Hi Diki
Hate to disillusion you, but PCI cards came out about the middle 90s, and they are still available on the very latest motherboards. (Including those that use the very latest CPU from Intel)
CPU, Chipsets & Ram have no relevance, as when you upgrade to a new one, (So that you don’t have to change the whole keyboard to get uprated performance) you just load the drivers in for it, and away you go again.
USB is backward compatible, so again no problems with that either.
In fact pretty much everything you say about computers above is totally incorrect.
TIP: Get at least a basic understanding of a subject before commenting on it, that way there is less chance of inadvertently giving the wrong information.

As to poor content in Open Arrangers then I suggest you look at the amount of players that have bought Wersi OAS instruments over other manufactures, (Professionals and Home users) as they give them the performance and sounds they are looking for. (Not everybody wants the same sounds/styles/setup as you)

Bill

If I could pick 'em, and I guess I can actually, I could be happy with 100 styles and about 100 sounds.
A few guitars, both electric and acoustic, a great piano or two, a few saxophones, organs, brass, horns, harmonica, Cajun accordion, Fiddle, strings, banjo, oohs and aahs. I could cover those with 50 slots easily. A few sound effects for fun would be nice. I don't use many synth sounds; some people could use 50 of those alone I'm sure.
Look at your average five or six piece bands, rock, country, blues, and I need all the instruments they play.
But of course I WANT MORE!
DonM

Well, specs don't tell the story. If specs made a damn bit of difference, we would ALL be playing MS's. Even YOU aren't. I guess the sound, and how well it works counts for SOMETHING?!

128 voices is more than enough. An entire orchestra doesn't have that many players in it!

More is always better, but there comes a time when enough is OK... 128 did it, I believe. What I believe I'm seeing here is what I call 'creeping specitis'... Well if 128 is good, then 256 MUST be better, and if something HAS 256, then 128 is no longer good enough. If it works fine with USB1, then USB2 comes out, it no longer works fine. If you have never filled up 256MB of RAM in your life, but something comes out with a GB, then 256MB is no longer good enough...

Until you actually ARE bumping solidly into the spec limits of your current equipment, then anything that comes out with more isn't really of any use. It's kind of like, if you rarely drive over 100mph, and your current car's top speed is 150mph, why is a car that does 200mph needed by you?

So what if the MS has more voices... are its styles and sounds better set up than a T4? Few would say so. So, what good are those specs now?

Let's look at bit depth. Every CD you have ever bought has been 16 bit. You probably listen to most of your music through crappy speakers playing MP3's, if the truth be told. But all of a sudden, 16 bit samples aren't good enough? Give me a break! Lousy 24 bit samples don't sound anywhere near as good as carefully crafted 16 bit ones. It is the sample itself, not its bit depth, that makes up 99.9% of a sound's quality.

Concentrate a little less on NUMBERS, and start to listen to the MUSIC those numbers make, and you'll quickly find that numbers are a game for mathematicians, not musicians...

Bill, have you got one of the older Wersi's that CAN'T be upgraded to the latest OAS? Tell THEM that they are future-proofed, why don't you.

And, you missed the point so completely about the hardware aspect, I am going to try again. It's not that THESE older standards are available on the current set of MOBO's. It's that NEXT YEAR, something will probably come out that blows it all away. So much for 'future-proofed'. And modern VSTi's leverage the extra power modern chipsets have. Try running Omnisphere on a ten year old computer. Try running the Arturia stuff on even a five year old computer. Try running next year's hot VSTi on last year's computer.

You change out all the innards, how is this different from simply buying a new arranger? Even if you retain compatibility with the new hardware and the old OS and software, you have still spent quite a bit to be 'future-proofed'. I can sell an older arranger for not THAT much less than the new one costs. Both seem viable options, and may not be THAT different in price to do, if you need a total changeout.

And, I tell you what... THIS time around, perhaps you could TRY to remain civil to me when you disagree? Or should we all go back to the bad old days? I'm game if you are!

100% I for one agree and I am all for this statement!
I have run into countless situations in the past debating the age of Yamaha's 'sound engines' (AWM/AWM2) against other products "newer" sound engines" and to me I don't care what the technology is behind it - I just want to see and hear the results!!

I don't want to start a debate about better than yours but so far all I have seen from the Korg Kronos is alot of talk about the '9 sound engines' and it all being a 'game changer'. This may be technology break through but I'de prefer to brag about what you can actually hear and achieve... Not just by what technology is in the guts of the machine.

And please dont get me wrong - I am not saying the Korg Kronos sounds Sh1t and the Motif XF is better... not by a long shot. but I am just merely using this as a pure example... don't be fooled by marketing fluff...

Nick

Donny and the pee taking goes on and on!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdBFMCFo0M4&feature=related

Tony

If you can't make good music with only 16-32 voices then you really have a problem. Don't blame the polyphony. Sure more voices is great ... but not essential if you know what you are doing.

Hi Diki
All Wersi OAS models from their inception can still be upgraded to the latest OAS version until the middle of this year, (Almost 12 years after their launch) and as the latest version OAS 7) came out 5 years or so ago, most users have already upgraded, so once again your comments have little relevance. (The latest OAS 7 version is R43 btw)

Regarding having to upgrading the computer hardware every 5 minutes to run the latest software, then I suggest you follow my tip, as if you do you will then find out how ridicules your statement is.

Changing the core part of the instrument (Motherboard etc.) every 5 years or so (A typical time frame for open instruments and computer users) is a hell of a lot cheaper than changing the whole instrument.

BTW I base my observations on facts (Been working with computers of all types for over 30 years) and if you did the same, I would not need to keep correcting the false information you keep posting.

Bill

Learn to discuss issues without being so confrontational or I will edit or delete your postings or user account accordingly !!!!!!!!

No problems Nigel, I will adjust my future posts accordingly

Regards

Bill