From stateofmin@aol.com Wed Apr 13 03:24:43 2011
Subject:Re: OT: Opinion: E3-73HP or PC3LE7?


I am also looking for a good overall board to replace my Yamaha S-90 which is too heavy and a bit dated at this point. Yamaha just came out with the MOX6 and MOX8. They appear to have all of the MOTIF XS sounds, are reasonably priced and are light. In the ads, Yamaha boasts that they have a new Clonewheel VST which you can play through your computer directly into the board. Since in the past, I have hated my Yamaha organ sounds on my S-90 enough to buy an XK-1, I am hoping that Yamaha has finally stepped up here. I am not an expert but I always thought the Nord acoustic pianos were pretty lame and that the boards did not have all of the bread and butter sounds you would need to play in a classic rock or 80's band. You bought the Electro for the organ, Rhodes, Whurly and Clav sounds and had to compromise on the lack of draw bars. I viewed the Electro as a substitute for my XK-1 with a definite need for a more versatile second board. Maybe times have changed. I don't know. IMHO, Yamaha piano sounds are light years ahead of Nord. Again, this may be based on prejudices of old when Nord really was not in the same league as Yamaha on that score. I know they have tried to step it up. Maybe someone can tell me if Nord is producing MOTIF quality non-B3 sounds. I doubt it. I played the new Kurzweil boards against a Yamaha CP-50 and the piano sounds were so much better on the Yamaha, it wasn't even close IMO. Also, the Kurzweil action is less than ideal for piano playing on the LE line. The MOX8 is almost the equivalent of a modern S-90 without the better pianos found in the latest incarnation of the S-90 with less weight and at a much more favorable price point. I can't wait to try one. It may be the perfect compromise for a second board with a player who wants to play with a real clonewheel as the second board. And if you can hook the board into your computer and run a decent clonewheel VST without a MIDI interface, the board could be used stand-alone with a computer at those gigs where bringing two boards is a pain in the ass. I want to compare the MOX8 against the new Roland RD300 NX for a light versatile second board. Neither one has made it onto the shelves of the music stores in my area yet. So, I will wait and break my back taking my S-90 around in the meantime.

Rick



-----Original Message-----
From: dave
To: CloneWheel
Sent: Wed, Apr 13, 2011 1:28 am
Subject: Re: [CWSG] OT: Opinion: E3-73HP or PC3LE7?



you certainly should consider Yamaha, S90/ES/XS or Motif series. It's what I use and more than a few others that post regularly on this list who have tried everything. Great "kitchen sink" keyboard. FWIW, I have owned 3 different Clavia keyboards including a C2 and was a Kurzweil sales rep. albiet for a short time. Only you can decide what is right for you, and you might not get it right at first.

dave

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