Roland has allways sounded really good.

They just stopped making totals.. No more high end workstations or arrangers in the last 10 years..

Even the ea7 sounds good, Just misses out on the high end features...


Back to the bk9, never understood the dislikes.. Tough would have loved some multipads/midibased .. But everything else is there, they could have added some more supernatural stuff.. Except for the styles, the Fa06 that only cost halt of the bk9 has so much more to offer, FA06 plus bk7..

Biggest dissapointment was that roland never delivered on the promissed expansion voices, was supposed to be expansions on the axial database, but that never happened.

Seems soon the whole BK series belongs to the past as the last evidence of Roland europe.


At its current price however, BK9 has no competition when it comes to 76 key arrangers..

Fantom G is 8 years ago.

I don't think FA-06 has much more to offer, it also has several disadvantages to the BK-9, also soundwise. Apart from the few SuperNatural sounds (more than BK-9, but no brass and wind), the core of the PCM sounds is the old XV 5080. In contrast, the BK-9 has all the newer sounds from the E-80 and more. Try to find saxophones in the FA-06. All the good ones of the BK-9 are missing.
FA-06 plus BK-7m is a different thing. I pondered long whether it isn't enough to keep the BK-7m together with my MoXF.
But there are two more interesting things about the BK-9:
- 76 keys, and a much better, more weighted keybed than FA-06 or MoXF
- the very useful chord sequencer, that allows you to quickly record a chord sequence, and then use the left hand freely.

I like the way it sounds "live". The drums are good, and you can hear the individual instrument parts playing. It's clean, not muddled.

I don't like the two monochrome screens, though.

Maybe those who own/ed one can comment?

Thanks!

I mostly agree, but you forget about one thing, the axial database, EXP07 would add a total of 100 Brass and sax sounds of the highest (including supernatural) quallity..


And yes, i overexagurated, its only been 8 years for the G8 and 9 years i believe for the G70 and also 8 years for the E80?


But can you explain to me why the greatsounding BK9 with indeed 76 top knotch keys (much better then FA06 indeed) didnt become a bigger succes?

Dnj. Thanks for posting the video links.
I have seen Ralf many time at UK Keyboard Festivals, he is an excellent player and very open to speak to.

I own the BK-9 and recently started tweaking my registrations again after after my initial set up. I compared it with the S-910 I had, and found that it was not balanced and gig ready as was the Yamaha. Being thusly spoiled,I was somewhat disappointed that Roland had not gone a step further. One can argue and say that it up to individual taste. This is true after it is at least minimally optimized.

On the other hand, the BK-9 has so much going for it, like great key bed,killer B-3,76 keys,16 lbs,great styles, and very realistic sounds, of which there are a great many. The two small screens,at first, seemed like a throwback from the past,but, they are very useful and well integrated to reduce searching for parameters.

I am now working on it again after learning more about it. It is very simple to balance with the mixer window and it is approaching my expectations.

I agree that it is a shame that it didn't sell as well as it should have. As for me, instead of buyers remorse, I am thankful that our friend Diki encouraged me to hang in there, because it is a great board for gigging.

Bachus, sorry to correct you, but you are wrong there about SuperNatural sounds! You would be very shocked to find out after buying the FA: You CANNOT add supernatural sounds to it from Axial or anywhere else. The EXP-07 is identical to the SRX-10, you can check in your Integra: it has orchestral trumpet, trombone and French horn sections, but no solo brass (except tuba) and no saxophones. All the EXPs are identical to the former SRX boards, and none of them have superNatural sounds on them. And there are no really good saxophones on any of the SRX boards, there are fairly good ones on SRX 03 (EXP Studio), but they are bay far not as good as those from BK-9/7m, which were obviously samples by Roland Europe, as I don't know any Roland synthesizer on which they appear.
The other Axial collections you can load into the FA (besides EXP) are merely reedited sounds based on the SN-Synth waveforms that are already in the FA.
So, it is nice that you can add something from the SRX library, but they don't include SN-A sounds and there are only two slots for EXPs.
I checked thoroughly when the FA came out whether it could be a replacement for the Integra, but it isn't.
All in all, the BK-9 offers the better range of acoustic sounds, unless you are very keen on two particular SRX/EXP expansions you could use in the FA. FA is better for symphonic sounds if you use EXP Orchestra plus Brass or Strings (problem: all 3 are impossible), probably better for E-pianos, and certainly for electronic sounds. For acoustic sounds involved in some pop music, swing, jazz, latin, oldies etc., you are certainly better off with the BK-9 soundwise.
Why was the BK-9 so unsuccessful? - It has not much to do with the range of sounds, but with marketing, Roland's present image as an arranger manufacturer, the look of the two tiny displays, shitstorms and the fact that Yamaha boasted with their audio styles in their demos, which sound better than the BK-9.

For me I love the "LIVE" sound Roland BK9 has,.....after all you don't need much more then this KB offers for gigging,...it surly has a lot going for it. It seems Roland products are made for the "Player" vs the home enthusiast,.......just add an iPad or if needed a Vh unit and your good to go. The size, weight, 76 keybed, Sounds, Styles, Mic input w/fx, great style library, audio keys, etc,.. ....was I sleeping all this time with Yamaha blinders on?
& being Roland ignorant, especially after talking to some great BK9 players like Fran & Bill Lewis about the BK9?
The BK-9 is now on my Radar...

OMG am I becoming a Roland player again?