P250 vs. S90 - Opinions Please

[eric]

Tonight, my band had the pleasure of opening for Delbert McClinton at an outdoor festival. They had a dedicated piano player (P250) and B3 player. I had the opportunity to jam on the P250 during soundcheck and next to my S90, the P250 piano sound and feel seemed to exceed the S90's sound by a mile.

 

It was very inspiring to play the P250 and feel the vibration coming through the built-in speakers. I just played one piano sound and was really blown away by it. I went back to my S90 triple-strike piano and was not nearly as happy.

 

So I'm wondering - does the P250 really have something that sets it apart that much and if I decided to swap my S90 for a P250, what would I lose and gain? I do enjoy the synth sounds and the ability to split the zones up on the S90. Can the P250 cover basic synths and splits? Viewed purely as a piano, the P250 kicks butt over the S90 - no question. But how well can the P250 hang in a more versatile mode, doing some synth leads, strings, pads, etc.?

 

Any advice from those that have compared the two would be helpful!

 

Thanks,

Eric

[coyote]

I don't know about most of the issuees you've mentioned. But a couple years ago I was interested in the P120. I ended up getting a board roughly the same size/weight as the P250 instead.... the size & weight are a benefit when it comes to feel. If you're willing to move it, IMO the heavier board is better to play on.

[b3keys]

Eric,

 

If I recall, one of the reasons you selected the S90 was because the Motif 8 was too large for your transportation means. The P250 is also larger than the S90.

 

Having said that, if you are just concentrating on piano, the P250 is MUCH better than the S90. The S90 excels at better EP and synth sounds. By switching, you also give up the expandability of the S90 through the PLG boards.

 

I went through this quandry a few months ago, but in my case it was with the P250 and the Motif ES8. In the end, I decided to keep the Motif ES8, because of the additional sounds and expandability features. If you decide to switch to the P250, you may need to by a sound module (Motif Rack, Fantom XR, etc.) to capture the additional sounds you need.

 

I don't play out with my ES8, so transportation is not an issue for me. Good luck with your decision. I know it is very hard. The P250 is an amazing instrument.

[eric]

If I recall, one of the reasons you selected the S90 was because the Motif 8 was too large for your transportation means. The P250 is also larger than the S90.

Good point. I had not really done a comparison, though it is clear the P250 is larger, but I don't believe it has quite the footprint that the ES8 has. The larger dimensions would entail a new $400+ road case and may not fit in my vehicle if it is a lot wider than the S90 in its case. I know the P250 is like 20+ lbs heavier, but it may be worth it. That piano sound and feel was pretty sweet.

 

I would not be jazzed about adding another sound module, so I'm curious what the non-piano sounds in the P250 sound like. I'll have to go demo one soon.

 

Regards,

Eric