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RandyFF

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About RandyFF

  • Birthday 01/22/2016

Converted

  • occupation
    Retired
  • hobbies
    Sound quality is on-going obsession!
  • Location
    Oceanside, CA Southern CA
  • custom_title
    Formerly known as Randelph

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  1. I've had my X73 for 6 months or so. No problems with the keybed. I have noticed when I went from the high desert with low humidity to a beach community in Southern CA, that for the first little while the thunking in the keybed was super noticeable and objectionable. Thankfully it cleared up by itself in a short time. I also consider the action to be noisier than I like, but given everything i do like, it doesn't hold me back from enjoying this keyboard, which I do thoroughly. I also had a situation when a key had become unseated, as in sticking up. Someone else on this thread had the same problem, and it turns out all I needed to do is push the key back down to its seated position. Perhaps lifting the key up from the portion closest to the player, out of its seat, and then back down again? Crazy, right, but if you're turning it in for repair anyway, I wouldn't be super surprised if that solved the clicking. Who knows- it didn't seem to hurt the keybed, I imagine that might be part of the assembly procedure. Broke out my Yamaha PSR EW425, a new iteration as of a few months earlier, and was reminded how much i dislike it- the quality of sounds are for the most part sub-standard, though i'm not sure how much is 'amplified' by the on-board speakers! And the action is objectionable as well. I seem to have finally developed standards around these things, the last 3 sub $500 keyboards i bought, the CASIO CT-S500 / CT-X5000 and the Yamaha PSR EW425, I found them all objectionable, the action, the sounds, the CT-S500 being the best of the bunch. The X73 isn't my favorite key action, but it's very serviceable for both EPs and Pianos, same goes for the sound quality of EPs/APs. Not sure why I launched into this, you were addressing problems with the action, so I suppose my words are a, "At least you're not dealing with cheapie keyboards that can't manage the basics!" Silly of me i know- Have to say how seriously impressed I was with Justin Lee Shultz NAMM performance! I don't get why so many people adulate Herbie and Chick, perhaps I don't know the songs they are riffing off of, but i've never felt the appeal. I really enjoyed Justin's performance (yes I too can play like that 'cause I have a Numa X Piano!), I knew the song, and could hear him coming back again and again to the melody and then doing cool stuff with it. That's closer to what I enjoy when listening to jazz, it's all about the melody/harmonies, and how inventive you can be with it!
  2. @ AnotherScott- terrific if the board is so lightweight and has a good action for piano! Sounds like they have a decent piano, wonder if it's at least 3 layers. Yes, at the price of $329, they could add even $200 more to the price and the extra features would be totally worth it with a good action. I'd say, beef up its use as a controller with some built-in sounds and I think they'd have a winner: MW/PB, Aux in, MIDI DIN, 40 b&b sounds, an ipad editor and some registration memories, etc. Ugh- 8 sounds and they use up one of the EPs on that awful DX7 EP?
  3. I've also had Yahoo mail for decades. I resisted the impulse to switch to gmail. For a short time i paid their $5/month no ads fee, mostly cause i was using YM for blogging. But after I stopped paying them I didn't notice the ads very much. A surprise-to-me benefit of paying is that they have some crazy good customer service, calls/text, that answers question re YM, but a lot of other computer questions. I suppose on different platforms the ads are more or less visible. I'm using a Win11 laptop and instead of sectioning a portion of the page off for ads, they put the ads at the top of my emails, so it's my choice to click the ad or not, which i never do of course. I don't really notice any screen real estate taken up by ads these days.
