How does the new SX900 stand up to the TYROS 4 & 5 all around?

Great question, and it's the very reason why I got an SX900 as I've always wanted a true "mini" T4, and I think this is certainly it, and maybe even a T5 (but I can't compare to a T5 as I only have a T4).

Everything I've thrown at it from my T4 has worked perfectly so far as intended, this wasn't the case when I tried my T4 stuff on the S975, but the SX900 handles it perfectly, sounds, styles, settings, registrations everything I created on the T4 works 100%. The bonus as well having more memory on the SX900 compared to the poor memory of the T4.

I've tried the T5 Audio styles that's available for download from the Genos, and those too seem to work 100% with no tracks missing, but the only thing I found was the guitar volumes within the tracks were too loud for some reason, maybe it's missing some of the DSP effects from the T5?

There are still things on my T4 that I prefer though, such as keybed feel is still superior, I like the bigger display as well. Storage on the SX900 is still too small I think as I found that 32gb is the max you can use for USB whereas I have two 64gb's & of course the 250gb hard drive on the T4, so not too great if using a lot of audio's. I would have liked to of seen a Micro SD slot on the SX900, I can't see why it still hasn't got one. And of course the video out could be an annoyance if it really doesn't exist on the SX900.

And not forgetting that the SX900 doesn't have any SA2 voices, whether that would bother someone or not, for me its not a big deal from a T4 as it doesn't have a great many, but maybe from a T5's perspective might be an issue.

Can't think of anything else off the top of my head but so far its compared directly to a T4 for me.

Bottom line Danny would you keep the T4 over the Sx900?

Ooo.. that's a tough question, I can't quite answer yet I need to use the SX900 a little more. First impressions I would say possibly. If I wanted to save room and have an almost exact replica in a portable unit (not needing all that speaker system stuff), then that would be a big benefit for me as I don't have much room.

However, would I miss the SA2 voices, keybed feel, storage, maybe even video out? Maybe...

Personally one of my favorite arrangers would be the
BLACK 10th Anniversary T4 LTD model...
and one I am still thinking of buying vs Sx900..

Indeed, this is something special, it is a lovely version of the T4 and I would have loved it had I of not had a T4 already. They still keep a good price, in the UK I've seen them for about £1600 which I think is around $1950? That would be a couple of hundred off an SX900. If the T4 anniversary would be in mint condition, then it would be a hard choice between the two I think.

You cant compare these...

The tyros 5 offers much more, sounds like sa2 and ensembles, much better keybed..
the 900 offers a much better interface... and lots of smaller things..

In the end i personally would choose for the better keybed espescially a 76 key version and the superb sa2 and ensemble voices over the new interface

So Bachus T5 over Sx900?

Recently purchased from local dealer nice clean T5 76 £1765 UK
Sound is very good with nice keybed.

Playable keys, and good speakers make the 900 more valuable to me than a Genos.

Donny is trying to talk himself out of it for some reason! It's half the price of a Genos with so many similarities (and extras), which is a bargain surely?

Donny has wanted a Genos since it was just hype. I think he passed on it because it'd be too big of a loss when he finally (and most certainly) dumped, it at a huge loss. At least with the cheaper stuff, he can rebound without too much crap from the missus.

The pre order will remain in effect untill the SX 900 ever comes to these shores...just perusing my other choices while I wait.

genos is just for myself too big, too expensive,
no tilt display, no speakers, and I don't enjoy playing 76 keys
on an arranger. I have a funny feeling KORG and Roland will be in the game again with NEW models very soon also...especially Roland as the new Fantom is just amazing...they have the technology to design an arranger kb that will blow away all else for sure.

Donny, don’t get yourself psyched out. The trickle down tech from Genos should make this instrument a good choice. Drum samples from Genos, Chord Looper, touch screen, good onboard speaker system. If you don’t like the harmonizer...there’s always an external TC unit.
Worst case...you box it up and sell it. Bound to be plenty of takers out there.
Besides, we need your expertise digging into this thing to help us all figure it out.
Hang in there buddy.
JM

+1!! Right on JM! Hang in there DNJ!

+2

The trickle-down effect from Genos is what has me interested in this board. I know I'd be fooling myself to think the styles are going to be totally different on previous PSR series. Touch screen, playlist feature, programmable buttons are the attraction. Besides I have no other vices.

I’d rather have the sx900 for chord looper and speakers.

