Has anyone tried this keyboard yet (Roland EM 55) ?

How are the sounds (voices) compared to Yamaha PSR2000 or KORG PA 60 as produced by:
1) Onboard speakers
2) Amplified sound system

Are the styles (drum rythms) also comparable ?

How about the fill-ins and variations, how many and does it allow changing variation without fill-in ?

Thanks, guys
Han

Wow that's a good question Lukitoh.. Has anyone here on the forum actually played the EM-55 yet? That's one keyboard you don't see often on this forum....

Squeak

I did a review on the EM55 when I received them back in February. I thought it was terribly overpriced and although some of the voices were great (from the VA3 keyboard), the layout was not as I would expect from a middle priced arranger. It was too much like the $300.00 Roland EM15 and EM25. Actually, I returned them to Roland for a credit and told them that when the price came down to $495.00 maybe I would sell them. They have a retail price of $999.00 and a MAP price of $799.00 which is just too high. The PSR2000 and PA60 are both a much better deal and product.
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, California
818-881-5566

I played one at the same place in Scranton that also had a VA76 on display. I agree totally with george's assessment, but I would also add that even at $499, if that was what I was going to spend, I'd easily choose a PSR550 over the EM55.

AJ

I own a Roland EM20 and I like many of the voices, so I was excited when I heard about the EM55. I played two of them in two different stores and I found that it was very similar to the EM20, just a greater quatity of the same voices,, sigh. I also agree with George, that the price is too high. On one of the EM55's I tried (it had just come in, and I saw the rep taking it out of the box) styles 81 - 88 did not work. If your really interested, give it a good test. The other EM55 I tried did not have this problem.

Wait a minute...aren't the EM55's instruments exactly the same as the VA76.....both keyboards have the same quantity of musical instruments... over 3500.....or does the VA76 sound better ???????????...i'm confused..

Rolandfan,
My understanding is that the EM55 and VA series have the same sounds, but different O/S. Never tried a VA series, if it has the same tones as the EM55, I won't be impressed.

Yes, I think EM55 has similar 3500 sounds from VA7, but only 8 Mb for them. So, VA7 sounds a lot better, better, better...
And I agree with George. EM-55 is a much worse kb than PA60 or PSR2000.
For example, you can't modify style parts, only mute them if you want or add some pads.
And the screen is the same as Em-20, nothing similar with VA7one.
No good times for Roland kb, I think.

Geez oh man! Over 3000 sounds and only 8mbs to those sounds...???? How in the world to they get them to sound decent? I have to agree with Bluezplayer... I'd take the PSR-550 over the EM55 without question.. Granted it has an internal sequencer and an actual pitch and modulation stick, it doesn't seem to really compare with the features of the PSR-550..... Plus what they're asking is an absolute joke!

Squeak

The second half was that I tried the VA76 the same day I tried the EM55. . I have to say my rating would be somewhat incomplete at this point, because I didn't get far enough into the features of the board on the first try to be able to compare it to the Yamah and Korg arrangers. I will say that I thought the sounds were good overall ( some very good ) and that the styles and what I think were morphing features were pleasing to me. Also, the OS seemed to be a good bit easier to navigate and undertsand at first glance than the previous Roland arrangers I have tried ( G1000 / EM2000 ).

A little more time with the VA76 would be needed for me to really evaluate it. I think from what I heard and saw that it could be a good board for me, but not necessarily any better ( for me ) than my current arranger ( the PA80 )

AJ