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#497453 - 05/20/20 09:22 PM YAMAHA PSR-SX900 Module Conversion
Torch Offline
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Registered: 12/17/12
Posts: 770
I would jump on a Yamaha or Korg module like this;

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#497460 - 05/21/20 04:29 AM Re: YAMAHA PSR-SX900 Module Conversion [Re: Torch]
Dnj Offline
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Registered: 09/21/00
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#497479 - 05/21/20 09:32 AM Re: YAMAHA PSR-SX900 Module Conversion [Re: Torch]
Bachus Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 03/02/06
Posts: 7143
Why?

Ketron has you covered if you need a module?
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#497489 - 05/21/20 11:24 AM Re: YAMAHA PSR-SX900 Module Conversion [Re: Torch]
TedS Offline
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Registered: 04/28/06
Posts: 805
Loc: North Texas, USA
More choices are better. I'm personally on the fence about Ketron. Unfortunately right now it's between that brand, and used.

I will speculate that arrangers in general are high-profit items for the companies that make them. Most of the cost was probably incurred a long time ago in software development; this should be amortized in every unit sold. Since there haven't been many new features since Y2K, current arrangers are basically "cash cows" in their respective manufacturers' product lines. Adding a module version probably entails low marginal cost, with some fixed costs associated with forecasting the sales mix and inventorying another SKU. If anything, companies DON'T sell modules, because the form factor/perceived value equation doesn't allow them to be priced like keyboards, and making the same feature set available at a lower price might eat into more profitable keyboard model sales. (Brands R, Y, and K don't use a top-shelf action, except maybe on their flagship model, so the cost of the keybed doesn't add much to the mfg cost.)

You can see by their form factor that Ketron's modules are basically the physical "middle" section of their parent keyboards. That's a smart design that could be adopted by other brands.

An important philosophical decision most manufacturers would have to make, is how many physical controls they want to put on the module, vs. touch screen, or vs. the player having knobs, buttons, and sliders on their controller of choice. DonM's excellent experience with the Roland A-800 and BK-7m proves the latter strategy is viable. Using iPad, etc., as an advanced interface is another approach I'm seeing more and more; I don't necessarily like it. My cardinal rule is that almost all features should be accessible / controllable through MIDI.

Each of the major brands has desirable features or functionalty that commend to owning one. I have a closet full of keyboards; I would gladly swap them for modules and get the storage capacity back. Whereas the "studio" only permits one keyboard at a time, three modules would fit in the same area. Unfortunately the last modules from Yamaha and Korg were back in the '90s; they don't represent the post-2000 TOTL feature set. So I would welcome 21st Century models from the major brands. Bring them on!!


Edited by TedS (05/21/20 11:25 AM)

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#497490 - 05/21/20 12:00 PM Re: YAMAHA PSR-SX900 Module Conversion [Re: TedS]
Torch Offline
Member

Registered: 12/17/12
Posts: 770
Yes, more choices would be good. I have been kind of itching for a new module. It seems that there aren’t too many choices out there. The GSI Gemini, Integra 7, Motif XS, or Dexibell Module, but none of them really grabs me. It would be nice to see arranger modules besides Ketron. I’m sure that many of us have watched these ingenious and “brave” Russians hacking away various arranger keyboards. I know that a lot of keyboard players look for high end modules; they already have too many keyboards. I’ve been looking at the Kurzweil Forte and PC4. Once again, if a module version is available, I’d be interested in getting one.
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#497584 - 05/23/20 09:30 PM Re: YAMAHA PSR-SX900 Module Conversion [Re: Torch]
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