Just saw that its price at Europe's largest online store has dropped from 1780 to 1499 Euros, 500 less than the initial price.
http://www.thomann.de/de/roland_bk_9.htm

No surprise there....
Roland has disappointed many arranger KB players since the G70

I still think it has more to do with bad marketing (including bad demos) than bad quality of the arranger. In one respect however Roland deserves the sales failure: announcing tone expansions first and then abandoning them, that's a way of putting off customers. Sadly, they did it the same way with the Fantom G.

This and the fact that noboddy understands the two sepperated cheap screens..

The BK-9 is a great arranger in many respects, but marketed dismally. The two screens are a put off until you bother to read the manual to understand that they act in concert to one another in making changes much faster than menu based buttons.

The only peeve I have is that Roland was too lazy or cheap to hone their sounds, unlike Yamaha e.g. that has polished their OOTB sounds.

It is definitely a keeper IMO, but takes a bit of work.

I'm very happy with mine. I'm too lazy and can't justify buying another Arranger because of a few differences some consider better. Just came in from my studio to read this thread. I was working on "Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye" and having fun with the Clonewheel Hammond sounds in the BK9. When all you rich guys go jump on your new Yamaha's and Kentrons let me know if you have a BK9 you'd like to get rid of. I may in the market for a 2nd if the price is right.
Not to hijack the thread to a different subject but it does a great job of backing me up when I sing and really thats all people listen to, the vocals. For strictly instrumental work its just fine too.

Start up the rumor mill... I can think of at least two other explanations:
(A) We're seeing the caboose at the end of the train: Roland's new management is getting out of the arranger business, leaving the BK-9 an orphan with no further development planned. Think Technics, GEM, etc.
(B) The factory is letting them lower the MAP to clear out the distribution chain in advance of a new model.
IMO it's not a random development. We'll see...

Fabulous! how many user styles can you make? probably none?
That's were Korg is the best for the money overall.

I'm not getting into a mine is better than yours debate but here's a bunch of demo videos on the BK9. Most have been listed here already but here they are all in one place. Besides its just 16 lbs. Love that ! I'll soon have an upstairs studio so I'm really happy about the weight. And I've said many times the two screens give lots of real time info and the IPAD integration is also available. More info than I can use in a live situation.

http://www.personal-view.com/talks/discussion/6542/roland-bk-9-arranger/p1

For live performances I think its fine. For studio recording quality sounds maybe VSTs are better, or real instruments !

I have a suspicion Roland is getting out of the Arranger Keyboard market, maybe for good...maybe not, but I feel it's the former.

I thought the BK-9 was already an extraordinary bargain...76 keys, nice action, terrific organ (with drawbar control) and very decent Leslie sim, and good strong basic sounds like acoustic piano, Rhodes, guitars, strings etc., not to mention the relatively large style library.

They certainly have the basics for an exceptionally good top-line arranger, especially if they borrow from their synthesizer line.

Ian