Showing posts with label yamaha. Show all posts
Showing posts with label yamaha. Show all posts

6/29/2012

Casio PX3 Digital Stage Piano Review

Casio PX3 Digital Stage Piano
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
Received my PX-3 from JR Music through Amazon a little over a month ago. It arrived on the date promised with no problems with the packaging or the setup. The PX-3 is what it is; a lightweight, small footprint, digital piano and midi controller. That is what I wanted and I am very happy with it.
It fits on my desk, it is easy to move around, and it is not flimsy. I'm big and play rather heavily and it seems stout enough.
I like the feel of the matte keys and the piano action. The piano samples are good, I don't use the EP tones much but they sound fine to me.
It works my JV-1010, "Band-in- a-Box" and "Power-Tracks" with no problems. Setting up the layers for internal tones and external controls is easy after reading the manual. On the controller side I would have liked knobs, sliders and after-touch. It is possible to change the volume of an individual zone on the fly, but it takes a lot of coordination if I'm playing at the same time. Even given that, as a controller it is a lot easier to set things up on it than my old SL161 and it has the nice piano action.
I received the free gig bag for registering the piano from Casio within a month, it is very nice.


Click Here to see more reviews about: Casio PX3 Digital Stage Piano

The new Privia PX3 redefines the stage digital piano category with unprecedented sound quality and performance features in a lightweight design that is supremely portable. Featuring tone editing, insert effects, MIDI controller capabilities, an Ivory Touch 88 note scaled hammer action keyboard and weighing only 23.6 lbs., the Privia PX3 is ready to take stage. Casio PX3 Digital Stage Piano Features Ivory Touch 88 key scaled hammer action for supreme feel 64 insert effects give you added flexibility and versatility USB MIDI interface for connection to your computer without the need to install drivers Authentic sounding piano tones are sure to impress Backlit LCD screen is viewable even on a dark stage Piano Sounds The grand piano sounds in the PX3 deliver an unprecedented level of realism and expression. Four dynamic levels of stereo piano samples are integrated with Casio's proprietary Linear Morphing System, for a grand piano sound with seamless transitions and a superior dynamic range. For added realism, the PX3 simulates the sound of open strings when the dampers are raised by the pedal using Acoustic Resonance DSP. Performance Control The PX3 was designed to be the heart of your live performance rig. Its controller features allow you to control two upper and two lower zones. Each zone can be one of the PX3's sounds, control an external MIDI device or both simultaneously. The PX3's internal tones can be customized to meet your needs with 64 insert effects, adjustable filters, envelopes and more. All of your changes can be stored and instantly recalled from the PX3's 64 registration locations. Ivory Touch The new PX3 features a new Ivory Touch, Tri-Sensor 88-note scaled hammer action keyboard. Casio's superior engi

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Yamaha MO6 61 Key Music Production Synthesizer Review

Yamaha MO6 61 Key Music Production Synthesizer
Average Reviews:

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This is an amazing keyboard. Excellent sound, absolutely awesome for live playing...and if you are into techno/trance/house...there isn't any other keyboard which can compete. Build quality? Excellent...Made in Japan.
The competing keyboard for this model is Korg M50-61. Although it is lighter, the M06 far exceeds in quality and real-time playing. Overall, the perfect keyboard for techno/trance/house production for real pros.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Yamaha MO6 61 Key Music Production Synthesizer

Yamaha, the world's largest musical instrument manufacturer and the leader in synthesizer technology, proudly introduces the MO Music Production Synthesizer. Targeted to semi-professional musicians and home/project studio owners as well as songwriters and performers, the MO provides a full set of authentic sounds and comprehensive music-making features including an emphasis on contemporary styles and voices. Highly portable and compact, the MO also serves as an ideal keyboard for live performance situations. The MO contains many advanced music production tools. These include a built-in Song sequencer, and a useful Pattern mode that allows you to build complex rhythmic/chordal patterns by using preset Phrases - or Phrases of your own creation. Moreover, the powerful Arpeggio feature gives you over 1700 sequenced phrases that you can trigger at the touch of a key.Drawing on the technology and sounds of the professional level MOTIF ES, the new MO features an expanded sound set, with an exceptionally large internal wave memory capacity. The keyboard has a full complement of realistic instrument Voices (total 512) and Drum Kits (64), and includes many modern and vintage synthesizer sounds, making it well-equipped for current dance, club and techno music styles. For sound shaping and signal processing, the MO features sharp, responsive filters (with real-time knob control from the panel) and an extensive set of high-quality effects.The MO also seamlessly integrates into computer music systems, with special remote control functions that let you operate your favorite sequencer software from the instrument itself. In addition, the MO is the latest instrument in the Yamaha line to feature compatibility with the convenient Studio Connections system. Studio Connections lets you make and save MO settings to a song within your DAW application (such as Steinberg's Cubase), and use the Total Recall features to instantly restore those settings when you reopen the song.

