PSR SX600 or PSR SX700

[Dshaggy]

So i have a PSR-I500 (coz I want Indian
rhythms and instruments as well.
But i want to upgrade because I want to
be able to record/programme on 16
tracks.
I decided to buy a PSR SX but I can't
decide whether to buy the SX600 or the
SX700.

Can anybody help me out since the difference
in price is almost €500 Euros.
Thanks in advance

[mikechavez]

Hi!

I would definitely go for the SX700, but it would be good to see this video to make your decision

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbjCzB87w4w

[BogdanH]

Yes, there's quite a difference in price between SX600 and SX700.
Now, if it would be your first keyboard, then I would probably say go for SX600. It's a solid keyboard for learning and to get the impression of what's all about. But you already have I500 and so you already have an idea what you're looking for.
Think it that way.. if you decide for SX600, then in 2-3 years, there's chance that you will look after better keyboard again. Yes, SX600 is better than I500. But once you experience the potential of SX600 (and it's limitations!), you will probably regret why you didn't decide for SX700 in first place.
In short: if you can afford, go for SX700.

Bogdan

[Dshaggy]

Thank you for your replies. I think I'll go for
the SX700. I was also thinking that if i take
the 600 i might wanne go for the 700 in year
or three. So better to take it now. The SX900
is way out of my budget so no danger I'll wanne
take that one in 3 or 4 years.

I was thinking about the operating system. Since
700 is toch screen and 600 not. Was wondering if
touchscreen wouldn't make it more difficult or
wouldn't malfunction sooner than just knobs n buttons.

Any experience with that?

[Amwilburn]

Yup, Bogdan is correct: if you can afford it, go for the sx700.

The only advantages the sx600 have: being lighter, and with a built in audio interface.

The biggest disadvantage (other than the mid strings, choirs, etc) is there is no detailed style editing (no step editor) so you'll be stymied when it comes to really get into creating your own styles.

Mark

[Toril S]

Do not worry about the touch screen, it just makes things more easy! And the Sx700 has buttons too.

[brucerez]

...The only advantages the sx600 have:... and with a built in audio interface....
Mark

Hi Mark,

Just by simple curiosity, what do you mean by "built in audio interface" in SX-600? that SX-700 doesn't have?

Thanks

[Amwilburn]

For some reason, only the sx600 has the ability to USB audio directly into your PC, via it's built audio interface. Not even the Genos or any PSRs series has this.

But on the PSRs/sx series, as well as the Genos, you can just render your audio onto USB stick as a wav /mp3, which is fine, but on the sx600 you can apparently (I haven't tried it yet) just plug it into your PC directly and use *that* to record audio (thus not having to worry about the write speed of a USB stick/ build in flash HD). It's a nice addition that I'm certain will show up on all future PSRs/sx/TOTL Yamaha's (and has been on their synth workstations for well over a decade. The sx600 is the first arranger to have this)


Just get a fast USB stick and record audio directly onto it from your sx700.

[BogdanH]

... on the sx600 you can apparently (I haven't tried it yet) just plug it into your PC directly and use *that* to record audio...

What I'm curious about... if it's an "real" audio interface, then it must transmit each channel separately: L, R, Mic and AuxIn. That is, if it only writes mixed content in stereo, then it's usability is very limited.

Bogdan

[Amwilburn]

From what I've read it appears to be a 2 channel audio interface, same as what's offered on several mixers with USB output. Yes, very limited, but again, I haven't tried it. It's so you can record into your cell phone with Yamaha's Rec'n'Share app, rather than onto a USB stick (although the sx600 does that too, but only in .wav)

Mark

[BogdanH]

I think you're right Mark. At the end, SX600 is an entry level arranger and so one can't expect too much.
But it would be nice if next gen PSR's get multi-channel audio interface, because that would eliminate cost for separate interface -for those who use it.

