And there is NO confirmation there won't be a new G-series, either.

But the rumor mill grinds on, doesn't it, Ian Still, it gives you a break from justifying Yamaha's bottom-line business model, doesn't it?

Actually, I am very happy to see this product... I have always thought that Roland make great arrangers, once they don't have to worry about the sound source itself (not their strong point, IMO). Most of the really popular Roland's were based on one or another model of the Sound Canvas series, which was voiced and used samples developed by the main Roland division, who are not short of resources or money (unlike most arranger divisions, at least compared to the main divisions!). So, IMO, they were voiced VERY consistently, and homogeneously (so all the sounds fitted together with no further work) and provided a consistent sound set for the arranger gurus to work with.

Not so in the G70 and E50/60/80 (and the previous V/VA series), which don't have a complete sound-set based around any other single Roland product, but rather a cobbled together set from several different sources. This has proved problematic, if not solvable. You certainly CAN balance all the sounds, and very well indeed, by using the voice editing and 3 band parametric EQ, but it doesn't come OOTB like that, which the old Sound Canvas based arrangers DID...

So, moving the arranger line (at least the lower end, to start) over to the Sonic Cell would seem like a step back towards what made Roland's great in the first place. A well balanced soundset developed by the main Roland division, and then used by the arranger division, who now only have to concentrate on operational features, rather than voicing the damn thing...

Time will tell.

In the meantime, hopefully I've got LOTS of time to save up for anything significantly better than my G70 It hasn't been made yet by ANYBODY, so no rush. At this rate, maybe I'll just get a Scala and four roadies to haul it for me