As long as there are no super natural sounds in the Fantom..
Its just a synth and a piano..

All acoustic sounds are sample based and date back to the pcm samples of the XV 5080 module and before..


If they however manage to patch the super natural sounds then this would make a perfect team with an SD90...

Yes for the keybed and the SA2 voices...
But then, i don’t have to choose between them...
As i am in a perfect spot with my Genos..

Hi Danny, so you think the T 4 might be the closest to the sx900?
Ie I’m currently go thru the factory styles I’ve collected over the years , in some cases I’ve got 6 versions of the exact same style ranging from psr3000 thru to t5. Currently deleting duplicates of the sx styles and haven’t decided which version might be best kept from the ones that aren’t onboard. Some cases it’s a very clear choice, others not so.

Ricky are you saying some of the older Styles of the same name etc.. sound better than the new ones in the sx900?

Psst,,, It is "Rikki"

Hi Donny ,
No.
I’m asking about styles that don’t exist in the sx900.
So far I have somewhere between 50 to 200 styles from earlier models. Ie psrs , tyros, even Genos. As you well know, styles get carried forward from model to model, but there are always some new ones, and some get left out. I’m finding the ones that they dropped over the years.
Most sound quite good even without any tweaking. But , I think some model keyboards styles, seem to play better / sound better on the sx than others.
Hence I was asking about the T 4 styles, since Danny has both keyboards.

Reason I can’t give an exact figure is, some of the sx styles have new names, so bit hard to tell which are double ups, but I’m getting there.

I have a couple or so styles that I use that go right back to the 9000pro and psr2000. I use them, so I’ll fix them. I did them for my Korg, a lot easier to tweak them for psr.

Haha, I’ll forgive him. I know what he’s going thru, should I, or shouldn’t I.
I was put out of my misery early, the wait isn’t much fun.

Hi Rikki,

One thing I have noticed and I am sure many others would have as well is that even though styles are duplicated or reworked across the generations, they may appear to sound exactly the same on the surface but a lot of them do have some subtle changes such as different intros and fill in's which can make a difference. For example whilst I was going through the SX900 styles, the style StadiumRock has a different fill in to the on the T4 which I don't prefer, so if when I use this style I will select the T4 version from the USB. I suppose you'll only know the difference from styles you use a lot. I know there's a few out there that have changed so it's always worth having every version you can get hold of.

Hi Danny,
Intro’s , I always check, even variations if I think it’s a style I may use, never thought to check fills.

Yes that surprised me as well, fill 3 is definitely different and less effective!.

What I like about KORG is that you can delete all factory styles and set up the kb with Just the styles that you need and use.....
I don't see the need to have hundreds of useless styles on a kb that will never be utilized. Korg has it's many advantages vs Yamaha
but a style library isn't one of them..personally I am not a style or gear hoarder in my life or in my music,....if I don't need something it gets dumped quick. I've been keyboardless for almost 2 months now and it is staring to take it's toll on my psyche...
I am sick of hearing "It's Coming Soon"

Well then you'll need all the styles you can get !!

I thought you still had the KN5000? Can't that tide you over for a few more weeks!?

Danny the KN5000 was used many many years ago, I got it from Don M around 25 yrs ago after I sold my KORG i3, i30, then traded it to Uncle Dave for a Ketron X1...
I have thousands of styles for every arranger but, when I set up a KB for my personal use I only carry the styles I use,....all else is useless to me. I also like to create new styles for certain songs also.

Rikki, as you probably know, there is two fileformats, older SFF and current SFF2.
Here is some info at Jørgen's site:
http://www.jososoft.dk/yamaha/articles/style2_5.htm

Also not only filetype .sty, but .pss, .sst ... I think SX900 can read all of them just as Genos does.
PSR Tutorial site is a great resourse, but if needed, maybe Gary and others with deeper Yamaha knowledge than me would like to step in and explain it further.

DNJ...You can always take Coffee to Fran and Play his EA-7. Maybe his Hammond too...It has to be hard with no Keyboard I understand the situation, I'm in the same boat. Have My Wifes PX-S1000 if I see I'm going to go off the deep end!

Harold you forgot his G70 and Accordion too.....just sayin'...lol

Hi Jonny , thank you. I’ll take a look.
The sx can read all of them too.
.sty files I’m very familiar with, I used to convert them across to my Korg. They were simple.
Probably would be handy if I understood the difference between. .pss, sst etc. might give me a better idea of what would sound better on the sx.