Diki,

I just put it in a slightly different way when it first came on the market, the net result will be the same, going no-wheres fast, maybe collectors items for people who can't afford to buy anything else, in the UK we have an old saying " A fool and his money are easily parted " or " There is no fool like an old fool" I must admit Dom almost go me... I almost bought one, skin of my teeth or I too would have a very expensive door stop.

Tony

http://www.lionstracs.com/store/index.php?cPath=154

Not just Italy in a mess, Lionstracs bargin basement, wonder if nows the time to buy, only joking

Take a look back with the search feature about the MS, Tony, and you will see that I was WAY ahead of you in skepticism about the MS. Something smelled wrong right from the start.

Mind you... how's that Audya?

However... I see a possible bright future for the Audya concept if they adopt high speed memory and SSHD's to stream the chunks. Basically, they crippled the concept because the hardware they decided to use could not stream enough, fast enough. That's why so few guitar chord choices and the failed idea of extending the basic chords with MIDI notes added in. But imagine a FULL set of chords now that SSHD's and fast RAM is affordable, imagine that they bothered to finish the damn thing and allow the USERS to create new styles easily from existing loop libraries, imagine they work at least as hard as Yamaha (and that's not very hard!) to bring out a constant stream of new, high quality styles (not relegated to only being usable by Mediterranean musicians!), and the Audya concept could be what we are looking for.

At least it is one of the few things out there that actually has a REAL arpeggiator built in (albeit stone age compared to the arpeggiators on a MoXF and the like) and key triggered phrases.

But sadly, it looks like the EU is too broke to innovate at the moment. But an SSHD equipped Audya is definitely the path to the future I would like to see happen.

Diki,

I can't remember who sussed the MS out first, there were a few who took not one blind bit of notice of what we were saying at the time, some stepped onto the trap and snap !!! Where are they now, never seen or heard one played... the Audya has gone gggg gone, but like you say it could be part of the future, you must remember you are dealing with Italian manufactures who spend more time on holiday than working, hence to state of their economy, Diki take a leaf out of Billy's book turn your eyes to Germany and China, the phoenix will rise from that direction, just quoting a bit from TWD, chapter 10... I have little confidence that any of them from Italy will make it, especially bespoke luxury items such as arrangers.


Tony

Well, if our future is to be little drones, working without rest until our carcasses fall at the side of the factory line, you can look to China all you like, mate!

Me, I wouldn't mind moving to Italy right about now! There's more to life than the GDP.

Diki,

Your working days are over on the production line, if you are going to Italy take some money with you, I can see it in headlights now "DIKI GOES TO ITALY"... and fixes their economy..BTW drop in on Dom and put him straight too whilst you are there

great to see you back Diki. Its been too long mate !!

The oddity in all this is that the older generation group is now the fastest growing demographic - and this is a general trend in the western world. It was announced in Canada only this week that, in terms of population, the 55-65 age group surpassed the 15-25 age group for the first time in history, and the gap is widening. Might this bode well in arranger sales terms - well, at least for another 15-20 years?

This, being one of the more prosperous countries, should point to a better disposable income level among its seniors. Maybe the arranger manufacturers should ramp up their output for Canucks.

Hey, Ian, how 'bout a Caper version of the T4 loaded up with jigs and reels? Not your personal bag, I know, but it could boost your sales in the Maritimes, eh?

The funny thing is my job at the moment is getting Canadian/US slot machine software working on Italian slot machines. Even though money is tight there they figure people will still find the money to gamble and pay gambling taxes to the Italian government.

Siberian Storm is the first of 20 slot games we are getting to work on Italian slots.

Isn't there some historical precedent to this, though? The 'dirty thirties' in the U.S., and so on. Gambling, booze, entertainment tends to flourish in times of economic restraint. It's all to do with people willing to spend on escaping from reality.

The five casinos here in the Bossier/Shreveport area seem to be surviving well. And there is a new Jimmy Buffet Margaritaville complex under construction.
I'm sure we can get Captain Russ to come play at it, if we can find an airstrip close enough for him to land his 747.

DonM