  4. I've had the Kawai ES110 and still have the ES920. I also much prefer lighter actions, and was amazed with the action on the ES110- it really is excellent. You can be so expressive so effortlessly, never felt more like flying than on the 110. That said, the ES120 and 520 have the same basic keybed. As good as the action on the 110 is I'd never buy it again. The UI is really bad, no screen, no nothin', barely any registration memories or room for recording. And the speakers are dogs compared to the ES520/920. Downward firing, nothing compared to the sweet fullness of the 520/920. So: if you want that fast flying action, be sure and get it in an ES520! I would gladly buy the 520 over my 920 because of the great action! [not that the 920 isn't good, it's actually probably preferred by most people, it more closely resembles a grand piano action]
  5. TLDR, only about half of the posts. What were they thinking? 55 pounds!!! For a stage piano that’s a non-starter for many of us. That clearly puts it in the studio board range. Is it true the first GS had only 3 engines? I love the unison slider, the key touch, tube, volume for rhythm, EQ sliders, volume for 3 parts, etc. You never know until you play a board how much it sings beneath your fingers, and it looks like Korg has stacked the deck to make that happen, esp since I’m sure the EPs they’re renowned for will be included. 25GB of sound, twice as much uncompressed! Wowzies! I’m sure the sounds on this board would knock me out. But I really don’t get why it’s not knobbier. Like the effects area, that’s a paltry showing for a stage keyboard, there needs to be at least 2 knobs for 2 parameters. And so on, it needs 1/3 again as many controls to make it mostly menu diving free. And the pictures of it! I thought it looked weird/boat-like/ungainly until I saw the pic on Korg’s website. They did an excellent job, and it looks smart in their pics- you’ve got to catch it at the right angle. And the price? At first I was kinda shocked, I was hoping for something that is not as fancy as a Kronos to come in at more like the SV-2 or RD-2000 prices, maxing out at $2,500. But I suppose my thinking hasn’t adjust to inflation, and the price is one way to distinguish a difference. Still- Am disappointed that Korg hasn’t figured out how to deliver a great keybed feel in a medium-weight package that still has a metal frame. Am all the more impressed by the Numa Piano X73, weighing in at 26 pounds, though for most people I imagine the TP110 action is not up there with the best. But how good is the RH3 action? For some damn reason many manufacturers are reluctant to change up the name of their actions, even when it’s gone thru considerable revisions. All I know is I’ve tried various Kronos and other so-called ‘RH3’ actions several years back and hardly considered them premium, they felt sluggish. And no AT??????!!!!!! What the chunk? Yeah, in conclusion, I don’t think Korg used good sense with this board. They know darn well that much above 40 pounds is a non-starter for a stage keyboard. They seem to have gotten clearly in the Yamaha territory of allowing their premium 88 note boards to go north of 50 pounds. Oh well, it was too pricey for me anyways, but it is the kind of board that is my favorite these days. As much as I like workstation capability, I get bogged down in too many possibilities, for musics sake I relate most readily to stage pianos!
  6. I’ve heard it costs upwards of $50,000 to train a service dog! I wonder if there could be some kind of certification for emotional support dogs? As many have noted, oftentimes a person can get away with claiming their dog is for emotional support. But if there was actual training/certification involved, it would be more tolerable. An emotional support dog wouldn’t need nearly the amount of training as service dogs do, but essentially would be ‘socialized’ to eliminate typical bad dog behaviors: pee/poo in appropriate places, not jumping up on people, mostly paying attention to their person, no barking, overall calm demeanor, not overly interested in other dogs, etc. I suppose, like in a restaurant for example, you could be required to show proof of this kind of training. Personally I’d be fine with dogs like that in restaurants. I love dogs, but I’m discouraged by how difficult it is to train them!!! Even breeds that are ‘smart’ and learn well. Your best bet is to get them once they’ve been weaned, and even then I believe it takes 2-3 years. There’s a documentary on Netflix, Muster Dogs, about training, mostly Kelpies, to herd cattle. I don’t think it’s a problem for the OP to simply reject applications of people with dogs. There’s all kinds of reasons why people get or don’t get a rental. It’s of course a whole can of worms if they don’t tell you and then the dogs damage your property!
