Hi DNJ
Lowery is an experience that you buy into, just like you buy into Yamaha. (Both types of owners also upgrade when new models come out, even though the differences are minor, it’s all part of being a family)
With an organ you are not tied to the Rhythm Unit, (Repetitive styles and Bass lines etc.) and can do your own thing, (Spontaneously) without having to program things first, also the way you can layer and Mix sounds and effects are way beyond any arranger. (Arrangers just don’t have enough layers and split points to allow true flexibility) Combine this with the satisfaction of playing everything yourself, rather than having to follow a style, and to a lot of people it is absolutely brilliant. (Although arrangers came from home organs, they are for different types of customers)
As to prices, most of the top organs are hand made using real wood and steel and are thus labour intensive, so will always be more expensive that a production line arranger. (Add a second manual, stand, pedalboard and a high quality sound system to your arranger, and you will be surprised how expensive it becomes, follow that with building you own wooden cabinet to fit it all in and you will find you will be in a similar price scale to typical upper level organ prices)
BTW: one of the biggest things at the moment is the upgrade for the TOTL Roland Atelier organs which is selling as fast as they can make them.
http://www.roland.co.uk/atelier/options_upgrade.php (And it’s not exactly cheap)
As to the future, pretty much all organ manufactures have instruments in the pipeline to take them to a new audience, however the art is getting the timing right.
Interestingly the Chinese with their Ringway organs are also getting in on the act, with the base model not much more than a MOTL Arranger, with even the next model up costing no more than a TOTL Arranger. Also not forgetting the portable market where Roland’s AT350C Atelier is going down well.
Hope this makes thing a bit clearer (However don’t worry if you still don’t get it, as an organ is probably not your style)
Bill