Seom Yamaha's have AWM2. Others have AWM. Can someone tell me about this and if one is better than the other?

AWM (advanced wave memory) is the name Yamaha decided to use for their proprietary way of recording samples to use in their digital music products. Then, after some years, they changed this to AWM2 which was a more sophisticated means of sampling sounds to be used in their products. Any Yamaha product using AWM2 will be of a higher bit resolution as well as a more realistic acoustic emulation then those used previously.
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, California

Does that mean that the EX5 (AWM) has the same quality (bad) sounds as my 1992 PSR-500 which also has AWM?

Not even close. All Yamaha keyboards use a technic of sampling called AWM. However, the amount of sample Rom within each product and the type of "sound engine" that is used is very different from model to model. Once a company has sampled certain sounds, they may decide to use these samples over and over again in other products, but in lower priced PSR keyboards, the result might and usually will be very different from higher end pro keyboards because there are so many more parameters available to the sound designers in the EX or SY or Motif or S series keyboards than in the PSR550 vs PSR2000 keyboards. So, although AWM is used in all products, there is such varying degrees of how the finished sound will be based on what Engine was used to put these AWM sound bites to their full potential. I hope I have explained this ok. It's a question I myself raised to Yamaha some years ago when this question came up at my store.
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, California

George. Also I believe that although as you say the same sample is used in different models. More of the sample can be used in hi-end products due to the memory available giving the best voice reproduction. The lower priced models can only take a lesser part of the same sample due to lower sample memory.

Graham UK

Graham,
Absolutely right!
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, California

Hi (my 2 cents )
The "Yamaha---X4500" (1989 KB ) had a better "trumpet" voice than the "Y2K"
Just a thought, I`m not sure what the memory was of course --IMO
jedi

I was looking at the EX5 and noticed it uses AWM. I just wanted to be sure that the vibes aren't as yucky and metallic as they were on the PSR-500. Do you think the vibes are better in AWM2? I'm still leaning towards the MOTIF at this point due to the capablility of stereo sampling which the EX5 cannot do. However I love how the EX5 already has built-in AWM, Analog, and Virtual Acoustic all in one without need for plug-ins.

Once again I bring up my gripe about Yamaha's not making just one grand daddy keyboard with everything I want:
1. Stereo sampling for my ACID loops to add to my styles
2. Virtual acoustic, analog synth, AWM2, and the DX stuff would be great too.
3. Awesome powerful patter,chain,sequencer with at least 300,000 notes.
4. Arrpegiator effects for my synth sounds
5. Awesome electronic/techno groove generator
6. AND an auto-accomp section for when I need to make quick $2 demos for my lyricist when I only have 5 minutes.
7. 88 weighted keys

In summary, 9000pro, MOTIF, EX5, S80 all in one package.

Dream on, James Bond.....

I just want to find out wherelse Yamaha used their 30 meg sampled piano sounds they put in the midigrand concert series. I noticed that most bi shot musicians used midigrand in their live concert. Jonathan Cain of Journey used one also. Is it available in CD, Plug-in card or one of the PSR's.