Confused about getting a new board

[hmt]

I have been playing keyboards (mainly arrangers) for past 5 years and was looking for a new board recently for an upgrade. Am confused between PA700 and SX900 as both of them were quite equally priced in my country. And moreover I was also interested in the MODX synth though its a complete synthesizer (curious in trying new stuffs). But now I can't take the decision of which one to buy of these three. And I don't have any store in my region where I can try these out by myself. So I need help.

 

[3dc]

The way I see it with arrangers you get styles so you can play instantly while synth like MODX are more intended for sound creation or professional sound design. If you can afford it I would suggest SX900 over SX700. SX900 comes with better speakers, chord loops, vocal effects and many more styles then SX700. I would go with MODX only if interested in serious music production. Its a bit of a overkill if used just for occasional playing although if you can afford it there would be nothing wrong to have it.

 

[hmt]

The way I see it with arrangers you get styles so you can play instantly while synth like MODX are more intended for sound creation or professional sound design. If you can afford it I would suggest SX900 over SX700. SX900 comes with better speakers, chord loops, vocal effects and many more styles then SX700. I would go with MODX only if interested in serious music production. Its a bit of a overkill if used just for occasional playing although if you can afford it there would be nothing wrong to have it.

Firstly I wasn't talking about sx700, its Korg PA700. And I need the sampler too. Don't know if the psr sx 900 has that. And the vocoder of modx is way more superior than that of sx900.

 

[Biggles]

Welcome

Have you got your prices and model numbers right?

The Korg PA700 has a Yamaha SX700 as its competitor and both are about £900 here in the UK.

There is also the Korg PA1000 which has a Yamaha SX900 as its competitor and both are about £1500.

I would have the Korg’s any day over the equivalent Yamaha. Build quality is imo better with the Korg’s as is the tones, styles and functionality of the keyboard. That said the Yamaha’s are a vast improvement over the previous models.

There are plenty of online reviews and there is Video tutorials available so checkout the Korg Video Manual series on Youtube for the PA700. For Yamaha the product page has a video tab which lists the available videos.

As for the MODX, checkout its competitors in a Roland FA and Juno DS, a Korg Kross 2 and a Korg Krome. The Juno DS and Kross 2 will be considerably cheaper than a MODX.

What is best for you depends totally on the direction that you want your keyboard development to proceed.

 

[hmt]

Welcome

Have you got your prices and model numbers right?

The Korg PA700 has a Yamaha SX700 as its competitor and both are about £900 here in the UK.

There is also the Korg PA1000 which has a Yamaha SX900 as its competitor and both are about £1500.

I would have the Korg’s any day over the equivalent Yamaha. Build quality is imo better with the Korg’s as is the tones, styles and functionality of the keyboard. That said the Yamaha’s are a vast improvement over the previous models.

There are plenty of online reviews and there is Video tutorials available so checkout the Korg Video Manual series on Youtube for the PA700. For Yamaha the product page has a video tab which lists the available videos.

As for the MODX, checkout its competitors in a Roland FA and Juno DS, a Korg Kross 2 and a Korg Krome. The Juno DS and Kross 2 will be considerably cheaper than a MODX.

What is best for you depends totally on the direction that you want your keyboard development to proceed.

Ya but in my country the PA700 and the SX900 are priced quite equally ( roughly around 1349 USD)

 

[Biggles]

Ya but in my country the PA700 and the SX900 are priced quite equally ( roughly around 1349 USD)

Out of interest what price does a Yamaha SX700 have?

 

[hmt]

1

Out of interest what price does a Yamaha SX700 have?

1000-1100 USD (as its price fluctuates between that range)

 

[3dc]

Firstly I wasn't talking about sx700, its Korg PA700. And I need the sampler too. Don't know if the psr sx 900 has that. And the vocoder of modx is way more superior than that of sx900.

Sorry my bad for Pa700. In that case just go with MODX. Its far better then Pa700 or SX900 imho. Its almost the same as Yamaha Montage reduced only for FM-X synthesis to 64 polyphony. Just bare in mind its not an arranger keyboard.

 

[hmt]

Sorry my bad for Pa700. In that case just go with MODX. Its far better then Pa700 or SX900 imho. Its almost the same as Yamaha Montage reduced only for FM-X synthesis to 64 polyphony. Just bare in mind its not an arranger keyboard.

Ya.... That's why I was considering the modx.... But as synth will be complete new thing for me due to the reason that I have been playing arrangers till now. And suddenly switching to a complete synth world.... I don't know if that would make me regret later...

 

[3dc]

Ya.... That's why I was considering the modx.... But as synth will be complete new thing for me due to the reason that I have been playing arrangers till now. And suddenly switching to a complete synth world.... I don't know if that would make me regret later...

I think you should first decide if you want to be a player only or you want to be also a producer. In first case stick with arrangers otherwise upgrade to MODX. My 5 cents anyway.

 

[Biggles]

Do you have an iPad?

If you do then buy a Camera Adaptor, install some Apps like ISEM and Gadget and you can also use Garage Band. This will enable you to use your existing keyboard as a Synth by spending very little.

 

[anotherscott]

synth will be complete new thing for me due to the reason that I have been playing arrangers till now. And suddenly switching to a complete synth world.... I don't know if that would make me regret later...

PA700 has the same the same kind of synth functionality the MODX has *except* for lacking the FM synth... and even most people who do synth sound editing don't do FM synth editing which is kind of its own animal.

Big things you lose by picking a MODX instead of a PA700 are the autoaccompaniment features and built-in speakers. OTOH, some of the things the MODX gives you over the PA are more split/layer flexibility (8 sounds split/layered any way you want, vs. 3 upper+1 lower), and the availability of 88 (hammer) and 76 key versions.

 

[ed3player]

Hello,
I have a Yamaha Tyros 5 and a Korg PaX4 and previously had a Yamaha PSR series keyboard. I found it was easier to get up to speed on the Yamahas but as I spend more time with the Korg the more I find it has more capabilities than the Yamaha. I was the manager of a Korg and Yamaha service center for five years and found both brands to be very reliable. The only problems we had was with the rubber contact strips failing on the Yamaha PSR series.

Ed