I haven't had the opportunity to see or try one yet, but from the videos I've seen it appears to be very interesting for those who need those extra keys and want the feel of weighted keys as well. DGX-650

Hello Gary... I have tried the 650 just the other day. It is a nice keyboard but it sounds kind of thin to me. Just does not have the richness of the t4 or the 3000 which you always liked. Great board for just a home piano or practice. Ron

I think, overall, if I wanted to play an arranger from an 88, I would simply get a decent arranger and MIDI it to something like a Yamaha P105 or your choice of inexpensive digital piano. Most arrangers have the ability to 'mirror' their main keyboard on an incoming single MIDI channel from something like this...

But it always strikes me that most of the 88 arrangers I have seen are usually at least a generation behind their 61/76 note counterparts. So maybe it's better to get an S950 or a BK-7m, and run it from a REAL digital piano..?

Diki, in theory - yes, it'd work. In life there can be some issues with touch sensitivity - soft touches will sound louder then they should, and hard touches softer then they should, too. As least I had this issue with PSR-3000 and NP-30.

Remember that the DGX650 which has the exact same piano as the P-105 and sells for $599 without the stand and has 10 drum beats, no arranger at all and only has about 20 sounds is only $200.00 more! and has styles, hundreds of sounds, USB audio recording, a beautiful wooden stand, 6 track recording, lyrics and score on screen, etc. etc.
The DGX will not sound thin when you output it into a nice sound system. That is what I'm doing at my store and I don't think the internal speakers sound think at all, just not as good as bigger and more powerful speakers.

NO fingered on bass.....deal killer no matter what else offered.

This ^ ^

Why do arranger manufacturers think that crippling any 88 arranger compared to a 61 is a good idea? Generally, the 76 version of an arranger is identical to the 61 except more keys. Why make an 88 with far worse abilities than a 61? Do they think that pianists are so much less capable? Do they think that pianists don't NEED on bass? In fact, pianists need that MORE, if the truth be known.

Kabin... most decent arrangers have multiple velocity curves that you can dial in to make 88 controllers work acceptably. Not to mention that most digital pianos also have variable response curves. It should be possible to find a curve that works, unless you are using the cheapest gear possible - can't stand that NP30... that's not 88 wooden touch! It's pretty horrible plastic feel. Typical Yamaha!

Today I had the chance to sample this new keyboard in a shop nearby. I was very impressed . I do not agree with it sounding thin and it was a joy to play and listen to. If I find a buyer for my new Yamaha PSR750 within the next two weeks or so I will almost certainly purchase this piano, which incidentally also looked impressive as well.

regards
John

What would put me off from buying the DGX-650 is the same as what Zuki said above...no "On Bass" chording option. The S750 and S950 have it, as do the previous S700 and S900 and it goes all the way back to the PSR-510 and perhaps even earlier. I think the first Yamaha PSR with it was the PSR-SQ16 (1992). The CVP Clavinova series also has this option. I think the competing Casio pianos also have "on bass" chords available.

Without the ability to play "On Bass" chords, such as Dm/G, C/B, G/D etc. the instrument would severely cripple the advanced player, and prevent the beginner/amateur player from progressing to the more interesting and, most importantly, accurately voiced chords.

Why Yamaha has left out such an important option on an otherwise terrific portable piano is beyond me. Previous DGX pianos had the same omission. Since these instruments have 88 weighted keys, they do not infringe on PSR territory, so why not add "on bass"?

Quite frankly, I'm disappointed.

Ian