I was browsing the net and discovered that
A new roland e30 keyboard back in 1990 cost
$3200. Today u can get a tyros 4 for almost that.
so 21 years on things are still reasonable aren't
They?

Yes you are right it is to do with the price of mircochips and memory, they have come down, look at the price of Pcs they have done the same, its sofware that cost the money. Good KB are still not cheap! The most expensive bit of kit an a KB will be the touch screen is it as one.

Tony

Good point, rolandfan. In my day job in 1990 I was earning somewhere between a half to two thirds of what I finished up with when I retired in 2008, so yeah, keyboards are a good deal today when you look at them in that light.

Not true here in the Netherlands. Years ago I bought the Yamaha psr 6700 for about 5000 Gulden that's about 2500 Euro. Now Yamaha's top model cost almost 4000 Euro that's almost 8500 Gulden. A totally rip off.

I guess the U.S. consumers are the biggest benefactors. Nearly 20 years ago a PSR-5700 sold for about $1,500 and the list price was over $2,000. I cannot recall the cost of a gallon of gasoline back then, but it was under $1. In terms of todays dollar, the cost of a T4 is lower than the cost of the PSR-5700, and it does much, much more.

Cheers,

Gary

Actually you would think, by now, keyboards would have gone DOWN, and down a lot. They have not. Every other electronic product that uses microchips, memory, and other such components have seen the cost to the consumer drop dramatically. The reduced costs for these products did not come with reduced features, rather they were made with more faster and more reliable components...better than ever.

Compare the reduced cost of Flat Screen TV's, computers, cell phones, etc. back then to now, and compare it to the increased cost difference with electronic keyboards, and one has to wonder why, IMO they are so overpriced.

$4500 for a keyboard? This isn't a new invention folks, and thus should not be priced like it's new technology.

So to answer your question, based on electronic chips, memory, and components being really cheap compared to 1990... YES, Arranger Prices have really gone up.

BTW...please direct me to the $3200 T-4.

I totally agree with you. Look how cheap new computers cost these days compared with 10 years ago. I think a reasonable price for a totl arranger these days is about 2000 Euro not 3200 Euro what a PA3x cost or 3500 Euro what a T4 cost. These prices are ridiculous.

Larry,

I think you are right, I think the problems with KBs is numbers made, KB numbers are minute compared to PCs

Actually computers have not gone down in price, a mid line computer today costs about the same as 10 years ago, however what is classed as a mid-line computer today would have been an astronomical price back then.

The same applies to keyboards, the prices are similar to what they were 10 years ago, but they are now much more powerful, providing a quality of sound that would have cost the earth 10 years ago.

The same applies to all consumer products, prices remain similar but the products get better

Bill

Bill,

Not certain I completly agree, a 46" samsung LED TV about 2 year back was £1600, I bought on this year for £899 and it's better than the ones 2 years back, it's the numbers game, the more they sell the cheaper they will be. Why ever Wings are £2500 when they come off the production line in 10s I have no idea.

Hi Tony

You are quite correct, however if you compare todays £1600 46” TV with your £900 TV you will find it is way superior to it. (As it is with all consumer products)

BTW check how much a 46” LED TV was 10 years ago, and you will see my point

The numbers game is also correct as shown by the Wing, which when Wersi first showed it was to be priced at £3999, however now it is made in the Far East in greater numbers it is only £2250

Regards

Bill

Bill did they make a LED TV 10 years ago or is your memory goinnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnng, me thinks not. LCD Maybe! Never mind Bill mines gone! But you might be right.

Tony

Its spelled COMPETITION! Click on the Walmart ads and you'll find at least a dozen or more TOTL TV manufacturers. Same is true for PCs. You'll be hart pressed to find more than a half-dozen TOTL keyboard manufacturers in the world.

Larry, if you're seriously thinking about a T4 give our friendly dealer Frankie Vestra in New England a call. You'll probably like what you hear.

Gary

Larry give Frank V a call at Audioworks in Connecticut 203-876-1133 he will get you real close to $3200--Great Guy also--best prices best service you will find!!!!

Great Day!!

Jack

Thanks Gary & Jack for the Frank V lead. I should have remembered Audioworks, as it has been mentioned in the past.

In 1966 I bought a new Gibson G101 organ for $995. In 2010 I bought a new Korg PA500 for $995. There is no comparison. The Korg is millions of light years beyond the Gibson.

Some more electronic comparisons...

In 1970 I bought an RCA TV for $500. In 2010 I bought a Vizio TV for $500. The Vizio is miles ahead of the RCA.

In 2001 I bought a Dell PC for $1300. In 2009 I bought an HP Laptop for $450. The HP has far more features @ less than 1/3 of the price.

Interesting how some electronic devices have increased in price, while most have decreased, and some stayed relatively the same. All this while parts, for the most part, needed for assembly have become cheaper. I suppose labor is a big factor in electronic pricing. Thus the Casio made in China, costs less than the Yamaha made in Japan.

Also Tony is right...supply and demand is another factor in setting prices. Everybody has a computer and a TV with lots of competition. Arranger keyboards, without much competition (Gary is right) are a specialty item, made for certain people, who are all too willing to pay top buck for the latest.

Larry,

I agree with all you have said your a smack on the money

Tony

As I said it before,this has been discussed many times over and over,we are paying mostly for R&D and less on the hardware,but,nothing innovative, that I can see, to really say, WOW! everything is a rehash of the previous model with a few extra bells and whistles which was really a software upgrade of the previous model and the new is basically almost the same casing. Although the newest models are very good compared to many years back they are too expensive for the masses to own.Because the technology is so good,we should see 500 notes polyphony a 16 gigs of Ram of sampling and something to this extent but we are brainwashed to think new is better no matter what comes out, even if just slightly better,you gotta have it.

I cant really compare to old models (I just don't remember).
But just take a look at these ridiculous prices in Israel:

Tyros 4 (w/o speakers): 17950NIS = 5279$ (USD)
Tyros 3 (w/o speakers): 16500NIS = 4852$
PSR-S910: 5950NIS = 1750$
Ketron Audya: 24000NIS = 7058$
KORG PA1x (yes, 1x): 17400NIS = 5117$

I bought my PSR-3000, almost 5 years ago, in 9000NIS = 2647$.

Those are not street prices.....Must be MSRP.?

A good example is I bought a T2 in 2003 I think and it was $3,100...then now I can get a T4 for around $3,400...not that much increase and I do beleive a T4 has more to offer than a T2?? Yes?