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6/27/2012

Yamaha P155S Contemporary Piano with Cherry Top Board, Silver Review

Yamaha P155S Contemporary Piano with Cherry Top Board, Silver
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
We got this piano for our daughter.
it sounds great and it looks good too.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Yamaha P155S Contemporary Piano with Cherry Top Board, Silver

Whether you're practicing at home, playing with the band, or doing alive solo performance, the P155 series offers professional quality sound with our legendary touch. Thanks to top-shelf Yamaha digital piano technologies, musicians don't have to choose between portability and piano quality- the quality you expect from a company that's been building world-class acoustic pianos for over a century.

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6/26/2012

Mackie Onyx 32 Mixer (4 Bus, 28 Onyx Preamps and 2 Stereo Channels) Review

Mackie Onyx 32 Mixer (4 Bus, 28 Onyx Preamps and 2 Stereo Channels)
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Esta mezcladora es un equipo increiblemente genial, logramos superar todas las desventajas que habíamos tenido tiempo atrás. Tiene una consistencia robusta en los componentes, todos los controles demuestran gran calidad. El manual es sencillo e incluso puedo mencionar que aprendí muchas cosas del manual ya que no se limitan a explicar cuestiones técnicas sino más bien se obtienen ejemplos prácticos. El control que me proporciona sobre lo que quiero tener en el monitor/phones es increible. Todo lo que siempre había querído hacer para poder monitorear la mezcla ahora es posible. La calidad de la ecualización es estupenda realmente no es dificil lograr una equalización adecuada en pocos segundos. El compresor/limitador es un recurso importantísimo que va por el mismo precio. El control de las líneas auxiliares es genial.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Mackie Onyx 32 Mixer (4 Bus, 28 Onyx Preamps and 2 Stereo Channels)

Mackie Onyx 32·4 and Onyx 24·4 mixers build upon the legendary Mackie SR24.4 and SR32.4 consoles - with their flagship Onyx mic preamps, new 4-band Perkins EQ, 100mm faders, a 6x2 matrix and a built-in stereo compressor limiter - all at a price that won't break the bank. These new mixers bring the innovative feature set and unequalled sound quality of Mackie's Onyx Series to the world of mid-format live mixers, effectively filling the gap between the Onyx Small-Format and 8-bus Onyx 80 Large-Format Live Sound Consoles. The Onyx 4-bus Series mid-format consoles incorporate a host of new features like a full complement of Mackie's highly acclaimed, flagship Onyx preamps that combine greater fidelity, increased headroom and unequalled sonic performance with greater radio frequency rejection and wider dynamic range. Additional Onyx 4-Bus features include a fully balanced signal chain for lower noise and wider frequency range, as well as Mackie's exclusive Cal Perkins-designed four-band EQ circuitry, renowned for its highly musical British sound and wider-range control. Both Onyx 4-Bus consoles also feature a 6x2 matrix, 100mm Panasonic faders, and a fully assignable stereo compressor/limiter section built upon the high-quality THAT 4301 chip. This compressor/limiter features independent threshold, ratio and fast/slow attack controls, and can be assigned to the main output mix, Groups 1 and 2, or Groups 3 and 4. Onyx 4-bus Mid-Format Live Sound Console Features Premium Onyx Mic Preamps on all mono channels Four-Band Perkins EQ Six fully assignable Aux Sends with Pre/post switches, mute and AFL solo Smooth, long-throw 100mm Panasonic Faders Analog direct outs per channel Two Dedicated Stereo Inputs 4 segment channel metering Dedicated talkback section 6 x 2 matrix Built in stereo compressor/limiter An All-New Design for Superior Sound A

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6/24/2012

Yamaha YDP161 Digital Piano with Bench Review

Yamaha YDP161 Digital Piano with Bench
Average Reviews:

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I am absolute newbie with sight-reading experience from my former choir signing days! I wanted to learn to play a piano but did not want the tuning and expense of owning the real McCoy and then find i didn't want to play it. Especially living in an apartment there were the neighbors to consider as well as the premium floor space. Then I came upon the digital piano and this form solved all my problems in one quiet swoop. You get what you pay for, so do some research on your must have and budget. I just knew that i wanted a brand name in the world of music so the yamaha was a given. Now I was deciding between the 161 and the 141, both new models released on 2010. I finally went with the 161 for the better hammer action and that it offered the 128 notes polyphony. These might be minor issues for you, but my passion to learn made me decide that rather than upgrade later, I would splash out a little bit more now and have the piano for a lot longer. If you live in an apartment like me, the bigger speaker offered by the 161 was not a huge selling point as I practice most of time with the head phones. Only when I wanted to show piece a well practiced piece do I unplug the headphones. The size of this piano is awesome and compact in depth and with the 88 keys, you have the grand piano sound without taking up a lot of space.
Other features include a metronome than can adjust for different time signature like 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, 5/4, etc; 50 preset songs were you can mute either the right or left hand and you can practice with it (this is really for the intermediate player, but nice to look foreword to! The piano defaults to the grand piano output, but you can switch to outputs that include the organ sound, harpsichord, strings. Also nice are the options to set various digital reverb ranging from hall, room, stage or off, which is the default setting. You could also manually set the reverb effect, which is worth doing as it does change the output quite considerably.
The piano also records up to two tracks, which for a beginner is a great way to learn which part of the score that you need to practice the timing a bit more!
The 161 has two headphone plug INS to allow for a second listener. There is midi that allows you to record more of your own music onto a computer (for composition) or you can down load music to the piano too.
The weights of the keys are superb and I am loving the experience, the sound and the accessibility the digital format offer me.
For the price it is reasonable. It is worth shopping around for competitive bundles. I did not end up buying my piano here. But I am so happy with my experience that I really highly recommend this model for beginners who are looking to progress to play full scores. For beginners, I recommend the Alfred's adult all in one course. It is by far the best series out there. For a novice in the world of music theory, My husband is really impressed with the progress that I have made in less than one week.
For those who have wanted to fulfill a dream, don't hesitate any more, this is the best option and you will love yourself for buying it. Happy playing.
Update: September 2010: Try the piano and keyboard software! it is another fabulous tool for those who are teaching themselves to play the paino. It is a great supplement to the Alfred's all in one adult course. read my review on the software. I even more happy with the purchase of this piano!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Yamaha YDP161 Digital Piano with Bench

