After listening to several demos of different types of arrangers on You Tube, I've come to believe that the biggest difference in sound in arrangers, has to do with how the sound is reproduced with external speakers.

Any arranger I've had the opportunity to play, has sounded a lot better when played through a decent PA system.

The stuff I read about this arranger has better sounding brass, that one better sounding drums, piano sounds are best on this arranger etc...

It seems these voices/styles are a lot more effected by the PA system/external speaker system used than whatever arranger is used.

To me, it seems, folks are much more in favor of Yamaha, Korg, Roland, Audya or whatever more so based on familiarity with the layout and functions than whether or not a particular arranger has a little bit better piano sound or whatever sound is supposed to be better.

I'm a fan of Taylor acoustic guitars; have owned many models of this guitar. I've also owned Martin, Goodall and a few higher end hand built guitars. I would hear from others, ad nauseum, how Taylor sounded better, played better than Martin etc. Truth is, a good guitar, no matter the brand plays and sounds good.

And when it comes to the audience, I've found very few who could tell the difference in one instrument from the other.

I'm thinking some day I might try to own a Korg PA 4X. The reasons I would like to experience Korg have nothing to do with the fact that it might 'sound' better than my Yamaha or another type of arranger...cause I'm guessing there's not much difference in sound.

The reason I would like to try the Korg is more about its physical size(since I think it's close to the size of my PSR keyboard) the way the arranger is laid out, and it's workflow.

Thoughts?

I'd wait for TYROS 6 soon to come..

Not likely.... Maybe next years Novemnber.


Yamaha will be to busy selling and promoting the upcomming Montage over the next year... Which might actually be a competitor to T5 with even more ARP's

Tx for the responses.

Guess as wordy as I was, I really had two points:

1. Sound wise, there really isn't a big difference in arrangers. Yamaha does have the edge with styles...near as I can tell.

2. Size(and weight wise) there is. I'm thinking folks use the PA X models on gigs, as much for their size as anything else.

Good points about pa systems, external amps, etc., guitpic. Everybody eq's them by their own ears to suit whatever room they're in, so there's a wide variation in the end product, too. In a way, it makes a kind of mockery of online demos, comparisons, and so on.

As usual, it's down to putting one's own hands on any given keyboard and, within one's preferences and budget, going from there. On the other hand there are many people who, without internet access, would never get to see or hear much at all of what's available. So the web does have its uses.

Guitpic1 off topic:
Have been trying to decide between a Tylor and a Martin guitar. Martin has a deeper sound and Tylor seems much clearer; you can hear every note. I understand that they are both good guitars and it is an individual thing, but I would appreciate your impute.

Thanks, John C.

I may be in the market for a S970 – but not because it is better than my Pa900, but it is different. I tried this once with wives and got terrible results. (ouch)
John C.

"I may be in the market for a S970 – but not because it is better than my Pa900, but it is different. I tried this once with wives and got terrible results. (ouch)
John C."

900 and 970 would be a killer combination! I'm with you on the wife thing.

I must be doing something right, don't change keyboards more than once every 7 to 8 years, and still have the same wife after 53 years. Hmmmm! Maybe I'm doin' something wrong.

Gary

Re: Martin vs. Taylor...

Both models with similar builds have their own unique sounds. Pick the sound you like.

Taylor does have an NT neck design that makes it easy to adjust. Many Martins have a dovetail neck joint...many folks like it but dovetail joints are a bit more tricky to adjust.

I played in a bluegrass group for many years...I was one of the few that played a Taylor....traditionalists couldn't understand why I didn't play Martin.

That said, I did a guitar workshop some 20 years ago at a bluegrass festival. Did my demo with a borrowed early 50's Martin D18. Best sounding and playing acoustic guitar I have ever had the good fortune to play in my lifetime...to date anyway.

One of my father-in-law’s worked in the post office all his life; he never had another job. I always thought he was a bit strange.

Gary, married for 53 years, I admire that, you are one lucky man. I have always regretted my divorce.

Gary, I got your 53 years beat if you were to add my marriages all together.

John C.

It also applies to keyboards. A good performer will always sound great whatever equipment they use.

I always love this story of a Taylor acoustic guitar that got smashed by United Airlines. Dave Carrol the owner got no satisfactory response from United. So he wrote this song "United Breaks Guitars" and made the video that went viral. United decided to settle the matter and now use the video in their employee training. It's a wonderful song.

As a general rule of thumb, it is pointless changing to a new arranger only one generation after the arranger you already have, as the differences will not be that great, but instead wait for the 2nd generation of the arranger you own, as this will usually be a much bigger and worthwhile improvement. (For even more variation also look at arrangers where the manufactures provide new features and sounds via a software/firmware updates, (Which is much better on the wallet) instead of forcing you to buy a new arranger to get them (Will be interesting to see what Korg adds to the PA4x in the future))

Regarding amplification/PA then this is the only way you will ever get your arranger to sound anything like the demos you heard of it, as the recommended sound systems fall far short of what’s required to get the best out of it. (Unfortunately most good sound systems are not domestically acceptable, hence the reason there are always multiple complaints about the sound from the owners shortly after launch)

Bill

Thanks Graham - I guess Carol has kept me around all these years for a good reason, and as soon as I discover what it is, I'll be sure to pass the information along.

Gary

Bill, I suspect that all of the factory authorized demos are not going through a PA system at all, but instead, directly from the line out to a recording device.

As far as sound systems go, I've never really had one that fell short of MY expectations. They all did pretty much what I anticipated, and I really never had a single complaint about any of them. The only reason I've upgraded so many times is strictly because the newer one sounded a bit better and I figured if it sounded better to a deaf old fart like me, it would really sound great to my audiences. I was right.

Gary