All user reviews of 4/5 for the Yamaha S80

I was looking for a new keyboard.
I didn't know anything of keyboards and synthesizers. The only thing I knew is that
I wanted only a good piano sound and action, but also some organs or some strange effect.
The Yamaha s80 was simply amazing for what I was looking for. So I bought it for about 1500€ in a store in Milan (Italy).

I really love the piano action, but the sound is not the best (even if very good). I also like the possibility to edit a sound in very many ways, in order to create many different sounds.
The organs and e-pianos are good as well.
The strings are fantastic, very warm and realistic.
I can save my works on a smart media card, with a memory of 8mb.
There are also a lot of great expansion boards. They're not cheap (about 250€), but they are really powerful (for what i read, of course).

I don't like the brass section because it's too thin.
Some presents are not so good, especially the electronic section (like leads, pads, effects...).
Just another too flaws: it has only 4 oscillators and the weight is too high (about 25 kg).

The instrument is very solid, it's really difficult to damage it. You must pay attention only to the knobs.

I think this is a great instrument. It has all the features a modern synthesizer must have: good sounds and presets, possibility of editing, real-time controllers (modulation wheel, pitch bend, knobs...).
When i bought it i didn't know how powerful it was, and now i must say that i really made a bargain.
I think that if someone is looking for a 88-key with good piano sound and action, the Yamaha s80 is perfect (in terms of quality and cost).
I would buy it again. I can do too much things with it! I really love it.

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

Keyboard Type: see above ... but no tape of expression as mentioned.
Fully programmable controls many: pitch, modulation, pedals, breath ...
Connection to host some galre (pilot plant the microphone) and software provided a bit lightweight (Obviously lite) track editor without battery purchases = supplmentaires prvoir: cable, Smart MDIA Version XG Works complte (100 Euros approx.), more expansion cards if you want that happiness is total.Sons moving from one extreme to another ("classic" sounds " electro ") without tural intermdiaires (world, Latin ... except boards.) Polyphony (64) may" limit "when used in combination of four big sound, fast play and effects, but very s compelling overall. Mention trs though the quality and the effects of shipping.

UTILIZATION

At the config gnrale, is a gate! The edition is not a sound ergonomics MODEL (many "shift"), trs many sub-menus: OK to paufinner trs but not intuitive, screen too small and errors committed SPEED to beginners. But once programmed the "performance", their ACCS is simple. Then when matrise, we move fewer hours ... (Lapalisse!) But know that I am not a pro in the Contents: It took me dj swallow the sometimes obscure manual ( standard), hard to CASC to beginners, sometimes boring (very many references of pages) but ultimately "obligatory and complete. APRs, no limits.

SOUNDS

At the cost, quality of sound is remarkable especially the sounds of piano (classical and lectros), guitars with distortion are lecriques gniales. Low "top level" especially the "fretless" percussion sounding true, beautiful tablecloths, organs, say anything, but not terrible in the brass, especially the "sax" that mritent not add a wind controller. For "Plows" acoustic, I expected better, and some sounds are unusable (siRNA for example, be less cop New yorquais). For some sounds "pure electro synthse" is the Royal. (I can be guillotined, but I have no other word for the effects, too few, however, still got my tr s good quality and relatively easily programmed. In terms of expression, nothing wrong, the keyboard (beautiful) Submitted rpond when the game is subtle and must be "big-beef", not of lzard with controllers: expressiveness to the appointment. Taking A / D Mono: a pity!

OVERALL OPINION

I use the house with the computer and scne trio amateur. Problem of size: the weight! But for the quality of the sounds and especially the expressiveness of the keyboard and I forgive him. (APRS a concert, I was asked o hideout Hendrix and bass player!). Good qualitprix quality due to the "top" of the keyboard (touch, rponse), and sounds that I use (piano, bass and electric guitar and drums). But I deprecated this purchase a novice (more "pro" that "intuitive" and lack of fun). Despite his lack of homogneit the level of sound and APRS 18 months of use I am satisfied but I trs to wait the arrival of his great en re S90, more complete in percussion and especially with a USB port.