I'd pay more for a better built keyboard. Especially if ALL the makers got their shi@#t together and realized that the future in keyboards is "open source units". Sure.., give me a $3000 unit built like a freakin tank The unit becomes obsolete only if the makers idea of an upgrade costs $3000 and more.

All these so called "major" advances in the keyboards aren't really so major. They are years behind what they could be doing. The advances are coming primarily in "software related" items for the keyboard. HD's in keyboards isn't anything new either.

The Mediastation is an excellent example here as well.... Sure the styles may be a thing in question by users, but the concept is one of the most logical things in today's market. Give the buyer a great unit, good "shell", and have an open source unit. What's the biggest thing you hear with the new arrangers. It's all sounds and styles. Not much really changes in "hardware". Open source units let you upgrade at a fraction of the cost. Would weight always be an issue for some when the new models come out if you can keep your current model and just upgrade the
software?

Seriously think about it. Look at the keyboards that have USB drives now. Is that NEW technology? Nope the keyboard makers could have added those a long time ago. They don't for "marketing purposes". Even though the technology has been out for a while, it's those little things like USB slots to hook buyers.

Look at the SA voices... I think some of them sound great. The saxes make me wet my pants every time I hear them. However, is that NEW technoloy? Hell No! That's just another use of "velocity switching". Guitars for example are now triggering say a finger slide instead of just "changing the sound" when the velocity curve is reached. Velocity switching has been around for years. They just repackage the old, slap a new lable on it, and market the hell out of it Then they hold back on adding technology that's been out and used for years to ensure the sales of the upgrade models. That's just business in Today's World.... It has always been "green", but there was a time when "more money often meant better quality".

How's this for an example: Would you rather buy a Rolls Royce when it was "built by hand", and took months to build and deliver (knowing each hand built Rolls was of top quality), or spend MORE money for a Rolls built today on an assembly line (which is how they're done now... Damn BMW buyout)

I'm not saying build every keyboard by hand, but "quality control" sure as hell went out the window a long time ago. (Cough, Cough.., ALESIS)

Squeak



[This message has been edited by squeak_D (edited 04-04-2007).]