re: "I'm curious about what features can be added to the YC that can not also be added to the CP."
We don't know how identical the innards are. But the CP has more pianos in it. If the two boards have the same amount of total available memory, then having more pianos could mean it can't have as many of the other sampled sounds. Also, not even counting the organ, there are some front panel controls on the YC that don't exist on the CP, so practically speaking, there may be no way to bring those features over. Similarly, though, there are CP features that can't be duplicated on the YC, again because of differences in physical layout.

... just going to wait out the 5 days.

I haven't been to IdeaScale in a long time so I don't recall too many suggestions concerning YC.

I tried that IOS functionality using Garage Band which was cool but I needed a second device and software.

Is it possible to add an entire Yamaha synth to YC from a special plugin device the size of a stick?

Not really sure how that works with that YC internal IOS player feature.

Oh, come on Jason...what fun is that? Love to speculate... Couple of easy predictions: two things will be picked up from interim OS updates to the CP series 1) saving EQ settings with Live Sets and 2) additional touch sensitivity settings. I think they will pull over the Hamburg and Felt pianos but not the Bosy. I think they will add at least one new FM organ imitating a pipe organ and they will add four or five additional FM and AWM sounds to Keys A/B. I think marginal adjustments will be made to the rotary by adjusting the EQ of the underlying organs and/or the sim around 1.5K hz to reduce the beating artifacts and maybe adding a new close/far parameter to get a wider effect. I think they will add a fixed panning effect for Organ and Keys A/B. I think MIDI functions will be enhanced...perhaps assigning CC numbers to the Chorus/Vibrato and Percussion buttons. Finally, I predict I will be more wrong than right...

I think Jim's predictions are pretty reasonable, though I'd be (pleasantly) surprised if they enhanced the MIDI CC stuff.

David, I don't know what the iOS capability you're talking about is. Like so many other Yamahas, it does MIDI zoning for external sounds. I guess the one "extra trick" for iOS (or any computer) is that the audio comes back over the same USB cable, instead of having to send audio to an auxiliary input or to another channel of your mixer/amp. There's no special "iOS synthesizer" function. You can drive any MIDI synthesizer, just as you could on I think every CP model that ever exited, every Motif, etc. Or are you talking about something else?

"YC features a built-in USB stereo audio and MIDI interface for Mac, PC and iOS devices."

So when I connected my phone and pulled up Garage Band for example the YC began playing it automatically through the YC audio system.

It was in a YC video I watched also. I guess it serves no additional purpose except controlling sound/voice software from your smart phone.

"Yamaha IdeaScale" links report NOT FOUND. How do I get there?

"YC features a built-in USB stereo audio and MIDI interface for Mac, PC and iOS devices."

So when I connected my phone and pulled up Garage Band for example the YC began playing it automatically through the YC audio system.

It was in a YC video I watched also. I guess it serves no additional purpose except controlling sound/voice software from your smart phone.

It basically simplifies wiring, that's all.

Example A: Using the YC to play a sound from your iPhone, by connecting USB of the YC to the Lightning connector of many iPhones. With most keyboards, to get the sound OUT of the iPhone, you'd run an analog cable from the phone to your amp or your mixer or the aux line input of your keyboard if it has one. But with the built-in USB interface on the YC, you don't have to run that extra cable. Instead, audio will be sent back to the YC over the same USB connection you already have, and the YC will send that iPhone sound out of its own audio outputs (combined with the YC's own sounds). No additional cable to run, no spare input needed on your amp or mixer. (ETA: And especially convenient now that Apple has been removing headphone jacks from their devices!)

Example B: Recording your audio performance into a computer-based DAW. With most keyboards, you would take the 1/4" line output and run them into an external interface which is connected to a USB port on your computer. But with the built-in USB interface on the YC, you don't have to run the 1/4" cables or buy an interface. All you need is the USB cable going directly from the YC to the computer. Fewer cables to run, and may save you the expense of buying an interface for your computer.

Ideascale: https://yamahasynth.ideascale.com/

I did finally log on to Ideascale. It's telling that of the very few posted wish list items you might only have 2 or 3 or at the most 14 weigh-in, in agreement.

That's not like hundreds so basically either nobody cares or nobody knows about this site or nobody owns a YC.

I'd find it curious if 90% of the owners are completely happy with their YC. There's no way to determine from this site's feedback results.

Only Yamaha knows how many they have sold. They made the 73/88 fairly rapidly.

People who already owned the CP, how many would trade over to YC ya think? There is some stepping on toes with the YC.

Yamaha could add everything in CP to YC I suppose but then sabotage the CP. YC is just more versatile and more interesting in general.

You're picking up true FM plus organ section and so what if you lose one AWM2 voice if it has (3) total. I'm not sure, I don't own one.

The CP73 in comparison to YC73 is $500 less so that's the main difference. The YC should be all the CP is plus organ.

In rough generality the FM addition has been about a $500 upgrade (although not a full blown FM engine that we know of yet) but then you get that awesome draw bar section and organ section so comparatively speaking the YC is a good deal. The SKpro is a fantastic deal for only $300 more for all it offers and the quality of it and if you prefer 73 waterfall keys.

Perhaps this OS update will reveal something greater than we knew about the YC. Generally Yamaha doesn't hide Easter Eggs inside their machines but we shall see in a few days.

I did finally log on to Ideascale. It's telling that of the very few posted wish list items you might only have 2 or 3 or at the most 14 weigh-in, in agreement.

There are 103 suggestions for the YC, of which a dozen have more than 14 people supporting (with upgrading the rotary effect at top, with 46). Maybe you did not filter or sort properly. This URL should show you all the suggestions, from most to least popular: https://yamahasynth.ideascale.com/c/campaigns/24865/stage/all/ideas/popular?order=desc That said, some of the 103 are near-duplications, and some are marked "reserve" which seems to mean the idea is not under consideration.

Yamaha could add everything in CP to YC I suppose but then sabotage the CP...The YC should be all the CP is plus organ.

The front panel interface is different, making some of the non-organ stuff easier to do on the CP. That was probably a consequence of trying to fit most of the CP controls AND the YC organ controls all onto a control surface that would fit over 61 keys. See also my post at https://www.yamahasynth.com/ask-a-question/cp73-cp88-vs-yc73-yc88

Thanks I read that. When the CP arrived I never even knew it. I suppose I had the CP1 and Montage and wasn't interested.

When I was Yamaha was releasing an organ focused board that got my attention. Good to know how it was tweaked and morphed from CP into YC.

Yes for studio the YC is more desirable because it does more of a variety but stage wise perhaps the CP for ease of use in a live situation.

Good point that for some reason perhaps only the YC61 was intended and it was small and convenient but limited on the surface.

Still very odd the selector for category couldn't have been more exhaustive on YC.

Not sure how that saves anything and in a way it was degenerative since it was already designed on CP. Why reinvent a more inefficient wheel?

The scrolling is dumb in the year 2020, it's like going back in time, living in caves and making fire rubbing sticks together.

Who votes for this type function in the design phase? Especially in the new age of massive touch screens on everything thought to be modern and civilized.

I always wonder how long is the switch going to last? It only has an expected and/or limited number of cycles before it's toast or glitching badly.