On 2002-02-01, Mike gave this Yamaha Keyboard MIDI a 3...(1477)
Purchase: Purchased a B-stock item from zzounds.com for $150. Unit was fine, but the packaging wasn't original, and the box was trashed. But then again, they're just gathering dust in the attic now.
Pros: Fun little box to create live grooves, has a CD-size "scratch" pad. The scratch pad provides the main interface for selecting bpm, grooves group, scratch effect. I also like the insert panel, which gives you a set of common effects like flanger/phaser, low-fi, distortion, along with a wet/dry mixer knob.
Cons: Some of the bundled grooves are major cheese! It's also a little difficult using the scratch pad to dial up new grooves or scratch effects.
Quality: Solid construction; hard plastic casing should be ample protection for all but the most careless DJs. No easy way to mount it in a rack though.
Summary: Fun box to play with. I bought it primarily for a kid's use, and it's certainly enough to provide an introduction to groove boxes. I can't comment on its usability for more professional use.
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