Then how come Korg's demos are much better on the (same) internet?

Actually, when you "hear" more than "see" (by that I mean playing a keyboard in person) you could even be more objective...

My first though about it is the dismay in learning that the CS is an audio function. This is absolute lunacy! The entire REASON for a Chord Sequencer is that it records ONLY the chords, and you still have complete control over what the arranger does with those chords as if you were playing them yourself.

An audio recorder is going to record everything you do, fills, Variations, stops, you name it. Barely worth the time of day. Might as well make an SMF of the backing, and use that!

Roland, call me! Your boys have lost their minds!

CS is not an audio function! no audio looping station on bk-9
I had the impression too that description is not clear, but do no doubt,
CS is reintroduced from G1000

audio functionalities are relative to Audio Key function and wav recorder (same as BK series)

Hi Adi....What we hear on the internet is still subjective...What you think sounds great (Korg demo), may still sound less than great to me...I have the benefit of comparing sounds side by side.I have a BK5 and know what it sounds like in relationship to the new BK9..I know it will be at least the same sound and actually the added SuperNatural sounds will be a bonus..
The absense of a harmonizer, although I would like it onboard, for most will not be a no deal decision..

As opinions go, I do prefer Rolands sound over Korg...I always thought that Korg is too synthetic...yes there are some nice sounds, but they still have the same characteristics..I am not saying they are bad, just different than my preference...I find the more realistic sounds coming from Roland...Yamaha also has some great sounds...but only a few..across the board, most are not want I want....

As harmonizers go..Yamaha is still out to lunch, and Korg is highly overated(not because of the sound quality, but it is not versatile on stage as Roland's offering)....again...just opinion..and you can see how we all have different views..

If you like it...buy it.....If not....don't buy it and move on...

Pessimistic comments about an online demo, will not help anyone make a good decision ..untill they try it (and more than ten minutes)

I have had a lot of different brands and models to do side by side...so guess work is not in the equation

That's straight from the Connect page. Hard to confuse that.

I agree with you completely. Sound is always a matter of taste.
But there's a truth in saying the demo we've seen on BK9 is less than breath taking.
To me, I like Korg sounds better, but I do prefer Roland styles - that is why I am curious and interested on this new offering.
The biggest mistery to me is why would they add the mic input, with reverb and all, but not the harmonizer... Or, why put the mic input if not onboard speakers?... Does not make sense to me. What is gained? You either have to take with you the VH box, or the amp speakers. Or more likely both. What is gained? Maybe they believe this was necessary so that people can record their voice together with the instrumental...

DIki, I understand your point and I was confused too reading the description,
but please believe me that CS and CL are both MIDI...
please keep in mind that BK9 has already been showed in some events here in Europe and someone could already get hands on it

I doubt anyone getting a brief hands on with the BK-9 would be able to tell the difference between an audio chord looper and a MIDI chord 'sequencer' unless they tried changing variations and fills while the loop was playing.

ok, of course you are free to not believe to my words...

just one question... do you know where Roland arrangers and vaccordion are designed??

but wait some days and FMM will start...I'll be there...

my best

Either Roland's ad copy and brochure producers are incompetent, or their R&D team is.

So far, I've seen the R&D team make stupid decision after stupid decision, so I tend to assume that it is they who are the more likely to mess this up.

Don't forget, a similar kind of audio looper just got added to the VR-09 performance keyboard. Roland tend to use what is currently available on other keyboards rather than innovate for the arranger division.

And sorry, I don't honestly CARE 'where' the BK9 is designed. Those are the bozos that dropped the CS in the first place, and have brought out at least TEN arrangers since then without the feature on it... Hardly confidence inspiring. In fact, since the G1000 (and some of the G70's features) Roland have done NOTHING but go backwards ever since. Sure, the SOUNDS continue to improve (somewhat, most notably the drums and guitars), but I can give you a laundry list of incredible features Roland have DROPPED over the last 15 years or so. Let us hope that FOR ONCE, Roland have blundered in the other direction and forgotten to tell us about something they ADDED, rather than remain mute about what they dropped!

Roland's ad copy is usually pretty spot on. I'll be very happy if the Chord 'Looper' is actually a Chord 'Sequencer', but it seems quite a bad blunder to misunderstand its functions that wildly if you assume that most everything ELSE is correct.