Stay tuned - I'm using the s950 tonight with the new HK system - I'll post a report when I get in!

I just spent some time with Dave, and his new toys..The Yamaha did sound decent...and the harmonizer sure is better than the older model...I still don't like the keybed..

The new sound system seems to have merit..sounds great..now to see how it works out with a audience..

Daves Korg PA3x looks to be gathering dust..

Where's Dave playing?
One of these days...I'm off on a road trip to the Philly area.

Damn, Uncle Dave! Thought you were going to do some Herbie Hancock from the post title...!

Good luck Dave.........!

I noticed on another post that Yamaha released an update for the s950....bug fixes...

There is an issue on the s950 that has to be attended to...No sustain for a lot of tones..especially strings...I am thinking that the sample is so short that Yamaha does not want strings to hold via pedal....maybe a loop problem?..

Do the string tones sustain with the pedal on Tyros4....if so maybe I could be close to accurate.

It would be nice if Yamaha allowed the option of going to a variation without a fill..it appears that a fill will always proceed the new variation...

Also most organs are recorded with a leslie active....not allowing an insert effect "leslie" properly used..The flute organ does allow this...I also did not see a ramp speed control for the lelie..

This was just a quick observation....by the way...did I mention how much I hate the keybed..

I have mixed feelings about the audio drums...it sounds like they were recorded with effects..and there are some annoying bass drums because of this...Too bad they did not allow for insert effects on audio drums instead of recorded processing..Overall the drums seem to sound better than previous models, but not there..yet...Audio drums have potential, if they change some recording methods..as in dry...on the negative, no way to balance audio drum kits...you get what you get...

Fran thanx for the review.....I hope they fix the bugs down the road......don't want them being an issue in the T5 also.....good observations...

Variation to Variation can be accomplished with or without a fill by using a dedicated "Auto fill-in on/off" panel switch...on the S950 it is to the immediate right of the OTS Link button.

You can also individually by-pass a fill by pressing the Variation button you want to go to twice quickly...very clever, and very useful.

Sustain characteristics for string voices vary...some (SA, Live!, Sweet!) are meant to decay slowly (fade) when held with a sustain pedal (infinite sustain with key held down), and others, mainly in the SA2 and GM/XG sections, have infinite hold when using a pedal. This also applies to various organ, brass, pads, synths and wind tones. Quite frankly, it is nice to have the choice.

Preset SA/Cool! organ sounds are usually programmed with slow rotary, (some also have very realistic Hammond style Chorus Vibrato) which can be changed to fast rotary by using the mod wheel. The drawbar samples (Organ Flutes section), however are recorded sans rotary and you can choose from several Leslie types as well as Normal and Vintage tone wheel simulation. Ramp speed is adjustable. Leslie types include those that used guitar amps (usually Marshall or Hiwatt) in place of the stock amplifier.

Other brand arrangers offer a similar setup.

It is hardly unusual to see OS updates to fix minor bugs and glitches...very few new instruments from the major arranger manufacturers (Korg and Yamaha)manage to get by without one or more OS upgrades...thankfully they are usually prompt in making them available.

Ian

I was about to address Fran's critique, but Ian beat me to it. It's hard to be familiar with a new product and how it works without spending more than a few minutes with it!
DonM

Don, you are right...I only spent about a half hour or so.....but these points were brought to my attention by Dave...and he has had it a while

Fran,
I have had my s950 for over a month - used it on about 8 gigs with absolutely now problems at all. The S950s with the problem were shipped 6 months ago to None USA places and they have been recalled and replaced by Yamaha. The S950s shipped to the US were shipped with v1.02. The v1.03 has been available now for over 4 months in Europe.

And yes Fran the auto fill can be turned off as Ian said.
Deane

It's sad when the only exercise some people get is jumping to conclusions...

Fran, I really don't think there's a solution to the reverb on audio drum parts. It's recorded into the loop (remember, these are entire loops, not time sliced like Ketron's). If it wasn't, and the kit was recorded bone dry, the only option would be to put reverb (from an insert, perhaps) on the entire loop, and one thing none of these arrangers do well is a decent drum room ambiance. Not to mention that the kick would tend to get too 'bloomy'.

In a perfect world, perhaps there would be TWO loops, one of the kit dry and one of the overheads and room mikes, and you could mix and match to taste, but odds are slim...

Anyway, the entire issue is moot... Ditching the whole bloody idea, and simply putting some well recorded KITS, with some 'air' sampled into them is the solution that makes Korg, Ketron and Roland's so superior to Yamaha's. Korg even allow you to vary the balance of the room mike samples separately from the dry drum...

