How good are arranger keyboards compared to samples libraries?

[Nam Thanh]

I have always wanted to ask this question and hope you can provide your thought.

How good are arranger keyboards compared to samples libraries? I have played mostly with Yamaha arrangers like Tyros 2, PSR-S910, etc.

How good are their sounds compared to Native Instruments' Komplete or other mainstream libraries?

My sincere thanks,

 

[SeaGtGruff]

That's a tough question to answer, because it depends on the arranger keyboard and the sample library. Some arranger keyboards sound better than others; some sample libraries sound better than others; some arranger keyboards sound better than some sample libraries; and some sample libraries sound better than some arranger keyboards. I think you need to look at a specific keyboard versus a specific library-- and even then it may depend on the specific sound you're comparing. Probably the only "consistent truth" is that the more expensive keyboards/libraries usually sound better than the less expensive keyboards/libraries.