I could afford an EA 7 or a Ketron SD 7.

I play mostly nursing home music...old time waltzes, polkas, older country.

It occurs to me the Ketron SD 7 may be the best choice but harder to find and finance U.S.

That said, my PA 4X will be the one to beat and my Yamaha S970...great sounds...very average hands on controls.

😊

Different price range...The SD7 is more than twice the price as the EA7... If it is not a factor...bang for the buck goes to the EA7...and that includes your other keyboards..

I like the SD7..bass and drums (Ketron strength ), nice touch screen.. Just don't play a SD7 next to an Audya..you will notice the sound difference easily..
BTW: bass and drums is not important for nursing homes...it would not be appreciated,,.

I chose the EA7 for nursing homes and other short in and out gigs.. You can play a EA7 next to a G70 and still appreciate the sound.. I prefer the sound over everything you currently own..

It is as deep as your PAx4..If you can get around on the Korg you can conquer the EA7.. Most likely there will be many features you will not use, as on the Korg..like sampler, but if you get into it you will like the features..

Media playback is one of the best..


Since I really like the SD7 the choice is right for both...but giving what you already own...go for the EA7...it is the value choice the will do the job..

The SD7 with the AJAMSONIC package should be more than enough to handle nursing homes given it's plethora of 240+ additional styles that cover Polka, Swings, Big bands and Ballads that it adds in addition to the factory 260 styles. Forum members like Deane (who used to own Yamaha arrangers) can attest to this.

Purchase knowing that when you look back, you'll know you got the best and not look back and regret instead.

Thanks,

AJ

Guitpic1,
I am the owner of 2 Ketron SD7 keyboards. I have owned one of them for 2 years and have used it hundreds of times for senior gigs. I also own a Yamaha Tyros 4 which has sat idle since I got my SD7. However, I do use the Tyros 4 for Special gigs like Christmas because the styles are so good for that time of year.

I have owned and gigged with the following: PSR3000, Tyros 3, Tyros 4, S950, Roland E50 and E80 and the BK-7M module, Korg PA1X , PA2X-Pro, and the PA4X. I can say from personal experience that NONE of the above systems comes close to the realistic sounds and styles of the Ketron SD7. Since I have changed keyboards my number of gigs has doubled! I am playing the exact same songs but just on the SD7 now.

I have zero regrets about buying the SD7 and will continue to use it until the next great thing comes from Ketron.

All this said there is another option. I have been told that currently the very best combination of arrangers is the Tyros 4 or 5 with the Ketron SD40 module. With that setup you can use the Ketron styles and play the Yamaha right hand voices. Or use the Yamaha styles and play the Ketron right hand voices, or just simply drive the SD40 module with the Yamaha keboard.

Hope all this helps.
Deane

With your taste for heavier actions, you might probably dislike the ultra light EA/7 keybed... Play before you buy.. for the rest, where it comes to features, the ea/7 could have been the PA4x little brother.

The SD7 is indeed much more expensive, but it would get you the best styles in the buiseness... no ones bared.. but for a gigging player its also a bit heavier then the Roland... tough also much more durable build. Also the SD7 dus have a build in harmoniser, which the EA7 lacks

In the end both in build in sound quallity the SD7 is a huge step up from the EA7.. almost competing with the T5 and PA4x, where the EA/7 is in the range of the Korg PA600 CAsio MX 500 and YAmaha S770... Which it indeed beats for vallue for the money


If you are looking for a cheap light arranger and dont mind the key action, i would go for it... then it adds something...



However, since you have both a S970 and PA4x, i dont see a role in your collection for the SD7.... but since you prefer often 88 keys... you could add an SD40 (the module version of the SD7) to any 88 key like the Roland RD2000(no aftertouch) Yamaha MOXF (same action as your GDX660) or Montage, Korg Kronos, Nord Stage.......... or Casio PX5s... and have best of both worlds, Great keyaction, good piano sounds, ultra light setup, and the best styles in the world... for the same price as an SD7

Tx all.

Got some thinking to do.

Just buy both ....

You might end up selling the Korg and the Yamaha

I guess I look at all this from a different perspective. If you have an arranger keyboard that is already doing what you wish, and making you lots of money performing either the senior circuit or the nite club/restaurant circuit, and it is relatively new, then why update?

I guess I must have performed with the PSR-3000 longer than anyone on the planet, other than those still using that model. It served me very, very well for many years and it was just over a year ago when I finally retired the 3000 and went to work with the S-950. The only reason I upgraded was for the new, added features, such as the onboard recorder/player, improved MFD system and some new guitar sounds that were not available in the 3000. Both 3000s are in the hands of others that are currently enjoying them as much as I did.

The primary reason I didn't update for more than a decade was monetary. Financially, upgrading would not have booked me any more jobs, not that I could have handled anymore than I was already doing, more than likely the audiences would not have noticed any difference in the overall sound quality, however, that upgrade would mean shelling out about $1,800 of profit, money that could be spent on other things that were more important, booze, sleezy women, stuff for the boat, etc...

So, when you put it all in perspective, I guess the main reason some folks on this forum update/upgrade every three to six months must be for other than financial reasons. Ironically, they are the first ones to tout the virtues of the old gear, B3s, real guitars, tube amps, real pianos, etc... Go figure!

