End of 07-08 gear reviews

[Aidan]

So, the fitness thread having taking care of our bodies (or not!), how does everyone feel about their current gear as the year draws to an end?

 

From my own perspective, I STILL haven't sold the Yamaha CP33 which I bought the Roland FP-4 to replace. Maybe I'm a masochist but I keep coming back to the CP33 for its heavier action - just feels more like a real piano to these fingers. And while the FP-4's piano sound is very good, for some reason the CP33's main piano patch seems better balanced across the keys, somehow.

 

On the top tier, my Motif XS7 is handling everything I throw at it with aplomb but I'm using a fraction of its capabilities. I'm mostly using it for EPs and organs, with the odd lead synth line but something tells me a Nord Stage Compact might be a better (and lighter) bet.

 

Amplification-wise I'm very happy with the EON10 and can definitely see myself adding a second for stereo on smaller-scale gigs, particularly if I retain the CP33.

 

So how's everyone else's GAS at this time of year?

[yannis D]

I have GAS for a Nord Stage, but i prefer gigs and money to come first and the Nord later. I don't like to spend this amount of money on new gear if gear is not gonna pay back the money - it sounds logistic and cold, but it's the financial truth. So if there are more gigs next year -i believe there will come- i'll through some money on a Stage. If not, it's Electro/Lead/laptop to handle the job(s)

[Joe Muscara]

Right now I have GAS so bad.

 

It's not like I need anything at all, really. The stuff I want is all rather redundant of stuff I already have, but much of the desired gear would make it easier to play out, at jams, etc.

 

I have an RS-4073 (aka Casio CDP-100) as a lightweight weighted board, a Roland VK-7 for organ sounds, and a Kurzweil ME-1 for piano and ep sounds. But I keep picturing myself with a Nord Electro, just whipping it out and throwing it on top of an X-stand. I'd probably be plugging it into a JBL EON of some sort (which I also don't own). I'd keep the other two boards on the 2 tier Z stand where they currently reside in my studio. I should note here that I've never played out. Ever. So buying gear for that purpose seems a little premature. OTOH, maybe I would play out if it were easier. Eh? EH?

 

Speaking of studio, I currently have updated Macs with the latest GarageBand, which is great but I don't use too often. Yet I'm lusting after Logic Studio. One, but not the only reason is for MainStage, the bit that lets you use software instruments live. Which seems rather redundant to what I have and desire above. I'm also not crazy about bringing my MacBook to clubs (at least they're smoke free now, but I'm concerned about security).

 

I am mostly happy with the gear I have, so long as I never leave the house. I usually use Ivory instead of the ME-1 when I practice (though I sometimes distract myself playing with and listening to the nuances of those incredible pianos). The ME-1 works nicely when I play with my band, though sometimes I forget to change the sound I'm using on it between songs. The VK-7 has served me well over the years, and though it got flaky earlier this year, I managed to clean it and fix it. I still wish I had waterfall keys and easier access to vibrato/chorus, but I'm the only one that notices. I have found that it's not a terrible keyboard to do most organ tricks on, but things like smears would be even easier if it were waterfall.

 

Thanks for starting this thread to let me vent some things that have been on my mind lately. If anyone wants to talk some sense into me about this GAS, I'd love to hear it.

[Joe Muscara]

Oh yeah, I want a cheap "leslie" with spinning horns, too.

[mate stubb]

I've been redoing my rig extensively for the last year. The back line is complete except for rewiring the new racks, which needs to happen by New Year's Eve.

 

This next year I intend to pull the trigger on a dual manual gigging organ.

[MusicWorkz]

I would say I am basically satisfied with my gear. While my G.A.S. is ever present, I am going through a reintroduction phase of sorts.

 

Much of this is driven by a change in production direction and methodology, and it has given me an opportunity to dig deeper into my synths and expand my sound palette by using sonuds I wouldn't go to before in my productions. I am coming back to appreciating my Korg Triton Rack for the superb soundset and quality it has, seeing the gap it fills where other synths miss.

 

Otherwise, I COULD use some more raw computing power in my life in '08.

[ProfD]

As I mentioned in MW's X-mas thread, my GAS is non-KB, moreso PA related. It almost flared up the other day when I played the Roland V-Synth GT. While I won't be pulling the trigger on one anytime soon, I could hear the possibilities in using it as a 2nd KB.

 

Otherwise, I'm still good with the Motif ES8 I copped this past summer.

