So where is Ajay? He has been missing in action for a while now. I would think he would be here marketing the Audya since it's on the eve of the release date.

That's the point Al. It ain't shipping soon i.e. not until January '09 so AJ has no pressing need to be on top of it concerning the Audya.

Shucks! I was hoping it wouldn't ship until March '09 so Ketron could have at least ONE MORE opportunity to showcase the Audya at Musikmesse before it actually shipped..

No other keyboard manufacturer that I'm aware of has ever "NOT" shipped a product within a years time of announcing it except maybe Kurzweil with the PC3/X (but it wasn't much beyond that if it even was indeed a full year). If the Audya doesn't ship until March '09 (Hey, it could be March 2010 for all we know since Ketron's propensity to keep pushing the date forward.. ) - it will have been over TWO.. count 'em - "2" years since Ketron first announced the Audya before it will actually ship - hopefully.

PS: I wouldn't be surprised to find out that because of the Audya (which apparently has been a heartache and financial set back for Ketron with the enormous R&D and other costs associated with getting the kinks worked out and finally released to market) it will have essentially put such a financial strain on this smaller independent keyboard company that they end up on the chopping block and being sold or may be lead into bankruptcy for re-organization and quite possibly be another Technics in the making if they don't sell a 'literal' boat load of Audya's to recoup the financial costs. But at $5,500 do they REALLY REALLY expect to sell many of them at all??

To be fair the Korg Oasys was even MORE astronomically priced but it also brought a WHOLE HEAP MORE to the table than the Audya does too. Also it's worth mentioning that the Korg Oasys was NOT the hot seller that Korg anticipated it would be. I wonder why? Hmm.. Could it have been the price perhaps? No doubt that was a MAJOR factor eh?

>> The only redemption as I see it is "if" the Ketron Audya indeed "exceeds" ALL EXPECTATIONS thus ending up actually being worth the price paid for it. That's a BIG "IF" though of course.

Best,
Mike

By the way...

The Audya that B&H is claiming to be in their store in a week or two could theoretically be the demo beta model Ketron has been toting around for the last two years or so and they simply replaced the outer casing to make it look brand new??? Highly unlikely but stranger things have happened I suppose. How else do you reconcile this "week or two" and/or January '09 ship date??? Hmm... fishy fishy fishy.. stinky fishy... lol

Best,
Mike

Maybe Ketron is waiting for the Dollar to rise against the Euro so that the price differential will be more reasonable????

Maybe Ketron US distributing & B&H are connected

I spoke with USA distributor today and was told December is likely arrival on the Audya.

As mentioned, the euro vs. us dollar value is the biggest problem with controlling the price point.

Dan O'

I live in Italy (Rimini), and my friend at his music shop told me he will have an Audya in september... So I'll be able to test it for some days when it will come...

Will I replace my G-70? Time will tell... by now I like Pa2X sound, mmm... only 3 fill-ins however.... but never had opportunity to test one extensively, and usually I buy a product only after deep testing it...

[This message has been edited by mrdave (edited 08-22-2008).]

Quincy Jones and Michael Buble would have to deliver it and demo it and spend a week with me at my house for me to spend that kind of money on an arranger KB!!!!!!