Yamaha PSR-550 decision.

[musicstand]

Hello Yamaha enthusiasts,
I am thinking of getting another preloved keyboard. I have a Casio SA-65 at this time and I thought the PSR-550 would be a big step up for a beginner. I have limited funds and that is the reason I am shopping for a second hand instrument.
In my ignorance I bought the Casio SA-65 and whenever I went to put in the headset to cut off the speaker so I would not bother my wife I found there was no provision for the head set. The Yamaha has this feature. Any thoughts for a purchase price of 50 to 60 dollars maximum would be appreciated. Thanking you in anticipation for your opinions. Jim.

 

[happyrat1]

Jim >>> Take a look at the Toronto Craigslist and Kijiji to find something used, a little more robust for your money.

There are plenty of higher end Casios and Yamahas as well as professional gear to be found for less than half the original purchase price.

http://www.kijiji.ca/b-gta-greater-toronto-area/casio-keyboard/page-2/k0l1700272

http://www.kijiji.ca/b-gta-greater-toronto-area/yamaha-keyboard/k0l1700272

BTW, my own personal preference is to avoid Yamaha boards because they use proprietary USB drivers and do not work with Linux.

If class compliant USB MIDI is important to you avoid Yamaha at all costs.

Gary

 

[musicstand]

Thank you Gary for the tips about Craigslist and Kijiji. I will check them now with your provided links. Jim.

 

[happyrat1]

Here's the craigslist links

http://toronto.craigslist.ca/search/sss?query=casio+keyboard&sort=rel

http://toronto.craigslist.ca/search/sss?query=yamaha+keyboard&sort=rel

Gary

 

[musicstand]

Thanks once again Gary. There are lots here to help me. Jim.

 

[happyrat1]

You're welcome Jim.

Bear in mind that the Casio SA series are designed for toddlers.

Pretty much all the higher end models will display the sort of headphone behaviour you are looking for.

Gary

 

[musicstand]

Yes Gary, I have found the Casio SA-65 is limited, although for my 7 dollars invested, it is a good experience for this octogenarian, and an inexpensive entrance fee into the keyboard arena. giggle.
Regards.
Jim.

 

[SeaGtGruff]

If you're interested in a particular keyboard then one thing I would recommend is to go to that manufacturer's web site and download any PDF documents for it-- for older models there might be just a single owner's manual or user's guide, but newer models may have two or more documents because the data lists (lists of voices, drum kits, styles, built-in songs, etc.) and MIDI reference may be in separate documents, or (if it's an actual synth) there may be a guide on how to design sounds, etc.

Regarding the PSR-550, you should be aware that there is also a model named PSR-S550, so you'll want to be certain whether or not the model you saw listed is the PSR-550 or the PSR-S550. The manual for the PSR-550 shows that it's not a bad keyboard at all, although it's from 2000 so its technology and parts are 16 years old. The PSR-S550 is a more recent model and would be a better buy than the PSR-550, although it would likely cost more as well.

When looking for a keyboard, whether new or used, a few things you may want to pay close attention to are (a) whether the keyboard is touch/velocity sensitive or can vary the loudness of the notes based upon how quickly you strike the keys; (b) the number of different voices or tones it can produce; (c) whether it lets you split the keyboard between a left-hand voice and a right-hand voice as well as layer two right-hand voices together; (d) what sorts of connections it has for plugging in headphones or pedals or connecting to a computer; and (e) what its maximum polyphony is. Of course there are many other things you might want to consider, based upon your specific wants and needs, but those are some of the basic ones.

 

[musicstand]

Hello Michael,
Thank you for taking the time to correspond with me. You have given me quite a few hints upon what to look for, your heads-up regarding the varied alphabet listings with for instance PSR-550 and PSRS-550. I have already made a mistake, I put the hyphen in the wrong place. Naughty naughty it should be PSR-S550.
There is so much to absorb, I think I will be more gainfully occupied if I spend some time getting familiar, and learning the many features to look for, in the offerings of the various manufacturers.
Regards
Jim.

 

[musicstand]

I think I should write and end this thread because I did not jump quickly enough to get the PSR-550 on Kijiji. However when one door closed another opened. I now have a YPT-320 instead, the keys have a nice feel and are full size. There is a steep learning curve for this newbie. Jim.