Stepping up to the YDP-161provides true piano sound and feel. The Graded Hammer keyboard and 128-note polyphony responds to the beginner and experienced player, both in practice and in performance. The 3-level AWM Dynamic Stereo Sampling Voices deliver remarkably authentic and responsive sound.

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6/10/2012

Yamaha HW10W 10" Powered Studio Monitor Review

Yamaha HW10W 10 Powered Studio Monitor
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
speaker did a great job until today where it seems to be blown. is there any type on manuf. warranty on this?

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The HS10W powered subwoofer complements the HS speakers and easily handles today's bass-enhanced music or the most dramatic surround effects. The HS10W woofer uses a bass reflex design cabinet that maintains high efficiency and low distortion. The HS Series has been designed to provide exceptional clarity and flat response, so if your mix sounds good here, it will sound good everywhere in 2:1 (Stereo) or 5:1. The HS10W powered subwoofer contains a long-stroke, 8-in. 120-watt woofer and bass reflex design cabinet that maintains high efficiency and low distortion. Connections include dual XLR and 1/4-in. inputs, and three balanced XLR outputs (Mix, L&R). Controls include master level, phase and low/high cutoff frequency. The HS10W complements the HS speakers, and easily handles today's bass-enhanced music or the most dramatic surround effects.

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6/02/2012

Yamaha MM6 Music Synthesizer Review

Yamaha MM6 Music Synthesizer
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
Got more then expected. Lightweight with great sounds, especially Live! ones. Good synth suitable primarily for performace. Easily programable for fast patch switching.

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Power and control, two elements that can make all the difference in your music, whether you compose, create or perform. The MM8 and MM6 Music Synthesizers deliver all the musical power and creative control you need - and a whole lot more. Taking their sounds from the highly popular pro-level MOTIF series instruments, the MM series have an enormous variety of dynamic, authentic voices to help you create and perform in virtually any style of music. These powerful instruments also give you total control over your sound, letting you dynamically change sonic textures as you play with real-time tweakable knobs. Also built-in are special Patterns that provide full instrumental backing - drums, bass and chords - to accompany your live performance and song creation. The MM8 and MM6 have 418 Voices and 22 Drum Kits on board, all based on the dynamic, realistic sounds of the advanced MOTIF series synthesizers. These exceptionally high-quality sounds range from authentic acoustic instruments to wild, unique and in-your-face synth Voices. An extra set of GM Voices is built into the instrument as well, giving you all you need to play back songs recorded in that popular format. With so many Voices to choose from, you might think it's difficult to select the ones you need. Not so. The convenient Category Search function lets you choose the type of instrument you want to play - organ, guitar, synth, lead, strings, whatever - then select the specific Voice. All your favorite sounds are right at your fingertips, ready to play when you are.

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5/24/2012

Yamaha S115V Carpeted 15-inch 2 Way Loudspeaker System Review

Yamaha S115V Carpeted 15-inch 2 Way Loudspeaker System
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I was contemplating getting a set of either Peavy PV 215, JBL JRX115, or Yamaha S115V speakers. After reading many reveiws, both good and bad on all three speakers, and after testing each out at the local Guitar Center, I decided on the S115Vs. I will sum up my review by listing pro's and con's of each and why the Yamahas won my money.
PV 215
Pros: Cheap considering you get two 15's.
Cons: Cheaper construction (they only use 1/2" MDF), highs were virtually non-existant, power handling wasn't that great, and there were no speakon connectors.
JRX115
Pros: Nice lows, reasonably priced for JBL, 3/4" MDF, dual speakon and 1/4" jacks (for daisy chaining, and great power handling (at least what it's rated for that is).
Cons: Highs were a little too, well, HIGH! The highs almost had a twang to them no matter what adjustments were made. There was no defined mid range.
S115V
Pros: Like the JRX115, had nice lows, reasonably priced, 3/4" MDF, dual speakon and 1/4" jacks, and really good power handling. The overall range of sound was amazing compared to the other two speakers. The Yamahas also had the largest tweeter as well.
Cons: A little on the heavy side, but not too bad.
Although the Yamahas were the most expensive of the three, they are well worth the money. Yamaha does have a BR line if you are looking for a cheaper speaker. Personally, I would not sacrifice price for quality; and for what these speakers are going for, you can have GREAT quality at a reasonably good price. I use these for DJing and all my customers love the sound produced. I recommend anyone considering these to try them out first at a local music store. For me, they were EXACTLY what I was looking for in a speaker.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Yamaha S115V Carpeted 15-inch 2 Way Loudspeaker System

