I'd be getting a Yamaha if it did what I need... And first and foremost on that list is punchy, live sounding drums. I don't play NH gigs, and I seldom play background for dining. I need drums that ROCK!

I know I sound like a stuck record, but it is SO frustrating to watch Yamaha shoot themselves in the foot. Audio drums will NEVER be as good as MIDI drums, simply because the styles are too expensive to produce, and don't address your legacy and favorite styles. PSR Audio styles, even if you use them ALL, are only 4% or the ROM set, and new ones cannot be loaded in as you need them - you'll have to load what few you want slowly, and then reboot your arranger... Who can afford to do that on a gig?

The simplest, least expensive, tried and true solution to the problem is simply more and better kits. I haven't heard any examples yet from the S950 using whatever new kits there are that have made me sit up and go 'Finally! Yamaha are getting it!'. I've heard Korg and Ketron drums do that. I'm not a rabid Roland fanboy! When I hear drums that sound live, I admit it.

Maybe owners can tell the subtle differences, but what I'm talking about is a pretty radical change in direction. Now, of course, all the legacy kits would remain, so the 'CD sound' crowd can remain content. But I need to hear something quite different from the current 'sound' for it to fit my needs.

And, it's a shame, really, as there is MUCH to like in Yamaha's... the SA sounds are excellent, guitars are great (fantastic, actually), multipads are cool (audio multipads would be cool if they looped!). I've said for a long time there is so little for Yamaha to do to make me buy one.

Either fix the kits to sound punchy, or allow user control of what MIDI codes trigger the arranger Divisions (so I can run it from a Roland, and have Roland drums with Yamaha guitars). Oh, and toss a Chord Sequencer in, too!

I have focused VERY specifically on the Yamaha audio drums section. I have not put the S950 down for any other reason. Please don't put words in my mouth. Yamaha have NOT addressed this need for punchier drums (most people that don't play Yamaha's cite this as the primary reason they haven't got one) with this new feature. All they have done is tacitly admit to the need (or why have punchy, live drum recordings in the first place?), but have not provided a solution.

Kits WOULD have. Still waiting...