yamaha psr-e463 vs Korg Ek50
- Thread starter zaid
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I've never heard the Korg EK-50, so I couldn't say. And to be honest, I don't really use the styles on my Yamaha keyboards, so I'm not very qualified to comment about their quality. But in general I'd say it might depend on the types (musical genres) of styles you're interested in, and which keyboard has more of those styles.
I know that you can add more styles to the PSR-E463, and there are a lot of style files available from other Yamaha users, but you might have to convert them from SFF2 style files to SFF1 style files-- and you'll want to tweak the style files in a utility to tailor their voices and style sections to what the PSR-E463 can use.
It looks like the EK-50 can also load more styles, but I don't know how prolific the Korg user community is as far as creating new styles for sharing with other Korg users.
It looks like the Korg has better polyphony (64 notes) than the Yamaha (48 notes), and the Korg can play more style variations (4) than the Yamaha (2). Also, the Korg has a Set Lists feature, whereas the Yamaha does not. And the Korg can updated with firmware updates from Korg, whereas the Yamaha cannot be updated with firmware updates.
The Korg can also layer 3 voices to the right of the split point, whereas the Yamaha can only layer 2 voices. (Note: This refers to built-in functionality that can be easily accessed from the keyboard without using additional software running on a connected external device. Both keyboards can actually layer up to 16 voices together using external MIDI, but that would be beyond most users.)
One thing the Yamaha has going for it is that there are functions for editing the voices-- that is, the Attack Time, Release Time, Filter Cutoff Frequency, and Filter Resonance-- and saving the modified voices for later recall via registrations. The Korg actually seems to have better capabilities as far as changing the voices, but I don't see any information in the manual which suggests that this can be done on the keyboard itself, using the panel controls. Instead, I assume you would need to use external MIDI to modify the voices.
The Korg also has a quarter tone feature, and the ability to set an attached foot pedal to different types of functions-- sustain, turning the quarter tone note-shifting on or off, and expression. The Yamaha doesn't have that.
I would say that the EK-50 looks very impressive, although as I said I've never heard it. I would recommend trying out both keyboards at a local store if possible so you can compare them, otherwise if you can't do that then watch and listen to a lot of demo videos.
I know that you can add more styles to the PSR-E463, and there are a lot of style files available from other Yamaha users, but you might have to convert them from SFF2 style files to SFF1 style files-- and you'll want to tweak the style files in a utility to tailor their voices and style sections to what the PSR-E463 can use.
It looks like the EK-50 can also load more styles, but I don't know how prolific the Korg user community is as far as creating new styles for sharing with other Korg users.
It looks like the Korg has better polyphony (64 notes) than the Yamaha (48 notes), and the Korg can play more style variations (4) than the Yamaha (2). Also, the Korg has a Set Lists feature, whereas the Yamaha does not. And the Korg can updated with firmware updates from Korg, whereas the Yamaha cannot be updated with firmware updates.
The Korg can also layer 3 voices to the right of the split point, whereas the Yamaha can only layer 2 voices. (Note: This refers to built-in functionality that can be easily accessed from the keyboard without using additional software running on a connected external device. Both keyboards can actually layer up to 16 voices together using external MIDI, but that would be beyond most users.)
One thing the Yamaha has going for it is that there are functions for editing the voices-- that is, the Attack Time, Release Time, Filter Cutoff Frequency, and Filter Resonance-- and saving the modified voices for later recall via registrations. The Korg actually seems to have better capabilities as far as changing the voices, but I don't see any information in the manual which suggests that this can be done on the keyboard itself, using the panel controls. Instead, I assume you would need to use external MIDI to modify the voices.
The Korg also has a quarter tone feature, and the ability to set an attached foot pedal to different types of functions-- sustain, turning the quarter tone note-shifting on or off, and expression. The Yamaha doesn't have that.
I would say that the EK-50 looks very impressive, although as I said I've never heard it. I would recommend trying out both keyboards at a local store if possible so you can compare them, otherwise if you can't do that then watch and listen to a lot of demo videos.
Without any doubt, the Korg provides a richer more balanced sound to me. Yamaha arrangers have very good piano sounds but to me strings and brass are harsher in tone v Korg’s equivalent.
Korg EK Styles are from a Pa model and hence of a very good quality.
The whole Korg menu system of their Arrangers are probably more straightforward and easier to navigate than equivalent Yamaha models.
That said it depends upon where you are coming from as regarding keyboard experiences and what your expectations are.
If possible go to a music store and play them side by side.
Luke from Korg gives a good demo in this video
Justin from my local Music Store demo’s the Yamaha
Korg EK Styles are from a Pa model and hence of a very good quality.
The whole Korg menu system of their Arrangers are probably more straightforward and easier to navigate than equivalent Yamaha models.
That said it depends upon where you are coming from as regarding keyboard experiences and what your expectations are.
If possible go to a music store and play them side by side.
Luke from Korg gives a good demo in this video
Justin from my local Music Store demo’s the Yamaha
I have a EK-50, and the styles are very good. The troductions and endings shows us ideas from the possible original songs of the styles. I watched videos from the youtube Keyboard Crazy about the styles and then I decided to buy it. There are now a lot of styles, but we have to be sure they are really he compatible ones. And it can recieve up to 96 external styles. They are presented in sets of 16 styles each one. We can't rename them. On Korg's page there is an aplication (hard to find) called user style manager demo. In can rearrange the position of the styles in a set of 16. But for one set of 16 at a time. Then we can export naming as USER01 up to USER06. On that rearrangement, we can choose files from another compatible set, instead of the same. So, we can't build styles on that keyboard, but we can built sets. We can't export nothing but recordings on midi format. And we can export back ip of the registrations. Sometimes I had troubles trying to use styles from other models, like Pa's, but i had to restart the system, and everything turned to the beginning easily. The story of my life, eh! eh! I am satisfied, but I need to add a new keyboard for buiding new styles, and performances created by me, as if they were new grooves, ou representing some group sound like folk groups. This is why I am thinkingo to add the ctx 5000 to my setup. And because of the low price, expecting some good quality. I searched on this brand, because of the sounds. I have a Roland Juno Gi with 1350 souns on it, and the Korg, and now, I don't want to have a new instrument repeating the tones, or sounds. That's why i think I'll maintain my choice of the ctx. On this range of price, i don't know another , here at Portugal. The styles of the EK-50 remembers a lot the music from the 70's, 80's and 90's, pointing to creativity. Watch some parts of this videos in order to have an idea about what I'm talking about. Each style and variations, remambers a song or a group. It helps a lot.