The S115V is a trapezoid design cabinet, with oversize steel handles, steel corner protectors, a steel jackplate with both dual Speakonâ and high current, heavy duty Switchcraft 1/4" input jacks, and a built-in socket for pole mounting. Its covering is tough black carpet, with a heavy gauge perforated steel grille for driver protection. The woofer, or low frequency driver is a high power design using cast aluminum frame, with a cooling port in the pole piece for extended high power handling. The high frequency driver is a custom, 2" diaphragm (1" exit) design with an exclusive phase plug that reduces harmonic distortion inside the driver itself. This driver is mated to a 90 x 40 constant directivity design to give smooth, even coverage over the pattern of the horn. Both of these drivers are custom made for us by Eminence. The internal passive crossover has protection circuitry to help guard against damage that may occur from over powering the S115V. This loudspeaker is manufactured in the USA. It is covered by a 3-year warranty.

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5/02/2012

Yamaha P3500S Dual Channel Amplifier, 550 Watt x 2 at 4 Ohms Review

Yamaha P3500S Dual Channel Amplifier, 550 Watt x 2 at 4 Ohms
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I have been using this in a home application with a hard to drive pair of vandersteens and find that this amp does a fine job. Not as detailed in the treble region as some higher end amps, but very dynamic. Stays cool even when driven hard. It seems very well built and I have had no issues. Many adjustments and compatible with many types of connectors.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Yamaha P3500S Dual Channel Amplifier, 550 Watt x 2 at 4 Ohms

The P3500S is a 2-space, rack mountable power amplifier that produces 350 watts per channel from 20Hz to 20kHz. (390W @ 1 kHz) into an 8-ohm load. It will provide 450 watts per channel from 20Hz to 20kHz. (590W @ 1 kHz) into a 4-ohm load. These ratings are 'both channels driven". It is extremely clean with a total harmonic distortion and noise rating of ≤0.1%. A unique YSProcessing circuit provides optimum performance when used with the Yamaha Club series loudspeakers. The P3500S also uses Yamaha's patented EEEngine circuitry to reduce power consumption and heat. Input connectors are both XLR and ¼" balanced. There are switchable high or low pass filters for both input channels, with continuously variable from 25Hz-150Hz. Outputs are Speakonâ, high current ¼" or 5-way binding posts. The P3500S weighs 32 lbs. Covered by a 3-year warranty; the P3500S is underwriters laboratory (UL) listed.

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4/27/2012

Yamaha P155B Contemporary Piano with Ebony Top Board, Black Review

Yamaha P155B Contemporary Piano with Ebony Top Board, Black
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Dont expect a big difference in sound quality over the P-140 or you will be dissapointed. At most there may be an ever so slight increase in micro-dynamic expressiveness on softer, subtle passages (maybe that's the 4th layer?), but dont expect anything to jump out at you. I mean subtle! Not much difference in the decay versus the P-140. About the same. I owned them both. The action is heavy and responsive on the P-155 (same as P-140) which I like and the features are an improvement over the P-140. Given how inexpensive and small digital memory has become, it would be nice if Yamaha could give us a DP with a natural sounding decay instead of a looped one. On a real piano the harmonic overtones decay faster than lower fundementals. This sonic reality has not been incorporated into this instrument unfortunately. The P-155 does sound resampled, just not enough to show a really audible difference from the P-140. At soft levels its pretty good but at mezzo forte or louder decay is unnatural, like the P-140. Sound quality via the built-in speakers is the same as P-140. Dynamic range and volume is a little better because of greater wattage but thats about it. Speakers and frequency range are unchanged. Unlike P-140 you can choose brightness levels in between Bright, Normal and Mellow for a total of 5, not 3 choices which is nice. If you can get one for $1,000 or less its worth it but I wouldn't spend 1200 on it over the P-140, unless you need the new features.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Yamaha P155B Contemporary Piano with Ebony Top Board, Black

Whether you're practicing at home, playing with the band, or doing alive solo performance, the P155 series offers professional quality sound with our legendary touch. Thanks to top-shelf Yamaha digital piano technologies, musicians don't have to choose between portability and piano quality- the quality you expect from a company that's been building world-class acoustic pianos for over a century.

