So what's the theory on keyboard improvement from a business perspective?

1) If sales are low do they work to improve it to make it more appealing to increase sales?

2) If sales are high do they leave it as is like "if it ain't broke don't fix it" philosophy?

3) If sales are high then they make more money to invest on improving it further to be kind to their customers? (to keep their customers)

4) If sales are too low do they abandon it mostly like on the CP1? (We got one update and zero expansions or voice programs)

5) Yamaha's core philosophy is that you'll like it, shut up about it and you'll get what we give you and be happy with it either way

After 30 years with Yamaha I have ventured off to Roland and now Hammond recently. Had Korg & Arturia in the past. Need to try out Nord but probably won't.

I bought the YC 61 but am also leaning towards exchanging it for the YC 73. The inclusion of the organ and tactile drawbars really appealed to me, but I'm not an organ player, so the Waterfall keys don't add much. Frankly, I find them to be spongy and a bit flimsy. On the other hand, I find I could really use the 12 extra keys. How does the key bed on the 73 feel?

I may be an outlier, but I bought the YC to be an "immediate" sound design vehicle and songwriting tool for the studio. I have a full blown workstation keyboard already and a fully capable DAW. I previously owned a MODX8 but sold it because I grew extremely tired of spending more time tapping a touchscreen and menu diving than actually playing music. The MODX8 is incredibly flexible and super powerful - but it's also a super undertaking to learn and was the opposite of musically inspiring for me.

The YC series is basically what I've wanted in a keyboard: great sounds (Yamaha is tops here IMO), accessible hands-on effects and sound design capabilities, and musically inspiring. This board makes me want to write music. While I know some have called out Yamaha for only including ~160 voices at launch, with the layering, effects, and editing capabilities on the YC, you can create just about any sound/tone out of those voices (except for percussion and rhythmic synth patches - though I've already gotten really good results working off of the Motion Pad preset). While I'm not an organist, organ tones are awesome baseline voices to work off of and the drawbars and other effects are fantastic for fine tuning.

For me, the YC is a winner. I'm sure it will be for others as well. If you're buying this expecting it to be a Montage, Fantom, or Kronos...yes, you'll be disappointed. However, I think the YC is already better than the Nord Electro 6, RD-2000, and Korg SV-2. Depending on what updates Yamaha rolls out, it could certainly challenge the Nord Stage 3 (at a far lower price).

The 73 is was not what I expected as they call it the "Standard" EP key action. It's way more substantial than the 61.

It's more like real weighted piano keys and nothing like the Montage synth style keys.

You can press the key down with your finger all the way up against the frame. It's great action IF you like weighted piano action.

I think I was expecting it to be in between like synth keys because the 88 is for piano playing.

Besides preferring the levers where the 61 had them, I like the 73 a lot better.

I did not like the YC61 keys but it's super portable which was the primary point of it. Made for hand gestures, palming, swipes and slides like organist do.

Those 61 keys were jerky and toyish IMO however some people liked them but make sure you like EP weighted keys before you trade out.

I'm not an organist either BUT I love to build up custom voices using the organ tones.

One thing that is also great is the built-in IOS interfacing. Just buy an adaptor for your Iphone/Ipad and connect it and start the app such as garage band etc.

The YC instantly interfaces and plays those voices including controllers so you can add additional voices to the YC 3 instantly. It adds drums and rhythm as well.

I still think the lever positions were perfect on the YC61 so why change it?

Orginal layout makes it hard to use pitch bend and modulation at the same time, a very common need (i.e. bend pitch and add vibrato). Especially on a board without aftertouch, it should be easy to operate the pitch and mod controls simultaneusly, which would seem to make the new layout an improvement.

So what's the point of having 3 sensors if the samples are identical anyway in all 3 boards?

There is no correlation whatsoever between the benefit of a third sensor and any need for different samples.

Wow, the 73 keys are 100% better than the toyish 61 like on the PSR series portables. I still think those will break into pieces eventually.

I think the YC61 keys are above average for un/semi-weighted actions. But do people really have problems with their PSRs breaking into pieces?

The 73 is was not what I expected as they call it the "Standard" EP key action. It's way more substantial than the 61.
It's more like real weighted piano keys and nothing like the Montage synth style keys.

Yes, the 73 uses a weighted hammer action. Not unweighted or "semiweighted" (which basically means there are weights, but no hammers).