I heard it through the grapevine that Yammie will release a Tyros4 successor later this year. No telling if they actually yanked the Tyros name and will call it something else. Although, the reliability of the source has not been substantiated. If the information is correct then Roland will only have a limited time in the spotlight before Yamaha overshadows the BK-9 (and everything else) with its new monster arranger keyboard lurking around the corner.

Yammie might showcase it at Musikmesse or at summer NAMM or in a worse case scenario at winter NAMM 2014 (perhaps leaked to the public before year's end e.g. holidays, etc.... in the run up to winter NAMM 2104. The source said before the end of the year so I'm guessing it might be released at summer NAMM.

Let me veer off topic if I may. Roland did a huge disservice to the public regarding the BK-9's measly 160 x 160 screen resolution in my opinion. And on top of it you end up paying $2,700 (after tax) for a BK-9 and the LCD screens aren't even in color. FWIW, I paid roughly $2,500 for my Fantom G7 (76 keys) back in 2008 and it has a huge 8.5 inch high resolution LCD screen with beautiful color. You'd think for $2,500 ($2,700 after tax) Roland should've given it full color and higher resolution. Nope.

Why I'm mentioning the BK-9 is because Roland has really limited themselves in the high end arranger market in my opinion. Whether the BK-9 is actually a high end arranger keyboard is also debatable. By omitting several higher end arranger features and functions from the BK-9, Roland is basically shooting themselves in the foot if you ask me. I think the blatant oversight regarding the dual LCD screens is because Roland wants you to buy (and use) an iPad to see 'in color' because the big wigs at Roland Japan probably have a ton of money in Apple stock. It's just a theory but it makes sense. The more iPads Apple sells the more the big wigs at Roland Japan profit. It might be marketing genius (from Roland's perspective) but the customer gets shafted in the process obviously. I hate to break it to Roland and company but not everyone owns an iPad. Perhaps 98 percent (or more) of the world's population doesn't own one either! I hate to be so cynical but I'm just trying to put two and two together. Roland wants people to shell out big bucks for an iPad if they don't already own one. That in itself could severely harm BK-9 sales in my humble opinion. Who wants to use a BK-9 with 160 x 160 (fuzzy) LCD screens you can barely read? Therefore a person is almost forced into shelling out up to $500.00 (or more) for that privilege. So instead of paying $2,700 (after tax) for a BK-9 you end up paying well over 3 grand. And Roland laughs all the way to the bank. For arranger keyboardists who don't already own an iPad (yes me... and 98% (or more) of the world's population I might add) it could be a bridge too far. And in my case it probably is.

When you purchase a keyboard you expect it to be "fully" capable from the get go. The LCD screen is just one of many important aspects of any keyboard and if you are forced to fork over additional big bucks (just in order to see what you're doing and to navigate the keyboard menu's) it is a huge roadblock that could prevent people from purchasing the BK-9 in my opinion. Thus the "shooting themselves in the foot" analogy.

That's why I'm excited about Yammie's new monster arranger keyboard lurking around the corner. Ready to pounce on the competition no doubt too. Including the half-baked BK-9, which will likely get "squashed" in the ensuing battle. Sad, but probably true.

Hey! I want Roland to succeed! The more competition there is the better! But for whatever reason Roland chose restraint instead of bold initiative and the result could be overall dismal sales of the BK-9. If Roland had upped the ante, instead of doing business as usual, they probably would have sold like hotcakes. Mounds and mounds of purchases on what could have been a hot ticket item. But instead, Roland gave what I think is a 'tepid' offering that many people might pass on because of its lack of features, functions and especially because of those silly, low resolution, monochrome LCD screens that you can barely read. Unless you own an iPad.

I don't own an iPad or any other Apple product and I will probably "pass" on the BK-9. My only concern is that when the new Godzilla from Yamaha appears the price could reach into the upper stratosphere (much like the Tyros4), and thereby, possibly limiting the sales of their new arranger to mostly the oil sheiks of Saudi Arabia and/or the Bill Gates and Warren Buffet's of the world. I'm willing to pay up to $4,000 (or thereabouts), and therefore, Yamaha has probably priced me (and most of the world population) out of buying one. When will they ever learn? If you severely limit the market you ultimately harm your own bottom line. Although Yammie and the others probably don't like to flood the market with excellent high-end, competitively priced products, since doing so could end up being a production nightmare costing tons of money in employee related factory work and in overtime pay. Therefore they limit production and charge an "arm and leg" in a typical "cost vs. performance" operation that yields 'big rewards' while at the same time limiting excessive cost overruns. Bill Gates of the world rejoice! Saudi Arabia oil sheiks of the Middle East rejoice! 98 percent of the world's population... not so much. PS: Sorry for the long-winded post. Although just think of all the exercise your eye muscles are getting.

All the best, Mike

But ANY Yamaha arranger will not have 76 keys, so who cares??!!

Apparently an external R&D company (Department of Heuristics and Research on Material Applications) are developing a completely new sound engine and OS based on a recently discovered 1930s theoretical paper by Laurens Hammond. Its likely going to be 2014 before any official release though as a problem with the sound engine means that it has to be reset manually every 108 minutes.

Just more rumors...BK9...will sell like.hotcakes in this economy.

For the price of the Bk-9 why not buy a PA600 and a 88 key midi controller? you´ll get a better deal in my opinion, or get 2 Pa600´s .

Tonewheeldude:

Nice reference the the TV Show "Lost"

Glad someone got it Joesax

most of the time my humour goes over everyones heads.

I have seen this Roland BK 9 for 1850 Euro. I find that a good deal. Better then pay 3700 Euro for a Tyros or whatever monster keyboard Yamaha will come out with.

You're probably right. Yammie's new high-end arranger will likely have only 61 keys. That is a possible deal breaker but if the key action is superb then I might overlook the lack of keys. My big concern is the price. Yamaha keeps raising their prices and if they're not careful they could price themselves right out of the marketplace. My original Tyros was $2,499. That was 10 years ago. In ten years Yamaha has more than doubled the price and when you think about it you're not really getting much more than what the original Tyros included. Oh sure, you're getting more mega voices and super articulated voices and audio recording and a few other odds and ends but it's still basically a Tyros. I said I'd pay $4,000 or thereabouts all things considered. But if it really is the bees knees I might be willing to pay up to $5,000. I've got a $5,000 line of credit at Guitar Center and they offer a 12 month and sometimes an 18 month 'no interest' deal. I can live with 61 keys as long as it has an octave shift and superb key action. But my guess is Yamaha will raise the price above $5,000 again (like the Tyros4) and if it doesn't include 14 carat gold plated keys I'll definitely pass.

All the best, Mike

Yes FransN. The BK-9 is offered at a much better price than the new Tyros no doubt. Although I'm unwilling to spend $500 or more on an iPad to use in conjunction with the BK-9. I feel it is was manipulative marketing practice by Roland and company and in my opinion a keyboard should be able to stand on its own without unnecessary add-ons that raise the price. Besides the sound quality on the BK-9 has yet to be determined. Some of sounds from the demos didn't thrill me. I'll wait until I can play one firsthand though. If the LCD screen(s) aren't as bad they seem and if the key action is really good and most of the sounds are excellent then I might get one.

All the best, Mike