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4/21/2012

Yamaha MG32/14FX 14 Bus Audio Mixer Review

Yamaha MG32/14FX 14 Bus Audio Mixer
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This mixer is everything that it says it is. I bought mine about 3 weeks ago, and it works great, it's already done a few gigs, 2 large events, and a rehearsal.
The knobs feel great, very professional.
The board is pretty weighty, can be carried by one person although its recommended to have two persons transport it. It runs cool and has alot of headroom. I used it alongside the MG166CX, and with a QSC Power Amp.
With the MG166CX, the amp was at about 26, with the MG32, had to tone it down to 14, as low as 12 in some instances through the same speaker setup (6 speakers, 2 bass and 4 loudspeakers) and it handled very well.
When time has past, I will hopefully give a more detailed and structured review, but for now, great product. The box it ships with is pretty big, so you may wanna hurry up and get the case for it.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Yamaha MG32/14FX 14 Bus Audio Mixer

The MG32/14FX is a mixing console with 32 input channels, 24 mono and four stereo line inputs;Mono inputs have inserts, switchable 80Hz high pass filters with switchable 48V phantom power. Stereo inputs can accept either RCA or ¼" connectors. All inputs have three band EQ with mid sweep, the stereo inputs have 4 band EQ,as well as 6 aux sends, and two dedicated internal effect busses. Lighted channel on/off, PFL and phantom power switches are easily seen. Two built in high quality digital effects each have 16 different reverb, delay and echo user adjustable presets. Four 12 segment LED meters allow visual monitoring of main stereo outputs, AFL/PFL and the four group outputs. Wooden end panels add to the attractive, solid build quality. A 3 conductor light socket allows the use of a 12V gooseneck lamp.

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4/20/2012

Yamaha CP300 Stage Piano Review

Yamaha CP300 Stage Piano
Average Reviews:

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Good piano sound, plays like a real piano, has good choir sound, the string sounds could be better, especially when blending with the piano. And then there are all the MIDI sounds that I didn't realize came with it, and I still haven't gotten to the bottom of all the features.
I like the way the often-used functions are laid out as buttons, that is a good design and a good implementation.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Yamaha CP300 Stage Piano

Like all fine instruments, the CP 300 simply begs to be played. Sit down with one, and the instrument becomes an extension of your hands and your musical imagination. The authentic piano voices and rich expressiveness come alive at your touch, and the sound is big enough to blast through a full band onstage - yet nuanced enough to work magic in an intimate club.Yamaha's extensive experience in crafting fine acoustic pianos helps us in creating the ultimate digital pianos. Our advanced Graded Hammer Effect (GHE) action gives all keys an authentic resistance that increases from the top register to the lower - just as on an actual acoustic piano. Which means that you can naturally pound out thunderous low notes with your left hand and let the fingers on your right dance and fly with the high notes.In crafting the authentic sound of the CP series, we used meticulously recorded stereo samples of top-quality instruments, taken at various playing strengths, and included subtle elements such as String Resonance, Stereo Sustain, and even Key-Off Samples that capture the felt dampers muting the piano strings - providing the most authentic sounding and finely nuanced acoustic piano voices possible.The CP stage pianos are also master keyboard controllers that give you full command of your gear. Play and control external tone generators. Assign different voices to different keyboard sections and create multi-textured layers of sound. Four instrument Zones on the CP300 with panel sliders, let you easily tweak the level of each instrument as you play. You can also freely reassign the sliders and wheels to control other sonic characteristics of your gear, such as sound attack, decay, brightness and filter cutoff.The CP300 features professional quality balanced XLR output connectors. These give you the cleanest, clearest noise-free signal - both for serious recording in the studio, and playing onstage where long unbalanced cables may compromise your sound.

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4/18/2012

Yamaha DGX640C Digital Piano, Cherry Review

Yamaha DGX640C Digital Piano, Cherry
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First off, I'm total novice when it comes to any kind of pianos (digital or acoustic). Take this review with a grain of salt. I bought this piano mainly due to my son starting piano lessons. I'm kind of tagging along with him ;-)
This is exactly the same instrument as DGX640W, just with wood accents on the side in different color. You may wish to check out reviews for the "other" model too. Not sure why Amazon lists it as two different items, instead of one item with two choices of color.
The keyboard part seems to be well made. It's sufficiently close to the real thing to fool my inexperienced hands that had a chance to really try only one real acoustic piano so far. The sound is reasonably close to a real piano. Maybe not as resonant as a real piano, but close enough for my not so good and not so experienced ears. I'm mostly using it with piano voice, and only quickly checked on other voices. If you are into that sort of thing, there's plenty to play with. The speakers are a bit weak. I've read people complaining about volume on many models of Yamaha digital pianos, and this one could be a bit louder too. Even with volume turned to the max, I don't think it matches the volume of a real piano. However, with good headphones (tried it with Sennheiser HD555 and AKG k702) it sounds much better and much louder.
The instrument is relatively heavy, and I would not classify it as too portable. While it's perfectly possible for one person to lift it, I would suggest you have somebody on hand to help you when putting it onto the included stand.
My main disappointment (and a reason for a low rating) is with things around the keyboard itself. The keyboard feels to be of a good build quality and has a nice feel to it. Which is what is most important. However the rest of the unit has just a bit too much of a plastic feeling to it for my taste. Being silver in color not really helping there. Other then aesthetics, Yamaha could work a bit on a quality control too. Some of the buttons and the wheel are not perfectly aligned with the openings in the top plastic panel. For example, the data entry wheel on the one I got is scratching on one side against the panel around it. Result is almost no resistance for half of a turn of the wheel (the way I believe it should be), and hard to turn (lot of resistance) for another half of the turn. I expected better build quality of something that costs $800. The pitch band wheel on the side looks and feels a bit too plastic as well.
Headphone output is hidden very inaccessibly at the back of the unit!? In my opinion, the logical place for headphone jack would be front of the unit. You'll have to lean over the unit and hunt for it every time you want to connect headphones. While the unit is relatively big and bulky, Yamaha decided to use external brick for powering it. I'm sure there is plenty of spare space inside the unit itself not to need an external transformer (brick).
All in all, I wish Yamaha payed a bit more attention to these details when designing and manufacturing this unit.
The included stand is made of particle board. However, it feels sturdy enough. I also bought the LP7A optional 3-pedal system, and it installs without a glitch onto the stand.
I also tried few Kawai digital pianos in a local store before settling for this unit made by Yamaha, and they seemed a bit better built. Considering that very basic entry-level Kawai costs over $1000 (without a stand), this unit isn't a bad buy, as it offers much more features than entry-level Kawai pianos. However, I'm still left with a bit of buyers remorse if I should have spent a bit more and bought Kawai instead.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Yamaha DGX640C Digital Piano, Cherry