I am amazed how utterly blind to this obvious, simple, and well tested method Yamaha are. They went to all this hassle and expense (not to mention, providing so few patterns it's a gimmick at best) all the while ignoring something they already HAVE. Korg, Roland and Ketron, back in the G1000 days all used the same system that Yamaha find themselves STILL in. Sterile, dry drum samples that you have to use a send effect to get any space around.

Korg, Ketron and Roland have moved on into the 21st century. Why do Yamaha still cling to their outdated method, and instead, provide a VERY flawed and marginally useful alternative? It's not like Yamaha don't know how to make great drum kits... their electronic drum it line is one of the best sounding out there. But it's like Yamaha have forbidden any cross pollination between divisions. Somehow, Roland don't seem to mind some of their V-Drums samples making their way over to the arranger division to improve things.

But Yamaha can't seem to realize this....

Shame.

Good points about the drums, Diki.

I see the Audio Drums didn't make it on Yamaha's new flagship piano based arranger, the recently introduced CVP-609, so it's anybody's guess that they'll even show up on the next Tyros.

Considering there were only 25 Audio Drum Styles out of the several hundred on the S950, I might even hazard a guess and say it just may be a feature confined to the mid-range arrangers...in any case, time will tell just where, and how far, Yamaha intends to take them.

In my own experience, with a few exceptions, the reaction has been very positive so far.

I am still waiting for my demo instrument...sales have been very brisk, and it seems that filling back orders has taken priority.

Ian

At least the s950 is black....vs the s910.

I love my silver Tyros4...I can safely say it is the best looking, nicest sounding, and most enjoyably playable arranger I have ever had the pleasure to own, and I've owned and/or played mostly everything except the Audya and the Korg PA-600.

Every time I sit down to play, I'm still impressed with the awesome SA/SA2 voices, and the drums/kits are perfect for my needs. I have oodles of great Yamaha Premium and third party styles, all my own older custom Frankenstyles sound even better when re-voiced with the Tyros4's sumptuous tones, and the new styles I create (assemble) can be injected with so much unique character.

Possibly my second choice for a Yamaha arranger would be an S910, and, if buying from another manufacturer, it would be the Korg PA3X (61 key); but, as it stands, I am a very happy and satisfied camper indeed.

One thing for certain, I am glad Korg stopped making blue arrangers...I thought that particular color made them cheap looking.

Ian

I loved my Blue Pa800 & Pa500 it really pops on stage & matches my Yamaha MG102CX ...
I can safely say they were some of the most innovative the best looking, nicest sounding, and most enjoyably playable arranger KB's I have ever had the pleasure to own, and I've owned and/or played mostly everything out there until I got the new KORG PA3x. This has taken my music up a notch with AWESOME sounding Music, Styles and Vocal Harmony, Songbook to a new level. It really inspires a musician to sit down and play. I'm glad Yamaha has finally made a black AS series unit to look more pro on stage also....Hope they continue with black if they ever make a T5.The audio styles I can do without. I don't think I will personally ever buy another Yamaha arranger KB again, but I wish everyone who has the new S950 good luck and enjoy what you play,....Merry Christmas to all!.

Same to you Donny...break a leg at your next Christmas gig!

It goes without saying that the currently available Korg, Yamaha and Ketron TOTL arrangers are all outstanding instruments (whether in black or silver color), and choice simply comes down to the player's personal idea of what constitutes the best sound/features for their needs.

Ketron were especially innovative with their great groundbreaking audio styles and, we mustn't forget AJ's hard work at boosting their performance.

Ian

PS...yes, Donny, we can be very grateful that the butt ugly blue PA-800/500 sounded much better than they looked.

KORG BLUE...

u·nique

Adjective
Being the only one of its kind; unlike anything else: "the situation was unique in modern politics"; "original and unique designs".

Noun
A unique person or thing.

Synonyms
singular - single - only - sole - unparalleled

Well, one thing I don't particularly like on the 950 is that the grey buttons on black background are hard to see. You MUST have lights shining on them in a club situation.
DonM

Best of both worlds....my pa500 Musikant..

If you're using that console I made for you have have lights for the keyboard.