Bogdan

[wibem]

Perhaps, I'm the only one, who recommends the SX600. I have experiences with the SX600 and the SX 900, which is quite similar to SX 700.The advantages of the SX 600 are: much cheaper, audio -interface ( which is a huge plus) , the accent and unison function of the styles (which are quite nice and useful) , the buttons are hard plastic ( which I prefer)   and  not hard rubber like on SX700/900, the SX 600 is lighter in the weight, the SX 600 just needs 8 sec to start ( the SX 700 about 40 sec).
The sounds and the styles on both keyboards are  similar. For me the touchscreen is no advantage. I don't like it that the screen is soon covered with finger prints and with the buttons it is ( for me) often faster to control the keyboard  than with the touchscreen. Also, for me there is no big advantage to have the possibility to edit the styles with the inbuild step editor. You can do the edits much better and faster with a computer. So, I  prefer the SX 600.  But at least, it is my personal opinion.

[BogdanH]

hi wibem
It's always interesting how we see things differently... I had PSR-S670, which was in the same "category" as now SX600 is, and so I can talk from experience. Yes, SX600 has better voices, etc., but physically it has similar characteristics.

Hard plastic buttons -yes, they're nice to touch, however I didn't really like loud "clack" sound they make on pressing. Because of that, I just prefer silent rubber buttons.
Weight difference -ok, if carrying very often, then difference of 3kg might be important for some. But in general, SX700/900 (11.5kg) is still considered as lightweight keyboard.
Startup time -just measured and it's 17sec for SX700. Not even worth to mention.
Touch screen -how to put it... Ok, I'm glad you're happy with SX600. But everything you said about SX700/900 (big) touchscreen is nonsense.

As I said many times: SX600 is probably the best choice for entering into arranger keyboards -it has all arranger features at reasonable price. I would especially recommend SX600 to those, who are not sure if arranger is "the right thing" for them. And it's greatest value is (in my eyes), that it can also be used for "serious" performing -it's not a toy!
But being an entry level arranger keyboard, it has shortcomings. It really depends how important they are for someone -but to be objective, they shouldn't be denied.

Bogdan

[Amwilburn]

hi wibem

Hard plastic buttons -yes, they're nice to touch, however I didn't really like loud "clack" sound they make on pressing. Because of that, I just prefer silent rubber buttons.

*snip*
Bogdan

I agree. I prefer the soft rubbed buttons because they're less likely to crack (we've had a few cracked hard plastic buttons over the years, from pressing towards the top half as that's where the hinge is; we've never seen the flexible rubber buttons crack)

Mark

[Danny1972]

Hello,

I've just purchased an SX600, more for curiosity than anything and I have to say for the price I was actually blow away at how nice it sounds and feels! I really wasn't expecting much but it really exceeded what I thought it was going to be like. A lot of the internal styles reminded me of the T4 and sounded exactly the same and when I actually tried styles from higher models it handled them very well indeed (for the most part). Really impressed with the nice select of SA voices too. The OS is very easy to use, ok it may feel a bit clunky if you're used to the touch screens but I still found myself whizzing through the menus without problems, unlike the difficulty I had when I recently owned the Roland EA7 and sold it mainly because of the awful screens & complicated OS system, not so with the SX600 it's very easy to use. Brilliant stuff Yamaha, it's a keeper and I can even put it in my pocket because its so light.

There is one thing though that Yamaha really should have considered, and that's the very poor (and lack of) choir/vocal voices, I mean it's got 1, and it's an awful one at that! This does surprise me a little, I wasn't expecting the barrage that's in the SX900 or Genos but at least 2 or 3 usable ones would have been nice. Other than that, very nice if anybody was thinking about getting one.

How does it compare to the SX700? Well, if I had a choice of either it would be the SX700 all day long, but say if you had a flagship of another model/brand and you wanted to add something different or extra to it, the SX600 would compliment that perfectly.

PS, does anybody have a copy of the S670 factory styles at all? I looked within the styles download of this site and I couldn't find them so I am not sure if they were ever published?

Thank you very much.

All the best,
Danny

[overover]

Hello,

I've just purchased an SX600 ...

PS, does anybody have a copy of the S670 factory styles at all? I looked within the styles download of this site and I couldn't find them so I am not sure if they were ever published? ...