Yamaha's most piano-like Portable Grand ever. It has weighted Graded Hammer Standard action with matte finish black keysand a wide selection of Voices.Selecting a sound is as easy as keying in a number, and recording performances is simple with the built-in recorder.

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4/11/2012

Yamaha DTXPLORER Electronic Drum Kit Review

Yamaha DTXPLORER Electronic Drum Kit
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First off, the previous review from July 2010 sounds like a person unaware of what they were getting into. This is an entry level e-kit, but has features and stability of a higher end kit. Pads have great rebound for being rubber (not hard plastic). The kit sounds are great and the adjustability and sensitivity of the pads are well beyond what I had expected. You can get very good ghost notes out of these as well as good powerful strokes due to the velocity sensitive pads. The pads that come with it are all single zone, but the snare can be upgraded to a 3 zone pad for about $70.00 and the cymbals can be upgraded to two zone pads for about $60.00. You also have the option of adding another pad (single zone) for an extra cymbal or tom. DONT expect this to replace an acoustic kit or be as good as a higher end roland, but do expect you get Yamaha quality in this kit, which is outstanding. Check out Musicians Friend and Guitar Center for nearly 100 reviews on this product. People love it and so do I!

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The DTXPLORER is a complete five-piece electronic drum kit with kick, snare, three toms, two cymbals, hi-hat pad and controller, plus a genuine Yamaha bass drum pedal that mounts on the included aluminum rack system.The rack can be folded with the pads, making it easy to move or store the kit when not in use.The internal sounds of the DTXPLORER feature kicks, snares, and toms actually recorded from Yamaha's famous acoustic drums.This gives you the ability to mix and match various sounds to create your own 'ultimate" Yamaha drum kit.The built in sequencer has 22 preset songs to jam along with, either as a full ensemble, or you can solo just the bass part.The AUX input lets you play along with any music from a connected CD or MP3 player, and the DTXPLORER includes our Groove Check and Rhythm Gate functions that turn good drummers into great drummers.

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4/01/2012

Yamaha STAGEPAS 300 Portable PA System Review

Yamaha STAGEPAS 300 Portable PA System
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I first auditioned the Stagepas300 several months ago, along with a friend, and we judged it relative to other portable PA's in the ~$500 - $1000 list price range. He immediately bought one, I soon did the same. We are both acoustic solo players/singers (since the late 1950's) who occasionally work with one or more other musicians doing mostly folk, old time, early country and bluegrass, and ragtime and country blues repertoire. Think acoustic music in small to perhaps 1,200 sq ft sized venues and you'll have an idea where this PA is a very strong contender and good value to boot. Other applications, especially those employing larger ensembles, electric instruments, or high decibel levels in large spaces deserve beefier gear in order not to disappoint.
The build quality is very good for an inexpensive portable PA (much more so than the rivals I kicked around a bit). I use only microphones but the XLR, ¼", and RCA input jacks all feel good. Onboard phantom power would have been much appreciated and its lack is one of the weaknesses of the Stagepas300. Others have derided the reverb effect, but I use only the lightest amount for enhancing vocal ambience and have no complaints. I've also acquired the pole mounting hardware for the speakers and the adapter for mounting the mixer on a mike stand--they're a bit pricey, but, all-in-all, the whole thing still cost me only around $500 and it looks and sounds great. If your needs increase, this set up is extremely easy to upgrade/expand without becoming at all obsolete.
More than anything else, the Stagepas300 sounds very good. Yamaha makes good mass market audio gear and the 300 has solid, smooth output. The electronics have a 20Hz-20kHz frequency response with reasonable specs; the speakers are rated at 55Hz-20kHz and if you use good quality microphones and cables this is probably what you get in terms of audible response. It's quite good, very little audible distortion at moderate volume levels and little hum or other noise--a very smooth and natural sounding output. There are limited hi and lo EQ abilities on all the input channels, but I'm pretty much into the `straight wire with gain' philosophy anyway. Just to round out the set up FYI. Bob uses two Shure 87a microphones, I use two CAD C-195s and two Astatic CTM 1000A dual capsule cardioids condenser mikes (when playing in a duo) and I can't really tell much difference in the output.
We're both very happy with our Stagepas300's. If your expectations are reasonable and this review resembles you, chances are that you too will be very happy playing and singing through this system.


