Walter, as you must already know I like to live on the light side of life and shooting yourself in the foot was only my way of funning you. If you really want to know, I have to give you credit. I like a man who can make up his own mind. Come to a conclusion and then follow through. Not only was a donkey good enough for Jesus but He said what He thought, put into practice what he thought even tho he knew his own people would tack Him to a hunk of wood. Now that's a man who is not a bit wishie washie.

Grandpa Doug

What you have done is called freedom of choice.I think that if one has a keyboard of one brand and hears another brand that sounds better or better suits one's needs, then a switch is in order.
To be unaware of other brands is like one voting for one party just because you are registered to that party and do not vote for the best person to fill the office.
You have done the right thing and I offer congratulations on the Tyros. Lloyd

I seem to do nothing but confess on this forum

Having played fast and loose with the
Kn ladies over the years and flirted with the 7000,I have now become a bigamist and have to admit that I've just taken delivery of Tyros whilst keeping my KN6500. I feel abit of a coward now compared to the decision you had to make Walter so if you don't mind, I'll stand behind you when the fateful dawn comes :cool
As I said to you on "that other forum " It seems quite a Monster but a friendly one and I've called mine "TYROSORUS DEK"
I hope we can still talk with these forgiving people from time to time.
Derek

Hi Walter
We're quite willing to let you fraternise with the 'enemy' on a temporary basis, until the KN8000, KN9000 etc. comes along
There's a late Christmas present e-mailing its way to you at this very moment.
John

I sort of agree with Chuck's position about all this as a business transaction based on individual preferences. I'm a long time Technics owner, presently with the 6500 and sitting on the fence. I've not heard nor played the 7000 as yet, but saw and played the Tyros this past weekend. I really liked the styles but thought the keys had a plastic/cheap feel compared to KN boards. Like someone said, I'm going to wait and see what NAMM offers first; then, hope to play a 7000 before making the plunge into a new board. One thing that did impress me about the Tyros was the quick tracking ability of the bass line. My Technics seems to glitch or hiccup on the bass part during fast chord changes. The Tyros seemed to be right on the money.

Walter,Walter,Walter,
Not a good thing to do!!!The TYROS and KN7000
are two different animals,like a lion and a tiger,both from the same family but with different characteristics.I have both pets and they eat,sleep and play together and I love them both.After all,all animals need company.You should have kept your first pet,I'm sure they would have gotten along very well with each other as mine do,and I'm sure that would have made your life much richer,as my two pets have made mine.

Walter;

I read all these very interesting comments - that you stirred up with your notice of defection - and figured that I might as well add to the confusion.

First - good luck with your Yamaha. I'm sure that you will enjoy it and have fun with it - and thats what is important.

I've had about 6 or more Yamaha Keyboards, a Casio ( which I rented for 2 months before I bought my first keyboard)a Roland, two Technics keyboards ( I still have my Kn2000 - by far the best keyboard of all of them) and a Solton X1

The Yamaha frankly I found to have some excellent sounnds and nice rhythms - but was not a user friendly keyboard in working within the confines of the keyboard to create your own arrangements. I'm sure that you new Yamaha is peachy keen - but I'll bet that it still cant match the Kn7000 sequencer for simplicity and ability to create patterns.

The Technics approach is a joy to use to manipulate and create rhythms and sequences with. Maybe that is a feature that is not important to you. To me a keyboard that cant do it well is one that I will tire of in a few months.

I never get tired of my Technics Kn2000. It's a new keyboard - every time I create something new and interesting.

The Solton was unreliable and difficult to use - but the sounds were beautiful. After two years - I found it a more loving home.

Out of this conglomeration of technology the only keyboard I kept was my Technics Kn2000 - because it is reliable - simple to use - relatively light weight - and when you know what sounds it excels in and how to use them - it delivers music that is awesome.

You must appreciate that when you play dance music to 500 people in a theater setting there is no AB check to see which keyboard has more tweets - or more woofs - There is only one on the stage - that's you with whatever you've got. All that they ask is that the music be pleasing - not harsh - and danceable. It got to have " the beat."

You'll know that when you see if people keep sitting when you play - or if most of them get up to dance.

I have 1500 disks created in my KN2000 (no computer) that are compatible with the Kn6500 and Kn7000.

Possibly the disks can be tweaked to improve the sounds to take advantage of the advances in technology in the Kn7000 - but as they are - they are awesome! I judge that by the numbers who get up to dance test - as I mentioned earlier.