  7. I'm with b3plyr here. I've read thru these forum pages twice and looked extensively online for other reviews and forums regarding this board. I also have owned the X 73 for about 6 months. If I was an ai summarizing all of what I've read, b3plyr said it well: some love it, some are unhappy, which is my general experience with most new boards that come out. The folks having problems are the first to get on a forum and air their complaints/problems. IME it's only when every 3d or 5th post talks about significant problems that you begin to wonder. I'd say for this board it's about every 10-15 posts. AND, they're extremely responsive and give quick replies to people having problems, moreso than I've ever heard of with other manufacturers. Of what I've read about the GT, the keybed problems you're talking about is 5% of what I've read, if that. Consistently I've heard over and again about what a great keyboard controller it is, well-designed interface for external sounds, and the keybed is a dream, the best out there regardless of price. As for the sounds, it depends on who you ask. Noone I've read says they're terrible, but some who have a good ear for pianos have noted that there are problems with some of the APs. The EPs get pretty consistently high marks. A few find the other sounds not quite as good as the Yamaha boards, but still very serviceable as a stage piano. Myself and quite a few others really enjoy the other sounds. The UI gets mixed reviews: it's not as knobby as the Yamahas, but I'd guesstimate that at least 80% of the reviews say how impressed they are, that the whole system is fast and very user friendly, surprised at how the important things are very easy to adjust. It's one of my favorite things about this board. And of course there's the contextualizing: at it's given price point, how does it stack up? Turns out Yamaha has provided some really solid competition. More often than not, the CP88 is the board many aspire to, and it has some compelling features like - a premium keybed that most are happy with - a quality of sound that many tout as ready to play, excellent, perhaps a step beyond the Numa - more of a Nord kind of physical 1-to-1 UI that many enjoy - 2 sets of outs - 41 pounds vs 48 for the numa GT Where it compares less favorably: - the CP73 has a keybed many don't get on with, so the real comparison point is to the CP88 at $2600 - the Numa GT has the highest reported feel I've ever seen for a stage keyboard, descriptions of 'like butter' and 'exquisite' are common. Read the user reviews on Sweetwater. - the Numa X73 keybed is highly rated as being very serviceable for both APs and EPs, and at 26 pounds with a metal casing, and a form factor that allows it to fit in a 61 note bag, that alone is enough to constitute a buying decision for many people given how many other things check out. It also helps that with the 4-in mixer it simplifies performance setup - the CP88 is $2600 Numa Gt $2000 Numa X 88/73 $1300 / $1500. For me, the CP88 and the GT are too pricey for my budget, and they both weigh more than I'm willing/able to deal with. - it plays only 3 sounds at once compared to 4 for the Numa. That's a big one in my book, esp since the external connections use up voices Another keyboard that's been mentioned is the Yamaha CK61. The CK88 has a keybed many find substandard/uninspiring, so only the CK61 is in the running here. But for those that want a super lightweight, inexpensive board, $1000, the CK checks a lot of boxes. Maybe as a top board given it's semi-weight action. And of course, all of this is are my conclusions, I speak for no one else. But your blanket conclusions seem far off the mark, and here's why I think so.
  8. Btw the Kurz pc4-7 and the Numa, they're different boards- ones a do all workstation with a semi-weighted action, the Numa is more targeted, more of a stage keyboard, with a very decent weighted action. The Yamaha CP73 is pricier, and from what I've heard, you get a better action with the Numa X 73. The Numa X 73 has many good qualities for a gigging instrument, including a steel shell that manages to weigh only 25 pounds, and so short the 73 fits in many 61 bags. The keybed is serviceable for APs and EPs, the OS is very user friendly, and having a 4 input mixer w/effects makes it very versatile for bringing in a mic, other keyboards and even a guitar. It was made to be a gigging keyboard. And it's audio USB interface, complete with a volume knob for incoming audio, makes it a slam dunk for ipad/laptop sounds. And the price point is hard to beat- I bought a used one for $900. The thing that kills me about this board is how simple it is, but you still get 4 sounds (internal or external) that you have immediate and direct control over including volume and fx, so putting together a multi is quick, easy and satisfying. Soundwise, I enjoy most of what's on offer, the EPs being their strongest, but I find the APs very satisfying as well. And the fx sound really good.
