Hi Scott

Groove prices vary from $4958 - $8230 depending on version (The conversion from Euros to dollars is done after VAT is removed, using a standard currency convertor program and then adding 8% sales tax which seems to be typical in the US)

Hi Spalding

Hardly a fair comparison, if the Lionstracs was perfect and the Motif was way down the list, the Motif would swamp all the sales of the Lionstracs, due to the fact that Lionstracs does not have the financial resources to manufacture in the same numbers as Yamaha.

The same goes for R & D, Yamaha can spend millions on developing products, (Always beneficial when developing products) whereas Lionstracs entire yearly budget is probably less than what Yamaha spend on bottled water in a week.

If you look at all professionally produced music and production, they always use both hardware and software instruments (Not forgetting live performers as well) to get the best sounds and performance they can. (Not one or the other)

General

The open keyboard is designed to give users pro studio facilities (To which they can add what they want) in a single box that a mere mortal can use, at a fraction of the price, (Very few can afford to buy a top pro production studio) and would also be perfectly acceptable in the lounge.

No open keyboard apart from Wersi (Who have been making home organs since the late 60s) were designed for home users, but for users that wanted to let their experimental juices run wild.

The Wersi on the other hand was designed for home use, but not by the beginner or button pushing brigade, (Press a button and everything is done for you) as it was assumed that due to the price, users who purchased them could already play and wanted to do their own thing. (Unfortunately they did not move with the times, (As modern day society wants everything done for them with minimal effort) and is why Wersi is no more and unlikely ever to return in the future)

Music Store (One of the biggest music retailers in Europe) however is focussed on what users want, (So that they can make shed loads of money from them) hence all Wersi instruments are now having software updates introduced to bring them up to the normal OOTB experience. (The Wing was always designed for this, (Hence the reason I am NOT interested in it) so should be interesting to see how it goes once its mainstream)

I am also keeping my fingers crossed that OAS 7 instruments don’t go completely down the “Press a button and everything is done for” route, so that I can continue to do what I want and not what the manufactures says I can do. (Hence closed keyboards are of no use to me)

Finally

Remember all modern keyboards are software based; they just don’t as yet allow you to use 3rd party software. (Hence you are dictated to what you can do by the manufacture)

Bill