If those are the preliminary specs then I would say the full specs will also include everything that was on the SD1 as well as taking them to a whole new level.
Looks like it could cause the mainstream arranger manufactures (Y R K etc) some sleepless nights.
Certainly looking forward to see what Peter Shaw can do with it at one of the UK keyboard festivals.

Bill

Sounds great!


I'm STILL in the market for a new 'board (if anyone remembers my past thread ("What do I get??") and I'm looking at June this year as my deadline.

Hope this thing comes out by then and is at some sort of sane price point!

(They could've left out that awful vocal harmoniser thing and made it cheaper!)

Release date???????????????
Price (some idea please)???????????

------------------
God I hate signatures.

BUT...

www.chi-chi.com.au

3 hours, 52 minutes, 12 seconds....
before people start moaning "too heavy", "no weighted keys", "no FM reception" etc.



Impressive specs, and i sure would like to hear a demo of the Live bass and electric guitars.

[This message has been edited by trident (edited 03-29-2007).]

Aj, just a reminder about a control on the new KB to keep the vocals at a constant volume regardless if the harmonizer is on or off.

This should shed some more light into this. We've spent a lot of time listening, developing and .... still doing just that!!

AUDYA
Advanced Music & Performance Workstation

AUDYA represents the new KETRON state-of-the-art revolutionary musical workstation, featuring a top-quality sound engine, a powerful Multiplayer, unique solutions with Auto Accompaniment and a wide Multimedia capability. Finally the Arranger keyboard has been lifted up to a long awaited hi-professional level, offering the musician total freedom with Audio and Midi experience.


Intelligent Audio Drums

KETRON AUDYA introduces a very innovative concept used with the Styles and Midi files : Real Audio Drums (RAD) tracks still controlled via Midi. After many years of robotic Midi Drums reproduction, a live Drummer performance now brings a new drive into the Automatic section. No more short and annoying midi patterns but exhaustive Real Drums at your fingertips with tempo variations (no change to the audio pitch!).

Audio Drum tracks play extra long patterns with real Intros, Fills and Endings, all working on perfect sync with the conventional midi resources.

Check this out – you can now cover all your background style as Pop, Rock, Ballad, Swing, Traditional, Latin with an unprecedent music taste. Real drummers and percussionists did a great job for you ... and they’re still at your convenience, following your Tempo changes and improvisations ... Unbelievable !


Real Audio Arranger (RAA)

We didn’t just end with Audio Drums – why not Audio guitars, bass, strings ... everything? In addition to the audio Drums, a huge variety of Real Guitars backgrounds has been provided on AUDYA. Folk, Classic, Electric and even Flamenco patterns, all performed by respecting the proper feel of each different types of music, and all perfectly synchronized with Drum and Bass ! With the Unplugged styles you can enjoy the individual Guitar performances, a perfect tool for singing and compositions.

The sensation of playing with a Real Band behind you was never as true and exciting until AUDYA. Just strike a chord … and listen !


Professional Multiplayer

Thanks to the Midijay experience, the KETRON AUDYA brings now the Player to a new enhanced dimension, with Dual Wave, MP3 and Midi file channels and 2 tracks HD Recording. New hi-professional advanced algorithms permits AUDYA to fluently manipulate Waves and Mp3 with accurate Stretching on fly for timing ( bpm ) and Transposition with no appreciable loss of quality. A very useful built-in Mp 3 Encoder device allows the musician to sing and perform anything on the keyboard while the resulting data is immediately saved as MP3 files onto Disk.

The internal 40G HD (upgradeable to 80G) can support a big repertoire of Audio and Midi Songs.

Additional features such as DJLoops, SFX and CD Audio track rippled to Wave (via USB) ensures that the AUDYA’s Multiplayer the first in it’s class, with endless possibilities for live ad studio performance.


New Sound Generation

Massive 360 MB hi-quality Sound engine, following KETRON’s tradition of the Best Natural Sounds. Great variety of New Stereo and Multilayer instruments, including Grand Piano, El. Pianos, Acoustic & Electric Guitars, Pads, Accordions, Synths and some New un-compromised Brass and Sax voices which will sound more realistic than ever !

Additional Sounds (up to 128) may be quickly loaded from Disk to the internal 64MB (expandable to 128MB) Internal RAM and a renewed Sampling section 44 KHz / 16bit is also provided.

A new Digital Drawbars section with 9 sliders, Percussion, Rotor and Overdrive effects together with sampled Stereo Organs will produce any full, rich organ sound required.


