CP88+... VOX Cont/ Electro 6D/ SK-pro/ YC61

[SzymonW51]

Hi all! I hope i put this post in a proper section

I came here with a dilemma and look for an advice I want to upgrade my current gigging cover band set (actual it's SV1 and KingKorg, with is generally fine, but i want to go for something more practical, better sound and with more capability. I love both of the keyboards for the ergonomy, big knobs and switches, "and all on the desk" ideology, what makes the instruments perfect for live playing.

My assumptions: bottom: very good 88 keys, 3 layers (like Norde Stage, but for 2/3 of his price), lightweight (CP88 beats here RD2000, SV2, Stage3, Vivo S9, or GrandStage), and yep: CP88 for 2100€ seems to have no competition here.
Yes, Nord Stage 3 come with access to Nord Sample Library, but honestly... I rather don't care about it. My principals are: good timing, good notes, good feeling, then good sound...
Last time i had to find a good Choir "Ohh" voice, and yes. I found it in the NSL (after an half hour), and i check'ed the choir in CP88, and both of them were really good. So... For a special quest i have MainStage, Model D (on iOS) or KingKorg.

But the real dilemma is the upper instrument! I want to have an organ/synth/other combo. And here come:
Vox Continental: the cheapest alternative (1000€). It has CX3 sound engine (i give it 4/10 on organ sounds), with can be enough for my needs. XLR is a huge plus, NuTube also. Touchable sliders seems to work fine. Nice synth's and good enough other sounds.
Electro 6D - pros: very nice organ sounds (i rank it 7/10), access to NSL, cons: no mod wheel and pitch bender and it is a big gap if i want to use them as solo synth... I know, it is a organ/vintage sounds oriented keyboard, but all electric pianos i and clav's i want to play on the bottom weighted keyboard, so... 1600€
SK-Pro - it has definitely the best organ simulation (9/10) and very nice interface (4 zones, highly flexible), but the quality of the "other" sounds is for my not adequate at all for the price...2450€.
YC61 - cons? My organ rank: 6/10 (slightly weaker than NordElectro [or just different?], not a huge sound library [but for me: quality>quantity], and... Its all... Pros: user interface quite similar to Nord "zones" system with bigger and more ergonomic placing of knobs and switches, build in interface with (with is extremely practical and i definitely will use this function often, mod wheel and pitch bander, Internal power supply, and the icing on the cake... Vintage switches for sections...

Why i have dilemma? I'm not shure is it a good idea to buy 2 very close keyboards.
Why i consider Vox Continental? Because maybe it is enough for my actual needs and it gives me other sounds than these form Yamaha's?
Why i consider Electro 6D? Because maybe it has really much better organs and the access to NSL is worth attention?
Why i consider SK-Pro? Because it has brilliant emulation of Hammond (no surprise ), but it's astronomically expensive and the "other" sounds are not awesome...
Cheers

 

[anotherscott]

I want to upgrade my current gigging cover band set (actual it's SV1 and KingKorg, with is generally fine, but i want to go for something more practical, better sound and with more capability.

More capability I get... those are great boards but the also definitely have their limitations. Better sound, yeah, depending on the sound (but SV1 EPs and KK VA synth are quite strong). More practical... not sure in what resepect... are you talking about the travel weight of the SV1?

My assumptions: bottom: very good 88 keys, 3 layers (like Norde Stage, but for 2/3 of his price), lightweight (CP88 beats here RD2000, SV2, Stage3, Vivo S9, or GrandStage), and yep: CP88 for 2100€ seems to have no competition here.

Also possibly worth taking a look at would be the Kurzweil SP6, though it does lag some of those others in the "big knobs and switches, 'and all on the desk' ideology" department.

But the real dilemma is the upper instrument! I want to have an organ/synth/other combo. And here come:
Vox Continental: the cheapest alternative (1000€). It has CX3 sound engine (i give it 4/10 on organ sounds), with can be enough for my needs. XLR is a huge plus, NuTube also. Touchable sliders seems to work fine. Nice synth's and good enough other sounds.
Electro 6D - pros: very nice organ sounds (i rank it 7/10), access to NSL, cons: no mod wheel and pitch bender and it is a big gap if i want to use them as solo synth... I know, it is a organ/vintage sounds oriented keyboard, but all electric pianos i and clav's i want to play on the bottom weighted keyboard, so... 1600€
SK-Pro - it has definitely the best organ simulation (9/10) and very nice interface (4 zones, highly flexible), but the quality of the "other" sounds is for my not adequate at all for the price...2450€.
YC61 - cons? My organ rank: 6/10 (slightly weaker than NordElectro [or just different?], not a huge sound library [but for me: quality>quantity], and... Its all... Pros: user interface quite similar to Nord "zones" system with bigger and more ergonomic placing of knobs and switches, build in interface with (with is extremely practical and i definitely will use this function often, mod wheel and pitch bander, Internal power supply, and the icing on the cake... Vintage switches for sections...

I like the Vox, but actually more as a "bottom" board because I usually ask more of my top board in terms of sonic variety, MIDI functions, splits/layers, patch navigation. I'd say it does have the best action of that bunch, though (with the caveat that, like most people, I haven't yet gotten my fingers on an SK Pro). I like the Vox EPs more than those of Nord or Yamaha.

Electro 6D is definitely weak as a solo synth. Besides the lack of pitch/mod controls, it's the only one you listed whose synth sounds are purely sample based. It also has no mono mode, no portamento. Other than that, I still prefer more of the versatility I just spoke about regarding the Vox, though it is a more versatile board than the Vox is.

SK Pro does look nice. As to your point about inadequate quality of the "other" sounds, it's worth noting that that could be an issue with the Nord as well. Outside of the piano library, all the other acoustic instrument emulations are limited to a single velocity layer. That's not the case with Yamaha or Vox, I'm not sure about the Hammond. Unlike the Vox and Electro, though, as you point out, the Hammond includes flexible MIDI zone functionality, which means you could at least easily expand those "other" sounds with, say, an iPhone or an iPad. Though if you don't already have something like that, that's another expense above what is already your priciest option.

Overall (and again, I haven't played the SK Pro yet), I expect then to compare roughly like this:

Organ sound:
1. Hammond
2. Nord
3. Yamaha (at least based on its current rotary sim)
4. Vox

Piano sound:
1. Nord
2/3. Yamaha or Vox ?
4. Hammond

Strings/Winds/Brass sounds:
1. Yamaha
2. Vox
3. Hammond
4. Nord

Lead Synth sounds:
1. Hammond (VA)
2. Vox (VA with minimal programmability)
3. Yamaha (FM with minimal programmability)
4. Nord (samples only, no portamento, no pitch/mod controls)

Action:
1. Vox
2. Yamaha
3. Hammond
4. Nord

I also have a not-quite-complete comparison chart you might find interesting at https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Fr9cObRaep37A9Y1PZtRkVWxKKDsXUGPk9ubfhYgoSk/edit?usp=sharing

Why i have dilemma? I'm not shure is it a good idea to buy 2 very close keyboards.

Yes, if you indeed end up with the CP88, the YC61 would be very duplicative. Some people like duplication... less different things to learn, easier to create near-identical sounds on each board so that, if a board goes down, all your key sounds are available no matter which board you have left. Personally, I'd rather have more differentiation in my keyboards.