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The STAGEPAS 300 was the first in the line of complete compact PA system offerings from Yamaha. It was designed to give quality minded musicians, performers, speakers and other presenters a solution for their smaller performances, without sacrificing high fidelity and professional appearance. The mixer of the STAGEPAS 300 also contains the two 150 watt digital power amplifiers, and it resides in the back of oneof the two passive loudspeakers that complete the system. The other loudspeaker has a convenient accessory compartment for the included speaker cables or other gear. This mixer has 8 total inputs. 4 are mono and can accept either microphone or line level instruments, and there are two stereo inputs to accept line level stereo sources like keyboards or CD players. Digital reverb is included onboard the mixer along with EQ or tone controls. In addition to providing simple operation, the mixer will operate installed in the speaker cabinet, out on a table or on a microphone stand with the optional adapter. Simple quarter turn fasteners allow easy removal and replacement with a coin.. The loudspeakers systems offer an 8" long travel woofer and 1" titanium high frequency driver assuring full fidelity sound. Due to their compact design, the loudspeakers require an external bracket to adapt for tripod stand use. The travel case accepts the speakers with these brackets attached. At less than 40 lbs, this system plays well beyond its size with remarkable fidelity.

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3/29/2012

Yamaha HS80M Studio Reference Monitor Review

Yamaha HS80M Studio Reference Monitor
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The HS80M monitor gives you built in power, room adjustment gain controls and good sound. While monitors are probably the most subjective thing you buy for your home or project studio. You usually don't have the option of actually bringing home 2 or 3 pairs of monitors and picking the one that performs best in your space so reputation plays a large role in the decision. These are excellent entry level monitors that will not disappoint you if you really understand what monitors are supposed to do.
I have mine mounted on a set of Auralex MoPad absorbers on top of 36" monitor stands and the absorbers make a big difference. Remember that the room you are listening in plays as big, if not bigger role in what you hear than the monitors you are using. Look into getting some basic acoustic treatments to tame the pumped up bass and harsh treble reflections you can get in most house sized rooms. Put yourself in an equilateral triangle with your head at one apex and the speakers at the other two, with tweeters at ear level facing in at you for the proper stereo image. When you get it right the sound seems to hang in midair about 4-5 feet in front of you and you can't seem to hear anything coming from either speaker unless the music is panned hard left or right.
These monitors have MORE than enough power to set your ears ringing if your not careful so don't treat them like your computer's multimedia speakers and dial up the volume. Start low and remember 83db is the "standard" intensity for monitoring.
So if your in the market for excellent quality, entry level monitors then these would be a fine choice. Also look in into KRK Rockits, Wharfedale Diamond 8.2 and Adam A5 monitors for others of quality you may like.

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If Your Mixes Sound Good on These, They Sound Good on Anything. The new HS Series powered monitors were designed to be true studio reference monitors in the tradition of the famous NS10Ms. When choosing your next pair of near field reference monitors, remember it's not just important that they sound good; they have to be an honest reference for your mix. The new HS Series of reference monitors were designed to give you exceptionally flat response so you can really trust what you hear. That means that mixes that sound good on Yamaha HS speakers will sound good on anything. In fact, that's the ultimate test of a reference monitor. Even better than that, HS series speakers not only sound good, they look great, too.The HS Series is a two-way, internally powered speaker system designed to provide affordable, high quality reference monitoring for all types of recording and multimedia applications – home studios, computer-based music production, gaming systems, keyboards rigs and personal computer systems. All products are sold and packaged individually, making it easy to build flexible monitor setups and 5.1 systems.HS Series cabinets look as great as they sound. Enclosures are constructed of high-quality MDF material and a multiple layer finish that minimizes resonance. Design elements include a black finish and lighted Yamaha tuning fork logo. White polypropylene woofer cones recall the look of the classic Yamaha NS10M, and include low-damping rubber surrounds and full magnetic shielding.

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3/18/2012

Yamaha DGX-530 Keyboard, 88 Full-Sized Lightly Weighted Piano Style Keys Review

Yamaha DGX-530 Keyboard, 88 Full-Sized Lightly Weighted Piano Style Keys
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Tried this instrument out in the store and could not figure out what the difference was between this one and the 520 I previously reviewed on amazon. Sound qualities, voices, layout, display, and software all seemed identical to me to the 520. Finally, after a direct inquiry to Yamaha, I was told that the only difference between this model and the 520 was that the 530 contained 10 more rhythm sequences.
So, if you're one of those who would use this instrument heavily for recording and composition, and just could never find the right rhythmic background, you can try this one and see if one of their ten extra sequences works for you.
If you're like me, however, who use the keyboard mostly for performance purposes and only occasional composition and recording, it really isn't worth upgrading. If you're diligent enough and have the software (pretty much any layered music recording sequence will do; I happen to use Cakewalk 4), you can make and save your own rhythms anyway on either keyboard.
For a more detailed review of other features this keyboard has, check my review out on the DGX-520...aside from the extra rhythms, it's exactly the same.

