 player it is just not going to sound like the T4 - I have them side by side and believe me - they are not the same tool. I don't sing so I don't care about the vocal harmonizer and I don't need sampling tools etc. I wish Yamaha would have made this one without the speakers and it would have been even lighter.Deane
I can relate to your findings, Deane, and, like you had said earlier in the thread, you wouldn't buy the S950 mainly for the Audio Drum styles, and neither would I.
I also agree it doesn't have the power or detail of the Tyros4, but it is still far more than just adequate...I'd have no problems whatever doing a whole night of playing with it.
I don't sing either, although I do use the Vocal Harmonizer for other purposes ( I sometimes run a mono synth through it), and, if I hadn't been able to get a Tyros4, I know I would have been very content with the older
PSR-S910, which I feel is an awesome little arranger, with all the tools I'd ever need...all the necessary SA sounds, all kinds of styles available for it...John Smies was right when he said that it (or the similar S900) would be a great partner with a Korg PA-600.
Plus, the S910 is very light, and, from my experience with clients, very reliable. I played one through two Bose L1 (not the Compacts) and it sounded awesome!
Still, the Tyros4 has that certain extra quality not possible with the MOTL instruments, and I am very grateful I was able to get, and use, one, as I like to hear the best sound possible for my music.
Because of previous surgeries, I am not supposed to lift anything too heavy, and, also fortunately, the Tyros4, at about 32 lbs, just squeaks by under my limit of 35 lbs., but I can relate to your feelings of being limited...it can be frustrating. At least you can still gig!
Good luck with the Korg PA-600...it appears to be a great little keyboard.
Ian