Key Noise

Scott Murrell · Jun 18, 2025, 04:12 PM

I sold my PA700 to get a SX920 but now Ifind out about terrible key noise! Is this true for all Yamaha arrangers or was just a badrun of them? This is very disappointing!

Toril S · Jun 18, 2025, 05:10 PM

The XS900/700 had this problem. It had something to do with the grease they were using. As far as I know the 920 does not have this problem. BUT, Yamaha keyboards do generally mot have the most silent keyboards.

Scott Murrell · Jun 18, 2025, 08:48 PM

Quote from: Toril S on Jun 18, 2025, 05:10 PMThe XS900/700 had this problem. It had something to do with the grease they were using. As far as I know the 920 does not have this problem. BUT, Yamaha keyboards do generally mot have the most silent keyboards.

I think that I read that the 920 was noisy also, I hope I'm wrong.

BogdanH · Jun 19, 2025, 02:21 AM

PSR-SX920 has exactly the same keybed as SX720 (inherited from SX900/700)

Bogdan

ChrisH · Jun 19, 2025, 07:07 AM

I had an SX900 but sold it after 3 months! The keybed especially the upper black keys were very "clacky" On stripping the case to expose the keybed I found that the grease was very randomly spread on the contacts. Spreading the grease more evenly didn't help!! My Tyros 4 is between 10 and 14 years old and the keybed is still prefect. However I did replace the conductive rubbers a few years ago. I believe the Genos and Tyros use a different keybed to the SX series as they have leaf springs. When I bought my SX900 there was a long delay as the dealer said a factory in China has burnt down ..whether it made the SX keybeds or not is not known! If you can get the correct grease maybe give it a good coating and see if that helps.

DrakeM · Jun 19, 2025, 07:10 AM

I have had the SX920 keyboard for about 9 months and have no issue with any keyboard noise. I play several gigs with it each month and nobody has ever complained about the keys making noise.

I turn the style Volume down from 100 to 70.

I have the keyboard's Master Volume set at 12 o'clock when practicing at home and at 2 o'clock when gigging.

Try those settings.
Drake

Trubaduri · Jun 19, 2025, 02:58 PM

I also had a problem with my sx720, and what I researched online was that it is the same action on sx700/900 and sx720/920. Keys will get noisy over time. My keyboard was new and keys get noisy after only 10 days of use. Fsb keybed is awful, terrible. I could not believe that keys was so bad. I solve the problem with getting keyboard back to the dealer and I got my money back. I am so disappointed with Yamaha Sx series, because of the keys. I would love to play them, but not with that keybed which is terrible and keys are noisy and clicky and wobble, especially black ones, but I also saw people having problems with white keys too.

Amwilburn · Jun 19, 2025, 03:26 PM

FSB keys will eventually all clack, yes. (although in many cases so gradually some people won't notice)

If you want to avoid noisy keys, either get a Tyros/Genos, or an older PSRs (like s970)

*or* keep opening it up and re-greasing the keys yourself, but that's not recommended if you're unfamiliar with disassembling keyboards!

Mark

Scott Murrell · Jun 19, 2025, 04:01 PM

UPDATE...... Buyer never showed with payment so the Korg is still mine! Disappointed in Yamaha, what happened to a once proud company? Medelli AKX10?

Scott Murrell · Jun 19, 2025, 04:27 PM

Quote from: DrakeM on Jun 19, 2025, 07:10 AMI have had the SX920 keyboard for about 9 months and have no issue with any keyboard noise. I play several gigs with it each month and nobody has ever complained about the keys making noise.

I turn the style Volume down from 100 to 70.

I have the keyboard's Master Volume set at 12 o'clock when practicing at home and at 2 o'clock when gigging.

Try those settings.
Drake

On a personal note. My wife and I are not C&W fans but we love your videos! Long story but I grew up with some of the greats coming to our to jam and sleep over. Those buses far different back then! Your music takes me back.

jcook980 · Jun 19, 2025, 06:16 PM

I played a Hammond SKX Pro organ at a dealer recently. Butter... Absolutely one of the best modern organ keybeds I've played. But it's not an arranger. Though it has some sampled non-tonewheel voices and a synth section, its best for what it is intended to be, a B3 clonewheel.

The sharps on my SX900 are terrible. They clack and wobble and leave my fingers guessing where they are. I love Yamaha, but the FSB keybed is awful.