Voicetron, KETRON’s new Vocalizer !

Up to 5 voices simultaneously!!. Plenty of DSP controls with Formant, Pitch correction, Voice transform and EFX for new exciting vocal textures. Personalize your live performance by adding the powerful Voicetron to your Midi files, your Styles or just controlling your “singing notes “ manually from the keyboard . Presets collection database will transform quickly your tunes from a single line voice into a “ A Cappella “ vocal set ! The vocal section includes 2 x Microphone XLR inputs, 10 band equalizer, individual Effect and Slider controls, Talk, new Pitch to Midi features and more.


DSP

3 powerful DSP’s with new enhanced Reverb, Chorus, Distorsion, Echo and Rotor Effects, With individual controls per Voice. Separate Reverb ambiences for Lead section, Accompaniment and Micro (Voicetron). Global 2 Band Equalizer for Wave, Mp3 and Bass Boost.


New Keyboard & Layout

We revisited the drawing board here again. AUDYA is equipped with a new full 76 half-weighted keyboard, with Aftertouch and Portamento. A new very intuitive layout makes the keyboard extremely easy to use. The operative system is similar to those used in today’s computers and therefore will result as a confidential platform for any traditional musician, producer or programmer.

A new Colour Display 320x240 TFT , 15 slider controls plus 2 programmable extra sliders and assignable tab controls ensures a cool and relaxed panel navigation.


Connections

A couple of Stereo Main Outs, 4 Separate assignable Outs ( 2 Stereo or 4 Mono, with no exclusion of Internal Effects ), 2 x Line Inputs, SPDIF In/Out, Video Interface socket for additional Monitors/TV for karaoke, Footswitch, Headphone and 4 Midi sockets will ensure any type of Audio and Midi professional connection.


USB / Multimedia

2 USB host sockets + 1 USB device allows AUDYA to be properly interfaced with new Multimedia gears and computers.External HD, Sticks, CD/DVD Rom and others mass storage devices can be easily connected, thus allowing save, reload and transportation of complete music repertoires in a total safe environment.

We at KETRON work very hard indeed …. So you don’t have to. We believe once more, we raised the Arranger Workstation bar – yet again … thanks to our entire global team of Engineers and musicians.



[This message has been edited by Ketron_AJ (edited 03-29-2007).]

AJ,

I have to say that this sounds not only interesting, but very
interesting.
Hopefully you don't take away the nice features like "break",
"to end", "jump" and such things who are to find at SD1.
I could already read that i.e. fills will be dedicated to the
different variations. Hmmm, hopfully there will be more than
one fill button, and assignable.
Also I hope there will be a good useable software who will
allow editing and kb hd-administration direct form PC as well.

Guess we'll have to wait and see, but it looks like you're
listening and taking input from users, and that's something
who counts when concider what keyboard brand to choose next.

Keep on the good work.
GJ

Especially "To End", which is on the SD1 but omitted on the SD5. This is an extremely useful feature.

Glenn

Wow! No wonder Ketron took so long to replace the SD-1. Cutting edge and new innovative features required extra development time I reckon.

The weight is okay for me especially since it has 76 keys, and 'half' weighted keys at that. Weighted keys do add extra weight of course.

I noticed A.J. hasn't responded yet to the question regarding a Sequencer on the AUDYA. I wonder also if the USB is USB2.0 or USB1.1. If it is the latter it will be unfortunate.

The Polyphony at 197 is the best yet for any high-end Arranger, although in my opinion Ketron would have rocked the keyboard world if they had given the AUDYA 256 polyphony. Still, at 197 notes of polyphony, Ketron is no doubt turning heads from the corporate higher-up's at Yamaha, Korg, and Roland. Ketron raised the polyphony bar and I hope finally Yamaha and the others will follow suit.

The cost is going to be crucial in the scheme of things and I hope Ketron doesn't price themselves out of the market. We shall see.

All in all though the AUDYA looks very interesting and it really is indeed a true workstation Arranger keyboard from the specs. >> If there is a built-in Sequencer that is.

Mike

[This message has been edited by keybplayer (edited 03-29-2007).]

keybplayer,

We might just upgrade to 256 (notice how we now have an odd number for the polyphony?)

Shhh ... just wait and see!

spalding - Sequencer - Yes and No. (No because it is not the full flesh sequencer you're used to e.g SD1). Yes, because you can now use the PATTERN EDITOR as a sequencer - nearly unlimited bars (loop points) with 32 tracks!!!