For both of your 'edification', I HAVE done archiving on my Fantom G7 and my Sonic Cell and believe it or not USB 2.0 really does help. In a BIG way I might add. I know there are limitations within the motherboard and chipset through the Front Side Bus (FSB) on the mainboard and the memory buses on arranger and workstation keyboards but when a manufacturer starts including USB 2.0 on their arrangers and workstations they ALSO take the necessary steps to insure that the USB 2.0 will be a benefit to the User (else why give it USB 2.0 in the first place?). So the "whole system" essentially will have to be upgraded by manufacturers to enable the use of USB 2.0 in an efficient and "effective" manner. Each manufacturer has to decide just how efficiently they want their workstations and arrangers to take advantage of the USB 2.0 standard. If a manufacturer decides to take only a few measures then of course the result would not be as great as a manufacturer who takes ALL necessary steps to ensure the fastest transfer rate possible on their keyboard(s) with USB 2.0. So what I am saying is your mileage may vary depending on how 'advanced' the keyboard's "whole system" is (which are essentially computers inside) and how optimally "tuned" they are for taking advantage of the faster USB spec.

For instance, the Tyros2 has USB 1.1 and it also can load .wav samples. Load time on the Tyros 2 for large .wav files was notoriously "slow" and people complained about: "why have a Sample 'player' and not be able to take advantage of it??" Notice I didn't say Sampl'er' because the Tyros2 doesn't have a "real" Sampler, just a sample 'player'. Same with the Tyros3 for that matter.

Anyway, it would be nice to know what the now USB 2.0 capable Tyros3 load times are compared with the Tyros2' ultra slow times. I have to think there will, no doubt, be much better load times on the Tyros3, and if they're not, then we know who to blame right? In other words, you can't blame the spec itself because USB 2.0 "is what it is" i.e. up to 480Mb/s (60MB/s) of transfer rate speed. You have to blame the manufacturer (in this case Yamaha) if the T3 load times are not dramatically improved over the T2's load times.

So yes.., your mileage will vary depending on how effectively and efficiently each Manufacturer has made the keyboard's computer interface and "whole system" work with the USB 2.0 interface on each system i.e. each keyboard. But I can tell you "firsthand" that Roland has done a reasonable job regarding USB 2.0 on both the Fantom G and Sonic Cell.

Best,
Mike



[This message has been edited by keybplayer (edited 10-24-2008).]