Has anyone been able to compare the PSR 3000 with the Roland VA7 or EXR-7? The only one I've been able to play at the stores is the PSR-3000. I was interested specifically on the comparison of the quality of the piano, strings, brass, guitar sounds as well as the style sounds, as I frequently use the auto accompaniment feature as a worship leader at my church, when the other band members can't make it. I currently use a PSR 740 and I'm in the market to purchase an arranger and I'm leaning towards the PSR 3000, but that's only because the stores don't carry much selection of higher end arrangers. Any thoughts/suggestions?

I think the VA7 is superior in the sound department...features are give and take , the VA has some advantages, and the PSR3000 has some....I personally prefer the VA for all around use..starting with the keyfeel and SMF playback...also morphing of styles..easy choice for me..

[This message has been edited by Fran Carango (edited 04-25-2005).]

Thanks Fran, now if I only can find a store in the Philly area that has one in stock so that I can try.

I sell both Roland and Yamaha keyboards at my store.
My only disagreement with Fran here is in standard midi file playback. Both the roland and yamaha keyboards playback midi files as quickly as you can call them up and push start (some take several seconds before they actually begin to playback) but one of the features I love for the Yamaha is the ability to to use the mega guitar and mega bass sounds in the standard midi file tracks. Yamaha has produced a software program which takes any standard midi file track which uses a guitar or bass track and converts it to a usuable "mega" guitar or bass sounds. This really brings new life to standard midi file sounds. I think I might be the only dealer here in the US that knows about this software and supplies it to customers of mine.
Although the keyboard feel is better on the VA7, this keyboard is no longer being offered from Roland and the only models in the PSR3000 price range are the EXR series and these keyboards have actions similar to the PSR3000.
Polyphony on the PSR3000 is 128 and the current EXR models have 64.
The Roland models do not have the vocal harmonizer found on the PSR3000 and although the Roland EXR models sound good, the PSR3000 sounds have been considered by most to be more realistic especially in the strings, sax, brass and flute catagories with both piano sounds considered very good. Style wise I would give the nod to the Yamaha for it's more complex style variations. Yamaha has done alot over the past few years to give their keyboards a full 4 variation progression. Roland on the other hand, usually has less build up from their basic to advanced style creation. On the new G70, which is much more expensive then all these, Roland has gone for the 4 variation from simple to complex way of making styles but their older models tend to be less dramatic from variation to variation. Some like this more, but I'm seing more customers interested in a more complex style arrangement when they push the buttons to advance the complexity.
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, California.

George, thanks for what I've found as valuable input on the subject. I've been tossing around making a purchase of a PSR 3000, EXR7 and if I sell my baby grand piano I may even make the jump to the G70. Still not sure whether I want to spend the $$$ on the leap to the G70 even if I do sell the baby grand.

I have never tested the VA-7, so I can't comment on it.
Piano would go to Yamaha; High quality, low volume. When you say strings and brass, If you mean ensemble voices, then I would go with Roland on those. If you are referring to solo brass and string voices, then the Yamaha sweet voices, in those categories, are unbeatable. The PSR3000 has more guitar sounds then the EXR7 and they are very good.
Starkeeper

I am talking about the solo voices on the Yamaha although the ensemble voices are still very good.
Just in case anyone is interested I have a limited number of PSR3000's in stock which I can sell for a reduced price because I was able to buy these for less then my regular price. Please contact me if interested.
Bill from Dayton, here on the Synthzone just took advantage of this great price.
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, California.

I still haven't decided on what to get. The more I get to try out the PSR-3000, It doesn't strike me as having the quality styles/sounds that I was hoping. I listened to the Roland G70 on Roland's website and was impressed with the quality of sounds/styles. The piano on the PSR-3K sounds good but seems too low or thin to me... I have to crank up the volume to get some punch into the sound (could possibly be the lack of quality from the built in speakers?). I played the acoustic guitar and didn't hear the fret/string natural noises along with the sound.
Besides the PSR-3K, what else is there that will have high-end quality sounds/styles, which is what is most important to me.
Are the Tyros sounds/styles better than PSR-3000? From the demo on Yamaha site, it sounded somewhat better, more natural to me. Is it worth the extra money, and what is the Tyros going for these days?
Again, no store in my area carries anything else except the Korg PA-50 and PSR-3000... not much of a selection on the high end side.
Your feedback is appreciated. Thanks.

The Tyros sounds much better than the 3000. And it has more controls, better display, lighted buttons, more pedal inputs, more styles and sounds, and also more memory for the sounds, and that makes them more realistic.
It also has three right-hand voices available for soloing or layering. If money is not object, then Tyros is a no-brainer.
DonM

I'm concerned about your demo of the PSR3000. Many of the nylon and steel string guitar sounds on page 1 of the guitar sounds have the natural fret buzz and other nuances of an acoustic guitar when played with different key strengths. I'm also concerned that you might not have been playing the live grand piano sound. Did anyone show you the keyboard that knows it or did you just walk up to the keyboard and start playing it yourself?
I often hear customers tell me after I show them a new keyboard that when they saw it at another store nobody spent anytime with them and they never really got to hear what is special about a new model they don't know themselves.
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, California