Yamaha QY-700

Cons:

dated sounds (well the machine was built in the lat 90's and Yamaha never made a modern version of this very capable instrument) ; the floppy is also dated. Very tedious 'phrase-scrolling' process to audition, what, almost 4000 phrases? It's a shame, because the screen is huge. Also, building music 'phrase by phrase' is a very tedious process also. Who makes music that way? At least Yamaha should have given the option to just select a style, fills, etc , and build a track (like on their Tyros keyboards).

Pros:

far more immediately gratifying to use than a computer. The QY-700 is a musical instrument. Big difference. It truly is a music-maker tool.

Huge screen.

Highly specced sequencer.

Very portable and ergonomic, good design.

Can write backing tracks with full chord progressions.

That's it. It's a shame that Yamaha never made a modern version of this great machine, because a sequencer like that, with the sounds of a Tyros, an USB key, and the option to write tracks 'measure-by-measure' (as in the Tyros) other than 'phrase by phrase', would be truly a composer's dream, if you, like me, don't find computers at all inspiring.

I still use computers, of course, but only to make the final version of my music. But for WRITING music? No thanks. I would prefer the QY-700 any days.