PSR SX900 vs SX700 internal sound quality

[vadesriux]

I am on the verge of buying a SX900 or SX700. I am aware the SX900 speakers are superior and fuller in sound comparing to the 700 speakers but that is not my primary concern.

When using a good pair of headphones, and due to the DSP /VCM effects the SX900 has, will the internal instruments sounds of the 900 sound superior, more clean and pristine comparing to the SX700 ? If so that - for me - would be the reason to go for the SX900.

I appreciate all help from people who have compared both instruments with headphones.

[Toril S]

As far as I know they share the same sound engine.

[Jeff Hollande]

Both are Yamaha.
Very reliable arranger keyboards, as usual.

All depends on personal needs and budget.

Very, very pleased with the SX900. 😃
Thank you Yamaha for this pro arranger. 👌

Best regards, JH

[vadesriux]

Thank you Jeff and Toril.

But what I am trying to find out (since I can't test the SX700/900 here in Portugal), is if there is an edge in sound quality (due to internal DSP / DAC components), between the Yamaha PSR-SX900 and the SX700.

[Jeff Hollande]

 I had both SX700 and SX900. Sold the 700 after 5 months.

There is an absolute difference in sound quality. No doubt. 
Test them both. See and hear the difference.🎹
Maybe Youtube video's might be helpful for you, I hope.

Again, it is a personal choice. 🤓

Good luck, JH

[dlepera]

Hello Vadesriux.  I hope you are not really thinking of buying the instrument for the quality of the headset sound. Of course that sound quality depends on the headset.  I can put a cheap headset on my PSX700 and I will get just that sound.  Then I can put a very expensive set on my PSREW410 and it can blow your mind.  So my point is to buy and spend the money wisely.  As for the sound engine you may already know that the SX900 has the ESS(expansive field sound system with bifurcated woofer system for real good external sound.  I would imagine that the head phone output will not be any different in both. Realistically why should it since a performance really depends on the quality of the instrument sound which is what the audience will hear.  So my 2 cents.  I know that when I went to buy my SX700 I did test it out with the headset provided by the music store and when I check out the SX900 my old ears did not detect anything different.  Yes the external sound quality was really something else in the SX900.  So really spend the money for the features of the instrument and what you require from it... Here is a link with some good comparisons.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUv7GcXAAh0
Hope this helps..... Regards           dom..

[overover]

I am on the verge of buying a SX900 or SX700. I am aware the SX900 speakers are superior and fuller in sound comparing to the 700 speakers but that is not my primary concern.

When using a good pair of headphones, and due to the DSP /VCM effects the SX900 has, will the internal instruments sounds of the 900 sound superior, more clean and pristine comparing to the SX700 ? If so that - for me - would be the reason to go for the SX900.

I appreciate all help from people who have compared both instruments with headphones.

Hi vadesriux,

In principle, the SX700 has the same sound generation as the SX900, but with the following differences (see also the attached image):

The SX700 has ...

- much less S.Art!, Mega!, Cool! and Live! Voices
- only 5 Insertion Effects (SX900: 8)
- no VCM Effects (Virtual Circuit Modeling)!
- no Vocal Effects
- no Vocal Harmony / Synth Vocoder

In addition, the SX700 only has 400 Preset Styles (SX900: 525).

Due to the lack of Voices and Effects, the overall sound of the SX700 via external speakers or headphones can definitely not quite reach the level of the SX900. In other words: The sound of the SX700 is also very good, but not exactly identical to the SX900.

I recommend buying the SX900 in any case (if it's not a question of budget).


Best regards,
Chris

[attachment deleted by admin]

[johan]

The SX900 has of course more possibilities but both keyboards offer big value for money.

Concerning their "internal" sound quality:
The voices on the SX700 are exact copies of the SX900 (same samples, same DSP effects) but as mentioned above the SX900 has more of them. The SX700 is already well equipped: same voices as the S970 and extendible with free expansion packs. Both keyboards have exactly the same DSP effects, but indeed the SX900 can used 8 simultaneously compared to 5 on the SX700 and has vocal harmony (which makes the SX900 an obvious choice if you want to sing along).
For me, it is mainly a matter of personal taste and budget, to determine if the SX900 is worth the extra money.