Hi Danny,

I wish you a lot of fun and joy with your new SX600!

On the PSR-SX600 download site, you can download (31) "PSR-S670 Styles for PSR-SX600" under "Other Downloads". These styles have probably already been adapted to the SX600 by Yamaha:
>>> https://uk.yamaha.com/en/products/musical_instruments/keyboards/arranger_workstations/psr-sx600/downloads.html#product-tabs

You can download the original (230) PSR-S670 preset styles here from my Dropbox as a zip file:
>>> https://www.dropbox.com/s/vby0d1lvv6qccrv/PSR-S670%20Preset%20Styles.zip?dl=0


Best regards,
Chris

[BogdanH]

Congrats for your new keyboard Danny! -with SX600 you really get a lot for the money 

About lack of choir/vocal voices.. well, there are a few on SX700, but nothing special. They're good enough for shy background fill-in, though -I heard SX900 has few better ones. I've been searching for choir wav samples (to make custom voice), but haven't found something usable so far.

Wish you a lot of fun,
Bogdan

[Danny1972]

Hi Danny,

I wish you a lot of fun and joy with your new SX600!

On the PSR-SX600 download site, you can download (31) "PSR-S670 Styles for PSR-SX600" under "Other Downloads". These styles have probably already been adapted to the SX600 by Yamaha:
>>> https://uk.yamaha.com/en/products/musical_instruments/keyboards/arranger_workstations/psr-sx600/downloads.html#product-tabs

You can download the original (230) PSR-S670 preset styles here from my Dropbox as a zip file:
>>> https://www.dropbox.com/s/vby0d1lvv6qccrv/PSR-S670%20Preset%20Styles.zip?dl=0


Best regards,
Chris

Hi Chris,

Thank you so much for this, I really appreciate it ! I will check them out a bit later after work

Take Care,
Danny

[Danny1972]

Congrats for your new keyboard Danny! -with SX600 you really get a lot for the money 

About lack of choir/vocal voices.. well, there are a few on SX700, but nothing special. They're good enough for shy background fill-in, though -I heard SX900 has few better ones. I've been searching for choir wav samples (to make custom voice), but haven't found something usable so far.

Wish you a lot of fun,
Bogdan

Hey Bogdan,

Thank you for your reply. You're absolutely right you get loads for the money, I have been quite surprised.

Yes, the SX900 I think has most if not all the ones that were in the T4 which I think are the same ones that are in the T5/Genos as well. I don't know if Genos has more as not compared them together but SX900 does have a lot of them.

And yes, I know the SX700 doesn't have many at all, I think it's only got the Boys Choir? This again does surprise me because there's pages and pages of them in the SX900 and yet hardly any in the lower models. I completely understand there needs to be a limited amount in the lower models but SX600 has none at all & SX700 only has a couple. I am talking about just SA choir and vocal sounds.

I used to have some custom voices and choirs back in the T3 days but I am not sure if I still have them or not. Would be good to try those again as they were pretty decent actually. Also not sure if they were WAV or TVN files.

[andyg]

It has to be the SX700. Better keyboard all round, IMHO. Superior sounds, better styles, more features and the touch screen O/S.

As far as the 'audio interface' goes, if it is basically just a 2 channel stereo output via USB, then any 'advantage' is a bit of a red herring. You can buy audio to USB cables for little money, I use this one for all my teaching or recording, connecting direct to the computer. Quality is excellent.

https://www.gear4music.com/G4M/Behringer-LINE-2-USB-Audio-Interface-Cable

[mixermixer]

Congrats on your purchase Danny, lol you're just like keyboard master asking for vocal sounds for the lower tier keyboards you know Yamaha won't do that, that's how they get you to buy the SX900 Be like me and be a sucker for the top tier model, that's how I ended up with an SX900 which is basically a T4 with speakers and a touchscreen.

[overover]

Hi Chris,

Thank you so much for this, I really appreciate it ! I will check them out a bit later after work

Take Care,
Danny

You're welcome, thanks for your kind feedback, Danny!


Best regards,
Chris