Yamaha EZ-220 keeps reverting to being LOUD

[2fingerchord]

Hi,
I have a Yamaha EZ-220 (older model cheap key-lighting keyboard) that has the annoying habit of starting up at almost full volume (6 of 8 bars, which the manual also mentions as the default volume), and that's way to loud for my liking, especially since I *have* to play relatively quietly in my environment.

In the "Function" menu, there is an entry "M.Volume", which I take to be the main volume (the manual accordingly describes it as "Keyboard Volume ... Adjusts the volume of your keyboard performance"). There is no "Save" button or similar.

However, every time I reduced this value and move away from the menu item, the value is reset to 80 (of 127). At first, I wasn't sure whether that happened only when I powered the keyboard off and on again, but it seems to indeed be the case every time I leave that menu entry. That value always reverting to its default seems to make no sense at all.

Can someone tell me whether that's 'normal' behaviour or if something is broken in my device or if there's any way I missed to get this thing start up less loud?

TIA

 

[happyrat1]

It's normal for a $100 children's toy.

Flash memory is expensive.

 

[2fingerchord]

Toy or not, the original price was more like 200$, even more in my country.

And I begin to wonder if there's ever a useful answer to be had in this forum :-(

 

[happyrat1]

Like I said, flash RAM costs money they didn't charge you for.

It's not my fault you paid extra for the flashy lights gimmick.

 

[2fingerchord]

Sorry, but that's ridiculous. Every cheap kitchen appliance has enough flash memory for its basic operations.
The handful of MB for the core operating system cost a few pennies when bought in quantity.
And that explanation isn't even technically logical in the first place.

 

[happyrat1]

On a $200 dollar item that wholesales for $50, if they can save 50 cents on a chip it's a no brainer.

 

[Lacko]

However, every time I reduced this value and move away from the menu item, the value is reset to 80 (of 127). At first, I wasn't sure whether that happened only when I powered the keyboard off and on again, but it seems to indeed be the case every time I leave that menu entry. That value always reverting to its default seems to make no sense at all.

„Forgetting“ values set in menu after moving from that menu is not OK. There must be a problem with the mainboard. I own one even much cheaper keyboard - PSS F30 - and it „remembers“ everything. Try to ask at service center.

 

[Lacko]

I have downloaded EZ-220 manual and it says (page 9):
„Press the [STANDBY/ON] switch to turn on the
power. Pressing the switch again turns the power off.
When you first turn on the power, make sure to turn
down the volume of the instrument by pressing the
MASTER VOLUME [-] button several times. While
playing the keyboard, adjust the volume level by using
the MASTER VOLUME [+] and [-] buttons.

All panel settings as well as the settings made via the
display are reset to their default values whenever the
power is turned off.“

So try to use buttons and not menu.

 

[2fingerchord]

As you correctly quoted, all button settings are "reset to their default values whenever the power is turned off“. But that usually shoudn't apply to settings in a menu.
I do turn the volume down via the volume buttons every time I turn the keyboard on. However, having to do that every time is annoying, and sometimes I even forget it and playing starts way too loud and is disturbing others. Plus, I'm absolutely no headphone guy. I'd much rather play very quietly than use headphones. Therefore I tried to find a way to override the default value, which I thought might be possible via the menu.

BTW, I have to concede that opening two similar threads for these questions probably wasn't the greatest idea. The other thread was initially meant to be a continuation of yet another thread about resetting (which was one thing I tried as a solution for the 'forgetting' issue) and an 'Update' message in the display that won't go away for several people. Now I have two discussions that are somehow intermingled. I apologize for that.

EDIT: Another setting I had hoped to find in the menu was to turn off the stupid lights by default. But such a setting doesn't exist, unfortunately. But overall, I still find the EZ-220 to be a quite usable entry-level keyboard. I especially like the piano sound much more than the old Casio (AHL) sound which I recently revisited.

 

[Lacko]

As you correctly quoted, all button settings are "reset to their default values whenever the power is turned off“. But that usually shoudn't apply to settings in a menu.
I do turn the volume down via the volume buttons every time I turn the keyboard on. However, having to do that every time is annoying, and sometimes I even forget it and playing starts way too loud and is disturbing others. Plus, I'm absolutely no headphone guy. I'd much rather play very quietly than use headphones. Therefore I tried to find a way to override the default value, which I thought might be possible via the menu.

I understand you, but user manual says clearly, that
„All panel settings as well as the settings made via the
display are reset to their default values whenever the
power is turned off.“
Settings made via the display are menu settings. It means, that all settings you do during play are lost after the keyboard is switched off.
Pushing volume button every time is annoying and one can forget it sometimes, but the only way not to be forced to do that, is probably to buy another keyboard, like PSR-E273 or PSR-E373, if you can afford it.

 

[2fingerchord]

You're right, I missed (or misunderstood) the "as well as the settings made via the display" part.
That still doesn't explain why the keyboard forgets the volume setting from navigating away from the menu item (without powering off)?
Are you sure the PSR-E373 (and by extension, the PSR-EW310) doesn't also always reset volume when powered off?
OTOH, I'd strongly advise against the PSR-E273 since it's not touch sensitive (the EZ-220 is).

I actually have multiple keyboards, even slightly better ones. I happen to use this one for some specific reasons I'm not getting into here. But I'm considering getting something different, just not sure whether it should be something more puristic (like Casio CT-S1, to concentrate more on playing, less on fiddling), or something with more keys (like the PSR-EW310, 76 keys, or even the Korg Liano, 88 keys). But more keys are conflicting with space constraints I have here.