Now, I guess if you don't sing, then the updates/upgrades, with many new styles and right hand instruments can make make you sound better, or more realistic, thus book you more jobs, hence justifying the capital expenditure. However, if you are a singer with reasonable vocal qualities, then the most important thing in the keyboard is the vocal processor, most of which have been pretty decent for the past decade or more. All a good singer really needs is a quality mic, keyboard with a variety of good styles (and the ability to add lots of 3rd party styles), and an operating system that is relatively quick and easy to navigate while performing.

It's time to mix a tall, green coconut Margaretta, prop up my feet in the recliner, connect the oxygen to my O2 generator and watch an old movie.

Sorry for the rant, guys,

Gary

Gary...That said....everyone is chomping on the bit to see the new Genos.....
hope its soon lol

Not everybody!

SOOOO not everybody.
No one's even 100% sure of what it's going to be called. Too much hype. Not interested.

Thats what they all say until it is revealed and the WOW factor is induced to the masses......
never say never,...and if we're luck it might have on board speakers also just sayin'

First ... stop sayin' "just sayin" all the time ...
Second - I had the original Tyros, and played 2 and 3 - it just doesn't cut it for me. Never did.
The case is too large, the keys and I don't agree, and for some reason, with all the other wonderful things Yamaha does ... they refuse to put a pro quality harmonizer in a $4000 keyboard. I may never understand that. So, no WOW factor for me on the horizon. They fell short every year for well over a decade in this camp. I have gear that works, and is still cutting edge for the audiences - I'm very underwhelmed by the newest offerings.
Bottom line - I just wanna sing ... the manufacturers that provide me with a great vocal processor, and strong monitor speakers will get my business. The rest of the features are just icing on an already pretty cool cake.

But Dave the GENOS will be a different animal could have many
NEW features we will need they say?

As much as we are hoping for this...

How much chance is there really for Yamaha doing a huge upgrade from model a to model b? Ever since i am following yamaha arrangers like the psr 8000 there only have been small incremental updates between models..

Are we really expecting so,ething different from Yamaha?

If they dont it will be a big slap in the face to Yamaha fans and will show them their needs and wants go on deaf ears leaving them with the same old, same old, and many will stray away to greener pastures before they lay down big Tyroish bucks ever again.....
time will tell....

Waiting for "a what could be" Yamaha keyboard doesn't interest me. There still exists the possibility that Yamaha won't produce anything new arranger wise.

Back to considering another keyboard. Had a nice visit today with Ketron AJ....very informative.

The Ketron SD 7 does intrigue me mostly because the styles sure seem to fit the type of crowds I play for.

That said, my PA 4X has been the best of the bunch for me overall....just wish the 4X styles and voices were a better fit for my audiences. Still, overall, it's an excellent machine.

Recently I had the chance to play an older Ketron, the XD 9. Very impressive sounds/styles and keybed for an older machine.

I wish you luck with your new Ketron Kb,.....but, please elaborate How does your audiences differ from most other NH audiences everyone plays for with Yamaha & Korg arrangers with so much success style wise...

On top of that, the pa4x is on top of the field where it comes to edditing styles or even (re) creating your own... if you have yamaha styles you want to use... convert them to midi using a daw and import that into your Korg, then edit the style to your liking...

Donny(sp?) DNJ? NH audiences, not sure what that is about?

Bachus, editing...deserves it's own thread perhaps?

I merely asking what is different about your audiences style wise vs all us other NH players regarding using a Yamaha, Korg, Roland arranger kb with much success etc?

I do nothing but seniors' places with my Korg Pa3x. Handles everything.

I have yet to own an arranger that didn't have enough drum patterns/styles to cover any request I received. For more specific needs, I have programmed, recorded etc to get exactly the feel I desire, but your solid, dance beats are all in there ... in every one on the market. Sometimes, they are named a bit differently from what you'd expect, but when it comes down to it, at least in western dance music, there are only 10-20 styles of rhythm needed to make the people dance.
90% of the dance beats I use can be covered with about 10. We've discussed this before - Roland started with a plug in card called "Easy 8" that had enough starter beats to cover almost any dance request. It was a "Swiss Army Knife" of patterns.

Yes Dave I loved the EASY 8 and still use my own custom version of it with my S970

Donny, I'm thinking there isn't much difference, but then I don't know....never played for a NH audience.

That's ok people are people is what I'm driving at,.....and the gear you already have is way more then enough to make amazing music for them imo.....with a little TLC to make it yours and you wont need much more if anything at all...good with your music.

EA7 sounding real good ........how can you go wrong for the price?

Love Ketron sounds. Have 4 pieces. Hate the company and their practices. I'll NEVER own another one.


Russ

I still have an Easy Eight card

Let's not forget the Roland Discover 5

Already forgotten

Ouch! I know you never cared for Roland, ...but the Discover 5 & D5M were innovative pieces,built like a tank, oh how we've progressed....
new gear will be coming out from all manufacturers just at a much slower pace then we are used to in years past due to better technology.

I love Roland. I have all Roland guitar amps, and I've had almost every "E" series arranger they made. The Discovery just left me feeling flat, Like the BK, and theit attempts at harmonizers. I use what works for me, and I'm happy to say I own the right gear at the right time.