Hi Rikki,

I could play the PSR3000 if I had to. For me it's simply a matter of comfort. There are other options available for me and I just don't want to settle....

I've owned quite a few boards over the years and I adjusted to playing all of them, but to me I equate it to a guitar player with an instrument that doesn't feel quite right no matter what he / she does with it. I always felt that way with all 3 of my previous Yamaha arranger models ( 530, 740, 2k ), but never with anything else I've had except the M-Audio radium controller, which is also long gone.

The Tyros 2 is by no means a perfect solution for me. No 76 key version. To me some of it's styles will lack for the "in your face" feel that the PA80 has. As for the synth lead voices... unless they are head and shoulders better than even what the Motif ES has going for it, I won't like them vs Korg synths.

OTOH, I'm quite certain that the fills match a lot better and there are 4 fills instead of 2 vs the PA80. I think the acoustic lead voices will be much more to my liking than the PA80, and this is key when I do the "acoustic with the arranger tuned off" thing. If the keybed is the same as the one on the Motif, I'm gonna love that.

Then there is all of the add on stuff and great websites available for Yamaha arrangers. I don't think you get anywhere near that with an SD1, G70, a Gem, and while you will find a good bit for the Korg arrangers, still probably not nearly as much as for the Yamaha's

Also, I already have played on and kinda liked the T1, so even if I can't demo a T2, I'm comfortable enough buying without trying. I have no way of knowing if the acoustic lead voices are that much better on a PA1x, or if the fills match the styles. I hear the demos but I need to be up close and personal. The chances of me seeing an SD1, G70, or any other manufacturers high end arranger anywhere near me are almost nil. I was very unimpressed with the VA series boards that I eventually got to try out, and I've still never seen an SD1 or a high end GEM board anywhere.

Right now, the Tyros2 is definitely at the top of a very short list.

AJ