Not to steal the topic, but I have to say I am very curious what the new Korg Pa900 will bring to the table. Given the extraordinary set of features/sounds/style the little Pa600 has, I am sure it's bigger brother will be a great offer too. And rumours are, the costs will be little less than $ 2.000 mark. Nothing for sure, but we could see it late this autumn.

Come on mate . You can't say "not to steel the topic " and then go right ahead and steal it ! ;Be fair and start another topic. No offence my friend.

I listened a little bit, and I thought it sounded very good - except for the soprano sax.

None taken. But I was honest - it was just in relation with costs and offers of the present keyboards.
Anyway, I do like BK-9 demos (on topic) but the price I think it;s about $500 too high.

very nice
great musicians
that demo 4 samba is horrible, IMO

i would love to see these guys demo the Audya

I'd like to see those guys demo a Casio

As far as I am concerned, it's the NEW BK-9 features that sell it to me. Obviously, we all miss Roland being in the TOTL market segment, but as Mike points out, at half the price (or at least $1000 less) of a T4 or PA3x76, you can hardly put the BK-9 into TOTL territory.

But the Chord Sequencer is a game changer for the decent player, a welcome return to Roland's feature list after an absence of more than 13 years, and unavailable in anything else short of a PA3x or PA600. Then there are the tempo synced audio loops, and although the demos of this feature are few and far between, so far, it's the REAL game changer. So far, unavailable on anything other than Ketron (for key-triggered version) or Korg (but with a lot more work to set it up for easy use) on multipads. Yamaha's version on the S950 doesn't count yet, because the idiots left off the ability to loop the audio! Not much point in having audio on the multipads if it can't loop, TBH...

But this feature alone can push your sound into MUCH more contemporary areas... the combination of styles and breakbeat loops is THE sound of contemporary jazz, hiphop, rap and techno just for starters.

Now, from my sampler days, and from having several TOTL beat loop libraries (I highly recommend Spectrasonic's StylusRMX), it is a snap to make audio loops at precise tempos for use in the arranger. So I'm good to go... Now, if you don't have all this stuff, or are uncomfortable trimming and tweaking loops, it might be a stiffer learning curve, but bottom line is, if you have been jealous of the hip stuff WS's can churn out in the drum and percussion dept., here's the answer. Without having to buy one (and haul it around!)!

So, as far as I am concerned, many of the features missing from the BK-9 compared to my G70 are moot. I loathe harmonizers, standalones blow any in an arranger away (and Roland don't make a standalone that competes with the best of them), speakers are simply dead weight at the volumes I generally play at (and insufficient to keep up with a live drummer), I doubt 5% actually USE any sampler on their arranger... I know I won't need one! Got that all covered in the studio if I need it for recording. So never missed it on my G70, won't miss it on the BK-9.

Cheap small video monitors for lyrics can be had for WELL under $100, no need for an iPad (I fail to be impressed with the Roland iPad apps, adding little that the BK-9 doesn't already do), probably the aftertouch (and the superb G70 action) will be the only thing I'll miss.

As I'll keep my G70's for live band, the ease of the touchscreen won't be a big factor, as solo work is always set up in advance with Performances. I doubt I'll need to menu around a whole lot...

Now, you guys know I am about as big a fan of the G70 as you are likely to find, but I am not crying over the change. For strictly solo or duo work, the BK-9 is a FAR better arranger than my G70! Tough to say, but I think true. The CS and loops will change my sound and playing radically, and the 21 lbs weight won't be a burden, either!

I look forward to trying one out.

I don't want to sound like my brand is better then yours but maybe it seems to musicians in the west use 5% of a sampler in an arranger but eastern musicians including myself use 100% of the sampler, and although I said it many times two of the companies that were way ahead of their time and are no longer with us, is GEM and TECHNICS, in my opinion KORG is the only company that gives you the most for your money and I see that in the PA600 and soon the PA900, but then again you simply weigh the pro and cons of the keyboard you want to buy, and make a decision based on that, for some musicians harmonizer is not important or sampler or 76 keys etc; If you stay with a company for a while and have previous material like styles or sounds that you want to keep you want it to be compatible with the new series that is out, now if I had a G70 or an E60 and moved up the line I would also consider a BK9 it does sound good in many ways, just close your eyes and listen, maybe just that alone is worth it?

I've played a friend's PA3x quite a lot. There is much that I love about it, but much that I don't. If I were doing more ethnic musics, where the built in sounds didn't cover my needs, I'd probably be on one today.

But my primary problem with Korg's is the much smaller style selection. Compared to Roland or Yamaha, their library is far smaller. I could probably make most of the rest of the keyboard work for me (mind you, paying more than $1000 more than the BK-9 would rankle!), but I would miss the huge style selection I have now...

Don't get me wrong, I'm not down on Korg in general. I still have a Triton, and love the Kronos (out of my price range, though!) but simply find for how I use them, Roland arrangers are easier to use and I like the sound... The drums are still hard to beat by anything short of a drum loop or sampled kit, and the new audio loop feature improves even that..!

Demo 6
Demo7
Demo 9
Demo 10

2nd part is ready... and I think that Demo 8 will arrive soon