 

 

[kanker.]

I't been a good GAS year for me. Although my Kawai CA-X turned out to be a turd, Kawai is replacing it with an MP8II whenever they get a new shipment. The other night, since I didn't have the tasty wooden Kawai keys and more importantly the ample flat top, I took my circa 72/73 Fender Rhodes Mk1 with 2 satellites out to an acid jazz gig that I also had to kick bass on, which was the virgin gig run of my Moog Little Phatty. Set that thing right on the Rhodes' top, and phunky phatness ensued. Great little synth.

[MikeT156]

I'm pretty happy with my gear, both "studio" and "live" rig. I could always get more, if I could afford it. No such luck, I have to concentrate on the basics, like heating my house and eating. Not much left over for GAS.

 

Mike T.

[drawback]

I have GAS for a Yamaha CP300. Right now I'm doing a ton of Christmas cocktail hour gigs and would love to get great sound from a better keybed, & amplification out of just the piano instead of my P90 and all the extraeneous stuff to pack, load, & hookup.

 

AND the Canadian dollar is finally sitting at parity, or just above the greenback.

 

I'm holding off till the New Year as sanity usually prevails as the gigs dry up in Jan & Feb. Then we'll see how the GAS is.

 

 

[Tonysounds]

I'm pretty happy with my rig, which is why I tend to buy/return a lot of stuff. I have been trying to replace my Motif 8, which I was hoping the PC3x (delay, delay) or the Stage would do, but no dice.

 

My favorite purchase this year is probably my Speakeasy Roadbox 3 Convertible with the extra upper rotor box: KILLER! (and overkill!)

 

I was watching the VsynthGT demos last nite, and that does seem pretty cool. I almost pulled the trigger on a Vsynth last year for $700, but didn't.

 

I intend to buy some recording gear pretty soon.

[marino]

I'm currently thinking about the best way to streamline my rig. For a long while I've been thinking of getting rid of the XP-80, but I'm a bit reluctant, because it's quite light and it has good controller functions. The AN1x doesn't get much use lately too, but it's a *very* light keyboard with wheels, ribbon and aftertouch, and that's not so common.

Rather incoherently, the only move I made is, I've bought a new controller, the Fatar VMK-176 Plus, which I love for its action... but I will have something more to say about it quite soon.

[Bobadohshe]

This next year I intend to pull the trigger on a dual manual gigging organ.

 

Which one are you thinking about? Korg or Nord?

[Strategery]

Being a life long guitar player, I'm semi new to keys...and this board is an older design, but I'm really enjoying my new Roland Fantom X6.

 

Went ahead and got the DVD manual and it really stream lines things as well.

 

G.A.S is bad. Get all the relief you can.

 

Randy

[DanS]

Well I had GAS for the Kore 1 (for the upgrade to 2), but after losing a lot of time phoquing around with it this week, I've decided to return this little nightmare with the red lights.

Got to the point where SX3, Reason, Acid, and even Wavelab wouldn't even boot up cuz of this thing.

[MusicWorkz]

Well I had GAS for the Kore 1 (for the upgrade to 2), but after losing a lot of time phoquing around with it this week, I've decided to return this little nightmare with the red lights. Got to the point where SX3, Reason, Acid, and even Wavelab wouldn't even boot up cuz of this thing.

 

*Making note...Dan S. has software issues. Keep him away from the computer...*

[Tom Fiala]

I've got G.A.S. for :

 

Hammond xk-3c

PC-3

 

Cursed with good taste, I tell ya!

 

 

[Jazzwee]

I sold my S90ES and now I'm trying to figure out what to get for now. I could go for an FP4 and just keep things simple for awhile. Or I could get a Motif XS6 and then use the Radio Shack/Casio as the controller. My problem is that when everything is too complicated then I don't have time to use it.

 

The S90ES had all the complex stuff but nothing to give as far as a simple swing rhythm and bossa nova. It's just too techno and hip hop focused for me. It would take too much effort to create variations so I quit. I just want some good rhythms to practice with. I've got the real piano for technique building, etc.

 

Now my only main Axe is my piano and maybe I need a Christmas present. What do I get?

 

 

[delirium]

Now my only main Axe is my piano and maybe I need a Christmas present. What do I get?

maybe this:

http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/thumb/b/bd/100px-Keytar.jpg

 

 

 

BTW, I found quite easy to load any style midi rhythms files from memory stick to S90ES and practice with it.

