From the details given here are my personal views.
Authentic Ensemble Performances
I suspect this may be multiple sound samples per voice (4 Trumpets for example) with each set slightly differently to each other (Possible auto variation as well) thus giving the equivalent of multi layers of voice under a single voice button.
This feature has been available in the Pro market (Hardware & Software) for years, however I believe it will be the first hardware arranger to incorporate it, with the only downside being that each sample will require 1 note of polyphony thus a quartet will require 4 notes for each single key pressed, which could cause problems having only 128 notes of polyphony.
Organ World
This will be a very popular feature as most users of arrangers (The Home player) like adding plenty of organ sounds, (Particularly Theatre & Euro sounds) and the fact that they now have on-screen layouts that look like the original will really go down well, however to get the best from these displays you really need a touch screen which hopefully it does have. (Again this has been available on the Pro Market for years but it’s good to see it trickling down to hardware arrangers)
Audio Styles
Without full editing capabilities then you will need 1000s of loops to make the styles your own, so like the Audya audio styles it is way too limited, and thus a bit of a white elephant. (Pro Users create their own styles with loops rather than sticking to pre-set styles that are favoured by arranger players)
Enhanced DSPs
Always good to have, and as they are following the Pro route of how you control them this can only be a good thing. (Once again to get the best out of them really requires a touch screen)
Real Reverb
Better reverb = better sound, however until manufactures start adding convolution reverb (As used in the pro market) then it’s nothing exciting.
Real Distortion
As DSPs
VCM
Common in the pro world and it’s nice to see it finally being added to a hardware arranger. (Interesting to see how sophisticated it is though)
Time stretch and pitch shift
If implemented correctly a great additional feature, however pro units cost a lot of dosh, so it will be interesting to see how good the Yamaha version is.
Panel Lock
If you need to enter a code to release it then it will probably be a fine feature for the Pro players out there.
4 Subs Out
Is excellent if implemented correctly so will be interesting to how Yamaha have configured it?
The rest is nothing that hasn’t been around on other arrangers for years.
Overall then while everything included has been available in the pro market for years (And of much better quality due to the availability of better hardware/software) it looks promising, but not exactly ground breaking.
As always the proof of the pudding is in the eating (Not forgetting the cost) so a full review will have to wait until someone (Other than a demonstrator) gets to play one.
Bill
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