Can some one tell me definitively if the key feel on the PSR 3000 is identical to the feel on the 1500. My dealer currently only has the 1500 on display. It would help make to my decision for a second hardware arranger a whole lot easier if I knew.

I'm really making progress using the AJ2006 software setup now that I finally upgraded my copy of OMB to version 8, but I still want a standalone unit for backup and for occasional use of the harmonizer.

I feel that the panel ( lead ) voices in my PA80 are getting a bit tired for me. Also the PA80 style conversions I have sound excellent on the AJ2006 soft arranger.

I'm still probably going to keep the PA80. For the basic and "classic" synth voices, it still sounds very good vs the hardware I have, including the Motif ES with the AN150.


AJ

The PSR1500 & PSR3000 have the same keybed & feel.

Thanks Graham for the quick response. I guess that pretty much elminates it for me.

AJ

Hi AJ,
is the feel of the psr3k actually that bad?

Hubby knocked me for a bit of a loop yesterday, offered to buy me a new tyros2. Must be imprinted in his brain that round this time every couple of years there used to be a mad scramble to sell my old keyboards and replace with the new.

Fortunately first time ever I only have one very inexpensive piece of equipment to get rid of , my DGX.

Can't beleive I haven't rung every Aussie supplier yet to track a Tyros down. hmmm

My Rikki 2006 Arranger system is definately here to stay, but I've been thinking of getting an arranger keyboard for portability. I need one that fits in my car, and the DGX is way too big .

Main reason for wanting a psr would be because of the compatibility of styles between omb and a psr. I gather some of the mega voices could cause hassles when used in a style, but there's possibly ways round that.

I like fooling round creating styles, so for me it would be handy being able to load it into either omb or a psr. Even considered try to use the laptop / softsynth as a sound module midied to the keyboard, though I'd have to do a bit more thorough checking on the midi specs to see if it could work.

Haven't quite decided what to do, whether to go to the expense of a tyros or get the psr3k

good luck with your hunt.

best wishes
Rikki


[QUOTE]Originally posted by Bluezplayer:
[B]T

Hi Rikki,

I could play the PSR3000 if I had to. For me it's simply a matter of comfort. There are other options available for me and I just don't want to settle....

I've owned quite a few boards over the years and I adjusted to playing all of them, but to me I equate it to a guitar player with an instrument that doesn't feel quite right no matter what he / she does with it. I always felt that way with all 3 of my previous Yamaha arranger models ( 530, 740, 2k ), but never with anything else I've had except the M-Audio radium controller, which is also long gone.

The Tyros 2 is by no means a perfect solution for me. No 76 key version. To me some of it's styles will lack for the "in your face" feel that the PA80 has. As for the synth lead voices... unless they are head and shoulders better than even what the Motif ES has going for it, I won't like them vs Korg synths.

OTOH, I'm quite certain that the fills match a lot better and there are 4 fills instead of 2 vs the PA80. I think the acoustic lead voices will be much more to my liking than the PA80, and this is key when I do the "acoustic with the arranger tuned off" thing. If the keybed is the same as the one on the Motif, I'm gonna love that.

Then there is all of the add on stuff and great websites available for Yamaha arrangers. I don't think you get anywhere near that with an SD1, G70, a Gem, and while you will find a good bit for the Korg arrangers, still probably not nearly as much as for the Yamaha's

Also, I already have played on and kinda liked the T1, so even if I can't demo a T2, I'm comfortable enough buying without trying. I have no way of knowing if the acoustic lead voices are that much better on a PA1x, or if the fills match the styles. I hear the demos but I need to be up close and personal. The chances of me seeing an SD1, G70, or any other manufacturers high end arranger anywhere near me are almost nil. I was very unimpressed with the VA series boards that I eventually got to try out, and I've still never seen an SD1 or a high end GEM board anywhere.

Right now, the Tyros2 is definitely at the top of a very short list.

AJ

There is always a compromise... I have PSR3000 and yes the key feel is far from perfect. Tyros 2 keybed seems to be the same as Motif 6, which is very good. One thing about PSR3000 is that it is a very good value compared to T2 IMO. So, the compromise there is an extra $2000 that one would have to pay for a better keybed, HD recording and a few better sounds. Unless the money is not an issue... T2 is definitely the latest and greatest board.

