AJ / Ketron

don't mean to double post but the Ketron forum seems to be in hibernation :-)

question:
when we buy the AUDYA,
is what we hear what we get as far as sounds?

is sound expansion, sound upgrades an option?

and how would this work? via chips?

since styles will seem to be created by users and Ketron, i was just wondering on sounds,

hoping to see AUDYA with tons of "modern" sounds

having the AUDYA expandable with lots of new Styles and Sounds will make this the ULTIMATE ARRANGER, at least for me...

Not to be a spoilsport, but....I am very leery about buying high-end, new-technology, gear from a relatively small company. I came close to being involved in that scenario with the Mediastation. Luckily (for me), Dom never responded to my email request for the proper purchasing procedure. Although Ketron is fairly well established, it's certainly not in the same league with the 'big three' in terms of R&D, bug-fixes, OS enhancement, style development, timely repair and tech support.

At the likely price-point, the initial sales volume is likely to be very low. Low sales = low profits = low motivation to do any of the above. I'll start thinking about an expansion card once I see the first bug-free production model.

It's a great concept; they should sell it to Korg or Roland for production development (that way, Roland could sell you an expansion card for it for $1000 a pop).

chas

I agree with Chas lets wait till its released and Player tested before we all jump to conclusions & dreams. Sometimes you wake up & realize that's all it ever was....

Chas..when you have contacted me??
I never get one email from you ( or maybe you wrote me under a diferent names?)
I have problems with my spam filter..every day will spam about 700-1000 emails...
try to contact me under my web site.

Anyway, Qranger now is reported as the COOL QT application from one bigger worldwide software manufacture: http://trolltech.com/images/customers/coolapps/Qrangersampler.jpg/view

I know that we don't have now ready cool audio styles but soon someone here from SZ will shown you some amazing with the MS styles.

ROM groove samples is not the right way for the ultimate arranger.
we are a small company for sure, but I'm really motivated for create new software and hardware technology.
Need time, but we are anyway more fast than any other musical brand company...remember that I dont make only the Mediastation.

Dom, I did try to reach you (twice) through the email portal on the Promo site. I thought, at the time, that this was a good deal for what appears to be a very good keybed with excellent controller capabilities, expecially as it's own VST/VSTI host. I still think so (at the Promo price). My purchase inquiry included a request for a shipping estimate. I am still interested, although to a somewhat lesser degree since the latest production delay (what is the current delivery schedule?).

I still think that the 'open-end' approach is the way of the future but like most of us, can't afford to finance the development effort. I am personally less concerned about the style quality although I agree with Diki that that (styles) is what will 'make it or break it' commercially. At the moment, I have just purchased a new Roland Fantom G7 with which I am somewhat underwhelmed. Frankly, I think the technology that you employ is probably considerably ahead of the Fantom but what can I say, it's a Roland. They not only have the resourses to finish a mostly-finished product, but they had the market savvy to 'snapshot' it's development at a commercially viable stage (ie. good enough for the early-buying suckers such as myself).

Keep us informed. I'm sure even the most strident naysayers will admit that the MS has promise. Good luck.

chas

I think you're under rating Ketron a bit. The company has been around for over 20 years, maybe closer to 30. Ketron has been more involved making arrangers than synths. They are called Ketron Labs but marketed by Solton a few years ago, they've since dropped the name Solton. Ketron were the ones to really stepped up the game for other arranger companies. The were the first arranger to release keyboards with the live drums concept and there whole concept of grooves started over ten years ago. The company saying is "The Best Natural Sounds" and up until the pa2x's & tyros 2 etc. There sounds were as natural as they can be. I can only believe that the Auyda will be one of their best arrangers ever. They have not disappointed as of yet in sounds and styles, but they did lack in other areas like usb, mp3 player, etc. There not as big as the big three, but I've never had problems with repairs, os updates are fairly current and they knocked the socks off the big three a few times in the past. I would would not have any problems buying a ketron over a Korg, Roland or Yamaha, thats what they do, arrangers....

[This message has been edited by mc (edited 12-10-2008).]

still waiting for a simple answer to my simple question:

will the AUDYA have sound expansion capabilities?
or what you hear is what you'll get?

thanks Ketron (AJ) or whomever knows....

Yes Ketron is a smaller company but it is an established smaller company. Dom's seems to be a startup. That is a big difference. Many of us have used Ketron for years and have been very satisfied. The Audya will be terrific.

Tom

I know this has been talked about before but it has been quite a while.

Just how many sounds does one need? Why is sound expansion needed by anyone? How many different pianos do you need?

In the past most performing musicians on this forum came to the conclusion that a performer really only needs about 20 GOOD voices.

Practice, develop your chops, learn to play a sax like a sax player would, not a keyboard player trying to sound like a sax.

If you can do this with 20 GOOD voices you won't need anything else.

I think the point is fairly moot anyway because most voices can be edited.

Tom

Whoah!

Chas can you expand on your Fantom comment (off-topic or not). I recently saw one in the flesh and had a (quick) play on that wonderful keybed, and saw just the other day some Youtube promo videos that quite frankly blew me utterly away!

What's wrong with the Fantom??????