I have had my PA900 for 6 days now and have spent about 9 hours each day playing with it and learning about it's OS. I now have a SongBook setup and will take it out to it's first gig tomorrow.

I put off posting any feelings about it until I had more time with it. After only 2 days I was ready to put it on Ebay or Craigslist. But, I wanted to make sure so I kept after it and am very glad it worked out that way. Each day I felt better about it and after changing the Master EQ and doing some tweaking on some styles it now sounds pretty darn good.

I found out it does not like Korg's Legacy style collection but does load and play the PA80 styles. I downloaded the PA3X styles. I auditioned every single style from the PA3X, PA80, and of course the PA900 and then saved to the favorites banks any style that sounded like I would actually use it for my gigs. I ended up with 4 full favorites banks of styles and then went through each one of them and making any changes to them I needed such as octave up or down, changing STS voices, and adjusting style to lead voice balances. I don't know why these arranger manufacturers can't at least get sound balances right before shipping product.

Anyway, it has been many hours of work but a lot of fun. My next project will be to sample every available sound on the PA800 to see what I have to work with and learn how to tweak sounds. I like the OS on this keyboard and am finding it very easy to learn how to do things with it.

Here is my list of impressions:
1. Very short power cord
2. Power cord is not standard
3. Keys are pretty good - not great or bad but typical of arrangers
4. Button layout is easy to use
5. Really like the touch screen - easy to use and see
6. Many styles are very busy and noisy - needs lots of tweaks
7. Not many great country styles
8. Latin styles rock!
9. Assignable buttons are neat but not in a convenient location
10. Rather silly - but I wish it was black
11. In Side by Side tests the little KMA, with John Smies resources, Wins.
12. In Side by Side tests the Yamaha S950 speakers win.


I don't sing so have not used the VH or even messed with it.
I'll post here tomorrow after my gig. I plan to video it and might post
a link to the videos for anyone interested.

Deane

Deane, didn't you own a PA 600? How does the 600 compare to the 900 especially sound and style wise?

Paul,
I didn't keep the PA600 long enough to really get into it. I don't remember much about it.

Deane

I don't sing either, so whatever VH I have in my keyboard I can't use it in any other way but as a weapon of mass distraction ) If I could bye PSR-S950 without VH cheaper I would definitely do it. PSR-S750 could be the answer but it's lacking of some really nice voices which S950 has. Sorry for off-topic.

Kabinopus,
Didn't you already buy a 950? I thought I saw some videos?
The 950 gives you the advantage of recording in MP3 format too.

Dave,
Yes, I have a S950, a PA900, and a MicroArranger. Sold my Tyros 4.
So far I am liking the PA900 and how easy it is to change just about anything you want changed. I'am about ready to walk out the door for my gig. I have a camera and tripod packed and hope to get some decent videos of the PA900 in action today.

Deane

Uncle Dave, it's true that I got PSR-S950, I'm only saying that if I could buy it without VH-module, I would probably do it :))