  9. Congrats, it's really an outstanding keyboard, and you got the GT, lucky you!
  10. Tom, I agree about the sound quality, overall I find it very good and at times inspiring, including the pianos. And I totally agree about the killer feature set that this board has. You missed the opening rush of people giving reviews, but there are still many of us that want to hear it. As you get to know the board more, an in-depth review would be much appreciated!
  11. Hmmmmm.... reading this thread gives me GAS for keyboards I'd never likely get! Hand me downs? The MODX were derivatives of the original Montage, so what would we likely see of the m's feature set handed down to a plastic chassis board? Going from 8 faders to 4 and a considerably lesser keybed are big hits- I wish they' give the 8 faders, plastic chassis with wheels on top, and decent keybeds, and jack the price up $500 from what the MODX was. And just how noticeable are the converters? People on this forum that have serious setups with great monitors remark often at how good the converters are, but for those of us without an optimal monitor setup, how likely are we to hear the quality difference? Of course we won't know until they come out with a MODXm
  12. Thanks for the considered reply! I didn't know the GT was quiet- what a contrast to the tp110, I've never had such a noisy action. For myself I need to be able to schleep my boards, so the GT was out of the question. But as I've read many reviews, it sounds like it could possibly be my dream keybed: quick, extremely expressive dynamics, much control even at PPP, an action you can fly on- that's the impression I get having never played one. If I could afford a stay-at-home board, this is one I'd probably get. Not sure how tuned into the action you are- some folks can get on with just about anything. My reaction when reading your review was, hold on, without a tp110 action to compare side by side you might possibly not realize how good you've got it. But when I read so many people saying it's as good or better than any other DP they've played, esp for pianos, I'm inclined to give it consideration. If you do decide to sell it and go for the non-GT Numa Pianos, I imagine that it'd sell at a good price given its stellar reputation. For myself, I barely notice the tp110. I feel inspired to play this board, have really been enjoying it, which includes of course the overall quality of sounds, but I don't notice it per se, which I suppose is a good thing, like having a pair of shoes that fit comfortably but that you stop noticing because they feel right. By contrast, my all time favorite keybed is on the Kawai ES110/120/520. Everything that describes the GT action is what I experienced with it, and I was super aware that I was flying because of the keybed, it did not go unnoticed! Thanks for your attempt to describe the problems you hear with the pianos. It's such a tricky thing, putting words to keybed actions and the sounds! 0
  13. You guys are so nice! I thought the OP was taking a piss, asking nonsense questions. This is why I like this forum so much!
  14. Hey, welcome to the forum! How do you like the USA Grand? So far that has been my go-to all rounder, sounds good to me up and down the keyboard. Please elaborate by what you mean about the attack characteristics of the pianos needing work. Apparently SL is working on including more editing parameters, so time will tell. The EPs are my favorite sounds on the board, would love to try out the Crumar EPs. Overall I'm enjoying the sounds- they're not the best I've heard, but in pretty much every category of sound I enjoy playing with the onboard sounds, haven't busted out my iPad yet. In general, I'm happier with this board than any of the handful I've had in the last 25 years. The combo of it being lightweight, fast and intuitive to create Programs, sounds I like, a keybed I enjoy, it all adds up to this being a board that feels like it was made for a player like myself. So much so that I get very 'pianistic', dramatic and expressive with it, to the point where I will probably sell this one and get the X88! I need those extra keys! Your review, esp since you've got the GT, would be much appreciated! From what I've read the keybed sounds lovely, would probably be one of those fast and easily expressive beds. I'd be very curious to know how much thunk there is from unamplified playing. I'm good/neutral on the keybed of the X 73, but the unamplified sound is noticeable, and at times, from going from one home to another, it became annoying, but within a day or so it went back to being noticeable but not objectionable.
  15. Sorry, am away from my board. iPad or laptop assist? With the USB interface built-in it's a slam dunk to use something like Neo Soul Keys on iPad to grab tasty EPs. Keep in mind that the software version of these sounds are not 100% the same as the sounds built into the board, the boards baked in sounds are more complex and use slightly different means to achieve the same sounds. AND, you can adjust the amount of fx on the software version.
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