Too bad Technics is not making keyboards anymore.They were ahead of time.I believe lots of it went to Yamaha, but Yamaha usually waters down everything when it comes to keyboards.

I was just going to post what Mirza said. Techinics was ahead of its time. The sequencer was awesome and easy to edit. Still Have the Kn7000. Bought a Korg Pa3x to be more up to date but its sequencer still cannot do what the KN can do. Tried sequencing with a Yamaha and that was a nightmare.
RC

Such a powerful editing tool as the Pa3x I cant understand what it cant do vs the much older kn7000....please elaborate on this a bit more ....interesting? For me I hated the sunken keybed on the 7k.....didnt like the sound of my 6k-65k either......but my KN5000 I Loved.

I realize that everyone's 'ears' are different, but I don't understand what is wrong with the sounds of the kn6000? ... Perhaps you could elaborate a little more, Donny? ...

Except for the fact that I am playing considerably more 1 hour gigs and I like the lighter weight and smaller footprint of the Pa900, I don't think I would have gotten another KB ...
Well,also, I guess after about 12 years with the kn6000, and 8 years with the kn1000 before that, I just wanted to try something different ...

Tony its hard to explain & so long ago, but I remember compared to my KN5000 the 6k was a bit difficult to set up for my needs the way I like it too sound....so I returned the 6k & 65k withing weeks of purchase......I test drove a 7k at Dan O's store and the sunken keybed was terrible because both ends are sunk down and walled restricting my fingers high & low....The giant tilt up display is like the starship enterprise not natural for my playing style at all, difficult to access features buttons on the fly in split second changes,....I did however love the speaker system. I dumped them all and remember buying two Yamaha Psr9000 ...to each his own.

... and Goldilocks said "This one is too big and tilts ... THIS one is too small and doesn't tilt ... someday one will be JUST RIGHT !!!"



ABSOLUTELY!!!

Donny
I am talking in the sequencing mode.
1. KN I can assign Technicord to any channel- Cannot in Korg
2.KN can assign changes in sounds, variations, and styles to change automatic- Cannot in Korg
3.Kn can program chords easier
4.When editing a song in the sequencer in the KN screen you can see exactly whier you want a note, chord, or a change to be placed. In the Korg you have to count Measures.
5.After sequencing a song in Kn you can shut of channel one and the cords. When you the play the keyboard you can control the cords and notes with your hands. You cannot do this in Korg.
These are a few of the differences. In the KN I have way more control over my songs than I do with the Korg. There is way more button pushinging in the Korg to accomplish the same as the KN.
Don't get me wrong I like the Korg but if they were still making the Technics I would have another one. In my opinion and this is only mine. Technics was so much easier to control than the Korg. Because of the fact that the Korg cannot do the things that Technics did I feel they were ahead of their time. They did these things back in 2002 and the newer boards do not in 2014.

Tony I actually got my Technics kn5000 from Don Mason many years ago after I sold my Korg i3...made lots of money with that ax......ended up trading it to my Uncle Dave for a Ketron X1,....this is when UD used to be a "power trader" ....lol...
Times have changed,.....arrangers have changed,....It must mean something when I keep a KB like the Yamaha S-950 for over a
year & a half ......it just keeps on ticking, ....
gig after gig, after Gig!!
On the other hand reading your post it doesn't seem like you fully
"ALL IN" on the Korg vs the KN6000 at his point?..

I am keep hearing that Technics were ahead of their time... Well, possibly, but I don't think that explains anything, even less so their disappearance.

I do remember the keyboard I dreamed most of, as a child really, was a Technics KN, I don't remember the number, I think might've been KN800. And later on, the KN 3000 was the supreme that I've never had anyway.

But why ahead of their time? They were just the first in introducing some functions and features (and sounds) that other manufacturer did not. I believe they were not "ahead" but rather "right in the front".



I would like too seeing a new arranger from Technics though.

Maybe they will be the first ones to introduce the first totally or almost totally touchscreen tablet/module/unit in arrangers market........

There were thousands of anguished Technics owners all over the world, including myself, when the news came out that Panasonic was dissolving that division.