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Yamaha's DGX530 Portable Grand Piano features 88 piano-style keys with Graded Soft Touch, a matching stand, a sustain pedal, USB storage, backlit LCD displays, notation and lyrics, and plenty more.

Piano-Centric Features The Yamaha Portable Grand, DGX530 has an easy to use panel, a wealth of piano-centric features including 88 piano-style keys, Graded Soft Touch (GST) action with different levels of resistance, and high-resolution stereo piano samples. Included are an attractive matching stand and sustain pedal.
USB Connectivity The DGX530 has 2 USB ports on the back, each with a different use. "USB TO HOST" is plug-and-play connection for recording and playing back MIDI files, as well as transferring data to and from your computer.
"USB TO DEVICE" is for connecting peripheral USB storage devices such as hard drives or portable thumb drives. You can save user songs and settings, or transfer song data downloaded from the Internet to the instrument, where it can be used with the performance assistant and Yamaha Education Suite features.
Lyric, Chord and Notation Display Have you ever played a song and wondered what it would look like as sheet music? The DGX530 can display the score to a song whether it comes from the Internet, the internal selections those you record yourself. Pages scroll automatically when a song is played back--no more page turning! For singers, the screen also displays chords and lyrics to XF compatible songs.
Easy to Use The DGX530 is a breeze to use. Dive right in with convenient tools and features:
Expandable Music Database: Complete keyboard setups by song title. The keyboard selects an appropriate voice for the right hand melody, the correct musical style and the correct tempo. Simply call up a song title and start playing.
One Touch Setting (OTS): Provides you with a recommended voice with effects for each Style. For example, on a jazz style OTS might be piano, for a Latin style it might be acoustic guitar, or for a rock style it might be a guitar with overdrive.
Registration Memory: Set the keyboard up just the way you like and take a digital snapshot for instant recall. Load and save up to 16 Registrations to User memory. The Registration buttons are conveniently located just above the keyboard.
Performance Assistant Technology: Performance assistant technology is a feature from Yamaha that guarantees that you can't play a wrong melody note or chord. Here's how it works. Select a song, press the Performance Assistant button Chord Mode and play the keyboard--any notes you like. Every note you play will fit the music!

Yamaha Education Suite: Helps you learn to play The DGX530 has 30 built-in songs (plus 70 more on the included CD-ROM) for you to learn to play using the Yamaha Education Suite. The songs are separated into left and right hand parts, providing 7 levels of lessons plus a convenient chord dictionary.
Three keyboard lessons for each hand:
Waiting Mode--Stops the playback of a song until you find the correct note and then continues.
Your Tempo Mode--Learn to play the correct notes with the correct timing. Song playback tempo will vary to match the speed you are playing at. The song will slow down when you play wrong notes, so you can learn at your own pace.
Minus One Mode--Here's where you can perfect your technique. The song will play at the normal tempo, minus the part you have chosen to play. Play along while listening to the song.

Lesson Grading--Monitors your progress as you practice each lesson and gives you a grade.
Repeat and Learn--The song location will move back four measures from the point at which you pressed the button, and playback will begin after a one measure count-in. This section will repeat allowing you to practice until perfect!
Chord Dictionary--Shows you how to play chords and tells you which chords you are playing by displaying the notes and chord names on the LCD screen.

6-Track Sequencer With the DGX530, you have the equivalent of a built-in multi-track recorder. Record one or multiple instrument parts at a time and assign each part to a different track. Six tracks are provided to accommodate sophisticated melodies, chord accompaniment and rhythm parts.
Quality Sound The DGX530 sounds as good as it plays. A two-way speaker system with separate woofers and tweeters delivers clear and lifelike instrument voices. Bass Boost ports add deeper low-end impact, and true stereo sound adds spatial depth and realism.
Realistic Sounding Voices The DGX530 comes equipped with 127 panel voices, 12 drum/SFX kits, plus 361 XGlite voices. Dual and Split modes allow you to combine sounds.
Full Keyboard Mode The DGX530 delivers on its piano theme with a special mode of fingering called Full Keyboard Mode. This allows the player to play the keyboard like a piano; for example a chord with the right hand and bass notes with the left. When using the accompaniment feature, the virtual band will follow these chords. Traditional portable keyboards normally require you to chord on the left side of the keyboard, in the bass section, which is foreign to most piano players. The DGX530 is also capable of this mode, for those who prefer it.
Digital Music Notebook Digital Music Notebook is a multimedia Internet service that enables you to preview, purchase, download and print learn-to-play music books and chart-topping sheet music. From scales to chords to your favorite riffs, Digital Music Notebook is jam-packed with all the secrets you need to master your instrument. Add accompaniments, record and mix yourself, sing karaoke with friends, learn new techniques while having a blast--Digital Music Notebook delivers everything you need to bring music alive! And it's included with the DGX530.
What's in the Box DGX530 Keyboard, Music Rest, Owner's Manual, Accessory CD-ROM, Keyboard Stand, Footswitch FC5, Power Adapter

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