[Amwilburn]

Technically true; however the additional Revo based live drums on the sx900 are superior to the Tyros 4/5 drums that already exist in the sx700 (and yes, those samples are identical). Additionally, if you want future styles from CVP/Genos, they all use the new Revo drums (and don't conveniently convert to the old drums that the sx700 already has... yes you can use Jorgen's software to remap Revo drums, but it's not quite the same)

So, yes, the sound quality *of the same sounds* on both models is the same; but the sx900 *exclusive* sounds are noticeably higher quality.
With the exception of the grand piano; which is better on the sx900.
So if you don't need the better piano, strings, drums, the addition of solo strings (violins & cellos which are sampled on the sx900 but not the sx700) and sampled pipe organs (sx700 doesn't have sampled pipe organs), and more brass and guitar sounds (including the amazing twin guitars which alternated panning of pickups 1-6 panning  left to right alternating), then then get the sx700.

The sx900 is essentially a Tyros 5 minus the S.Art2 sounds, with the addition of Revo compatible drums.
The sx700 is esentially a Tyros 4 minus the S.Art2 sounds.

Mark

[Jeff Hollande]

The SX900 product description given by Mark and Chris is the exact reason why I sold my SX700 and bought me the SX900 which is my favorite arranger. 😃

The SX900 is a very professional arranger keyboard and
I really hope you like it as much as I do.

BTW I had a T5/76 before I moved to a smaller apartment.

I started to work with the SX family last year.


Best regards, JH

[vadesriux]

Thank you very much for everyone trully helpful insight. In fact, after having owned a Genos for a few months the SX900 is a great opportunity of having that keyboard (almost that keyboard ;o) for literally half the price.

I have never had such a nice sounding and ease-to-use workstation in my entire life. Nor did I make so many songs during the time I had the Genos. I had to sold it for financial reasons, unfortunately but never quite forgot the superb sound quality it produced. At the time I also thought to myself "well, I enjoy composing so no reason for having all these "Classic-pre-made-styles" I will never use"... My mistake again because the simple possibility of instantly - and easily - overlapping 3 sounds without having to go to a computer is in itself a composers dream. At least for me.

Also the chance of having left hand accompaniment (which you can create anew for youself) is a blessing. I know all this because I have always had synthesizers / workstations (Roland D-20, Korg Kronos, Korg PA900, Yamaha Modx, etc.), and none of these come even close to the ease of use interface and overal functionality these Yamaha keyboards (Genos / SX) now offer. So, I am very anxious of receiving the SX900 which by the way is sold out everywhere due to last October fire at a Japanese chip factory. 

[Toril S]

Hope you get to order one!

[vadesriux]

After all this time still waiting for my order for the SX900 to arrive. Yamaha Iberia doesn't even answer when I asked why no SXs are coming to Portugal.

Difficult little board to get !!

(also tired of watching so many SXs videos on Youtube !)

[ChrisH]

Yamaha gets some components from a factory in China and I was told that it burnt down which put a huge delay on the SX series of keyboards.. Most dealers still have them on pre-order (I was lucky and found one used that the guy "didn't like the sound!!!"  I would suspect that the factory has to be rebuilt so there will be a shipping delay especially for the SX900

[vadesriux]

I have found a review (in Italian) for the SX900, on which the author said something that is quite interesting and can explain, partially, the price difference between Yamaha's instruments:

"The AWM Stereo Sampling tone generator is the same as the Genos but the samples are compressed into a wavetable suited to the instrument's specifications (the price difference will mean something)."

Any thoughts ?

[ChrisH]

We have SX-900's here in stock now but the SX-700 is now only available on pre-order.  I was lucky as I was about to order an SX-700 for AUS$1999 when I was contacted by a guy that "didn't like the sound" (REALLY??) and offered me his 3 month old SX-900 for AUS$1800 ... Very easy decision to make!!

[Toril S]

Gee! Lucky you!

[Jeff Hollande]

Hi ChrisH  :

Congratulations with your SX900 ! 👍

What do you exactly mean  " the SX700 is now only available on
Pre-order " ?


Does that mean this keyboard is no longer a stock item ?

Your feedback would be very much appreciated. Thanks !

Enjoy your new, great arranger keyboard ! 😃

Take care, JH