 

[Lacko]

PSR-E373 has volume knob, so if you don't turn it when switching on/off, volume shouldn't be changed/reset.
There is also slightly higher model - PSR-E473. Here you can see review-comparison

, so you can choose what is better for your needs.

 

[2fingerchord]

Ah yes, I forgot about the volume knob, thanks. However, neither of the 61-key Yamaha models is an option for me. I own both a PSR-E423 and a PSR-E453, so neither one of them would be a substantial upgrade for me (notwithstanding the new grand piano sound). Unfortunately both the E423 and E453 arent accessible for me atm. A 76- or 88-key model, OTOH, would be another matter entirely. The Casio CT-S1 is only in the running as a highly focussed, portable option, that is said to sound nice.

 

[Lacko]

Ah yes, I forgot about the volume knob, thanks. However, neither of the 61-key Yamaha models is an option for me. I own both a PSR-E423 and a PSR-E453, so neither one of them would be a substantial upgrade for me (notwithstanding the new grand piano sound). Unfortunately both the E423 and E453 arent accessible for me atm. A 76- or 88-key model, OTOH, would be another matter entirely. The Casio CT-S1 is only in the running as a highly focussed, portable option, that is said to sound nice.

OK, then buy Casio CT-S1 and be happy with it. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.

 

[2fingerchord]

Is there anything particular to be said against the Casio CT-S1? Jeremy See (the guy you linked one of his videos from above) seemed to like it (but then, he likes a lot of the keyboards on the market).
Some described the CT-S1's key action as "spongy". I used a CT-S200 for a short while, and its keybed was nothing special. But the CT-S1's is said to be of a new type.

 

[Lacko]

I owned couple of Casio keyboards since 2009, but never tried CT-S1. I am happy with my Yamaha PSR-SX700 now.

 

[2fingerchord]

I can imagine you being happy with a Yamaha PSR-SX700. But that's a $1200+ workstation.
All other models mentioned here are in the $150-$400 range, the CT-S1 is around $200.

While we're at it, the SX700 & SX900 are marketed as having a new & improved "FSB" keyboard, that even the SX600 hasn't.
How do you like that "FSB" keyboard? And how would you compare it , if you can, to Yamaha's entry-level hammer-action "GHS" action on their lower-tier digital pianos (and the DGX-670)?

 

[Lacko]

My last Casio was MZ-X300 and I don't have it anymore, so cannot compare with it. And cannot compare with other Yamahas too, because SX700 is my first Yamaha. After some Casios I wanted a keyboard which has good sounds (and other features) right out of the box, without tweaking. I wanted to play music, not to play with software settings.

 

[SeaGtGruff]

I have no familiarity with the EZ-220, so the following comments are based on my knowledge of other models plus the information in the EZ-220 Owner's Manual.

First, realize that Master Volume and Main Volume control two different things.

Master Volume controls the volume of everything as a whole-- the keyboard parts (the voices that you play on the keyboard), the song parts (the voices that are played by the song), and the style parts (the voices that are played by the style). From what I gather from the manual, the Master Volume defaults to 12 (shown as 6 bars on the LCD screen), and any setting you change it to does not get saved when you turn off the keyboard, so if you want it to be set at a lower volume then you'll need to remember to set it as desired each time you turn on the keyboard.

Main Volume controls the volume of just the Main Voice. Other models have a Main Voice, Dual Voice, and Split Voice that you can choose, but as far as I can tell the EZ-220 doesn't have a Dual Voice and Split Voice, just a Main Voice.

On other models, the Main Volume, Dual Volume, Split Volume, Style Volume, and Song Volume can be set as desired in the Function menu, and those settings will be kept when you navigate to other functions within the Function menu.

Some models let you save the function settings to a Registration for later recall, but I don't think the EX-220 has that capability.

However, one thing to note is that each of the keyboard's built-in preset voices has a specific default volume, as well as other default settings such as the Reverb Type, Reverb Depth, Octave Shift, and so forth. If you set the Main Volume and other functions, but then select a different voice, the Main Volume and other functions will be automatically reset to whatever the defaults happen to be for the new voice. That means you should always choose the Main Voice first, then change the Main Volume and other settings.

The Update procedure is something that should not be attempted by an end user, because as far as I know it can only be successfully performed by a Yamaha service tech who has any required files from which to update the keyboard's firmware (or whatever it is that the Update procedure actually updates).

I don't think resetting the EZ-220 to its factory default settings will be of any help, because it sounds like the keyboard might be operating correctly. However, if it does turn out that the function settings aren't maintaining their settings as they should be, then it would be best to either take the keyboard to a Yamaha service tech for diagnosis and repair, or just buy a new keyboard.

One other thing to be aware of is that portable keyboards which are being powered by batteries rather than by a power adapter can start acting strangely if the batteries are running down. Thus, if you happen to be running the EZ-220 on batteries then you might need to replace the existing batteries with fresh ones.

 

[2fingerchord]

Michael, thanks a lot for your (exhaustive) answer that pretty much wraps up everything for me here.

First, realize that Master Volume and Main Volume control two different things.

Which is key. It just wasn't possible to get what I wanted (overriding the power-up volume) from the start.
Everything else, including the 'Update'/reset idea was an aberration.

Ironically, I can't even any longer recreate the 'problem' of the keyboard reverting the 'M.Volume' value when I navigate away from the menu entry. I hadn't even initially been completely sure about this observation (see post #1), and I'm not able to provoke this behavior (if it ever existed) now. The value being reset after power-cycling is another matter entirely.

As unfortuntate as it is not being able to adjust the power-up volume, this case is closed.
Sorry for much ado about nothing.