Thanks for those insights...This keyboard will function in a midi studio setup, so the sound quality of the spkrs isn't an issue. The thing that attracted me to the 8000 rather than the 740 was the phrase sampler and the broader range of effects, tho since no one has mentioned the sampler maybe it's not that useful/well integrated. looks like the 9000 has more expanded capability in that regard....
also, a question about the internal hard drive: does it load faster than the floppy? that, and not having to haul discs around, would seem the only advantages of the internal drive...