[Dave Ferris]

Wee-

Since you're not going to be moving it around much, I think the FP7 would be good for you. Better action (IMO) than the FP4.

It has a ton of patterns, easily accessible, more jazz oriented stuff.

[Jazzwee]

BTW, I found quite easy to load any style midi rhythms files from memory stick to S90ES and practice with it.

 

Too late now. Are you trying to make my feel bad for abandoning the S90ES fold? Let's face it, the S90ES is not something I'd want to lug around. It just stayed in one spot.

[Jazzwee]

Dave, Jazz+ says the FP4 has the same rhythms as the FP7 so he doesn't see why I should get an FP7. I actually haven't played an FP4 recently so I don't remember how it feels.

 

I did play an FP7 at GC this past weekend. From what I saw the Rhythm choices were very limited (though they sound OK) so you'd really just want it for piano. On the other hand, the Motif XS has all those arpeggios. Man, I can have a full Rhythm section on that (per Delirium). But I would only splurge for an XS6 and use another weighted controller (my Casio). But this isn't going to be a mobile solution either. What to do...what to do...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Jazzwee]

Maybe I should bid on this on ebay...

 

http://i20.ebayimg.com/07/i/000/c8/61/5c6a_1_sbl.JPG

 

 

[delirium]

I sold roland FP5 to add new motif XS6 to my S90ES

and now I'm done - it's perfect setup for me.

Both complete each other. BTW this is second time I bought XS6,

first time I returned because of frustration with sequencer,

but I missed sound a lot, so I got it back. Enough GAS for now, but I'm thinking about replacing S90ES with new fantom X8 next year if it comes out and acquiring finally black baby grand, which I always wanted and never had it.

[Jazzwee]

delirium, frankly, my GAS is not as strong as before. My ultimate GAS has been the Steinway, so I definitely think getting a grand for you is a good thing.

 

If I had some clue that something new is coming out soon, I could wait and bide my time.

 

One of things that mess with my GAS is that I haven't found a DP that remotely sounds like the real deal (my Steinway). Sometimes I'm just mesmerized by the sound especially when I'm playing a soft slow ballad.

 

Then I play a DP and all I hear is excess reverb and compressed sound. No speakers can really duplicate the real thing, unfortunately.

 

 

 

[delirium]

Are you trying to make my feel bad for abandoning the S90ES fold?

 

not at all, just saying that any board has only limited built in rhythms or arps, so you'd need something which give you ability to load new, or edit existing.

 

Regarding FP7/FP4, go to GC and try it out for yourself, somehow I didn't like the keybed. RD700SX for instance have much better keys action/feel in my opinion. Maybe that's for you? It very good piano for jazz. Plus good deal/rebates now.

[Jazzwee]

Rhythms are the important feature. Isn't RD700SX pure DP? Then I'd be looking at CP33/CP300 too but none of these have Rhythms (swing and bossa being the priority).

 

BTW - don't you think it's weird to not have a single bossa rhythm in the S90ES? Or not even a simple swing? Sure there's some complex jazz rhythms in there but they are too difficult to get a good groove going.

 

 

[Jazzwee]

not at all, just saying that any board has only limited built in rhythms or arps, so you'd need something which give you ability to load new, or edit existing.

 

So do you recommend the XS6 given my needs (obviously forgetting about the 66 non-weighted keys for a moment).

 

 

[delirium]

Motif XS has a lot of styles covered, if it is enough for you I don't know. Go to GC and review 'jazz' and 'world->latin' performances. For me motif XS is the best sounding keyboard on the market today. When you have all these 4 intelligent arps running

it's like real band (almost ). plus you can directly record them with you own playing to a song and edit farther. So you play in a quintet. You can't do any of these on FP series. Session partner is very limited.

 

BTW, RD700SX has some rhythms in it and I guess it's not pure DP since can handle all SRX synth cards.

[Aidan]

Jazzwee, I have found exactly the same problem with backing rhythms on both my XS7 and FP-4. They're just all too busy - seems like their main purpose is for the programming team to show off.

 

In the end I've decided to go with my CP33 plus an iPod running a collection of backing tracks for specific songs, either from Abersold or www.jazzbacks.com (the latter of which I can heartily recommend if you've not looked before).

 

Delirium, I know what you mean about the FP-4's keybed... just doesn't feel enough like a piano to me somehow and I've tried desperately to love it, having blown the best part of 800 quid on one!