Ketron SD5 vs SD1 Plus

Ok, which one do you buy - the SD5 or the SD1 Plus if the money is about the same - and why? Any downside to either?

Hammer

Wait for AUDYA

Hi Donny,
Thanks for the reply.
Probably won't spend 5K for an untested product. I am taking a serious look at either the SD5 or the SD1 Plus - I was hoping a few folks here with Ketron experience would offer up opinions.
hammer

I have both... and I love both. There is really more in common between the 2 boards than differences. The voices and patterns are ~ 70 % common, with the SD5 having a slight edge in both. Most differences are minor, IMO, with the main difference being the number of keys, with the SD1 having 76 and the SD5 having 60.

One rap on Ketron boards is the OS, but that usually comes from those that have been weened on another manufacturer's KB. For me the Ketron OS is fine.

Try one or the other out... if you like what you hear, you'll be happy with either. Good luck.

Glenn

Thanks Glen for the input. I have been playing a PSR3000 and have liked it but I sure do like the sound of the Ketrons I have heard. Any thoughts on gigging with either board?

Hammer

Hammer,
Even though I'm the one trying to sell you the used SD1plus, let me just suggest that because of the fact that the SD1plus weighs slightly less than the SD5 and has 76 keys rather than 61, you would probably enjoy playing on the longer keyboard when using left hand accomp. It just gives you a bigger range of right hand playing. Also keep in mind that the SD1plus has more inputs and outputs for the pro musician which the SD5 does not. The other difference is that the SD1plus has sample memory to load new sampled sounds in and Ketron gives you dozens of new acoustic instrument sounds to load into the SD1plus. This is not possible in the SD5.


------------------
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, California
818-881-5566
www.kayesmusicscene.com

Hi George,
I was hoping to get some input here from those folks with pro-level gigging experience with either keyboard. I will have my decision made real soon.

Hammer

Hammer,

With the AUDYA coming out, I'll be selling my SD1 soon. Call or email me if interested.

Glenn

Exactly...patience ......Patience

Donny,
do you really believe at $5000.00 plus that SD1 and SD5 owners are going to unload them to buy the Audya? The Audya better be one butt kicking board.

Hammer

Hammer, as was stated, they are very much alike. I like the row of assignable buttons on the SD5. It has a great Strat sound that the SD1 doesn't have, and some better saxes.
A primary consideration is whether you want 76 keys.
Talk to you soon,
DonM

1.Out of the box, the sd1plus has more styles than Sd5.
2.Sd1plus has a balance mic input
3.SDplus has the "unplugged" feature, which means that you can choose a style, view the parts in the style and instantly isolate that part, making it unplugged. An example would be a style that has a good acoustic guitar strum, you can isolate that guitar part at the beginning of a song, than when you press the fill in buttons, all parts come in ...
4. The SDplus stores it's styles on the harddrive where as the SD5 uses internal "ram" ..up to 198 styles (with expantion chip) vs. hundreds of styles being accessed off the harddrive.

Just a few differences ... Dan O'

Thanks Dan,
I am trying to reach a decision over the weekend and place an order on Tuesday for one of the two keyboards so all the info I can get from folks who actually own one is very helpful.

Hammer

the extra strat sounds, etc. that might not already be on the SD1 are on the internal hard drive.


------------------
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, California
818-881-5566
www.kayesmusicscene.com

Hi Hammer,
which ever you choose, just make sure you are happy with the onboard styles.
I couldn't find much available in the way of 3rd party free styles for my SD1+. The converted ones I came across weren't too good.
After a year or so,I gave up trying to convert & edit my own also.

I decided to settle for what's onboard, & leave my converting/ creating for the PA800 instead..


best wishes
Rikki

[QUOTE]Originally posted by hammer:
[B]

Hi Hammer
-Have a look at this site for extra styles.
http://www.carillonstudios.me.uk/ketron_styles.htm

Hammer,

I gigged with the SD1, SD1+, SD5, and the Midjay.

I'll have to say if it wasn't for the 16 registration tabs on the SD5, I would say the SD1+ was my favorite keyboard.

It covered every genre of music, all of sounds where great except for the acoustic guitars. Registration call-up was a slight hassle but worked.
I never loaded any additional sounds, or added additional styles. The vocalizer and effects are good, imho better than yamahas.

I do like have the speakers on the SD5 for monitoring if needed. Riff feature is a personal take it or leave it.

I do find I look for a few styles with the SD5 that I think are missing.

I love the Midjay series, the reg midjay has about 100+ of the SD1 styles , and the midjay plus has about 140+ of the SD5 styles.

It can be played using another keyboard, can play wav and mp3 files, it can use long character naming of files.

Any of the Ketrons that you pick have that sound and you will be very pleased once you get familiar with the operating system.

Thanks Frank,
I will try to make a decision by Tuesday - hope to get more input here from actual ketron gigging pros.

Thanks,
hammer

Hammer, I've been giging with original SD1 since when it first came out, about6 or 7 years now......I did also have Tyros, G70 and still have PA1X Pro, but I keep coming back to SD1.....it works for me.

And dont forgeth teh MIDJAY can do something all of the others cannnot do.....PLAY ALL MODES SIMULTANEOUSLY!!!!.....controlled by SEPERATE SLIDERS!!! THis was the most awesome feature by far on stage....

Mp3/Smf/Styles/SFX/VH & more

I miss all that on my MJ.....with al the new cool controllers out there Id take a serious look atthe new MJ+

Hi Donny,
Funny you would mention the midijay - I spoke with both Jay and Don today about them. Certainly something to think about. What are you top choices in controllers?
Hammer

Sono88 or an EMU 61..and I have them both at a good price if you need one.....email me............

onemanband52@yahoo.com
http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/ProKeysSono88-main.html
http://www.emu.com/products/product.asp?category=532&subcategory=533&product=15164




[This message has been edited by Dnj (edited 09-02-2008).]

Now me, I'd want to know what controller anyone had that they WEREN'T trying to sell, if I were looking for a good one

But that's just me...

I've owned both SD1 & SD5 and for me (my opinion only, so don't shoot me.)The SD5 is a newer sound engine, the sounds are newer, some of the the styles that are in the sd5, which came from the SD1 have been re-tweaked with the SD5 sound engine, they sound great, alive. The Sd1 is a great keyboard but its 8 years old. SD5 is 1 1/2 years old at best. SD5 has a combo of the X1, SD1, XD9 styles + many new styles also. I was a big ketron user for over 11 years and I have to say they are one of the best sounding keyboards that I've owned. Which everone you pick you will be happy.

Thanks folks for all the great input. I just placed an order for a Midjay Plus - thought I would give that a try and perhaps move on from there. I'll let everyone know how it works out. Probably will be using either an M-Audio or a Roland controller.

Hammer