Cheers,

Gary

Well, that's not something that can't be fixed in an update! Could you paint them white with a steady hand Don?
I think Yamaha R&D dropped the ball on this button design, as a home KB in their eyes theere is no problem,....but, use on a dimly lit stage scenario it is definitely a problem that would require carrying a light of some sought if needed, btw , does the S950 have a Display Light Dimmer?.....or maybe they could offer/sell players S series some kind of multi color rubberized slip cover option accessory set so you can make the buttons any color you wish to suit your needs,
I remember KETRON did this for the MidJay units, it was a great idea..?

Now, that's a great looking keyboard Sparky.

Much better than the butt ugly blue.

Plus, with that model, you get all kinds of extra styles and sounds.

Ian

All Korg MUSIKANT styles/Pa500 styles work flawlessly in both the Sharp & Unique BLUE PA500 or Musikant versions...and I must repeat both incorporate the fantastic "SONGBOOK" feature also.

Yes...I thought that was odd. The buttons have been moved on both the S-910 and S-950....but at least you can see them on the S-910
Eddie

I can understand Don's problem. The darker grey buttons on black may be hard for some to see.
(The lighter grey not so bad)

I would think the white text above each button would make the button color less relevant.

Getting back on topic, I wonder how Dave made out with his new combination of the YAMAHA S950 and Nano 300?

Ian

Yep..we are waiting with much anticipation.

I still found the labeling of some of the buttons on the S910 hard to read, even though the text was clear, it was also kind of small.

I always made sure I had good lighting at my gigs, although after getting used to the layout, it does become much less of a problem.

We used to joke about the big bright buttons on the Tyros models (they remind me of Hall's Cough Drops)...not any more. I LOVE THEM!

Ian

OK UD, lets hear it - the Good, the Bad and the Ugly. I'm growing weary reading all this speculative BS from old guys who want someone else to compensate for their age-related eyesight failure.

Has anyone noticed that the folks that seem to be doing the most whining about the S950 are the people who are NOT going to buy the keyboard - even it it had those features. DNJ always moaned about the silver color, saying ALL PRO KEYBOARDS should be black - then he bought a blue one. When Yamaha came out with the big, lighted buttons on the Tyros series, there were people that said they were too gaudy. Prior to that the same people complained the buttons were too small and needed to be lit with brighter lights - duh!

Hell, I'm living aboard my boat until mid April, and down in the sub-tropics where the humidity was so high last night there was water dripping from the tent-roof of the Tiki Bar where I performed. All my gear was damp from settling dew. I want Yamaha, Bose, TC Helicon, Acer, Quick-Loc and all my mic manufacturers to make their equipment hermetically sealed and nitrogen filled to prevent condensation. It should probably float too, so I can safely transport it on my inflatable dinghy. Oh, I also want a lifetime warranty that covers everything including beating on the keys with a ball-pean hammer - yeah, that's what we need - factory to grave coverage.

C'mon UD - we're waiting with baited breath for the report.

Gary

Gary, I think by the time Dave manages to work his way through these varied posts, he may be too tired to say much.

Do you know if the Nano 300 is stereo? It doesn't appear to be.

Ian

From the specs, it doesn't appear to be stereo unless you purchase an add on device and separate the satellite speakers. It sells for about $700 plus tax, which is not that much less than the Bose L1 Compact. And, Bose dealers have knocked $100 off the compact for a special sale, which makes them $899 plus tax. I'll stick with the Bose

Gary

Yes, Virginia - the nano IS stereo ... with no add-ons. The speaker poles are sold separately though. If you hook it up directly to the base unit, it will be mono.

Wow - THREE pages of responses to a review I haven't even GIVEN yet! That's too funny.

Thanx for waiting - I slept in ... not sure if the new setup had much to do with anything, but last night was one of my BEST ALL TIME (ok, I'll say it just this once ...) GIGS.
The crowd was attentive, I was on my game, the owner was in a particularly great mood, my dinner was fantastic ... what a great night, and the best part - I got to play ALL my favorite Christmas tunes in my jazzy, swing styles. I LOVE this time of year for music.

Before I tell you about the system - there was a Casio rep dining with us last night and he was impressed. I mentioned a few things that I thought Casio should be aware of for their R&D dept, and he seemed grateful for an "in the trenches" opinion. Namely, the Privia series sounds great, but develops very loud mechanical key-strike noise after a while ... I told him of a fix I found on You Tube and he seemed interested. Let's see if they address it. It was a fast and easy fix with just a simple addition of a piece of cloth under the keybed.