I agree that the 3k is a great value for the dollar Oleg, which is why I was tempted in the first place. Sure, money's always an issue, but I'm not sure that it makes much sense to me to spend half or less than half on a 3k that I'm probably ultimately not going to be happy with, much as I wasn't happy with some of the same issues on the 2k or the 740. I liked the 530 because it was great value for the dollar, but then again I never thought of it as much more than a novelty item.


It isn't just the key feel. There are also quality of construction issues in my mind. I broke the pitch wheel on my 740, but I didn't have either of my 2k's long enough to break the wheels on those. Instead, the floppy drive went out on my first 2k within weeks of my purchasing it ( brand new ). In fairness though, to say I'm hard on pitch wheels might be a gross understatement. It's just my style of play, and I don't want to change my style to accomodate my keyboard. It should be the other way aroud I think.

OTOH, I've had no such issues with the wheels of either of my Motif's, but the difference in quality is like night and day. The ES is a joy for me to play, and the user interface of OMB is excellent, so if I find a portable attach on monitor and keypad that works well and can be placed strategically, ( I really dislike having the laptop in my face when I'm playing live ), and I get ( or make ) a slightly better soundset for my software arranger for style voices, then I could either relegate my PA80 to fulltime emergency backup duty or get a 3k ( or perhaps it's successor ) for that purpose. I won't mind the key feel and other issues so much if I don't need to play it all the time.

I don't need many of the bells and whistles that the Tyros 2 has, but unfortunately I don't have any real say in what Yamaha puts in their boards. If I did, I'd simply combine my favorite features of the Motif ES and Tyros, with 76 keys of course, and leave the rest off.

AJ

[This message has been edited by Bluezplayer (edited 11-10-2005).]

Hi,
I gather the tyros would definately make the better controller. It would probably also have aftertouch.

Probably the best way would be to compare the 2 , side by side.

I must admit AJ, some of the keyboards you mentioned, I've never seen either.Main ones I've had access to are Yamaha, Technics , Korg & Roland. The others just don't seem to be around.

Probably main reason for liking Yamaha's nowadays ( technics was my preference) is their popularity & all the forums.

best wishes
Rikki

Speaking of T2 construction, I expected more. It is the same plastic case. The pitch wheel is like on Motif and the keybed as well but the rest of it is comparable to the PSR3000 build.

I am thinking of an arranger / software combo, so that I can use the controls and styles within the board, turn off local sounds and be able to trigger sounds on a laptop without touching the laptop. PSR3000 that I have would be OK except that I don't think it has an ability to program a custom program change, it can send out pre-programmed program changes (probably GM) and has ability to disable local control. I think that Korg has more flexibility in that area ( as far as sending out specific program changes). I intend to test this as soon as a good quality software GM module appears. If anyone has experience with arranger / software sounds combo, please comment.

That's precisely how I started out Oleg, when the AJ2006 arranger was in it's formative stages. Even today I often still use the PA80 for styles with lead voices from the laptop. Exceeding the quality of any of the current arrangers for lead voice sounds is quite doable using software.

I found for me it's just easier to use One man band though then trying to combine the output of the PA80 with software sounds. It's a breeze to play in real time with the Motif ES as my controller, because there are enough adjustable and assignable controllers on it. Many of the generic controllers in the $200-400 USd price range would likely even work better. I can already match the quality of the style voices using freeware soundfonts and a couple of well placed effects.

I can also exceed it with better modules, but the problem is that many of the better sounding modules and samplesets do not recognize bank and patch changes, sometimes even simple GM commands. Even the one that do or ar supposed to don't seem to get it right 100% of the time. Hence the reason I stated on another thread that I am in the beginning stages of building a GM supersoundfont.

If I had better programming skills, I might be able to make an entire module just the way I want it. I have even considered giving it a shot using Synth edit as a wrapper. In this way, with the right midi controller and set of commands, I could control just about anything I needed to on the laptop or in OMB by going through the module.

The advantage of using GM only is that I won't have to do much if any adjusting or tweaking from one manufacturers set of styles to the next.

AJ