I've just started playing the 900.

WOW! It sounds like a Tyros 2 but so much less expensive!. Feels better than the PSR3000 and looks better!

Full report later


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George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, California
818-881-5566
www.kayesmusicscene.com

when the PSR3000 came out on the market 3 years ago I told all of you here that it was so close to the Tyros keyboard that I thought the sale of Tyros was all but over. I even said this to my friends at Yamaha and they agreed with me.......
Now, 3 years later, the PSRS900 will do the same thing to the tyros 2 sales.
This new keyboard is a great alternative to buying a $3500.00 Tyros2 for $1595.00.
I spent an hour playing around. I listened to it's sounds, styles and plugged in a 1GB thumb drive and recorded a standard midi file with me singing through the vocal harmonizer. The results sounding just the same as it sounded live. It was so easy to do.
If you loved the PSR3000, this will not dissapoint you at all. The familiarity with the layout will make you feel right at home, but the addition of so many new sounds and styles will delight you.
For those that think this should of had 76 keys instead of 61 you will not be satisfied. But the majority of keyboards being sold still have 61 keys. The internal speakers sound great and the build quality looks like it should last for many years. The screen is brighter and easier to see.
If you were expecting a brand new keyboard, you might be disappointed, but if you are looking for an all in one workstation with super articulation sounds and some great new features such as hard disk recording, I think you will be quite happy !


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George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, California
818-881-5566
www.kayesmusicscene.com

George. Does the S900 contain any new styles in addition to the styles already in the 3K or T2 ?.

Hi George,
Thanks for your review.How is the strings section when compared to Tyros2?

SUNNY.

here's a question I haven't been able to answer via reading on the S900:
in either the HD recorder or the onboard sequencer, can you "mark" A to B points and loop them? this is easy on the T2 and much more difficult on the 3000. would be a huge plus. thanks!

Hi Tom,
I can't answer your question in regards to the sequencer but I know that the hd recorder, which does not play but only records mp3's, would not utlize the A to B
looping feature. When recording the recorder must be a beginning to ending procedure. But you might be able to record the sequencer while the sequencer loops. That would seem feasable. The looping is only a playback feature of the sequencer.
Jim

Glad you got your shipment. However, I'm curious.., what the hell is up with YamahaUS??? George has already got a shipment of S900's and to date they still don't have any info up on the arranger section on the YamahaUS site?

With the lack of info on their site prior to the release..., it makes you wonder how are potential buyers supposed to take the new models seriously and with interest if those lazy blokes at YamahaUS can't even update the site with good info BEFORE dealers actually get in their shipments. Doesn't make sense.

Squeak,
Funny that you mention the lack of information on the website.
When I called my buddy at Yamaha this morning to ask some questions, I found out that only a small shipment actually made there way into the USA. Yamaha is now sold out until the next shipment comes in. As I've mentioned in the past, new models come in in short supply because of the desire for Yamaha to get some product to every market throught the world. Eventually, more products arrive on a regular bases as the needs are met throughout the world.
In our conversation, this marketing dept freind mentioned that he hasn't even had the time to get information up because the product is just starting to be released and he's been working on many projects at the same time. He assured me he would get info up shortly. In fact, from my going through the products yesterday and today he found out more information from me than he had been told from Yamaha Japan regarding some of the features and abilities.


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George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, California
818-881-5566
www.kayesmusicscene.com

George, were you able to see any sort of A-B loop point set on the sequencer? it doesn't appear to be a dedicated button, and it occured to me that it might be in the display...

thanks....