It's too bad no one makes an affordable digital keyboard sampler with knobs.[/B][/QUOTE]

djx ? ;0)

have you tried a yamaha ex7 , if your trying to save a few bucks and you can find one it'll cost less than a motif or a tritonle. it does a little of everything rompler, sampler, fm, analog modeling and it has a few knobs

That's true, yeah you could go that route. but you gotta remember too samplers are different they play different unless you have one that can tweak formant...and those are bucks. The ones tat tweak with cleanliness are REALLY big bucks typically.

"Since I am obviously not having and luck finding just the right synthesizer."
Paul, probably every keybordist on this board has experienced that! We're with you on that one. You are defineately not alone with that experience!
It seems to me that the Virtual Analog (VA) type is most similar to how you are adept to developing sounds. I think it is worth getting the 8000 even if it is a little bit more unless you have plans on 'going really big' and tieing other equipment into a controller based system. I have an 8000 that I will eventually cut loose from my setup, but I am not near ready to do that yet. Maybe in 6-9 months but that quite a while. The XP-2 that 800dv mentioned seems to have a lot to offer for the money. I guess in the meantime, what can I tell ya...keep saving and use a soft synth on a drive you can format so you can get another trial run on it if you need it.
based system

Morph, you're right about trying to find the right synth. My PSR740 has 761 instruments but only 60 organs, most of which I don't like. I would rather have 761 organs. I could use a Hammond or clone but I like the touch response and the styles. However, with XGworks I can generate several thousand organ sounds so things aren't so bad after all. The point being that any halfway decent keyboard has at least one DSP or the equivalent and the sounds you can make are up to your skill and imagination.

Bryan

Thanks guys! The JP8000 really looks like a really cool keyboard and that is one that I have considered. I have even been kickcing around the idea of putting my own synth together with useing a couple of controller keyboards and some soft synths and maybe a rack module or two. But this is just a thought.

Still decideing on what synth to buy. I do not want to make a huge mistake, and spend money on something I am not going to use or let alone enjoy. I will however let you know what I decide.