I still find my KN7000 the easiest to program, and the best sounding big band music. I can't understand why someone hasn't procured the rights to the OS and modernized it with today's frills.

I still play mine after 12 years and thousands of gig hours, all without a hitch.

with Technics and general music leaving the arranger market, two of the most innovative brands left the buiseness.

Which is a pitty

So Bernie, what happened to that BK-9 review? Do you still have it? Do you enjoy it? What was the outcome?

Thanks!

Adimatis

I haven't done a BK-9 review because I have been too busy playing gigs to make a complete assessment. However, first impressions are very favorable,

I have it set up with my Yamaha S910 with the BK-9 on the bottom triggering the S910 accmp from my left hand whenever the sync is on and,of coarse playing the Roland styles with a choice of leads from both instruments. This is looking like a formidable combination.

As far as just the BK-9 is concerned, the keybed feels good, in between my old G70 and PSR's. It looks good, and feels pretty solid in spite of it's light weight.

It has a punchier and more live rhythms than Yamaha, but not like my Audya. This is not a detriment at all in smaller venues.

The voices are good, with some better and some not compared to the 910. It has a killer Hammond sound with the best Leslie sim yet, and with full controls. I had to tweak it some to get it perfect for me.

The SMF playback is better than any of my board, as is the mic.

The two small windows make it much easier to perform tasks and navigate; with my iPad apps, it is a breeze. It does have an internal lyrics/chords display with SMF playback which is readable, but opting for a 7 in monitor.

I like the amount of Yamaha styles better, and a lot of things about Yamaha are great also, but I have, by no means, learned all the parameters of my Roland yet

I like them both for different reason. One is not better than the other, just different.

More later

Nice to read that you appreciate the BK-9. I am observing BK-9 sales at Europe's largest dealer Thomann. They are incredibly low. There are only 4 customer reviews. Occasionally, there is a return/B-ware, but no new customer review for a year or so. Virtually no demand for it, which is sad.

No touch screen is a big issue with bk9..among a few other things.....
..I hope they regroup and design a whole new line arranger keyboards....or have thet given up for good.

Thanks, I am looking myself into getting a BK9, I don't know when will that be, but I am hopeful. So, your short review confirms my expectations and hopes. I've not tested one yet, but I am planning traveling to a near by city where they have one on display.

I am also very intrigued by the lack of interest. Indeed, not only Thomann but several other dealers report low sales.

That in itself is not a problem to me. I remember when E60 came out, I was among the first ones to get it, I think I was the first or the second on this forum to have bought it, untested before, from an online retailer. I trusted Roland enough and I was happy with it for a while. So nor problem, again I'd be one of the few to own and play an Roland arranger.

I have the feeling that G70 story might be BK9's too. A version 2 or 3 of the OS, with some improvements might give it the proper value...

I tend to agree, I think many people are turn down by no touchscreen, but also I think a Vocal Harmonizer was expected (against of what some user declare) and some user, me included, would've liked onboard speakers.

Anyway, I am looking forward for when I'll be able to get it.

Thanks again.

I guess the knowledge that Roland has dissolved its arranger division and subsidiary Roland Europe has also deterred customers from investing in a Roland arranger, in addition to terrible marketing and video presentations. If you look at sales of the BK-7m (released in 2011), there are over 20 (positive) customer reviews at Thomann. I really hope Roland will develop an updated module some time. The BK-9 has a complete BK-7m and many more sounds on board.
However, it is also Roland's own fault not sticking to their announcements to release expansion tones for the BK-9 and not providing any updates since October 2013.

That's probably true!

A friend of mine tells me he was very interested in a BK-9, especially because it has a Chord Sequencer, but upon learning that the latter can not be transposed while playing, made him put off buying until a fix was announced...so far, nothing from Roland about such a fix.

I think the concept of the BK-9 was brilliant, especially considering its portability (for a 76-note instrument) and excellent features (especially the organ sim), but I also believe that, due to recent changes, there are too many unanswered questions about the future of Roland arrangers to give people enough confidence to invest in one.

Ian

Doesn't really matter - one should by for whatever IT IS, not for WHAT MIGHT BE.

The sunken key bed was a huge design flaw IMO.