OK - on to the matters at hand:
First - the HK does sound very nice. It's smooth and balanced, and the separate control of the woofer volume is a very important and useful feature. The tone control is not as effective as I'd like, but it IS a subtle kind of "loudness" contour. The overall reaction from the room was favorable, but I noticed more presence from my Bose compact. The Nano is lovely in the sweet spot, but the pole mounted drivers do not cover the room as well as the Bose. Nothing ever does, but in a small setting ... you can get a very nice sound that works as well as larger systems, but in a much more compact package.

There's plenty of bass response, and the stereo separation was nice, although as I've said before - the majority of the room does not get the same benefit as I do from the seat in the center. The owner even commented that in front of me was a better sound than in other parts of the room The Bose always had the same coverage no matter where you sit.
The s950 gave me plenty of style-inspired motivation to create my Christmas mood, and I found myself going back early from breaks because I couldn't wait to play. I had a really, fun night. I love the 2 audio swing styles. I used them alot.

I have a few larger parties this week and I'm going to bring both the Nano and the Bose. I'll set that sweet spot close to my keys and put the Bose in a position to compliment the rest of the room coverage. It may be overkill, but I'm anxious to see how they work together.

One small issue with the speaker poles - the one that goes right into the bass unit tends to rotate with vibration, so the angle of attack changes - I'll try to wrap tape or something on the bottom of the pole to make a tighter fit, but it's not good if the angle changes mid-show. Anyone else have this issue?

I'm sure I'll think of more to post, but I have a house full of decorating to finish and I need to get to that. Overall, I'd give the Nano a Solid B+ and as of right now, it ranks a close second to my Bose for overall coverage and sound. I need to give it more tests to see if my option changes, but like I've said before - it would have to be amazing to make me stray from the Bose coverage and vocal ease of monitoring. The sound is very pleasant, but it IS directional. In a small setting, in the right placement - It's a great system for most scenarios.

What a nice feeling tho have to choose between two very cool systems to use. I am blessed with great gear, and great friends and family. Merry Christmas to all, and peace to those who celebrate a holiday in their own way.

This add-on device to make the Nano stereo, Gary...is it expensive?

Ian

Ian,
The unit has a mono/stereo switch, but if you connect the tops to the bottom in the cradle, you'll be in mono. To get stereo, you need to separate the satellites and use speaker wires. The speaker pole kit has the wires included and they all fit in a carry bag. The poles sell for $130

Thanks Dave...I'll be looking forward to more of your observations on comparing both systems.

I used the Bose Compacts in stereo, and also the L1 bigger system (also in stereo) and I was very impressed, to say the least.

I often have clients wondering what lightweight and portable sound systems are available.

Ian

In the GC writeups they talked about a kit, which I guess is the speaker pole kit, which they do not sell. That, apparently, was the add-on.

Dave, I want to hear more about the S950, all the good, bad, ugly, etc...

Cheers,

Gary

Gary,
The good and bad are pretty much what we already know about Yamaha, as for the ugly - that's gonna be tough. It's pretty now that it's black, and although the buttons are a little tough to see, I fixed that with some white nail polish.

So ... the good:
1. As always - Yamaha ease of use. Simple, graceful navigation of most menu items
2. Sounds are lovely, as are most in the current wave of arrangers (and tablets etc)
3. Styles are very practical and generic - easy to use in a variety of settings. I always liked that about Yammy styles
4. Bang for the buck - a Yamaha tradition, from motorcycles to clarinets and everywhere in between

the bad:
1. the key action. (still too mushy and short throw for my comfort) I know many like the soft feel, but it's more than that - even the $99 psrs have a stiffer spring in them .... I think this need addressing. Yamah felt that the Tyros deserved a better action - why not the psr lineup?
2. buttons are kind of camo in the dark
3. SMF player lets you select the "next" song without affecting the current one playing - the MP3 section goes right to the next song selected - confusing sometimes.
4. Time for a touch screen - everyone else is doing it - one of these days, I'm bound to put my finger right through the screen! lol
5. VH2 is WAY better than before, but still not up to the TC stuff. It better for LH chord triggers (as intended) but less than stellar in RH vocoder mode. Still, it's usable now for RH players like myself ... and anyone who likes to turn the effect on/off mid sylable. It used to hiccup with the footswitch, but they fixed that.
6. lacks a contrast control for viewing angle - not a deal breaker, but it can get annoying

the ugly:
if there IS an ugly ... it's just the flimsy, cheap plastic case. I expect it will not handle even the softest bumps without showing scratches.

Thanks old friend - that's what I was hoping to hear. Looks like I better not spend all my money on this trip. There's a 950 in my future when I get home in April.

Thanks again,

Gary

April????? You can have one shipped down TO ya now!
lol

Gary I have a great idea. Give me a call tomorrow.
DonM

What, what, what??????
Let us ALL know!

