Roland will have aftertouch if they ever make a TOTL arranger again.

Just like the S950, or the E-60, most MOTL arrangers don't have aftertouch enabled keybeds. Korg's the only one bucking this trend.

And if it has taken Yamaha over 10 YEARS to respond to what seems significant customer demand, perhaps having the most sales isn't necessarily the best thing..? It has made them complacent and unresponsive.

It is only significant if there is an increase in demand for the Tyros five keyboard as a result of the offering of 76 keys as opposed to just the normal offering of 61 keys. If the same numbers of tyros keyboards are purchased ,Yamaha won't have gained anything by offering two models . Time will tell though . We will only know if it has truly been a success when Tyros six is produced and if they offer that also as a 76 key model. I would suggest that some smart person at Yamaha has seen an opportunity because Roland no longer produce high-end 76 key ranges and that their client base would be left wanting a 76 key offering that was top of the range

Much like Roland's response to the chord sequencer...let's just hope the BK-9 sells enough to warrant another MOTL arranger, let alone a TOTL.

Sales and overall interest (including here on SZ) appear rather tepid at best. If Roland has a lot riding on the BK-9, you'd never think it due to the poor promotion, and, if it doesn't achieve some sort of reasonable success...well, a TOTL would be a stretch to say the least.

They used to have great marketing at one time...maybe there's still a bit of complacency hanging on?

Korg's new arrangers will be out soon...that should really make things interesting.

Ian

And by what amazing crystal ball reading did you come to that conclusion after the pa3x, pa900 is relatively still new?

Nothing amazing..."soon" could mean almost anything...weeks, months...

For some reason, I don't think the PA4X is too too far away.

What might be a real eye opener is if Korg makes a semi-weighted 76'er of the PA-600, something similar to what they did with the PA-588 (only that had 88 weighted keys). I'm not sure if the PA-588 has been discontinued or how well it did sales-wise.

Competition keeps the companies on their toes, and almost always benefits the user.

I doubt if Yamaha would have done the Tyros5-76 if Korg didn't have a 76 TOTL that appears to be doing quite well (certainly better than the BK-9).


Sales numbers are extremely important, as some of that revenue gets put back into research and development. The TOTL instruments allegedly bring in a higher profit, and play a major role in paying off development costs and advertising/promotion campaigns.

They also represent the state of the company and it's commitment to introducing new technology.

Ian

That's my feeling as well: somebody, at Yamaha headquarters, must have had a good look at the PA3X-76 sales and then wondered why they were leaving that slice of the pie to Korg.
Re. Korg's counter-move, there are rumors that we could see something at the next Musik-Messe (March 2014); it should be a mix between the PA3X and the Audya (think of a PA3X with more RAM and audio styles).
Finally, speaking of the BK-9, to me it simply lacks the "wow" factor: you read the specs, watch the videos and think "Yes, but..."
Besides, I own already the BK7-m but find it very clumsy to operate, with that plastic wheel that makes the navigation a nightmare (and this is still a problem in the BK-9).

There is more that yamaha steals from korgs ideas.. and the other way around...

Personally i have heard rumors that Korg will throw in stuff from the Kronos intoo the next PA4x combined with audio capabillities..


And to poor Diki...

This is Rolands Top Of The Line arranger.. they dont plan on anything more expensive, according to many of the dealers i spoke in revent years... however all those dutch dealers could be wrong..

The reason other arrangers in that price range like PSR S950 and Korg PA900 are selling that well because people link them to the top model of the brands line..

As regards a Pa4X, Korg seem to release TOTL on a four-year cycle. The 3X in 2011, the 2X in 2007, the 1X in 2003. So a 4X by that regimen would be released in 2015. But who knows? With the appearance of the T5, that might just push Korg to roll out a 4X a bit sooner. Time will tell.

Agreed, the BK-9, in marketing terms, is so non-wow. It's almost as if Roland make a very capable board and then run and hide. I don't get that - such a waste of effort and money.




I like the sound of your 'rumour', Andrea.

I'm a big roland fan and they're marketing in the US amazes me. They've come out with some great products that never took off. I pay attention to their keyboard and amps but I'm sure theres other products that are in this category.
Remember the SA300 & SA1000 amps? They looked to be great and I was thinking of getting two for a super Keyboard/DJ stereo setup. Anyone ever seen or heard one? I think one member here bought one that I know of.
Seems to be going that way with the BK9. I think a great board and would sell if people knew what it was capable of. This says it all.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XF2ayWcJfxo

The video you posted is blocked on Youtube Germany by the copyright society GEMA (copyright infringement). Does it just contain BK9 music?