My first Technics keyboard was a KN800 and it had it's share of quirks, but my next Technics was a KN1000 (stil have and use it), wasa giant step forward and great improvement. Then I bought the KN2000 (still have and use) and I thought that was everything I could want. As newer models became available, I kept thinking that every two years or so there would be a newer / improved model. Then the KN7000 and I waited until last April and could not resist the desire to have that incredible giant step forward in all that it had to offer and especially the SD card. It will probably take the rest of my life to exhaust my use and uses for this fantastic sounding instrument. It won't wear out ( my others did't) and it will challenge my playing and creative juices for as long as I live.

I would appreciate it if someone could respond with the actual historical lineage of the keyboards from the KN600 - 800 up to the KN7000. Year intruoduced with model number. What a story of advancement in a short number of years. Hats off to the people who worked in the MusicalInstrument Division of Technics/Panasonic.

My Pleasure

Model Year
K 200 1982
K 150 1984
K 250 1984
K 350 1985
K 50 1986
K 300 1986
K 450 1986
K 500 1988
K 700 1988
AX 5 1988
AX 7 1988
KN 200 1989
KN 400 1989
KN 600 1989
KN 800 1989
KN 220 1992
KN 440 1992
KN 770 1992
KN 1000FD 1992
KN 550 1992
KN 750 1993
KN 2000 1993
KN 470 1993
KN 570 1993
KN 500 1994
KN 700 1994
KN 1200 1994
AC 1200 1994
KN 300 1995
KN 501 1995
KN 701 1995
KN 901 1995
KN 3000 1995
WSA 1 1995
KN 720 1996
KN 920 1996
KN 1500 1996
KN 3500 1997
KN 5000 1997 -
KN 930 1998
KN 1400 1998
KN 1600 1998
KN 6000 1999
KC 200 2000 (Panasonic)
KC 600 2000 (Panasonic)
KN 6500 2001
KC 211 2001 (Panasonic)
KC 611 2001 (Panasonic)
MB 100 2001 (Panasonic)
KN 7000 2002

Walter

to finish:
KN2400 2003
KN2600 2003
THE END.

I never knew of the
AX5
AX7
AC1200
WSA1
or any of the KC MB Panasonic series.
Were, or are these lower end priced models?
Were they sold around the World?

Looking at the way Technics numbered their series, it was kind of strange.
Example: Who would think that the KN1600 was a newer more advanced model then the KN2000.

SeeYa
Larry Hawk

Hi Larry, I believe the AX5 and AX7 were PCM Synthesizers rather than Arranger keyboards. The AC1200 was an MIDI controlled sound module version of the KN1200 keyboard. It also had a sort of 'Nickname' which escapes me at present - anyone remember it??
The WSA1 was a 'Work Station' again more of a Synthesizer than an arranger keyboard.

Re Panasonic keyboards see http://achamilton.co.uk/panasonic/KC611KC211.htm

------------------
Willum

[This message has been edited by Bill Norrie (edited 02-28-2004).]

The AX were amongst the first affordable PCM sampled keyboards, at the time when Yamaha were still using low operator FM synthesis as their sound generators, and the sounds were a huge step up in quality in relative terms at that time.

The AC1200 was just a KN1200 in a box without keyboard or speakers and was quite popular.

The WSA1 was an attempt to break into the synthesiser market with an interesting acoustic modelling approach. It still has some followers today but mainly gave us the trackball on the 6000/6500.

The Panasonic KC were entry level "Christmas Present" type affordable keyboards to get kids interested in music.

The numbering is quite logical since the 1600 is a mid range board, successor to the 1500, which was a successor to the 901. In the same way the 930 succeeded the 920 which succeeded the 701.

The 1600 was five years after the 2000, which was a top model, so a different series of numbering, and although by then it had caught up with a lot of features, and overtaken some, the 2k still had the solid construction and better overall speaker system of the top models.

They did have accompaniment if I remember correctly, so they were arrangers with a very small amount of synthesis on board, laughable by todays standards but absolutely ground breaking at the price then

also wrote this years ago now on Gunnar's site: http://home.c2i.net/gjgotaas/alecs.htm

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Bill Norrie:
[B]Hi Larry, I believe the AX5 and AX7 were PCM Synthesizers rather than Arranger keyboards. The AC1200 was an MIDI controlled sound module version of the KN1200 keyboard. It also had a sort of 'Nickname' which escapes me at present - anyone remember it??


Hi Bill, was it SMAC, (the c sounding as a K)? Regards. Walter.

Walter,
Your date of 1982 for the first Kn board has me a bit puzzled. Way back in 1978 I attended a demonstration concert given by Alan Haven on then new JVCM1210 organ. A superb player and a brilliant organ for the time. At the interval, the presenter who was from Technics (which made me assume at the time that the JVC was a Technics product under another name) came on stage with a keyboard which was suspended from a strap over his shoulders rather like an accordion(so it must have been pretty lightweight). The accompaniments and sounds coming from this instrument were amazing (again for the time) and when the Technics man finished the instrument was placed on a stand at right angles to the organ and Haven played piano from it while playing the organ.
I don't think JVC ever produced another organ, but the point of my rambling is, would 1978 not have been the year of the first Technics keyboard?

Peter