Well I took the chance (buying unseen)..and am I glad I did..

If this isn't the most unheralded keyboard ever..I'll buy a Tyros 3...

First thing I checked were the keys..George mentioned they were better than the E-50 ( a given) and the E-60 (not by much)..It feels very good..seems like the same keys (physically) as the Juno Stage without the (XP80 style) weights under the keys..

Nice resistance and dynamically playable..

The speakers..I have read about so many people that said the speakers sucked...all I can think of..they didn't know how to even select the proper settings...These are the best on board speakers to date...better than the KN7000 (good) and although this board is so similar to the Korg PAx1 (speaker model), look wise and amplification spec wise..The Roland sounds better than the Korg offering..
The E-80 can run wide open and handles everything..Speakers and amps are well matched..

Now some things the E-80 gives me that are not on my G70...

The MP3 player is excellent...once you spend the "long time" making playlist..only one song at a time with the "make playlist" internal software in the E-80..
The PC software would be a welcome avenue as it works well with the Juno Stage....but not compatible with the E-80..

I just had a nightmare...after spending 4 hours "making" a playlist..(126 of the intended 187 MP3's...Lightning struck..literally...I lost all 4 hours of work..

I didn't want to save half way through..since you can not add to the playlist created on the E-80..You can make a new one..

The E-80 will play the MP3's direct from the root folder, but it is faster switching from style play/ SMF play and back to MP3 play..if you create play list....otherwise it scans the MP3 folder automatically when you go back to MP3 play ..(takes about a minute to scan)...where as with playlist, it is just a couple seconds..

The E-80 uses 3 multi effects with SMF's and Styles..you can assign any part to one of the MFX's..using all 3 with in the SMF or style..The G70 allows only a single MFX to SMF/Style parts...Nice..but I do not know of anyone even using a single MFX to a SMF/style part now on the G70.. Let alone 3 on the E-80..

The text feature is great..you can copy text prepared on a PC..use it (even link) with MP3's or styles....and you can "turn" pages with a foot pedal or the touch screen..So for folks like myself ..you can have the lyrics with any media or play option..

Like the G70 , I had to check the effects settings and adjust what sounds best to me (global)...and also do not forget the speaker options..these settings do not effect the audio outputs , but can surly kill what the speakers sound like...Here is where the folks that said it sounded bad..were in error...Internal speakers on the E-80 "rock"..you also have bass enhancement choices..again only effects the internal speakers..

I was able to duplicate my G70 set up on my E-80 without problems..There are a lot of different style on the E-80 not found on the G70..and I am thankful they are not on the G70... ..A lot of European that I would not use...and there are some addition great styles I would use..

I wanted to use the E-80 tonight on stage, but I have to wait ..so I can complete the playlist..thanks to mother nature (storms)..

I will compare the sounds between the G70 and E-80..in my next article..There are some surprises..

Got to load up my G70 for my shore gig...

PS: about that unheralded comment..Tyros3 spent the shortest stay of any keyboard I owned...It went to a new home in less than an hour..

It couldn't cut the mustard in the select group of G70, E-80, and the MediaStation... [img]http://www.synthzone.com/ubbs/smile.gif[/img].. [img]http://www.synthzone.com/ubbs/smile.gif[/img].. [img]http://www.synthzone.com/ubbs/smile.gif[/img]