Gary did carol fly down to meet you for the holidays in MARATHON?....
should be a nice time Xmas in the tropics!!

IS Gary on "Christmas Island???"

Is DonM going to make Gary an "offer he can't refuse" ???

No, no, I'm hanging on to the 950 for a while. But I know where there's one for sale in Florida!
DonM

Hi Dave,
Can you compare and contrast the styles with PA 3x from the ARRANGER player point of view?

Carol will likely come down with my Daughter and grandson in early February (The boat's gonna' get crowded) and head home a couple weeks later. She likes the fact that I'm tied to a dock that she can easily step from to the boat, and of course, warm, winter weather.

Now, I thought seriously about buying a 950 and having it aboard the boat, but after the encounter with incredible humidity a few nights ago, it would never leave the boat until I got home. Of course, I would love to be playing it, even while aboard the boat. Everyone here wants me to play their outdoor parties at the marina, which are several times a week and don't pay. Keep in mind that living in Paradise isn't cheap - slip rent alone is $750 a month, plus 5-cents a gallon for fresh water, plus electricity. Even if you're out on a mooring ball, the tab is $300 a month. The only thing that is relatively inexpensive is cab fare - just $5 anywhere on the island.

Dave, the island is Marathon Key, Florida, which is just 40 miles above Key West. This particular island caters more to the older folks, a category of which I fit nicely. The entire island is about 3 miles long, it has an airport, with car rentals, many nite spots for performing musicians, most of which don't pay more than $100 to $150 for a 4-hour performance. Yep, the payscale in Paradise sucks as well. I'm told it's the same in Key West, too.

The other thing I quickly discovered down here is the so-called live bands, in contrast to OMB arranger keyboard entertainers, are by and large just loud and lousy. The vast majority of them consist of at least two guitar players, one group had someone using an M1, and all have singers/vocalists that can't carry a tune in a 5-gallon bucket. There are a lot of singles with beat-up, six-string guitars, old Crate amps, a mish-mash of mics that are used as hammers during the day and dress as if they're going out on a brick-laying job. Most wear some type of beat-up cowboy hat, look like they may have shaved sometime in the past month or two, and their dead time between songs ranged from 1 to 3 minutes. It was difficult for this Yankee boy to believe they were hired in the first place, but I guess there's no accounting for taste.

The audiences here vary in age from the mid 30s to late 70s, mainly folks in the 50+ category. Now, you would think that the bands would be catering to the older crowd, mainly because they made up the bulk of the audience, and they were not glued to their I-Phones every waking minute of the day and night. NO! Instead, the played to the younger set, with an occasional 50s, 60s, 70s song that you could actually understand the words to, and God forbid, even dance to.

So far, I've only performed 2 paying jobs during the past 2 weeks, and both locations said they would book me again for the entire time I was in Marathon. You just never know, though. As the old saying goes, "Talk is Cheap."

Just another fun day in Paradise,

Gary

Gary ... I can understand you playing for 'no pay' at these marina parties - as entertainers we would rather 'entertain' than not - it at least feeds the ego - - but do you at least make some $$ in tips???

But flashing boobs are part of your pay.

That's like throwing an anchor to a drowning man. What's he gonna do with it?
DonM

One of the younger flashers and her spouse just paid me a visit on the boat. They're really nice folks from the Galvaston, TX area and headed for the Bahamas on Wednesday if the weather cooperates. They really enjoyed the two performances I got paid for, total of 6 hour of playing for $200. Well, that will take care of a weeks slip rent.

I've been asked by the marina management to put on a Christmas Eve performance at the marina Tiki Hut, which is pretty large and at the end of the dock. The performance will be for tips only, mainly because the City of Marathon won't pay for anything unless they have a couple months to a year of advance notice, work orders, bids, etc..., usual government stuff.

Gotta' give DonM a call,

Gary

HA-HA He's harmless.


Gary has gone through 3 stages in life: Drinking from boobs, staring at boobs, and growing boobs.

OK - I had the Nano out 3 times this week for Holiday parties and here's what I've decided:

1st - it sounds great. It has lots of bass, and although they are very directional, the high end is smooth and even.
2nd - it's SO lightweight .... love the load-in.
3rd - it's priced right.

Now, for the down sides:

1st - It's TOO directional. The Bose fills the room so much better and makes vocal monitoring much better.
2nd - the poles and wires take longer to setup and breakdown than the Bose tower
3rd - The price is not enough of a factor to sway me away from the Compact.

so ... my decision?
I'm keeping the Bose in the rig. I knew it was a long shot for me to be turned from the good side of the force, and my initial reaction proved to be true - I'm a BoseMAN.