Most of them are a combination of General Midi and Technics format - meaning that they have two drum rhythms in perfect syncronization - Yes thats right they are a cross between General Midi and Technics format - and you cant do that in any other keyboard that I know of. Only Technics.

I dont think that even the factory knows about it - although I wrote to them and there were four articles published in Technics magazine in England that I wrote - describing it in detail.

You have to hear two drum beats going at the same time - it's as close as you can get to a live drummer with any keyboard.

The main problem I see with all the new keyboards - is that to promote all the new electronic features - the keyboards have become heavier and heavier - requiring body building exercises in addition to knowing which keys to press to play three blind mice.

So I have the advantage of a relatively light weight keyboard with my Kn2000 that does the job extremely well.

Now I'm about to take the plunge and buy a Kn7000. I heard one and I like it. It's got great sounds - and its PERFECTLY compatible with the 1000 or so styles from all previous technics keyboards that I have - and my 1500 song sequences - the styles of the Yamaha Keyboards - and most other manufacturers, that are freely available.

However - I'll still keep my Kn2000. To me - after 10 years - it is still the gold standard by which I judge all other keyboards.

The big thing is that I dont have to start all over with a totally brand new learning curve - necessary for a different operating system - and all my floppy disks are useable.

I hope that I've made a contribution to the discussion.

Best regards.

Jerry

PS who knows - after reading this - you may miss your Kn7000?

Hi Jerry,

Indeed you have made a contribution to this discussion. An intelligent, balanced, common-sense contribution - and eloquently written I might add.

As I said in my earlier post, I'll buy any keyboard that matches my needs regardless of manufacturer. That is simply a statement of principle. On the other hand, I love the sounds of my KN6000 and all of its user friendly features. And you hit the nail on the head for me when you mentioned not having to cope with a steep learning curve if one buys from the same manufacturer. That is a huge selling point for me and is the major reason I will buy the next generation Technics keyboard.

I've said many times on our forum that I am a beginning keyboard player. At 73 years of age, learning is not as easy as it was when I was 23 years of age. I'm still trying to get a handle on the technology built into my KN6000 in addition to learning how to play. The last thing I need is to switch to another manufacturer and have to climb another steep learning curve.

Well said, Jerry. I like to listen to voices of experience because I learn from all of you. Thanks again for your contribution.

Sincerely, Chuck

Have you got a wife!!!!!!!!!!!!!. Walter.

This was a very interesting afternoon. I have a friend John who has both a Kn6500 and a Kn7000 - and Monroe and I who are both KN2000 players went to visit him and listen to both wonderful keyboards - especially interested in how they would sound using disks from the Kn2000.

There was unfortunately no Yamaha Tyrontasurus Rex to stock them up against - but it was enough to have both Technics keyboards under one roof.

Both of these are very fine keyboards - but it soon became obvious that the built in monitors of the Kn7000 were more powerful that the KN6500.

But what was the downside - more weight! this is the bugaboo of all the new keyboards - in order to present all the exotic technology with it's almost unending sophistication - comes a corresponding increase in girth and weight. I understand that Yamha's approach is to remove the speakers and that bit of surgery removes several pounds. However that makes it a marvel of silence... Great thinking Yamaha!
You still need speakers to hear it, so that is only a partial answer.

I think that the designers of these fabulous instruments are losing sight of the real world - that is they are supposed to be portable units that can be lifted and moved without undergoing a body building course.

If this path of ignoring weight watchers continues - the keyboards will have to become motorized - and equipped with steering and brakes - looking something like a ride on mowing machine!

At that time it wont be Technics and Yamaha - It will be BMW vs Lexus.

Do keyboard engineers ever read these cries for help by the people who spend the money for their products? I wonder.

It's nice to have a great keyboard - but tell me how do you get it out of your house and onto the stage without rupturing yourself?

Did anyone tell them that some of the people buying these products are women - or older people?

Maybe the solution to the problem is to build a keyboard in two segments - one holding the keys and part of the electronics - and the other half of the weight in a separate unit that sits on the floor, perhaps containing front firing audience speakers and rear facing monitors for the player.

That way the weight could be divided into two units - and portability would be a possibility.

Now some people I speak to are buying these monstor keyboards - and leaving them home -

One is doing performances on CD recordings he makes - He's on the stage with a light weight keyboard - like my old Kn2000. Remember those days?

Hey Mr Engineer - did you ever do a gig where you had to bring the equipment onto a stage?

I doubt it.

Jerry