It sounds great,,,...

What features is it missing ?
Why do people not call it a TOTL arranger?

Price wise it is in the MOTL category, so this is what it is compared to.

Bill

The G70 is Roland's TOTL Arranger!! ......ask Fran

G70 was TOTL back in 2004-2007. Regarding the sounds, the BK-9 is even somewhat superior to the G70, due to the SuperNatural sounds (with one exception: it doesn't have a slot for SRX boards). But IMO some features suggest that it's MOTL: e.g. the two small displays.

Now this sounds really stupid... Do you really want to pay two times as much if you can get the same for half the price?

What features do Audya, PA3x and Tyros have that this keyboard does not have?

And so far none can name a single one..

Because of:
- 2000 euro price tag
- no harmonizer
- less expansion options
- no touchscreen
- less real-time parts (no second left voice, no third right voice)
- some features less or modified compared with G70 (eventhough there are many enough that weren't present before)
- keybed of less quality than G70

people will not think of it as the top keyboard.

But Roland clearly stated IT IS the flagship for BK series. I don't think there will be a "topper" offer and I do believe the BK will stay for a while to be the arranger instruments line from Roland.

Maybe a future refreshed G series will come back, but I don't think is for very soon.

And to answer the question - I believe there absolutely nothing wrong with it. I wonder myself how come there's so little noise about it. Or maybe there is enough, but not here.

First of the 2000 price is not a reason to call it not a totl arranger..

And then there are some of your reasons not present in other TOTL arrangers, like T5 not having a touchscreen, not having a 2nd left voice. and on top of that not having many other features that the BK9 does have like a step sequencer, a chord sequencer, the D-beam, better sound edditing capabilitties..


It says clearly this is rolands top of the line Keyboard... and what people fail to see is that the contenders are much much much overprised of Roland can sell this contender at this pricepoint. Just face it, this is Rolands new TOTL arranger at a great price, and its a great effort... if you like the Roland sound, i guess your get an awesome deal.

LOL... nothing wrong with the BK-9. In fact, it's got a few things nothing else does. Admittedly, they are a bit advanced or not in line what most of the more senior players tend to think as good for more 'oldies' music, but it is a very good arranger at the price point.

In fact, right now, the MOTL arranger segment is quite frankly the more interesting than the TOTL, which dwindles yearly.

For starters, street price puts it almost $1500 less than the G70, new, so it definitely fits the MOTL description. It compares in many ways far closer to the E60 than the G70. No speakers (which keeps its weight down to that svelte 20 lbs), but the same no aftertouch, 2UPR/1LWR/MBASS Parts (rather than the 3UPR/2LWR/MBASS on the G70), and lacks the touch screen, although iPad apps return much of the convenience of the touch screen, and no VH (although theres an XLR mike in with phantom and a dedicated vocal reverb - barebones but functional).

But from the G70, it gets a (much improved) Hammond sim, easily one of the best in any keyboard, let alone an arranger, and then a vastly improved soundset, adding Roland's version of SA voices for the first time, the return of the Chord Sequencer (yay!) and the addition of MP3/WAV/AIFF playback of backing tracks, and the ability to put your OWN audio loops up on either the top 7 keys (making it a sort of 61 if you discount the bottom end!) or on the switches on the FC-7 footswitch unit. Oh, and FIVE different Insert Effects (MFX), with two for the KBD Parts and three just for the style/SMF section..! G70 had one (and a kluge where you could use the MFX for the audio ins to effect any Part by patching it in).

All in all, it's quite a unique product in the arranger market, an inexpensive but great feeling 76 (only one of its kind), light weight but quite advanced arranger.

Personally, I think its strengths are its amazingly live sounding drums, easily the best in the business if you don't count audio loop arrangers (and I don't because of you inability to edit those!), its great rock, pop and jazz styles, and the ability to add loops, in tempo and key with what you are doing, which opens the door to a sound FAR closer to modern WS's. Add to that the pick of the SuperNatural (Roland's SA section) litter, which for me the standouts are amazingly playable guitar patches, and an incredibly comprehensive and well balanced sound set, it's a worthy successor to the G70, despite some of the little losses.

You all know how fond of my G70 I have been for the eight years or more I have had and used mine, but purely as an ARRANGER, the BK-9 betters it by quite a huge margin (that's why I bought one!). As a live band keyboard, the G70 still holds a slim lead due to the fabulous action and ease of the touchscreen to set everything up on the fly (no WS can come within a mile of it!), but I have yet to try the iPad apps with it, which may very well sway my decision to use it in that context too.

Yes, no SRX slots, but sometime down the pike (hard to tell with Roland's reorganization recently when it will come out, though) there's an expansion area that will probably allow as much extra sound ROM to be added as a single SRX card, which is all the G70 had (the E80 had two slots), so that's a push, too if you discount the wait or choice.

I am having a blast playing mine, the G70 sits gathering dust until I get a live band gig. I think that's all you really need to know!

NOTHING wrong with the BK-9. It's an excellent new arranger in the MOTL market segment, bringing TOTL performance to that segment with few compromises.

And yes, no matter HOW low end or middle end an arranger company's best arranger made is, by definition, it is ALWAYS the company's 'flagship'...

It's a marketing term. Don't let your perception of the word color the truth. This is Roland's best MOTL arranger EVER.

If they ever rejoin the TOTL segment, it will be with something pretty amazing to better this little gem!

Well, it's really only by comparison with G70 that people will call it a MOTL. It there wasn't that, no real reason why BK9 should be on pair with other TOTL.

Of course, in some areas there are differences, but this could stand the fight very well.

And price it is a reason, again just because of comparison reasons, as Diki said.

Anyway, BK9 is not so close to what E60 was. Not at all - I bought my E60 years ago for only 900 euros, brand new. BK9 is double and some more. But of course the sounds are different too.