I'll entertain offers on this 100%mint Nano, but it'll most likely end up as a rehearsal PA in my home studio.
For local buyers - $750 takes it with the add-on Nano Pole kit.

Wow Dave that was quick, I didn't even get a chance to hear it ,.....the three downsides stated above I'll agree with even though I don't like the sound any of the Bose systems and I have used them all also,....anyway I'm sure it will fill a void for a Home PA in your studio..maybe one of the other HK audio systems would be a better fit. Good luck!

The above comparison was only for my direct Bose vs. Nano duel. If I were not a Boser, I'd probably love the Nano ... it just can't fill a room as well as the Bose can. (and I KNEW that, but I had to listen for myself)

Dave btw what ever happened to the QSC speakers?

Being a Bose addict and having owned many, many, many conventional sound systems over the past half century, I would be hard pressed to EVER go back to ANY conventional sound system. Thanks for the report, Dave.

Cheers,

Gary

We used our Bose L1 Mod.II with Tone Match last night in what you might describe as a very large and 'awkward' room for a Christmas party of 300+ guests. The ceiling height was in the region of 60 feet and from end to end around 250 feet. Width was uniform at around 60 feet, but the room was in the sahpe of a shallow 'V'.

We were positioned at the bottom of the 'V' with half of the audience at an oblique angle behind us. To look at it, you could see a sonic disaster. But we went through our sound check and, sure as ****, the Bose didn't disappoint.

We left the gains on the TM and on the Behringer mixer in their usual positions and, apart from some top/mid/bass tweaks on the mixer, we had the master volume up to the 1 o'clock mark (it's usually around the 10:30-11 o'clock mark).

That Bose just nailed it in all parts of the room all night long. Was I surprised? Yes and no. This room was way bigger than those we normally work, and for the first time really, we came to realise just how versatile this system is.

I'll stick with my Powered Mackies don't regret selling both Bose systems.....lack of mids is a problem.....enjoy what you play.....just not for my needs...

Tonight, I played a marina Christmas party, Tiki Hut, lots of folks with folding deck chairs, right next to Boot Key Harbor in beautiful Marathon Key, Florida. Pretty windy, but the headset mic's proximity to my lips pretty much prevented any wind noise at all.

I used my standard setup, PSR-3000, Bose L1 Compact, etc..., and had an audience of about 85 to 100 people throughout most of the evening. Average age of the crowd was probably 45 to 50, kept the place jumpin' for three hours, had nothing but great complements from everyone about the sound. There were two other players there, both had their own amps, and they both raved about the sounds of both the keyboard and vocals that they heard from a single L1 Compact.

People on boats out in the harbor said they could hear the music when I played and were amazed that they could hear everything - not just the bass, which is often the case with conventional sound systems carrying over water. I never encountered a problem with mid range sounds using the L1 standard or the L1 compact, but what the Hell - I'm old and deaf. I'll stick with the Bose system - it's a winner.

Cheers,

Gary

I am still definitely a Bose man.

Joe

Gary, I wouldn't say there is a problem with a lack of mids on the Bose Compact....I think maybe Bose designed this with a missing mid range as to accent the low/high combination...

Gary Murway became a believer when I showed him there was a lack of mids..we used the Edirol mixer with the room control...There is a night and day difference....Gary M won't use the compact without this improvement via the Edirol mixer..

You don't know what you are missing until you find it...

BTW: every system I tried the room control on...improved dramatically...including my favorite Roland cubes..

I recently sold my Bose Model II with no regrets. I've got several different powered speaker arrangements for stereo, which is much preferred by me. Now, if Bose would come out with a stereo unit, I might reconsider. I may give the Nano a try.

I demoed the HK Audio Nano Pa system at Uncle Dave's studio last nite after my Philly gig,.....a very versatile STEREO unit for sure,...very lightweight, compact, well designed, good sound for small gigs,........
I was more impressed with the HK Nano then the S950,.......
Truthfully the Audio drums were a disconnected sounding over reverbed disappointment,......Black on Black button color contrast & positioning a difficult navigational design for live players,.....speakers were improved, key-feel no change, VH2 is a mild improvement somewhat over the previous VH1 which I never liked,, but in no way is it in the same sound & tracking caliber or quality as the TC Helicon units,that said it's just another S910 with a good suntan!...lol