Saying the demand for these hybrids is "very high" isn't true because there is no way that a manufacturer can build the product at the price point needed to make the demand "high" let alone "very high". If there are so many people ready to buy a Wersi or Lionstracs they certainly haven't done so. I'd love to have a Ferrari but I don't expect Ferrari to "dumb it down" so that it can be cheap enough for me to afford one. Some things just aren't meant for the mass market and that's OK.

Lionstracs is continually improving the Mediastation and with each new OS release I'm sure that Wersi is worried it will take some sales away from them. Will it put Wersi out of business... probably not. What Wersi has done with OAS is far more than just software, they've integrated their software and hardware so well that they really don't have any competition to date. While you could buy a computer and load it with VST's, a sampler, and FX, it will never operate like a system that was designed from the ground up to be an all in one device. Domenik's doing a damned good job at coming close to the Wersi but Wersi has about a 5 year jump on him when it comes to their GUI, factory sounds, and hardware layout. Even Korg's Oasys which has a very nice GUI isn't on par with the Wersi.

Wersi has allowed their technology to trickle down by making the Ikarus and Xenios, both of which are much cheaper than the Abacus, Scala, and Louvre but offer almost all the same features. Wersi did have to utilize different materials to cut costs and there aren't as many real time controls but these are very nice instruments for the money.

If and when the competition gets stiffer I am sure that Wersi may opt to make a plastic, pseudo pro version of the OAS system but once they do, their reputation for build quality will take a hit. One thing you may not be considering is this... when new technology becomes available Wersi can integrate that into their systems, create new software that's more advanced than the competition, and still sell a product that is at the forefront of technology. Wersi has always been a company that has been far ahead of its time and I don't see any reason why they aren't forward thinking when it comes to new products they will release.

In the near future open ended systems will be the norm from Yamaha, Korg, Roland, Wersi, Lionstracs, and others. Who sells well will be determined by their feature set, sounds, styles, upgradeability, and of course price (price drives sales). Anyone who comes out with a $5K+ keyboard is going to limit their market, that's just a fact.

[This message has been edited by Ensnareyou (edited 12-22-2006).]