Roland and Korg may be more "receptive" to keyboard players needs but they still don't have it right, judging by the comments about the weight and cost issue(Roland) and the lack of polyphony and weight (Korg).Those are pretty big issues.
Yamaha will definitely not upgrade the Tyros2...they don't need to put on Low-Z Mic input or XLR Mains because the target market for all their arrangers is not the "professional" but the hobbyist.Look up the word" Tyros"......that should be a clue!
They don't "need" to provide anything (76 keys,Digital in&outs,great B3 emulations,improved vocalizer etc.) as the market that wants them is too small.They are already selling the Tyros2 as fast as they can make them ....here in Canada they are back-ordered in a great amount and our market was usually never this large.Larger roomier and weighted keyboards are handled by the CVP Clavinova line....again designed and marketed for hobbyists.
I seriously doubt if the Roland G-70 and the Korg Pa1X pro generate sales figures anywhere near the Tyros...and that's the name of the game for big profitable companies like Yamaha.If their market surveys indicated they would make a profit making a "pro" arranger,they'd be making it.Obviously the market is not large enough so they will let Roland and Korg and a few others have it to themselves.
The hobbyist has the disposable money, and the interest...... and is Yamaha's only concern.
The pro can use a Tyros but will need to be resourceful enough to work around the limitations. There is very little that's "professional" about the Tyros (it's just a bigger,fancier PSR), yet the pros still manage to use them and make money.The fact it has only 61 keys seems to bother only a few....they can get a Roland or Korg.
It's not that Yamaha can't make a pro arranger...they certainly have the resourses...it's that they won't make it unless there is a significant profit.
I hate to sound so negative,but this is what I've been hearing from those above me in the company.
Ian